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A Backdoor to War with Iran?
Some Members of Congress are trying to create a political "backdoor" to war with Iran by pushing a resolution expressing support for Israel's "right" to launch a military attack on Iran. Such an Israeli attack would be likely to draw the U.S. into war, so efforts to legitimize an Israeli attack constitute a stealth path to a U.S. war. Urge your Representative to oppose this resolution. >
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JFP 9/1: Iraq/Afghanistan: A Promise Kept, a Promise Deferred
Just Foreign Policy News
September 1, 2010
Iraq/Afghanistan: A Promise Kept, a Promise Deferred
As a candidate, President Obama said he didn't just want to end the war; he wanted to end the mindset that leads to war. While he is drawing down from Iraq, he has done little to keep the promise of ending the mindset that leads to war. A major component of the mindset that leads to war is the belief that Washington can and should determine who may participate in the governments of the broader Middle East. In both Iraq and Afghanistan, U.S. officials are still working to exclude from power people who are opposed to U.S. control over their governments or a long-term U.S. military presence. This policy is a recipe for permanent war. The example of Lebanon, where the U.S. acquiesces to the participation in power of people who are opposed to U.S. control, shows that it is not an immutable fact of nature that the U.S. must continue to pursue this permanent war policy.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-naiman/iraqafghanistan-a-promise_b_702172.html
Should the Senate Fund "Enduring" U.S. Military Bases in Afghanistan?
The Pentagon is planning military construction for years of U.S. combat in Afghanistan. The Senate could refuse to fund; in 2008, Congress rejected a similar Pentagon request for "long term" military construction in Iraq. Urge your senators to oppose construction of long-term U.S. bases in Afghanistan.
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/afghanistanbases
"Even If We're Peasants, We Deserve to Live Too": Tèt Kole on the Needs of Haitian Farmers
Iraq/Afghanistan: A Promise Kept, A Promise Deferred
President Obama wants credit for keeping his promise to end the war in Iraq. Some credit is due: the President reaffirmed his commitment to withdraw all U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of 2011, as required by the agreement between the U.S. and Iraq. But only partial credit is due, because the war-ending task is very far from complete.
The Iraq war is not over. This is not a left-wing critique. The consensus account of mainstream U.S. print media is that the 50,000 U.S. troops who remain have been "rebranded" from "combat" brigades to advise-and-assist brigades. The unfailingly pro-war Washington Post editorial board wrote yesterday:
For one thing, combat won't really end on Sept. 1. Fifty thousand U.S. troops will remain in Iraq, and their duties will include counterterrorism work as well as continuing to train and assist Iraqi forces....
Moreover, the United States government is still "meddling" in Iraq's internal political affairs, to use the term our media uses when countries we don't like do it. U.S. officials are still trying to determine who will be in the Iraqi government and who should not. This is a key factor in the current political impasse in Baghdad, a fact which is generally omitted in mainstream press accounts that bemoan the failure of Iraqi politicians to form a government. It's true that there is a failure on the part of Iraqi politicians, but they have enablers in their failure: the outside powers, including the U.S., Iran, and other countries, which are lobbying furiously for a government to their liking, and working to block any government that they don't like. The impasse between the Iraqi politicians is also an impasse between the outside powers, fighting a proxy political war for influence in Iraq.
JFP 8/31: Putting a name on Iraqi deaths; Biden aide says Sadrists not "useful" for Iraqi govt
Just Foreign Policy News
August 31, 2010
Feb 15, 2003: 30 million people were right
This evening, President Obama is giving a speech marking "the withdrawal of combat troops from Iraq" - although 50,000 "rebranded" troops remain. On February 15, 2003, millions of people around the world demonstrated to say no to the war then being planned by George Bush and Tony Blair. British filmmaker Amir Amirani is making a documentary about this "global day of protest"; you can view a trailer here.
http://www.wearemany.tv/
Should the Senate Fund "Enduring" U.S. Military Bases in Afghanistan?
The Pentagon is planning military construction for years of U.S. combat in Afghanistan. The Senate could refuse to fund; in 2008, Congress rejected a similar Pentagon request for "long term" military construction in Iraq. Urge your senators to oppose construction of long-term U.S. bases in Afghanistan.
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/afghanistanbases
Bacevich: Washington Rules
Andrew Bacevich's book, "Washington Rules: America's Path to Permanent War," is a call for Americans to reject the Washington consensus for permanent war.
Get the book
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/buywashingtonrules
September 24th: JFP "Virtual Brown Bag" with Andrew Bacevich
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/bacevichtalk
Help Support Our Work
Your donation helps us educate Americans and create opportunities to advocate for a just foreign policy.
JFP 8/30: 14 US dead in Afghanistan since Saturday
Just Foreign Policy News
August 30, 2010
Help the UN respond to the Pakistan flood catastrophe
The quickest way to donate $10 to UNHCR's relief effort is to text "SWAT" to 50555 from your cell phone. If you want to donate more, you can do it here:
http://www.unhcr.org/emergency/pakistanfloods/global_landing.html
"Palestinian Gandhi" Convicted for Protesting; U.S. Silent
The European Union protested the conviction of Abdallah Abu Rahmah for organizing protests against the separation barrier in Bilin. The U.S. government is silent; U.S. newspaper columnists failed to protest; except for CNN, the U.S. press hasn't even reported the news.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-naiman/palestinian-gandhi-convic_b_696884.html
Why Should the Senate Fund "Enduring" U.S. Military Bases in Afghanistan?
The Pentagon is planning military construction for years of U.S. combat in Afghanistan. The Senate could refuse to fund; in 2008, Congress rejected a similar Pentagon request for "long term" military construction in Iraq. Urge your senators to oppose construction of long-term U.S. bases in Afghanistan.
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/afghanistanbases
Bacevich: Washington Rules
Andrew Bacevich's book, "Washington Rules: America's Path to Permanent War," is a call for Americans to reject the Washington consensus for permanent war.
Get the book
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/buywashingtonrules
JFP 8/27: "Palestinian Gandhi" Convicted for Protesting; Wars Degrade Hunt for Terrorist WMD
Just Foreign Policy News
August 27, 2010
"Palestinian Gandhi" Convicted for Protesting; U.S. Silent
Catherine Ashton, Europe's Hillary Clinton, protested the conviction by military court of Abdallah Abu Rahmah for organizing protests against the separation barrier in Bilin. But not only is the U.S. government silent; not only have U.S. newspaper columnists failed to protest; the U.S. press hasn't even reported the news.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-naiman/palestinian-gandhi-convic_b_696884.htmlu
Why Should the Senate Fund "Enduring" U.S. Military Bases in Afghanistan?
Walter Pincus reports in the Washington Post that the Pentagon is planning military construction for years of U.S. combat in Afghanistan. But the Senate could still refuse to fund it; in 2008, Congress rejected a similar Pentagon request for "long term" military construction in Iraq. Urge your senators to oppose construction of long-term U.S. bases in Afghanistan.
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/afghanistanbases
New York Times video: Dispute in the Negev
Bedouins fight Israeli government plans to remove them from their homes.
http://video.nytimes.com/video/2010/08/25/world/middleeast/1248068915888/dispute-in-the-negev.html
Bacevich: Washington Rules
Andrew Bacevich's new book, "Washington Rules: America's Path to Permanent War," is a call for Americans to reject the Washington consensus for permanent war, and to demand instead that America "come home."
Get the book
"Palestinian Gandhi" Convicted for Protesting; U.S. Silent
This week, an Israeli military court convicted Abdallah Abu Rahmah, whom progressive Zionists have called a "Palestinian Gandhi," of "incitement" and "organizing and participating in illegal demonstrations" for organizing protests against the confiscation of Palestinian land by the "Apartheid Wall" in the village of Bilin in the West Bank, following an eight month trial, during which he was kept in prison.
The European Union issued a protest. But as far as I am aware, no U.S. official has said anything and no U.S. newspaper columnist has denounced this act of repression; indeed, the U.S. press hasn't even reported the news. To find out what happened, someone could search the wires where they'll find this AFP story, or go to the British or Israeli press.
AFP reported:
JFP 8/26: Karzai Aide Accused of Corruption on CIA Payroll
Just Foreign Policy News
August 26, 2010
Should the Senate Fund "Enduring" U.S. Military Bases in Afghanistan?
Walter Pincus reports in the Washington Post that the Pentagon is planning military construction for years of U.S. combat in Afghanistan. But the Senate could still refuse to fund it; in 2008, Congress rejected a similar Pentagon request for "long term" military construction in Iraq. Urge your senators to oppose construction of long-term U.S. bases in Afghanistan
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/afghanistanbases
FCNL: Pentagon Cuts Should Be on the Table
Ask your Rep. to sign the Barney Frank/Ron Paul letter to the deficit commission.
http://capwiz.com/fconl/issues/alert/?alertid=15852531
Bacevich: Washington Rules
Andrew Bacevich's new book, "Washington Rules: America's Path to Permanent War," is a call for Americans to reject the Washington consensus for permanent war, and to demand instead that America "come home."
Get the book
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/buywashingtonrules
(The book may also be available in your local bookstore or public library.)
September 24th: JFP "Virtual Brown Bag" with Andrew Bacevich
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/bacevichtalk
Help Support Our Work
Your donation helps us educate Americans and create opportunities to advocate for a just foreign policy.
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/donate
Summary:
JFP 8/25: NYT Exploits Own Iraq Death Toll Denial to Trash Venezuela
Just Foreign Policy News
August 25, 2010
Why Should the Senate Fund "Enduring" U.S. Military Bases in Afghanistan?
Walter Pincus reports in the Washington Post that the Pentagon is planning military construction for years of U.S. combat in Afghanistan. But the Senate could still refuse to fund it; in 2008, Congress rejected a similar Pentagon request for "long term" military construction in Iraq.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-naiman/why-should-the-senate-fun_b_694437.html
Ask your Senators to Oppose Construction of Long-Term U.S. Bases in Afghanistan
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/afghanistanbases
NYT Exploits Own Iraq Death Toll Denial to Trash Venezuela
It's bad enough that the New York Times won't report that hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have lost their lives as a result of the U.S. invasion and occupation. But now the Times has used its own failure to accurately report the death toll in Iraq as a benchmark to claim that violence in Venezuela is worse.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-naiman/nyt-exploits-own-iraq-dea_b_693041.html
Daily Show: Fox News is Funding "Terror Mosque"
Fox News anchors and guests are vilifying Saudi prince and financier Alwaleed bin Talal as a financial backer of Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, the Muslim-American clergyman who seeks to build a community center in lower Manhattan. The problem: Alwaleed bin Talal is part owner of Fox News.
Why Should the Senate Fund "Enduring" U.S. Military Bases in Afghanistan?
Much ink has been spilled over the President's pledge to begin withdrawing U.S. troops from Afghanistan in July 2011. The White House insists that the date is firm. But the pace of withdrawal is yet to be determined, and the White House hasn't said a word about when - if ever - a U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan will be complete.
There is a signed agreement that says U.S. troops have to be out of Iraq by the end of 2011. But there is no such agreement for Afghanistan. Yet the majority of Americans have told pollsters that they think the U.S. should establish a timetable for military withdrawal.
Meanwhile, Walter Pincus reports in the Washington Post, the Pentagon is planning for years of U.S. combat in Afghanistan:
"Three $100 million air base expansions in southern and northern Afghanistan illustrate Pentagon plans to continue building multimillion-dollar facilities in that country to support increased U.S. military operations well into the future."
Pincus noted that "…many of the installations being built…have extended time horizons. None of the three projects…is expected to be completed until the latter half of 2011. All of them are for use by U.S. forces rather than by their Afghan counterparts."
But Pincus also reported that while the House has approved the money for this "enduring base" construction, the Senate has yet to vote on it.
Should there not at least be a debate on this issue in the Senate?
NYT Exploits Own Iraq Death Toll Denial to Trash Venezuela
It's bad enough that the editors of the New York Times have refused so far to tell the truth about what we know about the magnitude of the death toll in Iraq as a result of the US invasion and occupation of the country since 2003, according to the standards that are used to describe human tragedies for which the U.S. government does not bear primary responsibility. If the New York Times used the same standards of evidence to describe human tragedies regardless of the degree of responsibility of the U.S. government, it would report that "hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have died" as a result of the US war, a fact that we know with the level of confidence that we know similar facts that the New York Times publishes as a matter of routine (such as a recent report that "hundreds of thousands of Iraqis died" - in the Iraq-Iran war.) The New York Times is reluctant to publish this fact about the U.S. war, perhaps, because this fact is awkward to acknowledge for those in Washington who support the status quo policy of permanent war.
But now the New York Times has exacerbated the harm of its denial about the Iraqi death toll, by using its own failure to accurately report the death toll in Iraq as a benchmark for comparison to other human tragedies: in particular, to claim that murder in Venezuela claimed more lives in 2009 than did violence in Iraq. The New York Times editors are like the boy who killed his parents and demanded mercy on the grounds he was an orphan.
In a front page article this week headlined "Venezuela, More Deadly Than Iraq, Wonders Why," NYT reporter Simon Romero claims: