Just Foreign Policy News
September 7, 2010

"A New Way Forward: Rethinking U.S. Strategy in Afghanistan"
Report of the "Afghanistan Study Group" initiated by Steve Clemons and directed by Matthew Hoh.
http://www.afghanistanstudygroup.org/

AP editor: 'Combat in Iraq is not over, and we should not uncritically repeat suggestions that it is'
AP standards editor Tom Kent cautions reporters not to parrot "combat is over."
http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=45&aid=190064

Reuters Video: Afghans protest Koran burning
Protesters stage an anti-U.S. rally in Kabul after an American church says it will burn the Holy Koran on the September 11 anniversary.
http://www.reuters.com/news/video/story?videoId=152558173&videoChannel=1

Beverly Bell: For Partners in Health, Good Health Means Justice and Rights
Beverly Bell interviews Loune Viaud of Partners in Health's Haiti program.
http://www.truth-out.org/for-partners-health-good-health-means-justice-and-rights62702

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

Just Foreign Policy News
September 3, 2010

CBPP graph showing how wars fit in to projected deficits
A paper by Center on Budget and Policy Priorities includes a graph that shows the relative contribution of the wars to projected budget deficits.
The graph indicates the following ranking:
1. Bush tax cuts
2. Economic downturn (order of the first two is reversed in the short term)
3. Wars
4. Stimulus
5. Bank bailouts
CBPP writes: "Together with the economic downturn, the Bush tax cuts and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq explain virtually the entire deficit over the next ten years."
http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=3036

Iraq/Afghanistan: A Promise Kept, a Promise Deferred
As a candidate, President Obama said he wanted to end the mindset that leads to war. A key feature of that mindset is the belief 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 is a recipe for permanent war. Lebanon, where the U.S. accepts the participation in power of people opposed to U.S. control, shows it is not an immutable fact that the U.S. must pursue this permanent war policy.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-naiman/iraqafghanistan-a-promise_b_702172.html

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

Just Foreign Policy News
September 2, 2010

Video: Angelina Jolie - Pakistan needs our help
UN ambassador Angelina Jolie launches a new appeal to help those affected by the floods in Pakistan.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baUp7jmMNcY
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

Iraq/Afghanistan: A Promise Kept, a Promise Deferred
As a candidate, President Obama said he wanted to end the mindset that leads to war. A key feature of that mindset is the belief 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 is a recipe for permanent war. Lebanon, where the U.S. accepts the participation in power of people opposed to U.S. control, shows it is not an immutable fact that the U.S. must pursue this permanent war policy.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-naiman/iraqafghanistan-a-promise_b_702172.html

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

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

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
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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

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

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:

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.