Monthly Archives: November 2014

Advisors Are Not Troops?

Published on Saturday, November 08, 2014 by Common Dreams.

Belying ‘No Boots on Ground’ Promises, Number of U.S. Troops in Iraq Set to Double

Obama’s authorization would bring number of military personnel and “advisors” to over 3,000

Further undermining his insistence that the U.S. campaign against Islamic State militants will not involve American boots on the ground, President Obama on Friday authorized the deployment of an additional 1,500 troops to Iraq, a plan that would cost $5.6 billion and would more than double the size of the U.S. force in the nation.

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How To Buy The Senate

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Last Thursday, six days before the elections here in the US, a story broke that completely slipped underneath the radar of the national media. While that in itself isn’t surprising considering our media’s proven track record in ignoring important stories, we’re really surprised that this one didn’t make headlines.

Last August, Colombian inspectors found 40 kilos of cocaine aboard the Ping May, a cargo vessel that was about to sail to Europe. While this is a fairly common occurrence these days, the ownership of the vessel is what makes this newsworthy. The vessel is owned by the Foremost Maritime Corporation. Foremost was founded and is owned by James Chao. Who is James Chao? He’s the father-in-law of the man who will more than likely be the next Senate Majority Leader; Mitch McConnell. Continue reading →

Egypt: press freedom at a crossroads

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By Sherif Mansour

The military-backed regime in Egypt has an answer to criticism—blame the messenger. But journalists are fighting back.

Under Threat: Egyptian Press in Peril from Committee to Protect Journalists on Vimeo

The current Egyptian government is trying to roll back time, reversing one of the gains of the revolution of 2011 by cracking down on the press and forcing independent and critical voices into silence, exile, prison—or worse. But local and international voices are desperately resisting. Continue reading →

Brawl In Brussels

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The last few years have seen, in countries around the world, people taking to the streets in protest over the growing income inequality, and the powers that be’s tendency to protect the wealthiest’s economic standing by inflicting austerity measures on the neediest of their citizens.

Yesterday was no exception. 100,000 people took to the street in Brussels, Belgium to protest the government’s austerity measures and free market reforms. The rally was the first in a series of events planned by Belgian trade unions which include strikes in several provinces in coming weeks, to be followed by a general strike throughout Belgium on December 15. The rail companies made low cost tickets available so that more people would attend today’s protest. Continue reading →

Election Day Loser: the ‘American Voters’

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By Lauren McCauley

As Americans rushed to the polls on Tuesday, voting rights watchdogs reported that this election day marked the most “unfair, confusing, and discriminatory election landscape” in fifty years.

Voters nationwide reported a slew of problems, including: long lines; broken machines; voter intimidation and misinformation; a lack of foreign language assistance; missing and misspelled names from registration; and general misinformation over registration, polling place locations, and identifications required. Continue reading →

It Could Happen Here

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Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Photo by Pilgab (Own work (own picture)) [GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0 ] via Wikimedia Commons

One of the big stories of last week was ignored for the most part by media here in the US. I’m talking about the protests in Hungary over an Internet data tax, and the government’s cancelling the planned tax because of the opposition.

The tax was originally to be 150 forints (£0.40; 0.50 euros; $0.60) per gigabyte of data traffic. After thousands of people took part in large scale protests that included hurling old computer parts at the headquarters of the ruling Fidesz party, the government decided to cap the tax at 700 forints per month for individuals and 5000 forints for companies. This didn’t satisfy the protesters, though, who called the tax not only a financial burden, but a move that would restrict free expression and access to information. Finally, last Friday Prime Minister Viktor Orban backed down, saying “This tax in its current form cannot be introduced.” Continue reading →

What Did You Do Today?

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Voting line in Brooklyn, 2008. Photo by April Sikorski from Brooklyn, USA (vote here) [CC-BY-SA-2.0] via Wikimedia Commons

Today’s one of our favorite days of the year. It’s not a holiday (though we think it should be), and it’s not a day where most people get together with friends and family (though we at Occupy World Writes have been known to throw parties at which we watch the returns from the various races). Instead, it’s a day where you have the opportunity to exercise what might be your most important duty as an active citizen. That’s right – it’s Election Day, 2014 edition.

Hopefully you’ve researched the candidates to see which ones best meet the qualifications for who you want to represent you – or have you? Have you given up on the process? Do you feel that there isn’t anybody out there who will represent you, and you’re sitting out this time? Continue reading →

Not Your Mascot

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Justice Lone Hill at the #NotYourMascot march and rally. Photo by Dana Lone Hill via Facebook

Yesterday, thousands of people marched through Minneapolis and gathered outside the University of Minnesota’s TCF Bank Stadium in the largest protest yet against the Washington NFL team’s name. By police estimates, 3,400 people gathered near the Tribal Nations Plaza, which was built as a tribute to eleven of the state’s tribes. Organizers say as many as 5,000 attended.

The protesters came from as far away as Oklahoma, Montana and New Mexico. More than two dozen speakers from across the country addressed the crowd. State Rep. Susan Allen, the first Native American woman elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives, introduced the speakers; a mix of activists and politicians.

Clyde Bellecort, the co-founder of the American Indian Movement (AIM), told the crowd; “My heart soars like an eagle today, for 45 solid years we’ve been fighting this battle of racism and slurs.” Continue reading →

TTIP and TPP: harnessing the anger of the people

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By Walden Bello and Thomas Fazi

Trade Ministers from TPP meeting in Vladivostok. Photo by East Asia and Pacific Media Hub U.S. Department of State [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

In parallel to the EU-US trade deal currently under way, the US is negotiating a similar agreement with 11 countries of the Asia Pacific: the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Walden Bello, leading critic of neoliberal and corporate globalisation, identifies the global strategy underpinning the two agreements. Interview.

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World Kobani Day vs. Turkey’s Foul Position

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Today, November 1, is World Kobani Day. Also known as the International Day of Solidarity for Kobani, events are being held in major cities around the world.

From Kurdish Human Rights Watch: “If Islamist terrorists capture Kobane, they will massacre the remaining of its population—some 3,000 civilians are believed still to be in Kobane. An ethnic cleansing is already taking place. About 300 villages in the region have already been emptied. For the first time in more than three thousand years there will be no Kurds in the Kobane region.

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