RESURGING WARS AND ARMED CONFLICTS ......

 

As in the early 21st century we're noticing a remarkable increase in armed conflicts and open wars, using new and very advanced technologies and electronics and cyber warfare technics, making the killing and annihilation of huge numbers of civilians more doable, and the destruction of entire towns and cities even countries more accessible.

World beyond war, should become the new slogan and motto of our politicians and leaders across the civilized nations of earth. We need global networks of volunteers, activists and allied organizations strongly advocating for the abolition of the very core institutions of war. We need it here in the U.S. and in many parts of the world, more so in colonial type aggressor entities and arms industries dependent countries.

We all knew that the U.S. troops were supposed to leave Germany, Japan and Afghanistan, even Iraq and  Syria, but never have. The taxes in the U.S. and elsewhere including European countries, all call for more weaponry, especially nuclear, missiles and drones, they were supposed to ease or cease in many cases, but they never have. The state of milita-rization and government secrecy about the war-machine propaganda and doings were supposed to ease up, but the contrary took place, it is clearly developing into a permawar. The war industrial complexes are back to being the number-one in international sales, and many new countries like Israel and others are striving at this new and very lucrative commerce.

Propaganda dominated countries, that tried to glorify WW2, the Korean wars, the Viet-Nam and the Israeli 1967 wars, even our adventures in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria and Yemen, were all turned into a firm conviction and belief in their goodness and nobility. We're still trying to justify new wars and aggressions and adventures, Israel constantly attacking its neighbors and its not too close ones, selling arms to inflame very dangerous conflicts in Azerbaijan and Armenia, Kashmir and South Sudan. 

Where we don't find an ideal adversary we go into a cold war or war on terror. Based on a firm belief that all old wars and conflicts were the good justified model, and the new ones are a natural extension of our goodness, high morality and our mission to liberate and democratize the world. 

LGBT people, pussy riots and the Alexei Navalny case, are all targets of high spying bodies that answer directly to Putin, using Israeli phone-hacking high tech in many thousands cases. so did India and the UAE, Bahrain and Saudi leadership. Drones are another aspect of this new warfare international commerce, raging in the world markets. 

Most, if not all of these wars and wild adventures, were not fought to rescue anyone from persecution, they were not necessary for defensive purposes, and surely most of them in the last century and our new one, could have been prevented, saving the huge damages and destruction, only if we chose not to elect selfish and crazy leaderships, backed by the war machine manipulators and their huge money power. 

The trial, imprisonment and continuous torture of Julian Assange, who disclosed atrocities committed by the U.S and other governments, only proves the double faced and corrupt systems and leaderships we have.  "Not everything that is faced can be changed" wrote the author James Baldwin, " But nothing can be changed until it is faced." 

          My many thanks to all, please be safe.                        

STUBBORN VIRUS AND OTHER KILLER AILMENTS ....

 

Covid19 failure of right wing populists like Mr. Trump, Netanyahu and others is hardly a coincidence or a bad luck affair. The world's worst-performing countries against the pandemic are all led by self-centered authoritarian leaders, who in the name of economy, ideology or self preservation are trying to play and maintain a game of non-productive half measures, resulting in the killing of huge unnecessary numbers of people and hurting many more just to save themselves and their political existence by pretending to save their economies. 

The country with the highest number of corona cases and deaths is the U.S. which is led by an authoritarian right wing nationalist and populist fascist, second place belongs to India, as well led by the authoritarian right-wing nationalist and populist Modi. Next in line comes Brazil led by another right-wing-nationalist and populist, Iran, Russia, Turkey and G.B. And the list goes on till we come to tiny Israel that is by proportion to its population beating the world with their numbers of positive cases and deaths. And guess who's ruling the country ??  While we keep criticizing China, Korea and even some European countries for managing not to kill their citizens, at least not intentionally and collectively. 

Amid the pandemic, and in the run-up to the presidential elections, much of the world is watching the United States with a mix of shock, chagrin and great bafflement, the same feelings and the same sarcastic smiles go regionally to other states like Israel, India and Brazil. 

Mr. Trump has refused to accept and act according to a primordial principle of democracy, dodging questions about his acceptance and commitment to a peaceful transition of power should he lose the Nov. elections. Putting America in a laughable position and shifting the U.S. politically from a first-world country to a third-world country, or even a failed banana republic, We will see which one we fit after the Nov. elections.  He's now dodging all inquiries about his virus infection and degree, I'm feeling fine is his best answer. 

 Many other fascist nationalist leaders across the world are acting and doing the same, there seems to be a unified syndicated group, all belonging and graduates of the same school. Are we deliberately turning the U.S. into a Belarus, an ottoman Turkey, a north Korea, or just satisfying ourselves with the Indian, Iranian, Israeli or Brazilian models ?? Maybe we could add the Saudi model for a bonus. 

Most of these countries had a pseudo half way democracy, they fought hard to attain it, and now thanks to their leaderships are losing it again, we in America had it from the right beginning in fair dozes and shapes, it was a solid democracy going on, are we with our leadership's reign and egoistic  manipulations trying to eliminate what we have and had for centuries ?? Just to emulate some stupid slogans and failed dreams and personal power grabbing and egoistical supremacy. 

The diminution of the U.S. global status and image began well before the pandemic, as the Trump administration snubbed international accords, and embraced a narrow America first policy, now its reputation and prestige seem to be in a free-fall, according to an article published lately in the N.Y Times, the U.S. is paying a high price for the president's attitude, tactics and mockery, plus a decease unchecked, mass protests over racial and social and wealth inequality, and war prospects, and a president who openly seems unwilling to accept election results... these are not signs of a first world  country, and definitely not good signs for anyone.         

           My usual many thanks to all my good readers and friends, stay safe.                 

WEIRD RE-ELECTION TACTICS .....

 

The entire country is still disappointed and in chock after watching the presidential debate couple nights ago, of course people defer in their criticism and accusations, but a general theme shared by most Americans is obvious. Republicans or Democrats, left or right, conservatives or liberals, religious or not, they all somehow condemn the president for losing it and making a mockery out of the institution. To address this issue, I decided to copy almost verbatim parts of an excellent report by the NY Times' D. Leonhardt . 

There is a theme that has run through president Trump's entire re-election campaign ; He is afraid that he cannot beat Joe Biden. It explains his extraordinary efforts last year to prevent Biden from becoming the nominee, and it explains his more recent efforts to discredit the elections. Rather than running against Biden, Trump now seems to be running against democracy itself. 

It's useful to think and analyse the 2020 Trump campaign in 3 distinct stages. The first was during the run up to the Democratic primaries, when Trump used the powers of the presidency to pressure at least one foreign country, Ukraine, to smear Biden, (An effort that led to impeachment) while Trump took no similar steps to damage Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, or Kamala Harris.

Why ?? Trump often acts on instincts, and he probably have done so in this case, he believes in polls, and polls consistently showed him fairing worse in a hypothetically match up against Biden than against any other Democrat. The second stage began after Biden clinched the nomination, Trump doubled down on efforts to damage him. He portrayed Biden as a corrupt old sleepy politician. not so different from Hillary Clinton, or any closet socialist. It hasn't worked, Biden's lead over Trump has remained stable. 

That has led to the third stage; Try to prevent a normal election, Trump with help from other leading Republicans, and his loyal oligarchy and family, has increased his efforts to make it difficult to vote. His campaign has filed lawsuits in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere to restrict voting by mail. (Mike Pence played a big role there). 

In recent weeks, Trump also began what seems like an obvious attempt at voter intimidation, encouraging his supporters to show up at polling places, purportedly to prevent voter fraud, which almost never occurs. Donald Trump junior has released a video calling for an "army for Trump's election security operation." 

At least for now, Trump refused to allow a normal debate, constantly interrupting Biden, and even refusing flatly during the debate to condemn white supremacy groups, like the proud boys, a violent far-right fascist group. Even major Republican Senators like Lindsey Graham or Mitch McConnell, came totally against him denouncing his refusal, and putting these groups on standby for further action. The whole episode proved to be a chaotic jumble and a laughable scene. But for Trump it was one more attempt to undermine the normal functions of Democracy. 

There is still roughly a month until election day, an eternity in politics, at this point the picture for the past couple years is remarkably consistent, Trump seems to believe he would lose a normal election to Biden, and most people close to him are blunt that the president knows he's losing and is scared and panicky about it. But in an abnormal election, with low turnout and protracted fights over ballot eligibility, who knows what could happen !!! 

And even if Trump does lose, he is surely laying the ground work to make the false claim that the election was rigged, and consequently cling to power. For him it's more than winning and glorifying his name, as some legal experts say ; No question about it , Trump and daughter Ivanka could face up to 5 years in jail time for tax fraud after leaving the White-House, the only thing saving them now is the Department of Justice's guide line that says "you cannot indict a sitting president." 

Finally, the funny side of this election or re-election is that all radical right-wing organisations and all Republican electoral machines in all States are strategising to win the election not by luring voters to their side or winning the undecided voters with their policies, but by suppressing their votes, and intimidating minority voters, and making it very difficult for the majority of Americans to cast their ballots. ONLY IN AMERICA ......  

                      As always my many thanks to all my readers, stay safe.