Nearly half of the Senate's Democratic caucus has called on President Joe Biden to conduct an independent probe into the murder of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, a US citizen who was shot dead by Israeli troops while reporting from the occupied West Bank last month.
government
State Department ‘Illegally Obstructing’ Afghanistan Probes, Watchdog Says
The US government’s top oversight official for Afghanistan has accused the State Department and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) of stonewalling ongoing investigations, saying they have refused interviews with staff and even failed to provide “basic information” to assist the probes.
Brzezinski’s Proxy War Playbook
In 1998, President Jimmy Carter's National Security Advisor Zbiegnew Brzezinski told Le Nouvel Observateur that the CIA "knowingly increased the probability" that the Russians would invade Afghanistan by covertly supporting the Mujahideen before the Soviet invasion. Later in that same interview, Brzezinski claims that this covert intervention caused the end of the Soviet Union: B: Regret what? That secret operation was an excellent idea. It had the effect of drawing the Russians into the Afghan trap and you want me to regret it? The day that the Soviets officially crossed the border, I...
Whether Medicinally Effective or Not, Marijuana Ought to Be Legal
Earlier this year, Mississippi became the 37th state to legalize the medical use of marijuana, which is also legal in the U.S. territories of the District of Columbia, the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Since California became the first state to legalize medical marijuana in 1996, every couple of years, another state or two are added to the list (there were five in 2016). It is inevitable that the medical use of marijuana will eventually be legal in all 50 states. The effectiveness of medical marijuana has been debated ever since the residents of...
Turkey Grows Cautious of Arms Sales to Ukraine as Ankara plans to Host Kiev and Moscow for Talks
A top Turkish official said Ankara is now “much more careful” about weapon sales to Ukraine. The head of Turkey’s Defense Industry Agency warned the arms transfers could jeopardize Ankara’s neutrality and its ability to facilitate negotiations. Turkey plans to host talks with Kiev and Moscow to alleviate global food shortages. Turkey hosted several rounds of talks between Russia and Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that a proposal made by Kiev during a meeting in Istanbul was a “suitable” basis for a deal. However, negotiations between Moscow and Kiev broke off in...
News Roundup 6/21/2022
US News President Joe Biden said he is considering a temporary gas tax holiday. The tax reduction would cut gas prices by 18.4 cents per gallon. [Link] Biden said rebate cards are also being considered. [Link] Miami police were offering $50 for handguns, $100 for shotguns and $150 for “high-powered” rifles such as AK-47s or AR-15s in a gun buyback drive. The city says it will transfer the weapons to Ukraine to aid the war effort. [Link] Space X is working with the Department of Defense on a rocket-launched troop movement system that can deploy forces anywhere in the work within hours....
6/17/22 Kevin Gosztola: Julian Assange Extradition Approved by the UK
Download Episode. Kevin Gosztola joined Scott on Antiwar Radio to discuss the most recent developments in the Julian Assange Case. Gosztola presents a primer on who Julian Assange is for those who are unfamiliar with him or who only know of the Collateral Murder video and 2016 election leaks. He then clarifies the charges brought against him. Last week, the UK approved Assange’s extradition to the United States. This is a step in the wrong direction, though it will give Assange’s team the opportunity to appeal and finally present some of their best arguments against his imprisonment. ...
US Considering Letting Tajikistan Keep Abandoned Afghan Aircraft, Increasing Special Operation Ties
US Central Command commander Gen. Michael Kurilla said the US is considering transferring aircraft that once belonged to the Afghan Army to the Armed Forces of the Republic of Tajikistan. The aircraft was flown to Tajikistan by Afghan soldiers during the fall of the US-backed government in Kabul. Over the weekend, Kurilla traveled to the Central Asian country for a high-level summit with President Rahmon, Minister of Defense General Colonel Sherali Mirzo. At the meeting, Kurilla said, “I came here to reaffirm our commitment to the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of...
‘They Took Our Guns’: A Perspective From Down Under
To the rest of the world, the United States has a gun problem. Mass shootings, especially inside of schools, are national tragedies in the USA. When a non-American asks the question “Why a private citizen needs an ‘assault rifle’?" the pro-gun response is rarely helpful. Non-Americans assume it’s the “gun crazy” culture of the U.S. and to Americans, the rest of the world isn’t free because without a Second Amendment liberty is non-existent. Misunderstandings persist and innocent lives are lost while governments use tragedy and fear to grow. “Unarmed Australia” “Australian civilians now...
Not a ‘Soft Landing,’ But a Crash
After more than a decade of chained stimulus packages and extremely low rates, with trillions of dollars of monetary stimulus fueling elevated asset valuations and incentivizing an enormous leveraged bet on risk, the idea of a controlled explosion or a “soft landing” is impossible. In an interview with Marketplace, the Federal Reserve chairman admitted that “a soft landing is really just getting back to 2 percent inflation while keeping the labor market strong. And it’s quite challenging to accomplish that right now.” He went on to say that “nonetheless, we think there are pathways…for us...