Many forces are arrayed to block any chance of peace around the world. Forces like the MIC, big oil, the banksters, war whore neocons and neolibs, the EU vassals, Zionists, the deep state graft machine, the five eyes, media propagandists, and more. No wonder there's forever war all over the globe.
In plain view is the insanity of western (so called) democracies. Romania leads the way. First they cancel elections cause "far right' Georgescu was called to win. Now they charge, arrest, and eliminate him from running...The most popular candidate. Then consider the side lining of the first and second most popular elected parties in Austria, Germany, France, and others. Then there's Canada, now appointing a UK central banker as PM while playing against the Trump rhetoric as an election looms. Here in the US we call for free speech as pro-Palestinian speech is suppressed. The EU is a joke to my mind with an appointed board controlling elected national leaders. My question is: what democracy are you talking about?
Trump has sucked all the air out of the news cycle. On Joe Rogan Trump mused, "I don't know why the media is so fixated on me". To which Joe responded, "I know why...cause you say lots of crazy shit!". Well Trump has been true to form in the first week of his presidency. Larry Johnson wrote an article about the first 24 hours with the title "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly", in which he lists all the many executive orders and actions. It is an apt title. To my mind in general he's better on the domestic front than foreign policy. Larry Johnson thinks he's being misled by the CIA, et al. about foreign issues. One thing seems certain, it will be an interesting and entertaining 4 years. Of course there's much more than just Trump news this week. The EU and UK continue their decline, BRICS continues to rise, Ukraine is in dire straits, the Gaza ceasefire is temporarily holding although the IDF continues the capture of the West Bank, plus more below the fold.
This moment reminds me of the US celebrating bin Laden and al Queda for ridding Afghanistan of the USSR. Later he declared war on the US. I suspect HTS and al Golani will play out in a similar manner. No matter, the nation state of Syria is no more. Of course it was a post world war (1946) creation itself, although Damascus is quite old. Many scholars believe that, among the ancient cities of the world, Damascus is perhaps the oldest continuously inhabited. Over the centuries, Damascus has been conqueror and conquered, wealthy and destitute, and capital of empire and small states. Sadly it's pluralistic culture is likely to be dissolved. (excellent article)
War with Russia in the Ukraine Proxy war, a likely War in SW Asia with Iran, War with China over Taiwan, War on US citizens using a variety of techniques, an economic War on the EU, countless coups and conflicts in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, Sanction wars with any country which refuses to submit to US dictats ...here a war, there a war, everywhere a war,war. I heard Lockhead-Martin stock is up 58% this year alone. This country has come a long way down the road from the initial goal of being an agricultural and trading nation. We morphed into authoritarian warmongering bullies somewhere along the way.
I think it is time to birth a new nation. America is broken, a Zionist warmongering hegemon that is in free fall. Sadly I don't see a way to politically save ourselves. I think the sons and daughters of this dysfunctional nation must take control of our own lives and live a better, more fulfilling life by escaping the system. I've included some different approaches below involving building community or going it alone. And then there's the news so we can keep track of the coming train wreck for the US.
Cinco de Mayo (”Fifth of May”) is a Mexican national holiday that celebrates the country’s victory over the French forces of Napoleon III in 1862’s Battle of Puebla. Seems like the US is in the midst of a revolution...ironically over the virtues of genocide. TPTB are pulling out all the stops with storm troopers attacking peaceful protests and Congress passing laws to limit free speech. Guess they wipe their ass with the constitution...
Amendment I: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
The Judge gives a ten minute lesson on the first amendment...
I have several takeaways from our road trip to Southern Illinois. There are some excellent discussions from Pepe, Michael Hudson, The Duran and others. Plus a few pictures all below the fold.
The Gaza genocide continues unabated...now killing starving Gazans waiting to get a meager supply of food. Aaron Bushnell couldn't it take anymore and set himself on fire in front of the Israeli embassy as he yelled, "Free Palestine". He wrote: "Many of us like to ask ourselves, 'What would I do if I was alive during slavery? Or the Jim Crow South? Or apartheid? What would I do if my country was committing genocide?' The answer is, you're doing it. Right now." Meanwhile Joe Biden eats ice cream and claims to be working toward a Gaza ceasefire. Russia continues making gains in Ukraine, as Napoleon Macron threatens boots on the ground. Wait, I believe Russia killed over 60 french fighters with one missile in Ukraine last month.
It has been a week of trials...Julian in the UK, the ICJ case on Israeli occupation of Palestine, Trump's trumped up cases, and many trials in the court of public opinion like the case of Navalny vs Gonzalo and Epstein, all our unnecessary wars, and mass migration. All these and more below the fold.
"All My Trials" was a folk song during the social protest movement of the 1950s and 1960s. it is based on a "Bahamian" lullaby that tells the story of a mother on her death bed, comforting her children...The message --- that no matter how bleak the situation seemed, the struggle would "soon be over" -- propelled the song to an anthem by many of the leading artists of the era."
