The Weekly Watch
Thwarting Peace and Democracy at Home and Abroad
The horrors of our foreign policy have been haunting me this week....along with the media promotion of the war machine. Lots of hand wringing about the budget, DACA, and the market, but not much discussion of our illegal presence promoting an immoral war in Syria, nor Yemen...nor Palestine. No, it's seventy six new nukes in the big parade, and a hundred and ten drones flying right behind. And let's get this straight, we shall not tolerate peace on the Korean peninsula, nor allow the Iranian nuclear agreement to stand. But wait, there's more...we have to shift our attention to China...and of course, big, bad Russia. Why? In order to protect “our” interests. Yeah, right. Well, we are promoting our brand of democracy in the Americas...recognizing fraudulent elections in Honduras and ignoring fair elections in Venezuela. This is nothing new...it just seems to be on steroids.
It is laughable..a big military parade in DC
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trumps-marching-orders-to-the-pe...
Given that the U.S. is currently bombing seven countries and that civilian casualties have soared since Trump took office, anti-war groups were quick to denounce Trump's "marching orders" as "totally disgusting."
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/02/07/endless-wars-rage-aspiring-...
It isn't just the peaceniks, The Military Times readers are not interested in a parade either.
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2018/02/08/89-of-reader...
Military parades are nothing new in the US
https://theintercept.com/2018/02/07/trumps-military-parade-is-ridiculous...
What a mistake...following Obomber's lead we're accelerating and modernizing our nuclear weapons. Col. Lawrence Wilkerson thinks it is a bad idea. Me too. (9 min or text)
http://therealnews.com/t2/story:21064:Has-Trump-Launched-a-New-Nuclear-A...
More from Wilkerson with good footage of the current lies from Ambassador Halley aiming for a war with Iran. (video or text)
https://www.democracynow.org/2018/2/9/lawrence_wilkerson_i_helped_sell_the
T-rump has loosened the policy to start a nuclear war
https://theintercept.com/2018/02/08/donald-trump-nuclear-war/
A one minute cartoon message from Buster the little nuke...
https://www.truthdig.com/cartoons/buster-little-nuke-video/
Syria:
Claims of Iranian drones hitting Israel and Israel jets being shot down...this doesn't sound good
(beware the corporate spin!)
https://www.truthdig.com/articles/israel-downs-iranian-drone-strikes-syr...
As top US officials speak openly of targeting Iran and Assad now that ISIS is defeated, reporter Ben Norton and Syrian analyst Ehsani discuss the escalating Syrian war on multiple fronts.
(21 min or text) http://therealnews.com/t2/story:21116:Syrian-War-Spirals-in-Trump%27s-Da...
"The US wants to keep Syria weak divided and poor"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzSESgW9gXY (1.5 min)
Caitlin Johnstone takes us down the rabbit hole that led us into Syria. The same establishment that lied to you about Iraq is now lying to you about Iraq's next-door neighbor
https://steemit.com/syria/@caitlinjohnstone/five-reasons-to-be-absolutel...
Caitlin also has a new podcast, Going Rogue. https://soundcloud.com/going_rogue
The most recent episode suggests the US plans to use the white helmet model to spread disorder and chaos around the world. (18 min with article)
https://caitlinjohnstone.com/2018/02/08/the-empires-horrifying-plot-to-f...
Jimmy Dore takes apart the “Assad gassed his own people” (9 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j01F-_Rac9Q
Iran
Fifteen years after he helped write the Colin Powell speech that made the false case for war on Iraq, Col. Lawrence Wilkerson says Trump is following a similar path on Iran -- with the main difference being that the outcome now could "be significantly worse" (17 min or text)
http://therealnews.com/t2/story:21061:Wilkerson%3A-On-Iran%2C-Trump-Foll...
Afghanistan and Pakistan
You know the Afghan war has fallen out of view...easily forgotten in the slew of other wars we're promoting. I found this conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Steve Coll about his new book, “Directorate S: The C.I.A. and America’s Secret Wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan.” quite interesting. (video or text)
https://www.democracynow.org/2018/2/8/directorate_s_steve_coll_on_the
Now, we must advance further to Asia...China and Russia. Whaaat?
Jimmy uses a WSJ article to explain the complicity and absurdity of the Asian pivot . Wait I think I still remember that war in Vietnam – did we ever leave Asia? (21 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiRuLDTNM1w
Korea
The Trump administration is doing its best to thwart hopes for peace on the peninsula, says Christine Ahn of Women Cross DMZ (13 min or text)
http://therealnews.com/t2/story:21112:Trump%2C-Pence-Rain-on-Koreas%27-O...
Pence’s poorly handled visit to South Korea may inadvertently help progress for peace in the Korea. https://popularresistance.org/us-misses-opportunity-for-peace-progress-a...
...and here in the Americas
The Vendetta against Venezuela continues. US Secretary of State recently completed a tour of Latin American countries where he unsuccessfully tried to rally support for regional sanctions against Venezuela. However, as Venezuela's Charge D'Affairs in DC explains, US unilateral financial sanctions against Venezuela is causing significant problems for the country
(20 min or text) http://therealnews.com/t2/story:21060:Tillerson-Tries-and-Fails-to-Rally...
The Honduran inauguration was a sham just like the election (2 parts with video or text)
http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&I...
http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&I...
Where's the media?
Corporate news networks hire former top U.S. government officials as analysts, who call for a more belligerent foreign policy, Ben Norton reports.
http://therealnews.com/t2/story:21093:Corporate-Media-Hires-CIA%2C-Penta...
Jimmy Dore weighs in too - explaining the deep state deep media connections (25 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KA9RbIIURY
One more from Jimmy reviewing the FBI manipulation of social media. (20 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYAvvAQopmQ
You sure can't trust the intelligence community. They've been conducting a top-secret operation to recover stolen classified U.S. government documents from Russian operatives, according to sources familiar with the matter. The operation has also inadvertently yielded a cache of documents purporting to relate to Donald Trump and Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. James Risen
https://theintercept.com/2018/02/09/donald-trump-russia-election-nsa/
Where do we go from here?
Here's ten tips to get us out of war
https://www.truthdig.com/articles/ten-commonsense-suggestions-making-pea...
Medea Benjamin suggests divesting from the war machine the way other entities are divesting from fossil fuels
https://www.truthdig.com/articles/reel-u-s-war-machine/
Divestment offers an alternate means of addressing the blight of war profiteering in an era in which traditional political routes have been closed by our craven representatives.
https://www.alternet.org/activism/congress-keeps-funding-war-machine-pub...
http://www.divestfromwarmachine.org/
At least the court upheld the right to boycott and divest. A federal judge has ruled that Esther Koontz's constitutional rights were violated when she was denied a Kansas teaching job over her refusal to renounce the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement (BDS) against Israel (video and text)
http://therealnews.com/t2/story:21062:Kansas-Teacher-Scores-Big-Win-for-...
If the courts defend the rights of the people, the obvious thing is to take over the courts. Impeaching judges is the new tactic to preserve political power and appears to be an emerging strategy Republican-gerrymandered states.
https://www.alternet.org/election-03918/republicans-trying-preserve-thei...
It is time to reinvent our country, the current system is dysfunctional.
http://inthesetimes.com/rural-america/entry/20887/thomas-linzey-communit...
One approach involves worker owned coops – bringing democracy to the workplace.
https://wagingnonviolence.org/feature/worker-owner-cooperatives-alternat...
The worker owned coops lead to a better mental health. Part of this larger discussion on the role of society and the workplace in depression. Johann Hari argues that depression is more than a chemical imbalance (28 min or text)
http://therealnews.com/t2/story:21094:Depression%3A-Not-Just-Personal%2C...
Germany illustrates a positive path forward for workers with Jimmy Dore (9 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thJiya67ogY
Education
The horror of Betsy DeVos –
https://soundcloud.com/haveyouheardpodcast/one-year-in (25 min podcast with edited text)
https://www.alternet.org/what-do-we-know-about-betsy-devos-extreme-agend...
Teachers' groups, parents, and students were barred from entering the Department of Education on Thursday, the anniversary of Betsy DeVos's confirmation as Education Secretary, to present her with a "Failing" report card alongside tens of thousands of comments from teachers who disapprove of her performance leading the nation's public education system.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/02/09/trying-deliver-failing-grad...
With nearly a third of Puerto Rico’s 1,100 schools still without power and hundreds more plagued with crumbling walls, leaky roofs, and spotty Internet, Governor Ricardo Rosselló recently announced he will propose to create charter schools and voucher programs as a recovery strategy for the island’s education system.
http://educationopportunitynetwork.org/puerto-rico-braces-for-wave-of-sc...
What is so bad about charters? They are about money for the administration not about education.
http://www.azfamily.com/story/37400255/charter-school-transferred-nearly...
There would be huge benefits if the federal government were to forgive all existing student debt.
https://mic.com/articles/187807/want-to-grow-the-us-economycancel-studen...
The Environment
Electric vehicles - Within six years, the cost of owning an EV will be cheaper than purchasing and running a gasoline or diesel model
https://www.ecowatch.com/ev-charging-stations-2530808186.html
A device which cleans pollution out of the air and generates hydrogen fuel as a by product?
https://nieuws.kuleuven.be/en/content/2017/new-technology-generates-powe...
https://www.alternet.org/environment/device-can-stop-pollution-where-it-...
There's plenty to clean up...and industry doesn't want to be responsible. Chevron Accused of $2 Million Witness Bribery Plot in Ecuador Pollution Case
http://therealnews.com/t2/component/content/article/671-reynard-loki/348...
Economy
Richard Wolff was on Amy's show this week. He explains the tax bill but never has the opportunity of painting his vision of workplace democracy. Amy's kept after him to be critical of T-rump like she's been doing all her guests. Still a worthwhile read or listen (text or video)
https://www.democracynow.org/2018/2/5/as_paul_ryan_touts_a_secretarys
So how did the tax bill pass? Lobby money...surprise!
https://www.truthdig.com/articles/lobbying-surged-congress-shaped-tax-bill/
It is a rigged game and the market confirms it.
https://theintercept.com/2018/02/08/stock-market-crash-jobs-report-wages/
A couple of interesting interviews with economist Robert Pollin of PERI with video or text.
This is Ronald Reagan mark two. Ronald Reagan's strategy for economic policy was tax cuts for the rich, increase defense spending, to hell with the deficit. The deficit is going to increase. Then, once the deficit increases, of course, then the Republicans could say, "We can't afford all this social spending." As we've talked about before, there's only three big pots in the whole federal government. One is defense, one is healthcare. The other one is pension and social security.
http://therealnews.com/t2/story:21099:Trump-Budget%3A-Reaganomics-%2B-Mi...
The current average price-to-earnings ratio of stocks is still far above the historic average, so we should not be surprised that there is a stock bubble and that it burst, explains Robert Pollin
http://therealnews.com/t2/story:21097:Unregulated-Financial-Markets-Crea...
I guess everything is for sale at the right price...including commercializing parts of a MLK anti-materialism speech. A couple of takes on the ad -
Dr. Gerald Horne discusses a controversial Super Bowl ad which used King's famous "Drum Major" speech to sell Dodge Ram pickup trucks, which seemed exceedingly tone-deaf given King's fierce opposition to capitalism and consumerism (video or text)
http://therealnews.com/t2/story:21069:Ram-Truck%27s-Super-Bowl-Ad-Drives...
More on the ad from Harry Edwards (video and text)
https://www.democracynow.org/2018/2/6/when_us_needs_mlks_voice_more
One more piece from Eric Ortiz
https://www.truthdig.com/articles/country-without-heart/
Well the new poor peoples campaign has kicked off 40 days of action
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/02/05/decrying-dog-eat-dog-system...
This really is laughable and worth a few minutes of your time
What really happened at the T-rump inauguration? Never heard footage... (4 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gneBUA39mnI
Well round we go. When another new war starts we'll hardly know. How do we stop this stupidity? Or will a nuclear winter or a climate melt down make the question moot? If only we could seek peace instead of war...
Wishing you all the best. Have a good Sunday. I look forward to your comments, ideas, and additional stories.
Comments
Chris Hedges and Juan Gonzales
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuY5S7CQpWY (29 min)
....discussion about the structural inequality of cities through class and racial policies formed by the US government.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Debts that can't be paid, won't be.
That's what Michael Hudson always says. US student debt is now $1.4 trillion according to a new study by the Levy Economics Institute. The authors of the study are floating the idea of a cancellation of all student debt. New York Magazine
Stephanie Kelton is one of the authors of the study, she is also a founding fellow at the Sanders Institute.
She talks with Jane Sanders about cancelling the debt: Sanders Institute, 25 min.
We wanted decent healthcare, a living wage and free college.
The Democrats gave us Biden and war instead.
With lots of upsides across the economy...
Why is it we don't value our young folks? I sure feel lucky to have had a BEOG (grant), work study jobs, and scholarships to pay my way through school. Today's college kids owe like they bought a house, and can't declare bankruptcy. Says much about our society doesn't it?
Thanks for the links and the visit!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
The Asian pivot / troop escalation - Jimmy Dore video
is scary shit.
I guess the Pentagon wants to get spending that $160 Bill Gift From The Taxpayers included in the spending bill this week.
The WSJ piece gives all sorts of Orwellian double speak from Pentagon generals on Why they are doing it.
Rat Fucker Generals are running the country along with the Orange Hitler. I guess it will all stop when the country has been spent into ruin -- the end is near. (Debt $20 Trillion and rising fast)
Edit: The chart above does not include the $160 Billion just gifted to the MIC. Gezzus H Christ, look at that fucking chart. No, really, look at it.
Donnie The #ShitHole Douchebag. Fake Friend to the Working Class. Real Asshole.
Jimmy really revealed the Owellian doublespeak
when it comes to war. I found that clip insightful. Ron really adds good comments too.
The shit in Syria is getting serious. It's like they can't escalate war quick enough, and this will be good spin for why we MUST invade Iran. Scary indeed!
http://www.france24.com/en/20180210-israeli-jet-downing-syria-conflict-i...
Glad you dropped by CoE.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
The only US industry...
...worse than Healthcare in terms of least bang for the public buck.
The current working assumption appears to be that our Shroedinger's Cat system is still alive. But what if we all suspect it's not, and the real problem is we just can't bring ourselves to open the box?
Hey...
That investment in imperialist real estate just hasn't paid off yet ....just wait.....and wait.....and wait....
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Yeah but at least for my $100 doctor visit
I get a gawd damn bandaid. Hahaha.
Carpet bombing the non-white countries yields nothing but good action footage for the teevee news.
Donnie The #ShitHole Douchebag. Fake Friend to the Working Class. Real Asshole.
"Only" $100?
What a bargain! /s
(Last year, during a scheduled office visit, I accepted my doctor's proposal to get a flu shot. Out-of-pocket cost? $168. JUST FOR THE SHOT. Thanks, Obama. Got this year's shot at the local pharmacy. Haven't been billed).
Still not enough
You have to realize that less than $1 in $10 goes into something that is actually usable for defense. At this ratio, the US is just now closing the gap with the Russians. Unfortunately, I doubt they will ever be able to close the gap with the Chinese.
A plate of spaghetti for the American soldiers costs $35.00 (sauce, meatballs extra). A bowl of noodles or borscht (with all the extras) for the Chinese and Russians costs $3.50.
PS: only partially snark
More about the white helmets
Adding to Caitlin's link in the essay...Here's an interesting piece...
white helmets are a propaganda construct 34 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vNwe7yKbwo
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
I've just listened to Caitlin's podcast.
She would do well to read a book called Queen of Chaos: The Misadventures of Hillary Clinton by Diana Johnstone, no relation. She mentions a concept called "smart power."
Propaganda campaigns like the ones promoting the White Helmets, or Pussy Riot, are part of that smart power. It's easier to get the American people to acquiesce in regime change wars if you can make them think that the US is "the good guys" helping to rid the world of evil-doers.
We wanted decent healthcare, a living wage and free college.
The Democrats gave us Biden and war instead.
Bingo
The interesting part of that piece to me was the idea of exporting the white helmets where ever we need chaos. The UK agent that started the helmets is now in Brazil. That sounds about right doesn't it?
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
More from Queen of Chaos:
We wanted decent healthcare, a living wage and free college.
The Democrats gave us Biden and war instead.
Yeah we got trouble
Right here in River City
Beware the bullshit factories.
Trouble with a capital "T"
And that rhymes with "Pee"... that stands for a urine pool!
All the best
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
I wish the parade could just be a freaking marching band
Instead of an expression of Trump's pathology.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBQWsBiM5YY]
Beware the bullshit factories.
I would settle for
USC playing "Tusk" or anything the Rice University band dreamed up.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
There's a lot of great marching bands in this country.
I think Ohio State claims to be the best. We need a huge parade for all of them down Pennsylvania Avenue on July 4th.
Beware the bullshit factories.
ain't that the truth!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Thanks for today's Watch, packed full of
interesting links, ideas and reads, as always; your work is greatly appreciated.
Raining here, too, and for all next week, flood warnings in effect. So much for skiing and earning income; oh well, got to stay positive.
Have a good one!
Stay dry and enjoy the warmth...
May be there will be more snow soon. All the best!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Thank you, Lookout, I scanned over all the links' headlines
and decided (nah, not really, but ...) I will read only the ones that sounds like they are good news. I want an electrical car and I am all for something that cleans the air and generates hydrogen fuel at the same time. Awesome.
Heh, don't you have enough of bad news already? I have had plenty. Don't want more.
I like the Franklin image and quote. Here another one that I like:
and
Are we at the 199th year yet? Can't wait for the next year then. When exactly was the last revolution of the US? Oh, shite, we are already at least 40 years past the due date for the 200 year mark. There rest the secret answer to all your questions. We slept when the revolution was due. Shame. Benjamin Franklin turns in his grave and wonders what's wrong. Where are all the revolutionaries gone?
https://www.euronews.com/live
I'm all for the good news!
Here's more support for my theory of the healing powers of nature...
http://www.yesmagazine.org/peace-justice/how-the-wonder-of-nature-can-in...
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Caitlyn on the Syria debacle was excellent
love the platinum blond's look of aghast when the congressman said that he thinks that it would have been foolish for Assad to use chemical weapons on his own troops, not just citizens. "Wait, what? You don't believe the government propaganda part 2 where we accuse another dictator of gassing his own people?"
Caitlyn also exposes the young propaganda puppet and she has since that girl started speaking coached English.
You tell em Lucy!
Thanks for you work Lookout. Back to reading.
“When out of fear you twist the lesser evil into the lie that it is something good, you eventually rob people of the capacity to distinguish between good and evil.”
~ Hannah Arendt
That is a good piece
Caitlin continues to impress me...both with her research and straight delivery.
Glad you came by!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
At least they didn't use the White Helmets
in the Dodge/MLK commercial.
“When out of fear you twist the lesser evil into the lie that it is something good, you eventually rob people of the capacity to distinguish between good and evil.”
~ Hannah Arendt
They didn't?
I thought I saw 'em riding in the bed...well maybe not. Next time.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Jim Mattis is now effectively "Commander in Chief"
On DACA and the military: "I'm not an expert on DACA, I'm an expert on military. I'll just tell you that someone who is on active duty, in the reserves -- on active reserve or inactive reserve, you know, whatever their reserve status is -- they are not subject to deportation unless they've committed a felony or a federal judge has ordered them out for some reason, in which case we have to obey the court order. I'm not even aware of a case like that. If they have an honorable discharge, they are still protected."
On supposed use of WMD's by Assad: “We are even more concerned about the possibility of sarin use, the likelihood of sarin use, and we are looking for the evidence. I don’t have the evidence. What I’m saying is groups on the ground, NGOs, fighters on the ground said that sarin has been used. So we are looking for evidence. I don’t have evidence.”
On recent killing of 100 SAA in Syria: “You can’t ask Russia to deconflict something they don’t control. The fact that somebody chose to attack us, and the Russians are saying, ‘’It’s not us,’ and we are firing on them to stop the artillery fire, that, to me, is not a failure of the deconfliction line.”
On Russia and China: "I agree we need more communication with Russia, with China along the level of, I would almost call it, philosophical engagement, as well as operational matters."
The one thing we can all agree on is that Trump should not be allowed any direct control of the US military at all. For better or worse, it now appears that Jim Mattis is functioning in the capacity of Commander in Chief. He is even isolating Trump from the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
But there's a fine line Mattis has to walk to ensure Trump still believes he is Commander in Chief. If Mattis is successful, the Trumpeter can get all the accolades (which is basically all he wants anyway - he doesn't have the intelligence, knowledge or willingness to do the actual job).
Here's the link I posted in a previous essay for those who may have not seen it.
More and better war
seems to be the answer of generals. How I wish we had a defense dept. rather than imperialist interventionist war dept.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
At least Mattis understands the 'truths' of war
Mattis was Commander of United States Central Command under Obama and was responsible for military operations in the Middle East, Northeast Africa, and Central Asia. He opposes dropping the Iran deal and recognizes there will be significant impacts from global warming.
Compare Mattis' response to bombing North Korea to other, mostly non-military, fuck-wits who want to nuke NK.
Trump has surrounded himself with military generals. The US has been a highly militaristic country since WWII. At least it is out in the open now.
That's always been the upside of T-rump
...he's pulled off the mask to the point where all you have to do is look to see the oligarchy. Just need people to open their eyes.
It is a sad state of affairs when the generals (and rexxon T)have to restrain the prez...I hope they will.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
The videos
by Jimmy Dore were good on the corruption of our corporate media and the manipulation of our social media. If Brennan were a fictional character/plot device in a movie it would be too unbelievable.
Thanks for the roundup.
Jimmy rambles now and then, but...
he's one of the best calling out the BS in the system. Glad you found some material of interest. thanks for coming by.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Per your opening statement
thwarting peace, etc. I am having trouble understanding how the people of this country can not see the canyon between official policy versus actual applied actions. Democracy has become code for white and chase manhattan. Pretty obvious bombing the world for democratic values begs the question who profits by it? Thanks, lookout.
you have to look
but as you say, it is easy to see.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”