Comments for War in Context

Comment on Racist mob violence in Tel Aviv by alabala

alabala — Fri, 25 May 2012 02:47:30 +0000

Nice to see another true aspect of Israel, the “only democracy” in the Middle East from inside.

Comment on Video: Israeli military leaders speak out against Iran strike by Norman

Norman — Thu, 24 May 2012 19:47:04 +0000

So, there is disagreement within the ranks of the Israeli establishment? The hawks in the government want to bomb Iran, but the past & present military leaders say no. Without the Americans involvement, there can be no action/bombing of Iran. A good point was made in the video, that Israel would have to go back over & over and bomb the same or other facilities, but they wouldn’t be able too. The whole situation seems to be a fool’s errand, with too many negatives involved. It would be far safer for all mankind if Israel were to give up their nuclear arms, as well stop aggravating the situation within their own borders. The ultimate result if they go ahead and bomb Iran, will speed up the destruction of Israel.

Comment on Did Iran kill one of its own nuclear scientists? by Norman

Norman — Thu, 24 May 2012 19:19:56 +0000

You might have hit the nail on the head, so to speak Paul, with the possibility of the removal of the MEK from the U.S. terrorist list. This brings up the “Q”, if the MEK is listed as a terrorist group, why are they allowed to operate agents here in the U.S. as well as have prominent right wing people championing their case/cause?

Comment on FBI quietly forms secretive Net-surveillance unit by Norman

Norman — Wed, 23 May 2012 19:49:31 +0000

Ever wonder why we are going in the direction being taken in the U.S.A. today? It used to be that “science fiction” was the stuff of “fantasy”, now, it’s becoming reality. The evil that goes with this, is what we see as well as get. The history of J.Edgar Hover having a file on just about everyone in this country, seems to be coming true. What he did with it, I guess died with his death. What is taking place today, well, “1984″, “The Terminator”, “Fear & Loathing”, our P.O.T.U.S. a war criminal, who knows what else is on rap, surely isn’t good for humankind, especially in this country.

The really negative part, is all the so-called computer upgrades the the F.B.I. has instituted, only to be scrapped after spending $$$$$ for, continues to this day. It seems anything labeled U.S. Government, with its costs, is one giant “piggy bank” being sucked dry by the private industrial complex.

The present way of thinking, is another disease that has taken hold here. It remains to be seen whether it will be overcome or will be the final destruction of the so called democracy state called the U.S.A.

Comment on Why nuclear weapons programs often fail on their own — and why Iran’s might, too by DE Teodoru

DE Teodoru — Wed, 23 May 2012 19:37:25 +0000

So long as Israel has nukes, Muslim nations– though most have postponed for now– will seek nukes too. If you still can’t see why that’s so, read Israel’s Project Daniel where it announced that its nukes are not aimed at nuclear installations but as “Arab population concentrations.”

http://www.carlisle.army.mil/USAWC/parameters/Articles/07spring/beres.htm

Comment on FBI quietly forms secretive Net-surveillance unit by DE Teodoru

DE Teodoru — Wed, 23 May 2012 19:27:21 +0000

The more wide-spread minutia the FBI is going to delve into, the more microcephalic will be the “experts” willing to make a career of it. That’s the danger: in 1956, Budapest freedom fighters realized that the dreaded Secret Police that was delving into their every private thought were so dumb that the intellectuals became paralyzed with shame as to how pea-brained was their faithful Secret Police audience. Imagine the moronic selectivity of “data” that will be placed on Obama’s desk. He’ll have to abuse ordinary citizens with fabrications just to justify the budget for this FBI e- info institute populated by otherwise unemployable minds. History is replete with the declining intelligence of the agents of state assigned to bore ever deeper into the minutia of privacy of the citizenry.

Comment on Video: U.S. moves toward delisting MEK as ‘terrorist’ group by DE Tedodoru

DE Tedodoru — Wed, 23 May 2012 03:13:41 +0000

The official American reaction to “terrorism” was totally propagandistic when it was in the hands of Communists. But then, when the issue became anti-Communism it was seen as “freedom-fighters.” But it really hit a low point when “terrorism” became an excuse to attack Iraq. Then, the terrorists who could bomb straight– Chalabi and his money sucking bunch– became the good guys and Iraqis who resisted against American occupation the bad guys…..kind of past perspectives in South America and the Philippines all over again. The same terrorists we bankrolled in Afghanistan against the Soviets when we thought they had oil, we turned on when supposedly going after binLaden. Now, it seems, we’re thinking of turning Afghanistan over to them again, if they accept to wear Karzai as a hat. Those who would have us attack Iran started the pattern all over again with MEK. The pattern is clear: to paraphrase the musical DAMNED YANKEES, whatever Israel wants, Israel gets…..Israel wanted us to hit Iraq….we did; Israel now wants us to hit Iran and towards that end to join their rehabilitation campaign for MEK….and we just might in this electoral season. That is why, despite the horror of 9/11, no one in the rest of the world is taking our war on terror seriously. While all the questions from 9/11 are suppressed here, the idea that Israel totally infiltrated alQaeda with the Palestinians on its payroll– and there are hundreds of thousands– so it knew all about 9/11 in advance, using it to get us to attack Iraq and eventually Iran, is pretty much taken for granted in Europe. Ah, but they’re what Likudniks call “Eurabia,” a continent so blinded by its “anti-Semitsm” that it failed to see when the Arabs took it over (#$%^$$#&&^#!!!). Our media is totally controlled. No one can raise these “anti-Semitic” issues, so we are made to see terror as good or bad, depending on whether it is seved up to us as sweet or sour, whichever the Zionist media managers want to. But to the rest of the world we’re the willing giant puppet of the flea. Now that we ran out the means and the attractants to get others to join us in this “Whatever Israel wants, Israel gets…” musical, The War On Terror, and that none of our allies can afford to join us anymore, we’re, once again, leaving the Afghans flat. At the same time, clearly, we can’t afford to once again starting a Mideast war for Israel. But at least we can reclassify MEK, the Mossad pupil for several decades. That’s the least both Republicans and Democrats can do for the &millions in campaign funds needed before November. Think about it; we’re legitimizing terrorists for Israel in exchange for for electoral funds….We really have become a banana republic! What does that say about our post-9/11 War on Terror for which some 50, 000 Americans have died in one capacity or another. Once again, the Zionists are too clever by half. But what do they care about the fate that awaits Jewish “parasites” in the Diaspora. Diasporics who won’t “come home,” will be the victims of all this because Americans can’t face what whores they’ve been and will scapegoat the usual scapegoats. MEK is besides the point. It is only a means to a nightmarish end.

Comment on TED turns stupid by Paul Woodward

Paul Woodward — Mon, 21 May 2012 21:39:35 +0000

It could be true that I and others got played by Nick Hanauer's PR firm. Was it a big PR firm? TED's Chris Anderson just describes it as a PR firm. Anderson didn't actually claim that Hanauer had hired the PR firm after getting rejected. Hanauer's been promoting his book for months and I would imagine that it was for that purpose that he originally hired his PR firm. Perhaps you have additional information. Since you apparently didn't see my follow-up post on this story, I'll repeat the comment I made there:

The way Anderson tells the story it sounds simply like a case of someone getting turned down at an audition and then not being willing to accept a rejection. But given that Anderson describes this as an account of “what actually happened,” he fails to explain what appears to be a key component of the story: that he had written to Hanauer telling him that his talk “probably ranks as one of the most politically controversial talks we’ve ever run, and we need to be really careful when” to post it. He wrote “when” not “if” but later backtracked. No doubt Anderson and the other folks at TED don’t appreciate the way Hanauer and his PR representatives have handled this and his talk certainly doesn’t rank as one of the most inspired TED talks, but was it really so politically controversial?

Hanauer's a brat? Well that's the way Anderson has spun the story. Frankly, I don't think either Hanauer or TED came out looking good.

Comment on TED turns stupid by Rich Berger

Rich Berger — Mon, 21 May 2012 19:47:12 +0000

You’ve all been played by the big PR firm Nick Hanuaer hired to push out this story. Nick was never on the main stage of TED – he pitched and gave a TEDUniversity talk the day before, NOT a main stage talk. Why was Richard Wilkinson’s talk posted earlier? Because he was a REAL main stage speaker. Do your homework.

Nick Hanauer gave a mediocre talk at TEDUniversity where few talks are posted to TED.com. When Nick didn’t get his way, he hired a big PR firm to pitch the story everywhere and smear TED. What a brat.

Comment on U.S. war veterans tossing medals back at NATO was a heroic act by delia ruhe

delia ruhe — Mon, 21 May 2012 18:53:27 +0000

Marcuse, in deconstructing the American obsession with “obscenity” — as in “obscenity laws” — noted that the most obscene thing in America is a General with a chest full of medals. I have forgotten all the Marcusa I read as an undergraduate — except for that image.

Comment on Video: ‘No NATO, no war’ by delia ruhe

delia ruhe — Mon, 21 May 2012 18:40:21 +0000

Well, not exactly “no war.” There’s always coerced/bribed/willing coalitions.

Comment on Congressmen seek to lift propaganda ban by delia ruhe

delia ruhe — Mon, 21 May 2012 18:38:37 +0000

Finally, the law catches up to the practice.

Comment on Video: ‘No NATO, no war’ by Denny

Denny — Mon, 21 May 2012 18:12:57 +0000

As a combat veteran of Vietnam I applaud these troops twice: Once for risking their necks ‘over there’ and twice for risking their necks here. They speak a truth which, while painful for some to hear, is an everlasting one which springs from a humanity that only war can bring into a human life.

Comment on Lebanon boils after sheikh killing by Paul Woodward

Paul Woodward — Mon, 21 May 2012 17:23:52 +0000

The Daily Star isn’t owned by Hariri – it’s owned by Jamal Marouai.

Comment on Lebanon boils after sheikh killing by blowback

blowback — Mon, 21 May 2012 14:27:39 +0000

Interesting! The other reports I have seen have suggested that the Sheikh was killed after the convoy his car was in crashed through the checkpoint. But then again, The Daily Star is owned by that Saudi, Saad Harari.

Comment on Congressmen seek to lift propaganda ban by BillVZ

BillVZ — Mon, 21 May 2012 02:19:12 +0000

The simple dictionary definition of the word propaganda is “the spreading of ideas”.

Golly, how many know that there is a legal ban on “domestic dissemination” of propaganda material produced by the State Department and the Pentagon” brought about in in 1948 and again1987 in order to protect U.S. audiences from our own government’s misinformation campaigns.
You mean the government has misinformation campaigns?
With the reality of the Medias secretarial relationship with the State Department, the Pentagon and the White house, obviously the ban has had no effect. One must strain very hard to find that these current laws have” tied the hands of America’s diplomatic officials, military, and others by inhibiting their ability to effectively communicate in a credible way- the stuff the used overseas to influence foreign audiences is just too good to not use at home.”
By all means the fetters must be dropped, even though they have not done much in the first place.The U.S. is the rule of law nation. Domestic audiences (the U.S. Public) deserve to ‘legally’ recieve that good stuff here at home. Fair is fair…correct?

Comment on Greek leftist leader Alexis Tsipras: ‘It’s a war between people and capitalism’ by Christopher Hoare

Christopher Hoare — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:57:50 +0000

The bail-out money has all gone to the banks and financial houses because the EU governments’ objectives all along have been to protect their banks that loaned the Greek conservative government more money than they could repay. Some (Goldman Sachs) were even complicit in falsifying the Greek books to hide the fact that the loans were contrary to EU regulations. Almost none of the bailout money has gone to the Greek people—it has gone back to the banks in the countries that pretended it was a Greek bailout.
If party A lends more money to Party B than B has the ability to pay A does not get paid back—PERIOD. That is (or should be) game over for A’s money right there.

Comment on How FBI entrapment is inventing ‘terrorists’ – and letting bad guys off the hook by Paul Woodward

Paul Woodward — Sun, 20 May 2012 23:22:16 +0000

I did a few searches and its clear that the reason you can’t access Rolling Stone is because it is being censored by the country in which you are located.

Comment on Video: The One Percent by rosemerry

rosemerry — Sun, 20 May 2012 20:56:10 +0000

Very good film, and very courageous of Jamie Johnson to do it. His father seems such a coward in comparison; there are brave rich tycoons wh speak out and change their habits. Notice how many seem to think that all the riches they gain, however obtained, are “theirs” forever and to pass on to unproductive offspring, while Bill Gates Snr is a great improvement on his son. The sugar mogul story in Florida was new to me. Another example, like that of the billions in gov’t aid to oil companies, of all things, showing how money is taken from the poorer masses and funneled to the rich. Milton Friedman was his normal uncaring self. help the poor and you make things worse. Nobody has actually tried it lately!
Thanks Paul for the chance to see this unusual production.

Comment on Greek leftist leader Alexis Tsipras: ‘It’s a war between people and capitalism’ by Norman

Norman — Sun, 20 May 2012 20:55:18 +0000

Interesting how Germany is at the heart of this, perhaps because they went through the same or similar circumstances after W.W.I, and we all know where that led. Granted, Greece isn’t Germany, but the simple fact that Austerity is being demanded, that there are other Countries on the brink too, a new direction is needed, one that won’t turn the population[s] into debt slaves.

Comment on Greek leftist leader Alexis Tsipras: ‘It’s a war between people and capitalism’ by joefiasco

joefiasco — Sun, 20 May 2012 20:49:59 +0000

greece and these other countries should consider argentina’s experience in these econ0mic hostile take-overs. get out of the euro, and back to your own currencies. it won’t be easy and over night but your own people will work together maintain your independence and dignity. argentina and japan did it , but it takes the will and the courage to do it. disaster capitalism is just that,we need growth not austerity.

Comment on Lunch with the FT: Cornel West by Norman

Norman — Sun, 20 May 2012 20:37:04 +0000

Wonder which will come to fruition first, coming up with a solution, or taking revenge?

Comment on Congressmen seek to lift propaganda ban by Norman

Norman — Sun, 20 May 2012 20:32:43 +0000

Al-Qaeda, the boogieman that the C.I.A. created, uses, while allowing the 1%ers to loot the treasury. Now, I ask you, just who are the terrorists in this scenario? They must be any & all who don’t buy into the KABUKI being played out, nor drink the koolaid offered. The worst part in all this, is the courts are going along with it too. What a shame, that these so called intelligent peoples, are just a bunch of pathetic wannabe’s, willing to throw their friends and neighbors under the bus while raising their hand in a salute to the head ding dong.

Comment on Chicago 2012 and 1968 by Norman

Norman — Sun, 20 May 2012 20:10:03 +0000

Entrapment. Seems that word keeps popping up with all these so called terrorists being caught. Looking at who the people are that are arrested, who bring up the charges, the courts themselves, seems to leave little doubt where this government is headed. I just wonder who they will blame if & when a nuclear bomb goes off in an American city?