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Cut Social Security & Veterans' Benefits? Cut the Pentagon Instead!
President Obama has endorsed cutting Social Security and veterans' benefits by using the "chained CPI" to lower the cost-of-living adjustment. The Congressional Budget Office says cutting Social Security and veterans' benefits in this way would save the government $163 billion over ten years. But there are much better ways for the government to save $163 billiion. Email President Obama and Congress >
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April 2012
The US in Afghanistan: A Tale of Urination, Desecration, Extermination, and ... Posing with Corpses?
Afghans showing that they are not altogether pleased with a recent Koran burning incident at a US base in Afghanistan.
It appears that public embarrassments are becoming a monthly occasion for the US occupation in Afghanistan. In January, a video was released on the internet depicting four US soldiers urinating on the corpses of three dead Afghans. The purportedly unintentional burning of Korans at Bagram base ignited violent protests throughout the country in February. And last month, a US soldier was indicted on charges of killing 17 Afghan villagers in a macabre night-time massacre.
So what has April brought us from Afghanistan? No, it's not spring showers--and whatever it is, it is certainly unlikely to result in May flowers. It's eighteen photographs featuring US soldiers posing with Afghan body parts. Classy.
JFP 4/17: Oil falls on talks; Aussies 2 quit war; Palprisoners hungerstrike; Bibi fears Iran talks win
Just Foreign Policy News, April 17, 2012
Oil falls on talks; Aussies 2 quit war; Palprisoners hungerstrike; Bibi fears Iran talks win
Support the Work of Just Foreign Policy
Your support helps us to educate Americans about U.S. foreign policy and create opportunities for Americans to advocate for a foreign policy that is more just. Help us press for an end to the war in Afghanistan and spread opposition to a new war with Iran,
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/donate
Go Straight to the News Summary
I) Actions and Featured Articles
* Action: Urge Obama to speak up to protect human rights defenders in Bahrain
Fourteen Bahrainis are in prison for supporting peaceful protests for democracy and human rights. One is on hunger strike and near death. Urge President Obama to speak up.
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/alkhawaja
WOIC, Columbia, SC: JFP on Iran nuclear talks
Just Foreign Policy discusses reasons for optimism on Iran nuclear talks with Frank Knapp of WOIC-AM in Columbia, South Carolina.
http://www.uneed2know.info/2012/04/16/04-12-12-robert-naiman/
Jamal Abdi: Congress should not sabotage Iran negotiations
In the aftermath of this weekend's negotiations between Iran and the United States, with an agreement for a second round next month in Baghdad, congressional hawks are going to try to ram through new sanctions.
http://www.progressive.org/iran_negotiations.html
JFP 4/16: U.S., Iran agree to formal talks; Kim selection as WBPres "historic"
Just Foreign Policy News, April 16, 2012
U.S., Iran agree to formal talks; Kim's selection as WBPres "historic"
Support the Work of Just Foreign Policy
Your support helps us to educate Americans about U.S. foreign policy and create opportunities for Americans to advocate for a foreign policy that is more just. Help us press for an end to the war in Afghanistan and spread opposition to a new war with Iran,
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/donate
Go Straight to the News Summary
I) Actions and Featured Articles
* Action: Urge Obama to speak up to protect human rights defenders in Bahrain
Fourteen Bahrainis are in prison for supporting peaceful protests for democracy. One is on hunger strike and near death. Urge President Obama to speak up.
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/alkhawaja
Israeli legal expert Talia Sasson: settlement enterprise is destroying Israel
Lawyer Talia Sasson, who worked in the Israeli State's Attorney's office for 25 years and wrote a report on settlements in the West Bank at the direction of Israeli Prime Minister Sharon, says: "... as it is today: two peoples with two separate legal systems; law that applies to the Palestinians doesn't apply to the Israelis, and law that applies to the Israelis doesn't apply to the Palestinians. One people has rights and democracy and laws that protect it and a Supreme Court that protects it, and an army that protects it and a state that protects it. And the other people has nothing – it has no rights, no political rights, no control of the territory in which it lives. The A, B, C of democracy. It doesn't have it."
JFP 4/13: GOP voters turn on war; Welcome to Palestine: "Even Prisoners Are Allowed Visits"
Just Foreign Policy News, April 13, 2012
GOP voters turn on war; Welcome to Palestine: "Even Prisoners Are Allowed Visits"
Support the Work of Just Foreign Policy
Your support helps us to educate Americans about U.S. foreign policy and create opportunities for Americans to advocate for a foreign policy that is more just. Help us press for an end to the war in Afghanistan and spread opposition to a new war with Iran,
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/donate
Go Straight to the News Summary
I) Actions and Featured Articles
Welcome to Palestine: "Even Prisoners Are Allowed Visits"
What difference will it make to the lives of Palestinians in the West Bank when the world meets their demands for freedom and self-determination? One difference it will make: like other peoples of the world, the Palestinians will get to decide who they can invite to visit them.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-naiman/welcome-to-palestine-even_b_1423773.html
A Contrarian Optimist View of the Upcoming Iran Nuclear Talks
When President Obama nominated global health superhero Dr. Jim Young Kim to lead the World Bank, Harvard development economist Dani Rodrik remarked, "It's nice to see that Obama can still surprise us." Is it possible that Obama could pleasantly surprise us in the upcoming talks with Iran over its nuclear program? Much of the media coverage would suggest otherwise. Nonetheless, there are actually quite a few positive signs we can point to.
Welcome to Palestine: "Even Prisoners Are Allowed Visits"
What difference will it make to the lives of Palestinians in the West Bank when the world meets their demands for freedom and self-determination?
One difference it will make: like other peoples of the world, the Palestinians will get to decide who they can invite to visit them.
Right now, if you, as a citizen of the United States, Canada, or Europe, decide that you want to visit Bethlehem, a Palestinian city in the West Bank - the same Bethlehem that Christians believe to be the birthplace of Jesus - you have two ways to begin your journey. You can fly to Israel, and cross the 1967 border to the West Bank. Or you can fly to Jordan, and cross to the West Bank over one of the bridges. But whichever way you go, you cannot pass to Bethlehem without the permission of the Netanyahu government, which controls all the paths you can take to Bethlehem.
If you are a Likud supporter, flying into the Israeli airport should present no problem. But if you are a supporter of Palestinian rights, the Netanyahu government could stop you from going to Bethlehem on purely political grounds, even if you have never committed any crime and have no intention of ever committing one, even if you have never attended a Palestinian protest in the West Bank and have no intention of attending one. You could be barred by the Netanyahu government from going to Bethlehem simply for the thought crime of supporting Palestinian human rights.
Indeed, even American Jews can be barred by the Netanyahu government from traveling to Bethlehem for the thought crime of supporting Palestinian rights.
Given the economic, political, and diplomatic support given to the Netanyahu government by North America and Europe, this is a spectacular state of affairs. You might think that governments and media in North American and Europe would express forceful concern if their citizens' right to travel were obstructed by a government they were doing so much to support.
JFP 4/11: Annan asks Iran help on Syria ceasefire; Welcome to Palestine; drug war "on autopilot"
Just Foreign Policy News, April 11, 2012
Annan asks Iran help on Syria ceasefire; Welcome to Palestine; drug war "on autopilot"
Support the Work of Just Foreign Policy
Your support helps us to educate Americans about U.S. foreign policy and create opportunities for Americans to advocate for a foreign policy that is more just. Help us press for an end to the war in Afghanistan and spread opposition to a new war with Iran,
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/donate
Go Straight to the News Summary
I) Actions and Featured Articles
A Contrarian Optimist View of the Upcoming Iran Nuclear Talks
When President Obama nominated global health superhero Dr. Jim Young Kim to lead the World Bank, Harvard development economist Dani Rodrik remarked, "It's nice to see that Obama can still surprise us." Is it possible that Obama could pleasantly surprise us in the upcoming talks with Iran over its nuclear program? Much of the media coverage would suggest otherwise. Nonetheless, there are actually quite a few positive signs we can point to.
http://truth-out.org/news/item/8456-a-contrarian-optimist-view-of-the-upcoming-iran-nuclear-talks
Video: "Want to Prevent War with Iran? Engage Congress!"
Highlights from a panel on engaging Congress to prevent war with Iran and promote diplomacy. Featuring Kate Gould of FCNL and Jamal Abdi of NIAC.
http://youtu.be/Ilkdy5IZbK8
Training Terrorists in Nevada: Seymour Hersh on U.S. Aid to Iranian Group Tied to Scientist Killings
Does the Obama Campaign Know Something We Don't About US Withdrawal from Afghanistan?
Just yesterday, Santorum announced the suspension of his presidential campaign, leaving Mitt Romney the presumptive Republican candidate for president. The Obama campaign has moved quickly, announcing today it's on (no, really, they said this) by releasing a factsheet on Facebook about their likely opponent, entitled, "Five Things You Need to Know About Mitt Romney." The image has become a viral sensation, with over 15,000 likes, 2,800 comments, and 7,000 shares at the time of writing. I've embedded a copy to the right. Take a look.
Okay, first fact is predictable.
Second one ... wait, what?
He opposes the President's plan to end the war in Afghanistan and would leave troops there indefinitely.
Does this mean that Obama is NOT planning to leave troops in Afghanistan indefinitely? How did I miss the President announcing a date for full withdrawal from Afghanistan? Did I black out or something? When did this happen? What great news!
A Contrarian Optimist View of the Upcoming Iran Nuclear Talks
When President Obama nominated global health superhero Dr. Jim Young Kim to lead the World Bank, Harvard development economist Dani Rodrik remarked, "It's nice to see that Obama can still surprise us."
Is it possible that Obama could pleasantly surprise us in the upcoming talks with Iran over its nuclear program? Much of the media coverage would suggest otherwise.
Nonetheless, there are actually quite a few positive signs that we can point to:
1. There have been no reported major explosions in Iran or assassinations of Iranian scientists recently, as have seemed to occur in the run-up to previous talks. This could be a sign that U.S. pressure on Israel and the Iranian MEK terrorist group is working to keep things quiet on that front. There is some evidence that this might be the case.
2. No-one appears to be talking about Israel much at all. Israeli officials appear to be keeping a relatively low profile, and Israeli Defense Minister Barak recently put forward a proposed list of Western demands that is at least on the planet of plausibility - in particular, Barak made no demand that Iran cease enriching uranium.
3. Thanks in no small part to the leadership of Senate Majority Leader Reid, Congress has also been relatively quiet. And this week Congress is out of session.
JFP 4/9: AFL, Amnesty, HRW press Obama for release of Bahrain hunger striker
Just Foreign Policy News, April 9, 2012
AFL, Amnesty, HRW press Obama for release of Bahrain hunger striker
Support the Work of Just Foreign Policy
Your support helps us to educate Americans about U.S. foreign policy and create opportunities for Americans to advocate for a foreign policy that is more just. Help us press for an end to the war in Afghanistan and spread opposition to a new war with Iran,
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/donate
Go Straight to the News Summary
I) Actions and Featured Articles
Want the U.S. to pursue real diplomacy? Ask your Rep to back the Barbara Lee bill
H.R.4173, the Prevent Iran from Acquiring Nuclear Weapons and Stop War Through Diplomacy Act, would lift the State Department's "no contact" policy with Iran. The bill has 21 co-sponsors. Ask your Representative to join them.
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/hr4173
AFL-CIO, Amnesty, Human Rights Watch call on Obama to press for release of Bahrain hunger striker
"We write to urge you to publicly call on the Government of Bahrain to immediately and unconditionally release from prison Abdulhadi al-Khawaja. Al-Khawaja is a Bahraini human rights defender and democracy activist who may soon die, as he has been on a hunger strike for more than two months."
http://pomed.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Al-Khawaja-Letter3.pdf
Rebecca Griffin: Give U.S.-Iran negotiations time to succeed
JFP 4/6: SyHersh: US backing MEK terrorists in Iran; Bahrain hungerstriker near death
Just Foreign Policy News, April 6, 2012
SyHersh: US backing MEK terrorists in Iran; Bahrain hungerstriker near death
Support the Work of Just Foreign Policy
Your support helps us to educate Americans about U.S. foreign policy and create opportunities for Americans to advocate for a foreign policy that is more just. Help us press for an end to the war in Afghanistan and spread opposition to a new war with Iran,
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/donate
Go Straight to the News Summary
I) Actions and Featured Articles
Amnesty International: Bahrain: Release leading rights activist at risk of death from hungerstrike
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/bahrain-release-leading-rights-activist-risk-death-hungerstrike-2012-03-29
"Zionist BDS" -- Kosher for Passover
Peter Beinart's call for American Jews to support "Zionist BDS" calls the question: how can you say you support a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict if you oppose the pressure on the Israeli government's West Bank colonization project necessary to bring a two-state solution about?
http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/8358-zionist-bds-kosher-for-passover
"No Contact" Is the Keystone XL of Iran Policy