Ian Bunn | Political & Popular Culture Arts

Face it the US economy is socialist (May 21st 2012)

John Stoehr the American journalist, editor and lecturer in political science has put forward an argument in an article published on Aljazeera titled ‘Face it, the US economy is socialist – The real debate is not whether the US economy has socialist attributes, but choosing which form of socialism to employ’. Stoehr states “They [Republicans] talk about socialists and communists with the intent of scaring people away from the debate, but the fact is that state and federal governments spend billions on corporate welfare. No matter what they say about closeted communists in Congress or in the White House, Republicans – even the libertarians – heartily approve of socialism. The question in their view is about which way the money is flowing, up or down. If it’s agribusiness or oil corporations getting bucks from federal subsidies, then money is going to the top. Hoorah for socialism. If it’s single working mothers getting food stamps and housing credits, then money is going to the bottom. That’s a damn government handout – we can’t have that. On the state level, corporate welfare is often wrapped in the rhetoric of job creation. Let’s make the state attractive to businesses, because businesses create jobs, workers spend money and the economy gets better. Voila. Except that taxpayers end up giving more to corporations than they end up receiving.

Inspired by Aljazeera ow.ly/aWEL7 image source Twitter ow.ly/aWEIw

Message will be written on wet sand (May 7th 2012)

Sandra Gonzalez-Bailon the Spanish Sociologist editor of the OII-edited journal Policy and Internet. Gonzalez-Bailon specializes in how online networks influence exposure to ideas and political debates, and how the internet technologies shape the flow of information. Gonzalez-Bailon published an article on Aljazeera stating, “Under the slogan “Real Democracy Now”, the protests [Spain May 2011] mobilised tens of thousands of people of all ages and affiliations, demanding better forms of political representation. Many protesters proclaimed in their placards that the Spanish Revolution was coming, a prophecy soon turned into a trending hashtag in Twitter and reverberating fast across the galleries of social media. …In the rare context of mass mobilisations, online networks behave exceptionally well: they are fast and efficient in transmitting information and spreading awareness. But they cannot do much to help a mass movement articulate their aims: they give expression to a cacophony of voices but when the lights of the protest go out, all these opinions fall like confetti after a party. …Can social media transform bursts of political activism into stable forms of participation? …Otherwise, their revolutionary message will be written on wet sand.”

Inspired by Aljzeera http://ow.ly/aEaiN image source http://ow.ly/aEaeM

Millions of Spaniards as "collateral damage" (April 27th 2012)

Pepe Escobar the 57 year old Brazillian journalist has published an article on Aljazeera speaking to the pain of millions in Spain who refuse to lay down and see their lives destroyed for the benefit of a banking minority. In the article, Escobar states “Make no mistake; the future of the euro is being played in Spain. The euro may win – but at a price; millions of Spaniards as “collateral damage”. It took less than 100 days in power for the right-wing Popular Party (PP) government led by Mariano Rajoy to face its first general strike…The strike was a response to Rajoy’s EU-imposed labour market reforms…That includes extremely harsh cuts in health, education and social services. …900,000 people marched in Madrid, 800,000 in Barcelona and hundreds of thousands more in 111 cities, especially Valencia and in the Basque country (the unionist vanguard in Spain). In Zaragoza, a city of 700,000, at least 150,000 people may have been in the streets… The country virtually stopped – at a 77 per cent overall rate… There’s serious talk of organising a European general strike. After all, the indignados started their movement in Spain, in May 2011 – the inspiration for Occupy Wall Street, a new, self-organised push for a global solidarity culture…”

Inspired by Pepe Escobar http://ow.ly/anF73 image source i2.ytimg.com http://ow.ly/anFRH

Our view of world will have to change (April 26th 2012)

Robert Costanza the 61 year old USA ecological economist and professor of sustainability has published an article on Aljazeera questioning what we can expect from Rio+20, arguing “We should engage in a global dialogue to envision the future we want – and devise an adaptive strategy to get us there.” In the article Costanza states, “…Rio+20 may be the most critical and potentially most influential meeting of its kind ever. What would have to happen for this to occur? In a nutshell, our view of the world will have to change. Our fundamental goals will have to change from an unsustainable emphasis on economic growth to a much broader vision of human well-being that acknowledges our dependence on nature and on each other. …The ongoing financial crisis, the climate crisis, the crisis of well-being and happiness and the Occupy movement, all represent accumulating trends. The Rio+20 meeting could be the trigger to get off the growth bandwagon and start down the path to a more positive vision of the world we all want… We may have to wait for deeper crises, for a more severe collapse. I hope not. While it is not wise to raise expectations too high, it is also not wise to give up hope. Let us hope for the best.”

Inspired by Robert Costanza http://ow.ly/anDTS image source Eppyie http://ow.ly/anEi6

They didn't say 'we'll wipe it out' (April 24th 2012)

Dan Meridor the 64 year old Israeli deputy Prime Minister a longtime member of the Likud party and Minister of Intelligence and Atomic Energy, has admitted Iran’s President Ahmadinejad was misquoted, never saying that Israel must be wiped off the map. Speaking to the Arab network Aljazeera, Meridor stated “They [Iranian leaders] all come basically ideologically, religiously with the statement that Israel is an unnatural creature, it will not survive… They didn’t say ‘we’ll wipe it out,’ but (rather) ‘it will not survive, it is a cancerous tumor, it should be removed’. They repeatedly said ‘Israel is not legitimate, it should not exist’.” An English translation of a speech attributed to Ahmadinejad in 2005 at the “World Without Zionism” conference highlights the problem in translating a Persian metaphorical turn of phrase where there is no exact English language equivalent. The importance of these translation issues rests with how Israel has used the words to garner global support against these Iranian overt threats toward Israel “In the words of Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister: “They are the leaders of Iran who called for a new Holocaust and who vowed to wipe Israel off the map.””

Inspired by Dudi Cohen http://ow.ly/anBhZ image source דן מרידור, מאיר שמגר http://ow.ly/anAPd

Either victory or martyrdom on the battlefield (April 22th 2012)

Mullah Dawran the Afghanistani senior Taliban commander in the northeastern province of Kunar has been interviewed by Qais Azimy and Mujib Mashal in an article published on Aljazeera, giving a rare insight into “morale and mentality of many who fight for the Taliban”. In the interview Dawran states, “We have two goals: one, if we still see these people in the areas where we fight for the cause, we can’t say we have won, that we have brought a Sharia system. Because in a Sharia system, you first get rid of the infidels and then those who committed big sins – the traitors. They fought alongside the infidels against Islam. The second goal is that when the Americans leave, they leave us these saplings. These saplings that they planted with their hands – we want to uproot them so they dry out… The history of jihad shows the result of jihad is either victory or martyrdom on the battlefield. In negotiations, Sharia is stepped on. When you and I talk, and we have different opinions, I am obliged to accept some of your views if you accept mine, otherwise it would not be negotiations. I approve such negotiations that will not step on Sharia…”

Inspired by Qais Azimy and Mujib Mashal http://ow.ly/ahTO8 image source iwandahnial http://ow.ly/ahU0G

The rebirth of ethnic-based nationalisms (April 21st 2012)

Andrea Mammone the UK historian and political commentator has published an article on Aljazeera on the potential damage from the austerity measures titled Austerity v’s solidarity: Democratic legitimacy and Europe’s future. In the article Mammone states, “The rebirth of ethnic-based nationalisms, the rise of right-wing extremist feeling and Europhobia are a likely new threat and will be forged with mounting social and workers’ protests. Yet, the Euro-dream was specifically to bypass these nationalistic divisions and create an all-inclusive porous European citizenship. This led to a reconsideration of concepts such as space, borders and belonging – and is, with some difficulties, aiming to create a European public sphere. The “market” economy was only one (though very important) of the pillars that had to contribute to build all this, but it was not the unique one. “Solidarity” was the other (at least implicit) pilaster. It is known that Germany was in fact helped after the Second World War without imposing severe austerity plans. Some of the measures now imposed upon Greece and perhaps tomorrow upon Italy, Spain, Portugal or some central or eastern European nations, may be to some extent necessary – but some political-economic flexibility and democratic legitimacy are essential, too.”

Inspired by Andrea Mammone http://ow.ly/ahTpl image source twitter http://ow.ly/ahTAO

Think twice about voting for a Mormon (April 19th 2012)

Willard Mitt Romney the 65 year old US businessman, politician and 2012 Republican Party presidential candidate and likely nominee has been profiled by Bob Abeshouse on Aljazeera on the likely effect of his being Mormon on his race for the White House. Abeshouse states, “…a significant minority say that they would think twice about voting for a Mormon as president. Evangelical Christians are especially concerned, with some believing that Mormonism is more a cult than a mainstream Christian creed. Others fear a Romney administration would be unduly influenced by the church’s attitude to such matters as polygamy, gay rights and abortion… Evangelical Christians in the US have had a long competition with Mormons for converts. Evangelicals regard the idea that humans can progress to godhood as blasphemous, and take issue with many Mormon practices and doctrines, such as so-called endowment rites. In these temple rituals Mormons pass between rooms representing different stages of the eternal progression they believe all humans participate in – from the Garden of Eden to the earthly world to celestial heaven… Romney has done his best to avoid all discussion of his Mormon faith in the 2012 race. …his Mormonism could be “the x-factor” that costs him the election in a tight race against Barack Obama for the White House in November.”

Inspired by Bob Abeshouse http://ow.ly/ahSNs image source Gage Skidmore http://ow.ly/ahSFr

A fresh faced telegenic candidate (April 16th 2012)

Enrique Peña Nieto the 45 year old Mexican politician former governor and member of the Institutional Revolutionary Party that held power for 71 years before its dramatic decline, is surging in the polls in the lead up to the Presidential election to be held mid this year (2012). Peña Nieto’s surge is at the expense of current incumbent President Felipe Calderon’s conservative National Action Party, being held accountable for the 50,000 killed in Mexico in the current Drug Wars. In an Aljazeera report, a Latin American analyst Rodolfo Pastor stated, “The PRI made sure that there was order and progress, even if it was relative, even if it was also linked to profound inequality and poverty and, of course, pacts had to be made. I think that besides the wonderful discourse that Pena Nieto as a fresh face, as a telegenic candidate is making right now, there is this off-the-record message by the PRI to the Mexican people: ‘Listen, we may be corrupt, we may be authoritarian, but we’re going to take care of things, we’re going to make sure things work again’.” A third candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of leftist coalition parties missed out on winning the last election by only 1%.

Inspired by Aljazeera http://ow.ly/afV5Q image source Edgar Alberto Domínguez Cataño http://ow.ly/afV4a

Enhanced a feeling of group stigmatization (April 6th 2012)

Jonathan Laurence the US associate professor of Political Science has published an article on Aljazeera discussing Europe’s alienation of Muslims through laws restricting Islamic symbols that fuel political distrust. Laurence states “As Muslims and non-Muslims despair about the prospect of long-term Islamic integration in 21st century Europe, disagreement over the urgency and necessity to restrict Islamic symbols in the public sphere – from clothing to architecture and food – is at the origin of a potentially grave misunderstanding. Religion is not the primary factor of identity for most European Muslims, but the current atmosphere has enhanced a feeling of group stigmatisation and a shared sense of injustice where previously few bonds existed. This has fed a growing confrontation, foreshadowed in two competing narratives of victimisation dividing Muslims from non-Muslims in Europe, which continue to gain strength… There is the growing danger that the modest accomplishments of religious integration will be undone before Muslims’ incorporation has taken place. Europe’s Muslims increasingly perceive the sum total of public debate about them as simple religious persecution – an uncanny admixture of the political distrust that drove the Kulturkampf and the religious resentment that fuelled traditional anti-Semitism.”

Inspired by Jonathan Laurence http://ow.ly/9O6ID image source NYC French Consulate http://ow.ly/9O6HY

Global financial crisis as a human rights issue (April 4th 2012)

Danny Schechter the US investigative journalist and independent filmmaker has published an article on Aljazeera discussing the global financial crisis as a human rights issue, calling on the UN to protect citizens from inequality and abuse by decisions of the elites. “As a long-time human rights advocate…  I think it’s important we recognise that there are economic and social rights as well as political ones, and that if the UN has the duty to “protect” ordinary people against military abuses, it also has the obligation to protect citizens who are being abused by the decisions of the 1 per cent – bankers, economic policymakers and big business honchos… An organisation like the UN, whose charter begins with the words “We The People”, has to try to defend the interest of economic victims as well as political ones, because national governments have been bought or silenced by the very vested economic interests that are ravaging so many of our communities… In most of the media, this crisis has been treated with a perverse logic: that no one was responsible since everyone was financially irresponsible and thus everyone is to blame – while at the same time no one is blamed.”

Inspired by Danny Schechter http://ow.ly/9MKby image source http://ow.ly/9MKa4

Can exist as a submodel within capitalism (April 1st 2012)

Michel Bauwens the 53 year old Belgian Peer-to-Peer theorist and founder of the P2P Foundation claims in an article published on Aljazeera that “The Occupy Wall Street movement is a model for a new economic paradigm, in which value is first created by communities [an emerging open-source civilization – as a business model].” Bauwens states, “Occupy and open-source models illuminate a new possible reality, in which the democratic civic sphere, productive commons and a vibrant market can co-exist for mutual benefit: At the core of value creation are various commons, where innovations are open for all to share and to build upon; These commons are protected through non-profit civic associations, which empower that social production; Around the commons emerges a vibrant commons-oriented economy comprised of ethical companies… Where these three circles intersect, citizens decide on the optimal shape of their provisioning systems. This model can exist as a submodel within capitalism, and to some extent already does so in the present system, as the open-source software business ecology. It could also become, with some necessary hacks, the core logic of a new civilisation. Occupy has not just shown us prefigurative politics, but prefigurative economics as well.”

Inspired by Aljazeera http://ow.ly/9FzaN image source Jane Mejdahl http://ow.ly/9Fz52

This is against the will of the Almighty (March 31st 2012)

Yisroel Dovid Weiss the 55 year old US Haredi rabbi, activist and spokesman for a branch of Neturei Karta, an anti-Zionist group, has been interviewed on Aljazeera explaining why Zionism and Judaism are not the same, “This is against the will of the Almighty and this is not what it means to be a Jew.” Weiss is renowned for his stance against the legitimacy of the Jewish state and occupation of Palestine. Weiss is quoted as stating, “The Zionists use the Holocaust issue to their benefit. We, Jews who perished in the Holocaust, do not use it to advance our interests. We stress that there are hundreds of thousands Jews around the world who identify with our opposition to the Zionist ideology and who feel that Zionism is not Jewish, but a political agenda…What we want is not a withdrawal to the ’67 borders, but to everything included in it, so the country can go back to the Palestinians and we could live with them…” On the issue of Iran Weiss has stated that Ahmadinejad is not an enemy of the Jews, but is a “God-fearing man [who] respects the Jewish people and he protects them in Iran”.

Inspired by Aljazeera http://ow.ly/9FxJN image source Rense http://ow.ly/9FxT8

Cultural divide is bigger than geographical divide (March 25th 2012)

Sueli Pini the Brazilian Judge who delivers “justice and medical care to the ‘invisible’ people of the Amazon Rainforest” has been featured in a film by Arne Birkenstock on Aljazeera. Pini for 13 years “has been travelling from the provincial capital Macapá to the remote villages on the Amazon Delta. To this day, the Brazilian state does not know exactly how many people live on the Amazon because many of them have no passport or birth certificate. To the authorities, these people who live in remote hamlets and villages are invisible: they have no access to social services, health care or the justice system. It is as if they do not even exist… With her ‘justice boat’ Pini brings a wide range of state services to the population of the North Amazon region. The steam boat houses a court with a public prosecutor, bailiffs and public defenders, a medical team, including a dentist, doctor and nurses, and a passport office with civil servants and ID card forms… “The cultural divide is even bigger than the geographical divide we have to bridge. Most of my colleagues and superiors have never been here, so they cannot appreciate how important our tours are for the locals and for the Brazilian state.”

Inspired by Aljazeera http://ow.ly/9AZ5O image source naramazonie http://ow.ly/9AZuC

Unique challenge for the OWS participants (March 22nd 2012)

Timothy Zick the US Constitutional Lawyer, specializing in Federalism and  the 1^st Amendment (freedom of speech) has published an article on Aljazeera stating “…some element of the Occupy Wall Street movement may continue to engage in public protests in order to raise public awareness and to remind fellow citizens and officials of their central claims. Democratic protests help the people to continually keep their rulers in check, to hold officials accountable and to remind governors that sovereign power lies not in the institutions of government or public officialdom, but with the governed… At some point, if a democratic protest is to become an effective democratic movement, its members will need to engage in indoor politics. They will need to occupy legislatures, agencies and boards. This will be a unique challenge for the Occupy Wall Street participants, who generally eschew formal hierarchies and engage in non-traditional forms of communication and political decision-making. The challenge for Occupy Wall Street, as for any democratic protest, is to remain true to its core principles while seeking systemic changes from within. The American occupation teaches us that in any democracy, public protest is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for systemic change.”           

Inspired by Timothy Zick http://ow.ly/9AU7F image source W&M Law School http://ow.ly/9AUcH

We've been sold out by five justices (March 16th)

Ari Berman the US investigative journalist for The Nation institute and magazine has published an article on Aljazeera referencing the 2012 US presidential election as “the year of the big donor, when a candidate is only as good as the amount of money in his Super PAC.” The “2012 presidential election have become almost exclusively defined by the one per cent. Or, to be more precise, the .000063 per cent. Those are the 196 individual donors who have provided nearly 80 per cent of the money raised by Super PACs… “This really is the selling of America,” claims former presidential candidate and Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean. “We’ve been sold out by five justices thanks to the Citizens United decision.” In truth, our democracy was sold to the highest bidder long ago, but in the 2012 election the explosion of Super PACs has shifted the public’s focus to the staggering inequality in our political system, just as the Occupy movement shined a light on the gross inequity of the economy. The two, of course, go hand in hand.”

Inspired by Ari Berman http://ow.ly/9vaLm image source Businessinsider http://ow.ly/9vbnQ

When I see Ahmadinejad, I see Hitler (March 11th)

Haim Saban the 67 year old Egyptian born Israeli-American television and media mogul has been noted by Charles Davis an activist writer in an article published on Aljazeera as “One of the wealthiest men in the US… regularly “gossips with Rupert Murdoch, vacations with Bill Clinton … and confers with former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres… “When I see Ahmadinejad, I see Hitler,” Saban said of the Iranian president the same year he purchased Univision. …meanwhile, Saban hosted a “Friends of the Israel Defence Forces” fundraiser that, according to the Jewish Journal, was “teeming with Los Angeles’ most hawkish, hard-line lovers of Israel”. And, lest anyone think he separates his personal views from his businesses, at a 2009 conference in Israel he outlined “three ways to be influential in American politics,” which according to New Yorker magazine consist of “mak[ing] donations to political parties, establish[ing] think tanks, and control[ing] media outlets.” And in “targeting media properties”, the New Yorker noted, “Saban frankly concedes his political agenda, as evidenced by his repeated efforts to purchase the Los Angeles Times… I thought it was time that it turn from a pro-Palestinian paper into a balanced paper,” Saban said when asked to explain his interest in the paper.”

Inspired by Charles Davis http://ow.ly/9meSe image source Twitter http://ow.ly/9meQp

Subsidies are at the heart of the obesity problem (March 4th)

Patrick Doherty the US director of the Smart Strategy Initiative at the New America Foundation claims the US cannot become sustainable, nor can it induce global sustainability, without addressing the way it farms i.e. stop subsidies and switch to organic farming practices. In an article published on Aljazeera, Doherty states “Ill-conceived subsidies are at the heart of the obesity problem in the US and are undermining the family farm, depleting rural and maritime ecosystems, increasing our carbon emissions and suppressing agricultural exports from developing nations. The superiority of regenerative farming is now firmly established: organic agriculture outperforms and out-earns conventional industrial farming… Equally important, organic production produced slightly better yields than standard industrial techniques. Organic farming is also regenerative, rebuilding soils and retaining 15-20 per cent more water, in turn improving drought resistance… A shift from a policy of federally subsidised farmland depletion to regenerative agriculture would allow the farming families of the US to lead a prosperous life, caring for the land. Farmers would once again be stewards of the soil, rebuilding fertility, sequestering carbon, and protecting our waterways, all while feeding people wholesome food.”

Inspired by Patrick Doherty http://ow.ly/9eRid image source The Solutions Journal http://ow.ly/9eRcE

Forfeiture complaint fails to provide evidence (February 29th)

Nour Samaha the Qatar freelance journalist has analyzed a pending legal action against the Lebanese Hezbollah that seeks to link the organization with drug related money laundering, finding the allegations wanting. In an article published on Aljazeera, Samaha states “The allegations span South American cocaine shipments, US-used car dealerships, money-laundering in West Africa, several money-exchange houses, and end up in a Lebanese bank. In December the US justice department filed a civil claim against certain assets both in Lebanon and in the United States in what is seen as the US government’s latest attack on Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shia political movement… The in rem forfeiture complaint, filed in the district of New York with the aim of seeking almost half a billion dollars… However a close reading of the 65-page forfeiture complaint fails to provide concrete evidence of a Hezbollah-led operation aimed at procuring funds through money laundering… On numerous occasions the complaint highlights individuals as either being “members”, “operatives”, or “supporters” of Hezbollah, but fails to provide evidence of these alleged connections, or clarify what defines the characteristics of these terms.”

Inspired by Nour Samaha http://ow.ly/9doO1 image source Twitter http://ow.ly/9dph0

Both cooperative and competitive behavior (February 25th)

Richard Heinberg the US Senior Fellow at the Post Carbon Institute, widely regarded as one of the world’s foremost Peak Oil educators, has published an article on Aljazeera discussing humanity’s choices to either compete or cooperate in future resource management. Heinberg states “The world’s governments engage continually in both cooperative and competitive behavior, though sometimes extremes of these tendencies come to the fore – with open conflict exemplifying unbridled competition. Geopolitics typically involves both cooperative and competitive strategies, with the long-term goal centered on furthering national interest… If the path towards increasing competition leads to both internal and external conflict, then the result – for winners and losers alike, in a “full” world seeing rapid resource depletion – will most probably be economic and ecological ruin accompanied by political chaos… Yet this is not the only outcome available to world leaders and civil society. A cooperative strategy is at least theoretically feasible – and its foundations already exist in institutions and practices developed during recent decades.”

Inspired by Richard Heinberg http://ow.ly/96xbM image source twitter http://ow.ly/96xvU

Yelling the death of Twitter on Twitter is humorous (February 12th)

Jillian C. York the US Director of International Freedom of Expression at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, has released an article on Aljazeera discussing what she claims to be “hysterics” surrounding the recent announcement by Twitter of its changes to the way it handles content takedowns. York states “Suddenly, netizens were calling for a Twitter boycott… and proclaiming the death of the platform… on Twitter, of course. While a Twitter boycott is unlikely to have any real effect… and yelling about the death of Twitter on Twitter is just, well, humorous… What the company had announced was that they’d built in the capability to censor content per country. And to do so only in response to official requests, though you wouldn’t know that was the case from the hysterics. …The truth is, Twitter has indeed instituted a method whereby they can – upon receipt of a “valid and applicable legal request” – take down tweets. The company also states that they will only respond “reactively”; in other words, to content that has already been posted. There is a safety feature built in: Users can change their location if they think the one Twitter has listed based on their IP address is wrong.”

Inspired by Jillian C York http://ow.ly/8SzQb image source http://ow.ly/8SA1E

Only justification is "because it can" (February 10th)

Barry Wingard the 41 year old US Air Force Lieutenant Colonel of 28 years service and a Judge Advocate General (JAG) has written a damning condemnation of the dual US legal systems. In an Aljazeera article, Wingard states “Why does the US assert its right to hold human beings for life without trial in its never-ending battle against “terror”? The only justification that I can see is “because it can”…the most visible example of “American justice” has been the confinement of Muslims at Guantanamo Bay without a trial of any kind… For 10 years, the US has clearly demonstrated it applies one set of legal rules to Americans and another to non-Americans. The first set respects due process, the rule of law, individual rights and the concept of innocent until proven guilty. Unfortunately, the second set involves enhanced interrogation, indefinite detention and a presumption of guilt without any opportunity to prove innocence.”

Inspired by Barry Wingard http://ow.ly/8Szjl image source http://ow.ly/

West has mainly relied on threat diplomacy (February 8th)

Richard Anderson Falk the 81 year old US professor of international law and international activist has published an article on Aljazeera stating that “The public discussion in the West addressing Iran’s nuclear programme has mainly relied on threat diplomacy, articulated most clearly by Israeli officials, but enjoying the strong direct and indirect backing of Washington and leading Gulf states. Israel has also been engaging in low intensity warfare against Iran for several years, apparently supported by the United States, that has been inflicting violent deaths on civilians and disrupting political order in Iran… So far, the United States has shown no willingness despite the passage of more than 30 years to accept the outcome of Iran’s popular revolution of 1978-79 that non-violently overthrew the oppressive regime of the Shah… seeks to dissuade Iran from doing what it seems entitled to do… I am afraid that only when and if a yet non-existent Global Occupy Movement is fully mobilised and turns its attention to geopolitics, will the peoples of the Middle East begin to have some reason to hope for a peaceful and promising future for their region.”

Inspired by Richard Falk http://ow.ly/8SyKY image source Gravatar http://ow.ly/8SyCl

Well-cast for role of fall guy and scapegoat (February 4th)

Chase Madar the US lawyer and author of ‘The Passion of Bradley Manning’ has released an article on Aljazeera stating “The bodycount that resulted from Pfc Manning’s leaks have amounted to zero thus far, while his accusers stand bloody.” Madar states, “Knowledge may indeed have its risks, but how many civilian deaths can actually be traced to the WikiLeaks’ revelations? How many military deaths? To the best of anyone’s knowledge, not a single one. …the “grave risks” involved in the publication of the War Logs and of those State Department documents have been wildly exaggerated. Embarrassment, yes. A look inside two grim wars and the workings of imperial diplomacy, yes. Blood, no. The civilian carnage caused by our rush to war … is not speculative or theoretical but all-too real. And yet no one anywhere has been held to much account… Only one individual, it seems, will pay, even if he actually spilled none of the blood. Our foreign policy elites seem to think Bradley Manning is well-cast for the role of fall guy and scapegoat. This is an injustice. …someday Pfc Manning will be honoured.

Inspired by image Chase Madar http://ow.ly/8Jm6I source Muhammad Ahmad http://ow.ly/8Jm4R

Many people applauded our youthful idealism (February 2nd)

Peter Albert David Singer the 65 year old Australian philosopher and professor of Bioethics specializing in applied ethics has released an article on Aljazeera applauding the ending of battery cages in Europe for the keeping of fowls. Singer likened the achievement to the Arab Spring, stating “The end of the battery cage in Europe is a less dramatic development than the Arab Spring, but, like that popular uprising, it began with a small group of thoughtful and committed people… In the early 1970s, when the modern animal liberation movement began, no major organisation was campaigning against the battery cage… It took a concerted effort… to stir the RSPCA from its complacency towards the battery cage and other forms of intensive animal rearing… hens kept in cages so small… hens could never walk around freely, or lay eggs in a nest… Many people applauded our youthful idealism, but told us that we had no hope of ever changing a major industry. They were wrong… On the first day of 2012, keeping hens in such cages became illegal.”

Inspired by Peter Singer http://ow.ly/8JkSu image source Joel Travis Sage http://ow.ly/8JkVW

Jonathan Hafetz the US professor of Law and civil libertarian renowned for his volunteer service assisting Guantanamo captives held by the US Justice department at the Naval base, has published an article on Aljazeera marking the 10^th anniversary of when the first prisoners arrived at the base. Hafetz states, “While its approach to terrorism has evolved, the United States’ failure to close Guantanamo shows how far it still has to go if it wishes to develop a rights-respecting national security policy… The United States’ failure to close Guantanamo is the result of several factors, including lack of leadership by the executive, opposition by Congress, and acquiescence by the courts. Ultimately, all three branches of government bear responsibility, along with the American people themselves, who continue to tolerate Guantanamo’s existence… Not only does the prison remain open, but the United States is further from closing it now than at any time in the past… Guantanamo remains a place where individuals – all citizens of other countries – are given fewer rights and protections against unlawful imprisonment.”

Inspired by Jonathan Hafetz http://ow.ly/8BMDr image source Seton Hall http://ow.ly/8BMJj

Tasked with simply igniting a spark (January 22nd)

Daanish Faruqi a research fellow based in Doha, recently edited a book ‘From Camp David to Cast Lead: Essays on Israel, Palestine, and the Future of the Peace Process’. Farugi in an article released on Aljazeera discusses one of the book’s essays written by Professor Hamid Dabashi. Farugi concludes that “Art’s role … is to imagine the emancipatory politics of our impossibilities… The artists of the Arab Spring are tasked with simply igniting a spark, of reinjecting the radical imagination into Arab society, through envisioning the utopian possibility of hope and a better life undergirded by the basic dignity of the Arab people as non-negotiable and sacrosanct. Their aesthetic impulses must lead our revolutionary politics …  as signposts, not as overt political manifestos. Only under this rubric can the legions of brave Arab artists, painters and sculptors inspired by the Arab Spring truly make sense as purveyors of the region’s renewed collective consciousness…”

Inspired by Daanish Farugi http://ow.ly/8tS9b image source Twitter http://ow.ly/8tSrP

They demand their share in consumption (January 19th)

Arthur P. J. Mol the 51 year old Netherlands Professor of environmental policy speaks of the growing environmental threat the new Chinese middle class pose for our planet earth. In an article released on Aljazeera, Mol states “this new middle class represents China as a consumer society. Its purchasing power brings cars, durable electric and electronic equipment, (inter)national tourism travellings, larger houses and a meat-based diet within reach of the masses… [however with] green electricity, clean cars, a ban on plastic bags, strong punishments in food scandals: China’s consumption is becoming more sustainable, although it has a long way to go. But compared with China’s acceleration, the US seems to stand still. The Chinese middle class will become the environmental vanguard, because it is backed by the state. Don’t underestimate the Chinese middle class: they are coming, they demand their share in consumption – but they also form a state-backed driver of sustainability.”

Inspired by http://ow.ly/8tQKz image source Springer http://ow.ly/8tR1u

Sorry. Time to give it back (January 18th)

William Ernest “Bill” McKibben the US Environmentalist and founder of the Global Climate Campaign 350.org has released an article on Aljazeera stating that “We need to say, loud and clear: “Sorry. Time to give it back”, reflecting on the corporate takeover of congress. In the article McKibben states, “we may have to change the Constitution, as we’ve done 27 times before. This time, we’d need to specify that corporations aren’t people, that money isn’t speech …The Occupy movement opened the door to this sort of change by reminding us all that the system is rigged, that its outcomes are unfair… later this month, when rallies … mark the second anniversary of the Citizens United decision … where the Supreme Court ruled that corporations had the right to spend whatever they wanted on campaigns. To me, that decision was, in essence, corporate America saying, “We’re not going to bother pretending any more. This country belongs to us”.

Inspired by Bill McKibben http://ow.ly/8tQmP image source Hotshot977 http://ow.ly/8tQDb

US military buildup to confront Iran (December 30th)

Avram Noam Chomsky the 83 year old US philosopher renowned for his critiques of US foreign policy has an article re-published on Aljazeera in which he discusses the US military buildup to confront the Iranian foreign policy crisis confronting the US. “The Obama administration has been rapidly expanding US offensive capacity in the African island of Diego Garcia … nuclear-powered guided-missile submarines with Tomahawk missiles, which can carry nuclear warheads. Each submarine is reported to have the striking power of a typical carrier battle group … the substantial military equipment Obama has dispatched includes 387 “bunker busters” used for blasting hardened underground structures … On taking office, Obama immediately accelerated the plans, and they are to be deployed several years ahead of schedule, aiming specifically at Iran… The increasing threats of military action against Iran are of course in violation of the UN Charter … call to all states to resolve disputes related to nuclear issues peacefully … which bans the use or threat of force.”

Inspired by Norm Chomsky http://ow.ly/89XaE image source Duncan Rawlinson http://ow.ly/89XeT

Greedy narcissists and possibly sociopaths (December 29th)

Barbara Ehrenreich the 70 year old US political activist referred to as a ‘myth buster’, along with her husband John Ehrenreich a psychology professor have released an article on Aljazeera discussing the rise of the OWS Movement. “…those in the top 1 per cent of the wealth distribution – the bankers, hedge-fund managers and CEOs … have been around for a long time in one form or another, but they only began to emerge as a distinct and visible group, informally called the “super-rich”  … Extravagant levels of consumption helped draw attention to them … but as long as the middle class could still muster the credit for college tuition and occasional home improvements, it seemed churlish to complain. Then came the financial crash of 2007-2008, followed by the Great Recession, and the 1 per cent to whom we had entrusted our pensions, our economy, and our political system stood revealed as a band of feckless, greedy narcissists and possibly sociopaths.

Inspired by Barbara & John Ehrenreich http://ow.ly/89X6l image source David Shankbone http://ow.ly/89X95