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Straight Talk on Israel
by Stephen Lendman
Zygmunt Bauman is UK-based University of Leeds Emeritus Professor of Sociology. His work spans five decades. He's now aged 87.
His wide-ranging interests include consumerism, globalization, ethics, power, the status of workers, intellectuals in society, and nature of modern relationships.
He's best known for analyzing links between modernity and the Jewish holocaust, postmodern consumerism, and discussing broad moral/political perspectives.
He distinguishes between earlier modernity forms ("solid modernity") and what's commonplace today. It's characterized by fragile social relations, he believes. They're created and broken by neoliberal harshness.
An Argument in Defense of Haredi Jews and Against Secular Zionist Militarism
James Petras
Israel is heading towards a profound internal crisis: a Jew-on-Jew confrontation, which has major implications for its relations with the Palestinians, as well as its Arab neighbors. The conflict is between the highly militarized Zionist state and the Haredi religious movement over a number of issues, including recent proposals by the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to end the religious exemption of Haradi youth from serving in Israel’s colonial armed forces.
Haredim and the Zionist Colonial State
Targeting Jeremy Hammond
by Stephen Lendman
America is no democracy. It never was an isn't now. Obama enforces police state harshness. It's official policy. Lawless entrapment reflects it. More on that below.
Hammond is one many victims. Some call him the other Bradley Manning. They do so for good reason. He founded the web site HackThisSite. In 2003, he created it after graduating from high school.
On March 5, 2012, FBI agents arrested him in Chicago. They'd been investigating the Anonymous hactivist group. They use computers for political activism.
They're connected likeminded groups. They include LulzSec, Internet Feds and AntiSec.
Hammond's an AntiSec member. He and five other computer hackers were charged with high-profile cyberattack crimes. Accusations allege he committed them against corporations and government entities.
CISPA Is Back
by Stephen Lendman
It shouldn't surprise. The 2011 Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA) never really went away. It ducked and covered for another day.
It's more about destroying personal freedom than online security. It gives government and corporate supporters unlimited power to access personal/privileged information online.
Civil liberty protections are ignored. Security experts, academics, and other professionals expressed outrage. They called CISPA and John McCain's SECURE IT Act measures that "allow entities who participate in relaying or receiving Internet traffic to freely monitor and redistribute those network communications" unjustifiably.
Israel's War Criminal of the Year Award
by Stephen Lendman
Imagining honoring crimes of war, against humanity and genocide. Imagine calling war on humanity honorable.
Imagine granting a nation's highest civilian award for waging it. It shouldn't surprise. Obama will receive Israel's Presidential Medal of Distinction. More on him below.
On February 18, Shimon Peres announced the award. It'll be given during Obama's March visit. It's his first as president. He'll get it at Peres' Jerusalem residence. An Israeli press release said:
"It will be the first time in history that a serving president of the United States of America will receive an award of this kind from the president of the State of Israel."
Peres' spokesperson added:
"Barack Obama is a true friend of the State of Israel, and has been since the beginning of his public life. As president of the United States, he has stood with Israel in times of crisis."
The Leeches are Back and are Urging the Wrong Prescription: The Grand Bargain Returns
By Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers Co-directors, It's Our Economy
Leeches could also be used in bloodletting. The withdrawal of so much blood as to induce syncope (fainting) was considered beneficial, and many sessions would only end when the patient began to swoon.
As the economy shows signs of recession, the leeches return. Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles have issued a new report calling for even deeper austerity. It is not what the economy needs as it stagnates and sputters toward a possible new collapse. Their report combined with President Obama’s State of the Union, the sequestration and Republican dogma are all combining to bring on another round of budget cuts, which will only make recession more likely.
It is important to put the current economic debate in context. Dr. Jack Rasmus, an economist who gets it right more than any other we are aware of, provides the framework with his in-depth analysis of the US GDP over the last 15 months. He summarizes the present dismal situation:
Straight Talk on US/Israeli Relations
by Stephen Lendman
Harry Truman recognized Israel minutes after its May 14, 1948 independence was declared. He was the first world leader to do so.
Weeks earlier on March 25, he met secretly with Zionist leader Chaim Weizmann. He pledged support. A special bond was established.
Strategic interests largely benefit Israel. Washington provides it more aid and benefits than all other nations combined. It's not because of historic binding ties.
A special relationship does more harm than good. It's counterproductive and lawless. It's financially, politically, militarily and diplomatically bankrupt.
Samer Easawi: Hunger Striking for Justice
by Stephen Lendman
Samer's a Palestinian activist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine member. On April 15, 2002, Israel kidnapped him in Ramallah. It did so during multiple community incursions.
Samer was wrongly charged with allegedly planning attacks on Israel. When evidence doesn't exist, Israel invents it.
He was sentenced to 30 years for supporting right over wrong. He's one of thousands of Palestinian political prisoners. They symbolize longstanding Israeli ruthlessness.
Israel's Racist of the Year Award
by Stephen Lendman
Israeli racism is longstanding. It's institutionalized. Imagine honoring it. Israel did so. It finds new ways of reaching new lows. It disgraces itself in the process.
It shouldn't surprise. It's common practice. Jews alone matter. Arabs are considered subhuman.
Mondoweiss co-editor Philip Weiss headlined "Defense of separation wall = Prize for service to humanity."
"Israel honors New Republic literary editor Leon Wieseltier."
West Bank Village Struggles to Survive
by Stephen Lendman
Batir is special. Its heritage is longstanding. It's been that way for centuries. It's one of Palestine's most beautiful villages.
It's built around natural spring water. It's dotted by wells and reservoirs. Traditional agriculture is its way of life. Villagers want it kept that way.
Spring water irrigates Batir's gardens. They made village produce famous. Preserving it is vital. It's too important to lose.
In 1948, Batir was on the front line of Israel's War of Independence. Green Line separation divides its ancestral lands. Its residents were the only Palestinians allowed to cultivate them inside its post-war border.
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