A fascinating discussion with Bill Moyers, Matt Taibbi and Chrystia Freeland about one of the least discussed issues in the mainstream media and political elites; how income inequality threatens any kind of prosperity and how vulture capitalism is suiting a few people very well indeed:
Showing all posts tagged United States
Trying to tempt Anwar al-Awlaki with the lure of another wife
An incredible story, if true, that reveals one way Western agencies attempt to target extremist enemies of the state (apart from killing them with drones). The New York Times reports: The man with the wire-rim glasses and bushy beard, speaking calmly in American-accented English, is familiar from dozens of Web videos urging violent jihad against…
This is just what global peace needs, a greatly expanded CIA drone fleet
The Washington Post reports on the deepening of American attempts to prosecute its “war on terror” globally through the use of imprecise and legally questionable drone technology. It’s also a wonderful way to make countless new enemies: The CIA is urging the White House to approve a significant expansion of the agency’s fleet of armed…
“After Zionism” on New York’s “Beyond the Pale” radio
I was recently interviewed with my After Zionism co-editor, Ahmed Moor, on New York’s great indy radio, Beyond The Pale on WBAI 99.5. We spoke with hosts Alex Kane and Lizzy Ratner. Here’s the interview, discussing the reality on the ground in Palestine and why moves towards one-state are growing.
What rampant vulture capitalism looks like in Afghanistan
Private security companies have been causing chaos in the country for years. It’s something I examined during my recent visit to the country and will be appearing in a book and documentary on disaster capitalism in 2013. Here’s just the latest example of of unregulated chaos (via UK Telegraph): The American military is investigating allegations…
How the US lost in Afghanistan against a guerrilla movement
More than ten years after 9/11, it’s still little appreciated how America and its allies have lost two wars comprehensively, Iraq and Afghanistan (though a friend today said to me that the former was a success, with any number of oil contracts going to North American firms). Here’s Gareth Porter in IPS with some fascinating…
How “liberal media” covers all those war-mongering Western leaders. Oh wait…
A typically astute Medialens analysis: Liberal journalism is balanced, neutral and objective, except when it’s not. A BBC news report on Hugo Chavez’s latest election triumph in Venezuela… commented: ‘Mr Chavez said Venezuela would continue its march towards socialism… butalso vowed he would be a “better president”.’ (Our emphasis. The article was subsequently amended, although the ‘but’…
My chapter on Wikileaks in new book edited by Dr Helen Caldicott, “Loving this Planet”
I’ve been writing and speaking about Wikileaks since 2006, its year of inception. I support the group for its belief in transparency. There’s a new book just out, through The New Press in the US, that features a range of voices that discuss any number of issues, from climate change to nuclear weapons and US…
America is blind in Syria
The lead story in today’s New York Times is comical. Almost. What’s clear is how little Washington understands the Syrian revolution, who is fighting and why. Its intelligence is clearly suspect and hardline Islamists are being strengthened. America learns nothing from history.… Afghanistan in the 1980s, anybody? Most of the arms shipped at the behest of… Saudi…
America’s (almost) silent drone war and mainstream media largely ignoring civilian murders
America’s unrelenting drone war in Pakistan and elsewhere receives little accurate media coverage. The reality of civilians living in these areas are often ignored. Instead, we’re told “militants” are being killed. But who is really telling us this? A friend, Justin Randle, recently attended the Imran Khan anti-drone march in Pakistan (his report is here…