Why U.S. occupation cannot transform Afghanistan or Iraq By Sara Flounders

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By Sara Flounders
http://www.workers.org
Nov 15, 2009

Just how powerful is the U.S. military today?

Why is the largest military machine on the planet unable to defeat the resistance in Afghanistan, in a war that has lasted longer than World War II or Vietnam?

Afghanistan ranks among the poorest and most underdeveloped countries in the world today. It has one of the shortest life expectancy rates, highest infant mortality rates and lowest rates of literacy.

The total U.S. military budget has more than doubled from the beginning of this war in 2001 to the $680 billion budget signed by President Barack Obama Oct. 28. The U.S. military budget today is larger than the military budgets of the rest of the world combined. The U.S. arsenal has the most advanced high-tech weapons.

Hawkish Hillary Pro-Surge & Anti-Savvy Majority, Again By Robert S. Becker

By Robert S. Becker
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
www.beyondchron.org
rbecker@cal.net
Nov. 17, 2009

Had Hillary Clinton renounced her pro-Iraq war vote and mounted an unambiguously anti-war campaign, I believe she’d be president, having won over liberals, women, blue collar and Bush-fatigued centrists.  No Republican matched Barack Obama as contender, and none would have beaten either top Democrat.  Despite huge head starts in money, celebrity, experience, and party support, Hillary’s stubborn refusal to reject one “dumb war” tied her to entrenched Washington values, not just Bush-Cheney’s perverse belligerence, but her husband’s establishment presidency, too.

Makes the Yes Men look like young republicans

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subMedia
November 17, 2009

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Makes the Yes Men look like young republicans

About Patria, Pageants and Poppies By William Bowles

By William Bowles
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
Creative-i
17 November 2009

“Britain’s last surviving World War I veteran shunned Remembrance Day commemorations Wednesday because he was against the glorification of war” — ‘Britain’s last WWI veteran shuns Remembrance Day’

After eight years and tens of thousands of Afghan casualties, the occupiers are settling down to a war of unknown duration. And contrary to Brown’s earlier declarations that ‘al-Qu’eda’ was operating out of Afghanistan, Brown, all-dressed up for the Lord Mayor’s banquet told the assorted ‘dignitaries’,

“Mr Brown has acknowledged that al-Qaeda is not operating in Afghanistan but cautioned that it continued to recruit and train.

“Al-Qaeda rely on a permissive environment in the tribal areas of Pakistan and – if they can re-establish one – in Afghanistan,” Mr Brown warned.

“He said there were “several hundred” foreign fighters still based in the tribal areas of northern Pakistan, attending training camps to learn bomb-making and weapons skills.”” — ‘Brown plans Afghan handover talks’, BBC News Website, 17 December, 2009

Rush to Judgment: Talk Radio’s “Truth Detector” Blows a Fuse—Again By Walter Brasch

by Walter Brasch
Featured Writer
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www.walterbrasch.com
November 17, 2009

It wasn’t unusual that Rush Limbaugh went ballistic on his show, Nov. 13. He does that several times a day.

It wasn’t unusual that he mixed a few facts with opinion and outright lies in his three-hour daily show. Fact checking for the man who calls himself “America’s Truth Detector” is as rare as union organizers working for Walmart.

What is unusual is that Rush Limbaugh, whose web site shows a picture of him carrying a large gold-fringed American flag on a six-foot staff, spoke out against the Constitution of the United States.

Because logic and reason avoids his black-clad bouncy body, he may not have even known he was attacking the history of the United States and its Constitution. But on this Friday the 13th, the forces of evil spewed forth from his unfettered microphone mouth.

Immortal Technique on war, revolution and US democracy, Part 2

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Updated: replaced video; RT renamed it

RussiaToday
November 16, 2009

The US government uses foreign wars to distract people’s attention from internal problems. That’s according to rapper and political activist ‘Immortal Technique’. In an exclusive interview with RT’s Marina Portnaya he says America’s bad decisions are covered up with lame excuses.

The Daily Show: Law & Order: KSM + Jake Adelstein

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The Daily Show

Nov. 16, 2009

Samantha Bee fears the media won’t be able to handle Khalid Shaikh Mohammed’s trial if it’s held in New York City.

http://thedailyshow.cc.com/videos/1ynm6u/11-16-09-in–60-seconds