Monthly Archives: August 2016

New Russia-China-Iran Alliance Could Push the US out of Much of the Middle East

By Darius Shahtahmasebi. Published 8-19-2016 by The Anti-Media

Photo: YouTube

When the current Syrian conflict first erupted in 2011 — and then enflamed in 2012 — a small minority of the American public probably wondered why President Obama was not intervening to help the Syrian people as he had done in Libya (they were likely completely unaware the president had already been interfering heavily in Syria since the conflict began). However, some pundits speculated that Obama would eventually intervene directly, and that this intervention would be the beginning of the end of the American empire as we know it. Continue reading →

Admitting Failed Experiment, DOJ to Phase Out Private Prisons

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Private prisons more dangerous and costly, Justice Department finally admits

By Nika Knight, staff writer for Common Dreams. Published 8-18-2016

Corrections Corporations of America is one of the largest private prison corporations in the country, and currently runs 47 prisons nationwide. (Photo: CCA.com)

After years of documented human rights abuses by the private prison industry, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is finally ending its use of privately-run, for-profit prisons, the Washington Post reports.

Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates issued a memo Thursday announcing that the federal government is ending its contracts with the private prison industry, days after the department’s Inspector General issued a damning report about the danger and abuse facing inmates in private federal prisons. Continue reading →

Complicit in Civilian Carnage, US Support for War in Yemen Called ‘Indefensible’

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Citing pending arms deal for Saudis, sharply-worded NYT editorial says “American support for war” must end

By Jon Queally, staff writer for Common Dreams. Published 8-17-2016

Photo: Fahd Sadi

Amid an escalation of violence, increasing numbers of civilian casualties, and a nearly unprecedented humanitarian crisis in Yemen, the New York Times editorial board on Wednesday called the United States “complicit in the carnage” and demanded the Obama administration end its support for the Saudi-led coalition which has repeatedly been accused of war crimes by critics.

The editorial reads: Continue reading →

How Blocking the Saudi Arms Deal Could Help Stop Lame Duck TPP

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By Robert Naiman. Published 8-15-2016 by Common Dreams

A Houthi militiaman with a heavy caliber machine gun. Saudi Arabia has received US support for air strikes against the fighters. (Photo: Yahya Arhab/EPA)

In this strategy memo on why progressive Democrats and Empire-skeptic Republicans should do what they reasonably can to assist efforts to block the recently proposed Saudi arms deal, I will cover four points.

1. What’s going on
2. Why this is a winnable fight
3. Why blocking/trying to block the Saudi arms deal is in the broad interests of humanity
4. How blocking the Saudi arms deal could help block lame duck TPP Continue reading →

30,000 Muslims Just Slammed Terrorism — Media Silent

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By Carey Wedler. Published 8-15-2016 by The Anti-Media

Photo: AMC UK

Hampshire, United Kingdom — Like clockwork, when a Muslim commits an act of violence, right-wing politicians, pundits and millions of Westerners insist all Muslims must condemn the attacks. While this standard hardly ever applies to Christian, Jewish or Buddhist terrorists, there is another inconsistency in right-wing reasoning: they claim Muslims refuse to condemn terrorism.

But Muslims do oppose radical Islam. In fact, every time an Islamic extremist commits an unthinkable act of violence, protests and renunciations ring out around the world. Muslims issue these condemnations even though they believe anyone who commits violence in the name of Islam is not Islamic at all. Continue reading →

State Now Claims It Owns the Wind — Taxing Renewable Energy “Out of Existence”

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By Matt Agorist. Published 8-14-2016 by The Free Thought Project

Photo: Leaflet (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Wyoming — Shortly after they realized the potential for wind energy creation in Wyoming, renewable energy companies began constructing turbines on private property and then selling the clean power they generated to the residents. However, shortly after their ventures began, Wyoming government officials, acting on behalf of fossil fuel interests, moved in for the kill.

The state legislature asked the question, “Who owns the wind?”

Without much debate, the Wyoming legislature quickly determined that the state does. Continue reading →

Texas Readies to Kill Man—Who Killed No One—for Murder

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Jeffery Wood on track to be the ‘least culpable person executed in the modern era of death penalty’

By Andrea Germanos, staff writer for Common Dreams. Published 8-13-2016

Texas is about to execute Jeffery Wood for a murder he didn’t commit. (Photo: Kurt and Sybilla/flickr/cc)

Texas—the state that leads the nation (pdf) in number of executions—is on the brink of killing Jeffery Wood.

His execution is scheduled for Aug. 24, which is “just five days after his 43rd birthday, for a crime that everyone, including prosecutors, admits he did not commit,”Jordan Smith wrote at The Intercept. Continue reading →

‘They’re Trying to Poison Our Future,’ Resistance Heats Up to Stop ‘Black Snake’ From Slithering Through Midwest

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Native tribes, landowners, environmental activists trying to stop pipeline that rivals Keystone XL in length

By Andrea Germanos, staff writer for Common Dreams. Published 8-12-2016

Sioux youth from the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in North Dakota rallied with supporters in Union Square [in New York] after running 2,000 miles across the United States to protest the proposed Dakota Access Pipeline. (Photo and caption: Joe Catron/flickr/cc))

Resistance against a new Bakken crude pipeline stepped up this week with the arrest of 12 people on Thursday near the Standing Rock Sioux reservation in North Dakota.

“They’re trying to lay a pipe across our water. They’re trying to poison our future,” said one of the people taking part in the action.

YouTube user UrbanNativeEra posted this video of the event: Continue reading →

Colorado Readies for ‘All Out War’ as Anti-Fracking Measures Advance to Ballot

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Citizen-led efforts to override the government and fossil fuel industry could be devastating for Big Oil in the state

By Lauren McCauley, staff writer for Common Dreams. Published 8-9-2016

Colorado has 73,000 wells with tens of thousands more planned for drilling. (Image: Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission)

The government of Colorado has so far managed to quash efforts to halt the spread of fracking in that state, but come November, residents will finally have the chance to overpower the will of politicians and Big Oil and Gas.

Petitioners on Monday submitted more than 200,000 signatures backing two separate initiatives to amend the Colorado constitution, specifically in regards to the controversial drilling method. Continue reading →

‘Not a Good Day for Democracy’: Senate Approves Impeachment Trial for Brazil’s Rousseff

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Her ouster—an effort she’s calling a coup— would be end of 13 years of rule by leftist Workers’ Party, and would leave in place unelected Temer

By Andrea Germanos, staff writer for Common Dreams. Published 8-10-2016

Demostrators hold signs during a march in Rio on August 5, 2016 . (Photo: Mídia NINJA/flickr/cc)

Brazil’s Senate on Wednesday voted to hold an impeachment trial for suspended President Dilma Rousseff, an effort that could mark the end of 13 years of rule by her leftist Workers’ Party.

“Today is not a good day for our democracy,” said Senator Paulo Rocha, an ally of the nation’s first female president. He added that “there is a political alliance that smells of a coup” working against her. Continue reading →

Occupy World Writes

The Movement Continues – Globally

Monthly Archives: August 2016

New Russia-China-Iran Alliance Could Push the US out of Much of the Middle East

30,000 Muslims Just Slammed Terrorism — Media Silent

State Now Claims It Owns the Wind — Taxing Renewable Energy “Out of Existence”

‘They’re Trying to Poison Our Future,’ Resistance Heats Up to Stop ‘Black Snake’ From Slithering Through Midwest

Native tribes, landowners, environmental activists trying to stop pipeline that rivals Keystone XL in length

Colorado Readies for ‘All Out War’ as Anti-Fracking Measures Advance to Ballot

Citizen-led efforts to override the government and fossil fuel industry could be devastating for Big Oil in the state