by Barry Weisleder“‘Is there anybody who thinks we ought to leave Afghanistan?’ the president asked. Everyone in the room was quiet. They looked at him. No one said anything. ‘Okay,’ he said, ‘now that we’ve dispensed with that, let’s get on.’”One hundred and eighty-six into its 441 pages, the political framework of “Obama’s Wars” by … Continue reading Bob Woodward avoids asking hard questions about ‘Obama’s Wars’
Tag: Barack Obama
For the decolonialization of Indian Country!
by Jeff Armstrong U.S. imperialism originated and continues unabated in Indian Country, indigenous territories demarcated under international treaties brazenly flouted by the United States since its inception. Indigenous peoples in the Americas languish under layers of oppression at the hands of federal, state, and, more often than not, tribal authorities. Under President Obama, the U.S. … Continue reading For the decolonialization of Indian Country!
Tunisia, North Africa, and the Arab Revolution
Statement by Socialist Action (U.S.), Jan. 17, 2011 The year 2011 has begun with the heroic ousting of the dictator Ben Ali by the Tunisian people. The recent Tunisian uprising against rising food prices, unemployment, and political repression is not a new occurrence. The liberalization of economic policies in North Africa has had a devastating … Continue reading Tunisia, North Africa, and the Arab Revolution
Harassment of WikiLeaks reflects mounting assault on civil liberties
by Jeff Mackler The WikiLeaks release of a quarter-million secret U.S. diplomatic cables in early December, as well as the earlier WikiLeaks revelations on U.S. mass murder of civilians and other heinous policies in Afghanistan and Iraq, confirm the fact that technological progress in the field of communications dramatically reduces the gap between the commission … Continue reading Harassment of WikiLeaks reflects mounting assault on civil liberties
Afghan war expands despite opposition by U.S. majority
by Gerry Foley The Obama administration’s year-end review of the state of its war effort in Afghanistan, of course, endeavored to be positive, citing some progress. However, it had to be guarded, admitting that whatever gains have been made are “fragile” and “reversible.” Just how fragile has been indicated by a number of articles in … Continue reading Afghan war expands despite opposition by U.S. majority
U.S. public sector under attack
by Andrew PollackPoliticians of both major parties in the United States, from the federal level down to the smallest towns, are making clear the next big ruling-class assault will come in the public sector. While the labor movement is ill prepared to combat that assault, it is ironically in that sector where workers can perhaps … Continue reading U.S. public sector under attack
New York meeting launches April 9 antiwar action
by Christine MarieOver 300 activists met at St. Mark’s Church in Manhattan on Nov. 6 to launch the United National Antiwar Committee (UNAC) in the Northeast region. People came from up and down the East Coast and the Midwest to begin organizing efforts for the bicoastal demonstrations planned for April 9 to Bring the Troops … Continue reading New York meeting launches April 9 antiwar action
Obama, Congress call for austerity; U.S. workers are their prime target
by Andrew PollackWhile their European competitors impose countrywide austerity plans, and their Chinese trade rivals focus on continued state support for booming industries, capitalists here at home seek to boost their global competitive stance, and overcome their profitability crisis, with their longstanding policy of misery by a thousand cuts. That means attacking the U.S. working … Continue reading Obama, Congress call for austerity; U.S. workers are their prime target
Obama finds deep resistance to monetary, trade policies
by Andrew Pollack Barack Obama is beginning to take on an eerie resemblance to Rodney Dangerfield—“I get no respect!” First, his party suffers massive midterm election losses, followed soon thereafter by more in a long series of embarrassing revelations about his puppets in Baghdad and Kabul. Then Benjamin Netanyahu, his partner in the Middle East … Continue reading Obama finds deep resistance to monetary, trade policies
Activists targeted by FBI reject grand jury subpoenas
by David Jones Three of the antiwar, labor, and international solidarity activists whose homes were raided by the FBI on Sept. 24 will have their subpoenas issued at the time “reactivated,” requiring them to appear before a federal grand jury in Chicago. The three, Anh Pham, Tracy Molm & Sarah Martin, all of Minneapolis, were … Continue reading Activists targeted by FBI reject grand jury subpoenas
U.S.-led Afghanistan war loses credibility with liberal journalists
by Gerry Foley It was the bad luck of the war makers that at the same time as they raised the possibility of an unending military intervention in Afghanistan, their claims of negotiating with the insurgents exploded in their faces. The alleged Taliban representative they were talking to turned out to be a swindler.The news … Continue reading U.S.-led Afghanistan war loses credibility with liberal journalists
U.S. applauds (and orchestrates) military coups in Latin America
by Clay Wadena Western writers often write about Latin Americans as some sort of child-like race that “found” democracy late and has had trouble grasping it ever since. They treat them—as they do the oppressed all around the world—with arrogance and paternalism the likes of which one hears in the imperialist logic of “bringing democracy” … Continue reading U.S. applauds (and orchestrates) military coups in Latin America
Harlem Rally for Haiti
by Marty Goodman NEW YORK—On Nov. 20, some 50 protesters gathered in solidarity with Haiti across the street from former President Bill Clinton’s penthouse office on 125th St. in Harlem. Demonstrators chanted, “U.S. out of Haiti! Clinton out of Harlem!” Clinton was appointed United Nations envoy to Haiti after the Jan. 12 earthquake, which killed … Continue reading Harlem Rally for Haiti
Review of “Fair Game”
by Gaetana Caldwell-Smith Director Doug Liman’s film “Fair Game” is based on Valerie Plame’s eponymous book. The movie stirs up the anger and disbelief we all felt in early spring 2003 when we were fed the lies that led up to Bush’s so-called war. Hopefully, it will spur us once again to act to end … Continue reading Review of “Fair Game”
Do the 2010 elections really represent a right turn in US politics?
by John Leslie Following the Republican victory in last month’s mid-term election, most of the media have pointed to a right turn in U.S. politics. They assume that working people showed by their vote that they reject “big government” and the “liberal” policies of the Obama administration. Some Republicans claim a “mandate” for their reactionary … Continue reading Do the 2010 elections really represent a right turn in US politics?
Revolt in France
by Andrew Pollack(from the November 2010 issue of Socialist Action newspaper)France has been in the grip of a spreading wave of strikes, which at the end of October shows no evidence of subsiding. Throughout the month, factories and schools have been shut down in increasing numbers, with a severe impact on oil refining and distribution … Continue reading Revolt in France
FBI an agent of repression in Puerto Rico
by Jim GrilliThe U.S. antiwar and solidarity activists under attack by the FBI are facing repression of the sort that many other fighters for freedom and justice have had to face. The movement for Puerto Rican independence in particular has suffered egregiously at the hands of the FBI.Indeed, since the 1930s the grand jury has … Continue reading FBI an agent of repression in Puerto Rico
Commentary on the Obama ‘Jobs Bill’
SA Answers Justin Raimondo’s Attacks
by Michael Schreiber, editor of Socialist Action newspaperJustin Raimondo, a contributor to numerous ultra-right media outlets and editorial director of the mis-named “Antiwar.com,” has now chosen a new target for his diatribes. At the end of July and early August, for two weeks running, he has concentrated his fire on the organized antiwar movement in … Continue reading SA Answers Justin Raimondo’s Attacks
The Antiwar Movement is not Stalled, but Reawakening
by Christine GauvreauRight-wing ideologue Justin Raimondo's article "Why is the Antiwar Movement Stalled? In Two Words: the Left" (antiwar.com, July 27, 2010) demonstrates very clearly that for the far right, or what is euphemistically called "traditional conservatism," beating the drum for the "left-right coalition against Empire” is less about coalition and more about discrediting the … Continue reading The Antiwar Movement is not Stalled, but Reawakening
Close Guantánamo with Justice Now!
Presented at the July 23-25, 2010 National Anti-War Conference, Albany, New York by the Center for Constitutional Rights Shortly after taking office President Obama signed an executive order promising to close Guantánamo within a year. Not only has he broken his promise by indefinitely delaying the closure of this notorious prison, but he has extended … Continue reading Close Guantánamo with Justice Now!
Labor’s fight against war, racism and unemployment
By ANDREW POLLACK With the economic crisis worsening, how can labor fight back? There are some small but significant examples of struggles waged recently, or coming soon, that hold out hope for the kind of wider fightback needed in such a crisis. * An opposition slate in the Chicago Teachers Union turned out the old … Continue reading Labor’s fight against war, racism and unemployment
Greek Crisis Spills Over
By Andrew PollackWorkers in Greece have launched repeated general strikes against the attempt by Europe’s rulers to make them pay the price of the country’s economic crisis, and have inspired workers throughout the continent – indeed, the world – facing similar attacks.The price to be paid in return for the almost $1 trillion package worked … Continue reading Greek Crisis Spills Over
European Crisis Comes as Doubts Cast on US “Recovery”
by Andrew PollackThe fears of bankers and investors over the shakiness of European public debts and deficits (see related article on this blog) were mirrored in dire predictions in May about the fiscal health of the US, as well as worries over the performance of the underlying real economy.Spiegel Online warned that “the US budget … Continue reading European Crisis Comes as Doubts Cast on US “Recovery”
Eco-Apocalypse Now
by John Leslie The seas are the key to life on this planet. Many in the environmental movement have come to recognize that capitalism is killing the planet, but the killing just turned from slow strangulation to a gunshot.On April 20, the Deepwater Horizon, a deep-sea oil-drilling rig 50 miles off the coast of Louisiana, … Continue reading Eco-Apocalypse Now