The Indispensable Movement Can Cure Fake News: By Becoming the News by Patrick Walker

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by Patrick Walker
Writer, Dandelion Salad
August 22, 2017

It’s Party Time on the Titanic–and Screw the Slobs in Steerage

“So let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late.” — Bob Dylan, “All Along the Watchtower”

Introduction: The Party to (Literally) End All Parties

Without hyperbole, this article will make a case for organizing a political movement—appropriately called “Indispensable”—that could literally save civilization. So, I wish to state my thesis up front, so that crucial thesis doesn’t get lost amid my arguments and documentation supporting it. That would be the worst conceivable case of readers—by a writer’s own fault—not seeing the forest for the trees.

John Pilger: There Is Such Risk At The Moment

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See video below

Dandelion Salad

with John Pilger

goingundergroundRT on Aug 12, 2017

In this season’s finale, we speak to John Pilger about the mainstream media pushing for a coup in Venezuela, the Labour Party’s division on #CorbynMustCondemn, UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia and US-Russia relations.

Am I an American Supremacist? by Adele Roof

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Dandelion Salad

Republished with permission from David Swanson at World Beyond War

by Adele Roof
World Beyond War
August 15, 2017

As most everyone knows, white supremacists descended upon my city of Charlottesville, VA, this past weekend, and chaos, violence and tragedy ensued. I’ve been thinking since then about the concept of supremacy and how odious it is–as if one race were purer and better than another, as if one color of skin were of a higher virtue than another.

Has Trump Threatened Nuclear War on North Korea?

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See videos below

Dandelion Salad

TheRealNews on Aug 8, 2017

As President Trump threatens North Korea “with the fire and the fury like the world has never seen,” the need for diplomacy is as urgent as ever, says veteran journalist Tim Shorrock.

On The Beach 2017–The Beckoning of Nuclear War by John Pilger

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Dandelion Salad

by John Pilger
John Pilger, August 4, 2017
August 7, 2017

The US submarine captain says,

“We’ve all got to die one day, some sooner and some later. The trouble always has been that you’re never ready, because you don’t know when it’s coming. Well, now we do know and there’s nothing to be done about it.”

Sanctions Are A Form Of Warfare by David Swanson

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Updated: July 31, 2017

by David Swanson
Writer, Dandelion Salad
Let’s Try Democracy
Originally published in American Herald Tribune, July 26, 2017
July 28, 2017

Both houses of Congress have now passed big new sanctions bills by veto-proof majorities, in fact with near unanimity. The vote this week in the House of Misrepresentatives was 419–3 on a bill to sanction Russia, Iran, and North Korea as punishment for primarily imaginary crimes, despite the sum total of the global legal bodies having asked the United States to judge these crimes, skip over a trial, and move right ahead with punishment being exactly equal to the number of principled opponents of war employed on Capitol Hill.

Abby Martin On the Deadly Front Lines of the Anti-Government Protests

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Dandelion Salad

with Abby Martin

teleSUR English on Jul 3, 2017

Abby Martin goes on the deadly front lines of the anti-government protests in Venezuela and follows the evolution of a typical guarimba—or opposition barricade.

Venezuelan Opposition Largely Responsible for the Rising Death Toll and Violence in Venezuela

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Dandelion Salad

TheRealNews on Jul 2, 2017

Lucas Koerner of Venezuelanalysis.com says the death toll and violence are on the rise but according to the Attorney General’s reports more of these deaths are being instigated and attributed to opposition supporters.

Sanctions Are Crimes, Not Law Enforcement by David Swanson

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by David Swanson
Writer, Dandelion Salad
Let’s Try Democracy, June 25, 2017
American Herald Tribune, June 22, 2017
June 26, 2017

The U.S. Senate has increased sanctions on the people of Iran and Russia, if the House and President go along. The Senate vote was 98-2, with Senators Rand Paul and Bernie Sanders voting no, the latter despite his support for the Russian half of the bill.

Sanctioned Terrorism by Soraya Sepahpour-Ulrich

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by Soraya Sepahpour-Ulrich
Guest Writer, Dandelion Salad
The Saker
September 7, 2015

Who is a terrorist? Undoubtedly, what comes to mind is Daesh (ISIL), al-Qaeda, MKO, Boko Haram, etc. What is terrorism? The events of 9/11 and the gruesome beheadings carried out by Daesh shape our visual perception of terrorism. What is left unmentioned and unrecognized in our collective psyche is the kind of terrorism that has been deliberately obfuscated: sanctioned terrorism or terrorism with a license – sanctions.

How a Weaker Iran Got the Hegemon to Lift Sanctions by Gareth Porter

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by Gareth Porter
Writer, Dandelion Salad
crossposted at Middle East Eye
Washington
July 15, 2015

Iranian counter-pressure on the US, through its nuclear programme, finally compelled the Obama administration to begin negotiations

Now that Iran nuclear deal is completed, the attention of western news media and political commentators is predictably focused overwhelmingly on the opposition to the agreement within the US Congress and from Israel and the Saudi-led Sunni Arab coalition.

Iran Won Upfront Sanctions Relief, But With Potential Snags by Gareth Porter

by Gareth Porter
Writer, Dandelion Salad
crossposted at Middle East Eye
Washington, D.C.
April 4, 2015

Image by Scott Campbell via Flickr

Iranian research and development on advanced centrifuges research & development (R&D) remains unresolved

The framework agreement reached on Thursday night clearly gives the P5+1 a combination of constraints on Iran’s nuclear programme that should reassure all but the most bellicose opponents of diplomacy. It also provides the basis for at least a minimum of sanctions relief in the early phase of its implementation that Iran required, but some of the conditions on that relief are likely create new issue between Iran and the Western powers over the process. The agreement’s dependence on decisions by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the penchant of Israeli intelligence for discovering new evidence of illicit Iranian activities will encourage moves to delay or obstruct relief of sanctions.

Season of Goodwill… West Delivers Sanctions, Suffering and Conflict by Finian Cunningham

by Finian Cunningham
Writer, Dandelion Salad
East Africa
Crossposted from Strategic Culture Foundation
December 22, 2014

Image by kevin dooley via Flickr

It’s the Season of Goodwill – and Western governments are showering us with a medley of their “gifts”. Sanctions, austerity, lethal military aid and red-hot coals of conflict.

Meanwhile, the contrast of Russian humanitarian aid to Ukraine could not be greater or more telling. This week another convoy of trucks from Russia – at least the tenth so far in recent months – is due to arrive in eastern Ukraine, bearing food, clothing, heating and toys for the war-torn children of Luhansk and Donetsk.

Losing Credibility: The IMF’s New Cold War Loan to Ukraine by Michael Hudson

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by Michael Hudson
Writer, Dandelion Salad
michael-hudson.com, September 9, 2014
September 16, 2014

In April 2014, fresh from riots in Maidan Square and the February 22 coup, and less than a month before the May 2 massacre in Odessa, the IMF approved a $17 billion loan program to Ukraine’s junta. Normal IMF practice is to lend only up to twice a country’s quote in one year. This was eight times as high.

US Aims at Blowing EU-Russia Rift with Downed Airliner by Finian Cunningham

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Sincere condolences to the families and friends of those who perished. ~ Lo

by Finian Cunningham
Writer, Dandelion Salad
East Africa
Crossposted from Strategic Culture Foundation
July 20, 2014

The downing of Malaysian Airlines MH17 over eastern Ukraine with the loss of all 298 onboard comes amid mounting frustration between Washington and its European allies over the imposition of further trade sanctions on Russia.

Days before the doomed flight, American officials were quietly voicing their agitation at European leaders’ reluctance to apply sanctions that would hit Russia’s key economic sectors.