U.S. Economic Warfare and Likely Foreign Defenses by Michael Hudson

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by Michael Hudson
Writer, Dandelion Salad
July 22, 2019

Keynote Paper delivered at the 14th Forum of the World Association for Political Economy, July 21, 2019.

Today’s world is at war on many fronts. The rules of international law and order put in place toward the end of World War II are being broken by U.S. foreign policy escalating its confrontation with countries that refrain from giving its companies control of their economic surpluses. Countries that do not give the United States control of their oil and financial sectors or privatize their key sectors are being isolated by a United States imposing trade sanctions and unilateral tariffs giving special advantages to U.S. producers in violation of free trade agreements with European, Asian and other countries.

Put Away The Flags by Howard Zinn

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by Howard Zinn
Writer, Dandelion Salad
Originally published July 3, 2010
crossposted at The Progressive (2006)
July 5, 2019

On this July 4, we would do well to renounce nationalism and all its symbols: its flags, its pledges of allegiance, its anthems, its insistence in song that God must single out America to be blessed.

I’m Sick and Tired of This Thing Called “Patriotism” by William Blum

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by William Blum
Writer, Dandelion Salad
Originally published July 5, 2010
July 4, 2019

Some thoughts on “patriotism” written on July 4

Most important thought: I’m sick and tired of this thing called “patriotism”.

The Japanese pilots who bombed Pearl Harbor were being patriotic. The German people who supported Hitler and his conquests were being patriotic, fighting for the Fatherland. All the Latin American military dictators who overthrew democratically-elected governments and routinely tortured people were being patriotic — saving their beloved country from “communism”.

David Swanson: War Is A Lie

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by David Swanson
Writer, Dandelion Salad
Let’s Try Democracy
July 1, 2019

Lois Lindstrom on Jun 29, 2019

War Is A Lie is a thorough refutation of every major argument used to justify wars, drawing on evidence from numerous past wars, with a focus on those that have been most widely defended as just and good.

Boycott America! by Bruce Gagnon

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by Bruce Gagnon
Writer, Dandelion Salad
Organizing Notes, June 20, 2019
June 28, 2019

Don’t buy our cola
our chips
and our not so good chocolate

Americans Pay Price for Criminal Wars From Mass Shootings at Home by Finian Cunningham

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by Finian Cunningham
Writer, Dandelion Salad
East Africa
Crossposted from Strategic Culture Foundation
June 11, 2019

America’s horrendous gun violence can be attributed to many factors, but there is one factor that is hardly talked about or explored in public discourse – the apparent link between mass shootings and the rampant culture of US militarism.

Memorial Day Myths by David Swanson

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by David Swanson
Writer, Dandelion Salad
Let’s Try Democracy
Originally published May 30, 2018
May 27, 2019

“Memorial Day is a time to remember, appreciate, and honor the selfless patriots who gave the ultimate sacrifice in service to freedom. At a time when our country seems so divided, we must not forget that it is because of their service and sacrifice that we live in the most free and prosperous nation on Earth.” —Congressman Tom Garrett

Exceptionally Innocent by David Swanson

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by David Swanson
Writer, Dandelion Salad
Let’s Try Democracy
May 3, 2019

Go right now and get yourself and the nearest house with a flag in front of it a copy of Roberto Sirvent’s and Danny Haiphong’s American Exceptionalism and American Innocence: A People’s History of Fake News — From the Revolutionary War to the War on Terror.

David Swanson: If Everybody Matters, War Can Never Be Justified At All

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by David Swanson
Writer, Dandelion Salad
Let’s Try Democracy, Mar. 10, 2019
March 12, 2019

Student Peace Awards of Fairfax County on Mar 12, 2019

David Swanson is an author, activist, journalist, and radio host. He is director of World BEYOND War and campaign coordinator for RootsAction.org. The U.S. Peace Memorial Foundation awarded him their 2018 Peace Prize, and he has been nominated three times for the Nobel Peace Prize.

If You Really Love Your Country…

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The Essays of The Man From the North by Rivera Sun
Writer, Dandelion Salad
January 20, 2019

If you really love your country, you would not be satisfied with platitudes and flag-waving, national anthems and military parades. A truly patriotic citizen does not sit idle as the land and waters of his country are polluted by extractive industries. A true patriot does not sneer and scorn her fellow citizens who live in poverty or are unhoused. A true patriot does not place higher loyalties with corporations than human beings. A true patriot sees no glory in war, nor security in spending more on military than on peace and justice for all of humankind.

In Memory of William Blum: Persistent U.S. Attacks Against “Democracy and Freedom,” Past and Present

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Bill died Sunday, December 9, 2018. My sincere condolences and deepest sympathies to all his family, friends and readers. He will be missed by many. In his memory, here is his last video panel discussion. — Lo

with William Blum
Writer, Dandelion Salad
December 11, 2018

CovertAction Magazine on Jul 25, 2018

In the decades long tradition of award-winning investigative journalism by writers for CovertAction Quarterly, this panel will address the secretive and nefarious activities of the U.S. government in their efforts to destabilize democratic processes, both past and present. It is now ever more critical to expose such ongoing efforts: efforts that further U.S. geopolitical regional and global control while creating favorable investment climates for U.S. multinational corporations. While their goals are invariably masked in the name of “democracy and freedom,” their efforts invariably strive to exploit cheap labor and natural resources.

There Is No Good Kind of Nationalism by David Swanson

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by David Swanson
Writer, Dandelion Salad
Let’s Try Democracy, Oct. 23, 2018
October 25, 2018

Trump is for nationalism. So the “Resistance” is predictably for . . . wait for it . . . the right kind of nationalism — or nationalism worn properly, as The Week advises. The problem isn’t nationalism, The Hill informs us, it’s phony nationalism and spurious nationalism, or as the Washington Post explains along with CNN, the problem is actually white nationalism. Of course, white nationalism is a problem, but not just because it’s white — also because of the nationalism. Unless you read Esquire which comes up with the oh-so-novel pronouncement that nationalism is indeed bad, but patriotism is good.

Howard Zinn: We Should Welcome the Collapse of the US Empire

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with Howard Zinn
Writer, Dandelion Salad
September 16, 2018

“Some day people will look back on 9/11 and sure they will see it as you know the first terrible act of terrorism committed in the United States by some foreign group but they may also see 9/11 as the beginning of the disintegration of the American Empire. Because from 9/11 came the war on terrorism, so-called, the bombing of Afghanistan and now the war on Iraq and the bloating of the American military machine and the war budget and the deprivation of civil liberties. And I believe that there will be a victory in the short run and defeat of the American government in the long run. And that defeat should be welcomed. We need regime change in the United States.” — Howard Zinn

Celebrate Mass Slaughter on Patriot Day! by David Swanson

Image by Elvert Barnes via Flickr

by David Swanson
Writer, Dandelion Salad
Let’s Try Democracy
September 7, 2018

I went in search of anything the United States was number 1 in that it shouldn’t be ashamed of, and came up empty. But I did find that the United States is number 1 in believing it is number 1. So, that’s something.

Celebrate the Kellogg-Briand Pact–Banning All War by David Swanson

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by David Swanson
Writer, Dandelion Salad
Let’s Try Democracy
August 30, 2018

Dan Shea – Veterans For Peace on Aug 27, 2018

David Swanson is an author, activist, journalist and radio host. He is director of WorldBeyondWar.org and the Campaign Coordinator for RootsAction.org