Home
Political Affairs Magazine - Afghanistan and the Lessons of Soviet Intervention
A historian's account of the political memoirs of various soviet leaders on the "Afghanistan Trap" and their similarities to Obama's situation today.
Mondoweiss: Netanyahu and Lieberman cut 'secret deal' to finish off the two-state solution
- The US and Israel are reportedly at loggerheads at the secret plan unveiled by major Israeli daily "Haaretz" of a plan for 3,000 new illegal settlements between Jerusalem and settlement Maale Adumim. - leftablaze on 2009-03-27
-
Ha'aretz is reporting the Benjamin Netanyahu and Avigdor Lieberman have cut a "secret deal" to build 3,000 new illegal housing units between Jerusalem and the illegal Israeli settlement Ma'ale Adumim. These units will be in E-1, a highly contested stretch of land that Israel wants to colonize in order to control the strategic corridor connecting Jerusalem to the Jordan Valley. The map to the right (click to enlarge) from the Israeli organization Ir Amim shows the area. Israeli control of E-1 would cut the West Bank in half and make a viable Palestinian state impossible. Ha'aretz notes that "For this reason, the United States has strongly
opposed this sort of Israeli construction for more than a decade.
Israeli governments have avoided construction in this area, mostly
because of U.S. pressure." Clearly the incoming Israeli government isn't afraid of US pressure or they feel the endgame is at hand.
BELLACIAO
A collaborative blog in english and several different languages, offering original critique and much cultural review.
BELLACIAO - BASTARDIZING HISTORY: Obama’s Betrayal on Iraq - Jack Random
-
How then do we reconcile the chasm between the following statements offered to a contingent of marines at Camp Lejeune?
1. "Let me say this as plainly as I can: By August 31st, 2010, our combat mission in Iraq will end."
2. “I intend to remove all US troops from Iraq by the end of 2011.”
Let me be plain. If George W. Bush instead of Barack Obama offered these statements, they would be greeted with the cynicism they deserve. It is difficult to take the certainty of the first statement seriously when it already represents the compromise of a campaign pledge. The slippage is disturbing enough when you consider the additional lives it will undoubtedly cost but it only becomes more egregious when you realize that his plan calls for 30-50 thousand troops to remain as a residual force.
-
How then do we reconcile the chasm between the following statements offered to a contingent of marines at Camp Lejeune?
1. "Let me say this as plainly as I can: By August 31st, 2010, our combat mission in Iraq will end."
2. “I intend to remove all US troops from Iraq by the end of 2011.”
Let me be plain. If George W. Bush instead of Barack Obama offered these statements, they would be greeted with the cynicism they deserve. It is difficult to take the certainty of the first statement seriously when it already represents the compromise of a campaign pledge. The slippage is disturbing enough when you consider the additional lives it will undoubtedly cost but it only becomes more egregious when you realize that his plan calls for 30-50 thousand troops to remain as a residual force.
Gitmo Inmates Still Tortured
A story about how torture persists for 250+ detainees at Guantanamo Bay.
Israel's Netanyahu fails to lure rivals to cabinet
-
Add Sticky Note
Although he can theoretically count on support from fellow right-wingers for a 65-strong bloc in the 120-member parliament, Netanyahu is believed to favour a broad coalition that will have a better chance of surviving in the notoriously unstable world of Israeli politics.
"He is terrified by the possibility that he will have to present a narrow government to Barack Obama," the Maariv newspaper wrote. "It keeps him awake at night."
Although Likud won 27 seats in the election -- one less than Kadima -- Netanyahu has been tasked with forming the next cabinet as he stands a better chance of cobbling together a coalition by an April 3 deadline.
The former premier favours a broad alliance over a purely right-wing coalition that would be unlikely to last a full term and would put Israel at odds with Obama's administration.- So the old firm of Olmert hands over to the new face of settler colonialism - Netanyahu - himself an old fox cold warrior.
This article is typical of the mush of commercial coverage, presenting Kadima as a "centrist" party and Barak's Likud as an "responsible oppositon". This is code for the Gaza nightmare - no acceptace for the democratically elected government of Palestine, the fact Obama might actually grill them is a fascinating diversion, because I doubt he can stop a repeat of last month if pushed! - on 2009-02-26
- So the old firm of Olmert hands over to the new face of settler colonialism - Netanyahu - himself an old fox cold warrior.
Harrison Bergeron - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A wikipedia article on a very intriguing short story for those like me who enjoy social commentary and futurism in their fiction. Kurt Vonnegut wrote this and it was turned into a critically acclaimed motion picture (slightly altered) for TV. It's about an exceptionally gifted title character who surmounts the handicaps imposed by the state to enforce conformity - mind control drugs, lobotomies, etc.
GlobalResearch.ca - Centre for Research on Globalization
A very large indexed archive of world political commentary and events, with multiple authors and search facility.
ColdType - Writing Worth Reading From Around The World
Many writers on globalisation and anti-war critiques, all in one handy reader! Now Coldtype has a master index. The files come as PDF, very neat.
JWSR Journal of World-Systems Research (JWSR)
A free electronic magazine from the American Sociological Association Council.
LibraryThing | Catalog your books online
- This seems to be an ideal book lover's social network. - leftablaze on 2008-04-23
Public lectures : School of Culture & Communication : The University of Melbourne
- I thought this page might be a treat to those interested in Eagleton, historical and cultural materialism. You can download the audio files and/or play them using quicktime. The subject of historical memory is a big topic in today's political society. - leftablaze on 2008-04-23
Top Tags
Public Tags (49)
Matthew Davis's Public Lists (0)
No lists have been created yet.
"List" is a great way to organize, share and display your specific collection of bookmarks.
Highlighter, Sticky notes, Tagging, Groups and Network: integrated suite dramatically boosting research productivity. Learn more »
Join Diigo