“The letter was signed by more than 200 prominent Africans, including ANC national executive member Jesse Duarte, political analyst Willie Esterhuyse of the University of Stellenbosch, former intelligence minister Ronnie Kasrils, lawyer Christine Qunta, former deputy foreign affairs minister Aziz Pahad, former minister in the presidency Essop Pahad, Sam Moyo of the African Institute […]
Archive | News
News updates or analysis.
Libyan Rebels Put a Bounty on Gaddafi’s Head
Wanted1.7 Million Dollars for His Headfor his head only! Call Now! Victor Nieto is a cartoonist in Venezuela. His cartoons frequently appear in Aporrea and Rebelión among other sites. Translation by Yoshie Furuhashi (@yoshiefuruhashi | yoshie.furuhashi [at] gmail.com). Cf. As’ad AbuKhalil, “The Turns of History in the Middle East” (Angry Arab News Service, 25 August […]
AU Calls for Inclusive Transitional Government in Libya
Note that the African Union, bucking the imperialist pressures, refused to recognize the rebel Transitional National Council as the sole legitimate representative of Libya. — Ed. The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 291st meeting held on 26 August 2011, at the level of the Heads of State and […]
The Morality of the Other Side in the Class War
The Washington Post and Robert Samuelson did their part in publicly passing along the marching orders from the rich and powerful to Ben Bernanke and the Federal Reserve Board. The word from these folks is “No Inflation!” If that means millions more people will suffer unemployment for a few more years, that’s a price that […]
The Rise and Fall of Libya
Upon the US capturing Saddam Hussein out of a “spider hole” and parading his abject person on TV, Tariq Ali wrote: “My first reaction to the capture of Saddam Hussein was both anger and disgust. Anger with the old dictator who could not even die honourably. He preferred to be captured by his old friends […]
Washington’s Syria Policy Battle: Interventionists versus Non-Interventionists
Two distinct camps are forming to battle over Syria policy in Washington. The first is made up of the neocons, who are busy fitting the Arab Spring into US strategic interests as they see them. John Bolton, Michael Doran, and Elliott Abrams have been leading the charge in articulating this argument. The second group are […]
Fred Magdoff on What Every Environmentalist Needs to Know about Capitalism
What Every Environmentalist Needs to Know about Capitalism is a short, accessible introduction to the ecological crisis that is intended for a wide audience — why did you decide to write a book like this, and why now? In the fall of 2008 I attended a conference where discussion of the environment was prominent, although […]
What Does S&P’s Downgrade of Japan’s Debt Mean?
The New York Times reported on S&P’s downgrade of Japanese government debt to the 4th highest level. It explained the downgrade by noting Japan’s continued weak growth, political problems, and concerns about deflation. These are factors that might concern the Japanese public when they vote for their leaders, but it is difficult to see what […]
New York Times Points Out “Racist Overtones” in Libyan Rebel Disinformation It Helped Spread
Claims that the Libyan government was employing African mercenaries against the rebels were given credence in some left-wing media as well, even after information contradicting the claims began to surface: e.g., “. . . [I]t must be pointed out that the Qaddafi regime helped create the conflict [“violence against Black Africans by Libya’s rebel forces”] […]
NATO’s Rebel Forces
At its peak, the 26 of July Movement had some 300 fighters, ill fed and poorly armed, bitten by mosquitoes and accompanied by the rain. Against them, Gen. Fulgencio Batista mobilized an army, a navy, an air force, a coast guard, and the Rural Guard, aside from a network of spies and irregular bands […]
Ecuador Expresses Its Concern about Libya and Human Rights
Regarding the recent events in Libya, Rafael Quintero, Undersecretary for Asia, Africa, and Oceania, reiterated Ecuador’s disagreement with disrespect for the territorial integrity of that country. He expressed Ecuador’s insistence that international conventions be complied with, that human rights in Libya be respected, and that no attempt be made to take the Libyan case as […]
Libyan Rebels’ Pyrrhic Victory
Victor Nieto is a cartoonist in Venezuela. His cartoons frequently appear in Aporrea and Rebelión among other sites. Cf. “Speaking from outside Britain, a senior official told me that — after the fall of the Qaddafi regime — NATO air patrols and a no-fly zone would certainly have to remain in place as a deterrent […]
Messianism versus Democracy
The Central government’s flip-flops on Anna Hazare are obvious: it went from abusing him (through the Congress spokesperson) for sheltering corruption, to extolling him for his idealism; from arresting him, without any justification, and getting him remanded to judicial custody for a week, to releasing him within a few hours. But the Anna group’s flip-flops […]
NATO in Hurry to Create “New Libya”
Victor Nieto is a cartoonist in Venezuela. His cartoons frequently appear in Aporrea and Rebelión among other sites. Cf. “NATO’s intensified bombing: Frantic attempt to defeat Libya before Sept. UN vote on war & full General Assembly. #Libya #NATO” (John Bazin, 21 August 2011); Larry Shaughnessy, “U.S. Has Nearly Doubled Air Attacks on Libya in […]
Austerity Politics Descends on US States
Last week, Democratic Governors in New York and Connecticut repeated the austerity politics of Greece’s Prime Minister Papandreou and Portugal’s Socrates. In doing so, they likewise imitated the austerity politics of their Republican and Democratic counterparts across virtually all 50 states. Austerity for labor and the public is everywhere capitalism’s Plan B. After all, even […]
Tearing Down the Wall? Big Organizing Challenge Remains after Temporary Truce at Verizon
The 45,000 Verizon union members returning to work on Tuesday, after a two-week strike, would do well to remember the words of VZ’s Marc Reed when picket lines were taken down on Saturday. Said Reed: “We remain committed to our objectives.” Verizon’s executive vice-president for human resources wasn’t just referring to the company’s latest giveback […]
Libya News Roundup
Richard Seymour (20 August 2011): “I think we would see a recomposition of the old regime, without Qadhafi but with the basic state structures intact. The former regime elements would become regime elements, within a pro-US, neoliberal state with some limited political democracy. In addition, those calling for intervention in Syria would be strengthened, as […]
Alaeddin Boroujerdi and Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh on What Iran Wants from Russia
Russia Should Pressure U.S. to Lift Anti-Iran Sanctions: MP Russia should pressure the United States to lift the sanctions imposed on Iran, Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Chairman Alaeddin Boroujerdi said on Friday. “The Islamic Republic of Iran has so far taken important steps in order to create transparency concerning its peaceful […]
FlagMan: The Man Who Removed the Israeli Flag from the Israeli Embassy in Egypt
“#flagman the brave man that removed the Israeli flag from Israel Embassy in Cairo. His name is Ahmed Shehata #Israel #Egypt.” — Mohamed Aboelkhier Video by Jonathan Rashad Cartoon by Carlos Latuff Jonathan Rashad is a young Egyptian freelance photographer, who started his career in 2008 at the age of 16. Carlos Latuff is […]
Brazilian Defense Minister Amorim Supports Withdrawal of Troops from Haiti — But When?
One month ago I argued in this space that Brazil should set a timetable for getting its troops out of Haiti, since there is no war in Haiti and no legitimate reason — nor legal justification — for the UN military force (MINUSTAH) to be there. Now Brazil’s new Defense Minister, Celso Amorim — who […]
