GPJA #439 (Part 2): International news & Analysis – 22/8/12

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

 

 

FEATURES

John Pilger – Obama and Empire

Right-wingers are less intelligent than left wingers, says study http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2095549/Right-wingers-intelligent-left-wingers-says-controversial-study–conservative-politics-lead-people-racist.html#ixzz23DEdnc2f

Naomi Wolf: The new totalitarianism of surveillance technology – If you think that 24/7 tracking of citizens by biometric recognition systems is paranoid fantasy, just read the industry newsletters http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/aug/15/new-totalitarianism-surveillance-technology

Exposing the Transnational Ruling Class – The Global 1% by Peter Phillips and Kimberly Soeiro http://dissidentvoice.org/2012/08/exposing-the-transnational-ruling-class/

Francis Fukuyama and the ‘absent left’ BY Phil Hearse http://marxpostings.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/francis-fukuyama-and-absent-left.html

John Pilger: The chosen ones end sporting prowess, reveal hidden past http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/51840

How Legalizing Drugs Would Strengthen Democracy From Afghanistan to Mexico – Corrupt Afghan officials would lose a source of income and Latin American violence and corruption would decrease. http://www.alternet.org/world/how-legalizing-drugs-would-strengthen-democracy-afghanistan-mexico?akid=9191.1073891.5zwrMR

The ruins of empire: Asia’s emergence from western imperialism http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/jul/27/ruins-of-empire-pankaj-mishra

ASSANGE

Ricardo Patiño Aroca: Why Ecuador granted Julian Assange political asylum http://links.org.au/node/2992

Lawyer: Raid on Embassy to Arrest Assange Would Be “Unprecedented” Breach of Diplomatic Immunity http://www.democracynow.org/2012/8/17/lawyer_raid_on_embassy_to_arrest

Mark Weisbrot: Julian Assange asylum: Ecuador is right to stand up to the US http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/aug/16/julian-assange-asylum-ecuador

More evidence US intent on capturing Assange http://www.ufppc.org/us-a-world-news-mainmenu-35/11150/

Something Rotten in the State of Sweden: 8 Big Problems with the ‘Case’ Against Assange by Naomi Wolf http://markcrispinmiller.com/2011/02/eight-big-problems-with-the-case-against-assange-must-read-by-naomi-wolf/

Tariq Ali: Why Ecuador?

WikiLeaks and Free Speech By MICHAEL MOORE and OLIVER STONE http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/21/opinion/wikileaks-and-the-global-future-of-free-speech.html

LAND, LABOUR AND THE ENVIRONMENT

The Spectre of 21st Century Barbarism by Ian Angus – This month, Climate & Capitalism opens a new article category, 21st Century Barbarism, devoted to exposing the horrendous human costs of capitalist “business as usual.” http://climateandcapitalism.com/2012/08/20/the-spectre-of-21st-century-barbarism/

Latin America rises up against mining giants http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/51850

James Bay Cree Nation enacts uranium ban http://climateandcapitalism.com/2012/08/14/james-bay-cree-nation-enacts-uranium-ban/

Dirty oil and the future of a continent http://climateandcapitalism.com/2012/08/16/dirty-oil-and-the-future-of-a-continent/

WORLD ECONOMIC CRISIS

Reports from the Economic Front by Martin Hart-Landsberg: Free Trade As A Coroporate Project http://blogs.lclark.edu/hart-landsberg/2012/08/19/free-trade-as-a-coroporate-project/

David Harvey – The Right to the City http://newleftreview.org/II/53/david-harvey-the-right-to-the-city

LIBOR Rate-Fixing Scandal Sets Off Investigations, Lawsuits Against Big Banks

CULTURAL DISSENT

NZ crews dominate World Hip-Hop dance champs http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10742422

Brothers: Gallipoli 1915 Part One | Jottify – George Campbell Hunt is the Aboriginal ANZAC (Australian New Zealand Army Corp) in the photo. He was killed in action during the Battle of Hamel, in France in 1918. http://jottify.com/works/brothers-gallipoli-1915-part-one/

Magnus Isacsson: Advocate and Auteur http://pointofviewmagazine.tumblr.com/post/28637417985/magnus-isacsson-advocate-and-auteur

Book review: how Israeli school textbooks teach kids to hate http://electronicintifada.net/content/book-review-how-israeli-school-textbooks-teach-kids-hate/11571

Canada as warrior nation – Review by Roger Annis, Aug 15, 2012 http://www.rogerannis.com/canada-as-warrior-nation/

Comrade Jesus Christ — The Herd covering Kev Carmody Read lyrics here http://www.bloodredflag.org/socialist-music/the-herd-comrade-jesus-christ

AFGHANISTAN

Congressional Probe Reveals Cover-Up of “Auschwitz-Like” Conditions at U.S.-Funded Afghan Hospital http://www.democracynow.org/2012/8/1/congressional_probe_reveals_cover_up_of

AUSTRALIA

Threat of new waterfront war over automation on wharves http://mua.org.au/news-story/3331/

Protests hit Australia’s revival of refugee ‘Pacific Solution’

An open letter to the Australian Greens about Israeli settlements and green-washing http://antonyloewenstein.com/2012/08/10/an-open-letter-to-the-australian-greens-about-israeli-settlements-and-green-washing/

Townsville professor blasts Australia over land rights and Intervention at international conference http://nationalunitygovernment.org/content/townsville-professor-blasts-australia-over-land-rights-and-intervention-international

CANADA

 

Quebec’s “Red Square” Movement: The Story So Far http://www.socialistproject.ca/bullet/680.php

Forum: Contested Futures: Tar Sands and Environmental Justice http://www.socialistproject.ca/leftstreamed/ls148.php

Canadian government will open up private land ownership on reserves http://www.rogerannis.com/canadian-government-will-open-up-private-land-ownership-on-reserves/

News from the Quebec student struggle on Aug 14, 2012 http://www.rogerannis.com/news-from-the-quebec-student-struggle-on-aug-14-2012/

Quebec solidaire appears in televised leaders’ debate, and other news from Quebec By Roger Annis http://www.rogerannis.com/quebec-solidaire-in-televised-leaders-debate-and-other-news-from-quebec/

CHILE

The Overthrow of Democratic Chile Part 1 (Salvador Allende)

Attacks on Chile’s Indigenous Peoples Thwart Efforts at Land Reparations http://www.thenation.com/article/169304/attacks-chiles-indigenous-peoples-thwart-efforts-land-reparations

COLOMBIA

Colombia’s drug-fuelled war of terror exposed http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/51803

A Case Study in Orwellian Lies and Imperial Delusions – Colombia’s Disappeared http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/08/02/colombias-disappeared/

CUBA

Translation: Report on Guidelines implementation http://cubasocialistrenewal.blogspot.com.au/2012/08/translation-report-on-guidelines.html

EGYPT

Adam Hanieh on Egypt: The Muslim Brotherhood, the military and the continuing revolution http://links.org.au/node/2989

HAITI

Haiti’s forgotten Revolution and C.L.R. James http://www.amandlapublishers.co.za/blog/1511-hatits-forgotten-revolution-and-clr-james

HONDURAS

New Investigative Report into DEA-Related Killings in Honduras Finds Inconsistencies Between U.S. and Honduran Officials’ Statements, Survivor Accounts http://tinyurl.com/c5vuenm

INDIA

Arundhati Roy: “Indian capitalism fully monopolistic” http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/andhra-pradesh/article3760137.ece

INDONESIA

Indonesian commission urges trials of military rights abusers http://directaction.org.au/indonesian_commission_urges_trials_of_military_rights_abusers

PACIFIC

Indigenous Papuans Arrested for the Celebrating the UN International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. http://westpapuamedia.info/2012/08/09/indigenous-papuans-arrested-for-the-celebrating-the-un-international-day-of-the-worlds-indigenous-peoples/

Nuclear fears over French Polynesia atoll collapse http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-08-10/an-french-polynesia-atoll-collapse-fears/4190178?section=world

PALESTINE

A girl holds a portrait of a Palestinian held in an Israeli jail

Inequality and the ‘Forgotten Palestinians’ By Patrick O. Strickland – Tel Aviv http://palestinechronicle.com/view_article_details.php?id=19493

Netanyahu reverses austerity cuts as Israeli protests grow http://kiaoragaza.wordpress.com/2012/08/11/netanyahu-reverses-austerity-cuts-as-israeli-protests-grow/

Young Israelis Held in Attack on Arabs http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/21/world/middleeast/7-israelis-held-in-attack-on-palestinians-in-jerusalem.html

Al-Awda- The Right to Return

PHILIPPINES

Lessons from Manila floods — interview from the climate-change frontline htthttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7Im0ko64CEp://links.org.au/node/2984

Class struggle in the Philippines – Filipino trade union leader speaks in Vancouver and Toronto http://www.rogerannis.com/class-struggle-in-the-philippines/

RUSSIA

Pussy Riot Members Sentenced to 2 Years for Anti-Putin Protest; Feminist Rocker JD Samson Responds http://www.democracynow.org/2012/8/17/pussy_riot_found_guilty_for_anti

“The True Blasphemy”: Slavoj Žižek on Pussy Riot http://chtodelat.wordpress.com/2012/08/07/the-true-blasphemy-slavoj-zizek-on-pussy-riot/

SOUTH AFRICA

The Marikana action is a strike by the poor against the state and the haves http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/aug/17/marikana-action-strike-poor-state-haves

Massacre in South Africa: Police Defend Killing of 34 Striking Workers at Platinum Mine http://www.democracynow.org/2012/8/21/massacre_in_south_africa_police_defend

How police planned and carried out the massacre at Marikana http://socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=29403

Video Shows South African Police Shooting Miners http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/16/video-of-miners-shot-by-south-african-police/

Solidarity with Mine Workers at Marikana Platinum http://abahlali.org/node/9032

South African miners fired on by police

Amandla Editorial Comment : A Brutal tragedy that should never have happened http://www.amandlapublishers.co.za/home-page/1522-amandla-editorial-comment–a-brutal-tragedy-that-should-never-have-happened

Slaughter at South Africa’s Marikana mine: the bloody politics of platinum http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=29359

Blame Flies Over Police Massacre of 34 South African Miners http://www.inthesetimes.com/working/entry/13694/blame_flies_over_police_massacre_of_34_south_african_miners

The ANC transformed by Mercia Andrews http://internationalviewpoint.org/spip.php?article2661

Terry Bell: No angels in bloody SA mine clashes http://terrybellwrites.com/2012/08/15/no-angels-in-bloody-sa-mine-clashes/

Terry Bell: Confusing roots of the upheaval at Implats Posted on February 19, 2012 http://terrybellwrites.com/2012/02/19/confusing-roots-of-the-upheaval-and-implats/

Echoes of the Past: Marikana, Cheap Labour and the 1946 Miners Strike by Chris Webb http://www.socialistproject.ca/bullet/684.php

SOUTH KOREA

South Korea: hired thugs enforce lock out http://www.counterfire.org/index.php/articles/international/15950-south-korea-hired-thugs-enforce-lock-out

SPAIN
Union raid on supermarkets stirs furore http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/51939

SRI LANKA

Sri Lanka: The politics of the Frontline Socialist Party — interview with Premakumar Gunaratnam http://links.org.au/node/2977

SYRIA

The geopolitics of the Syrian uprising/insurgency http://links.org.au/node/2991

On the Ground in Zabadani, a Syrian Town in Revolt http://www.thenation.com/article/169360/ground-zabadani-syrian-town-revolt

To stir up sectarianism, Assad regime staged Houla atrocity http://kiaoragaza.wordpress.com/2012/08/18/to-stir-up-sectarianism-assad-regime-staged-houla-atrocity/

Assad’s Kurdish Strategy http://www.joshualandis.com/blog/?p=15769

TIMOR

The Timorese elections and their aftermath http://directaction.org.au/the_timorese_elections_and_their_aftermath

UGANDA

First Uganda gay pride a success despite police raid http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/first-uganda-gay-pride-success-despite-police-raid060812

UK

The poison of inequality was behind last summer’s riots | Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/aug/05/riots-inequality-poverty-self-esteem

USA

Guns and Colonies – A Short Documentary Film on the issues of militarization and indigenous rights in the US Colony (officially, US Territory) of Guam, Mariana Islands. http://vimeo.com/27752975

Vietnam, US begin historic Agent Orange cleanup http://www.asia-pacific-solidarity.net/southeastasia/vietnam/news/afp_vietnamusbeginhistoricage_090812.htm

The Nun Who Broke Into the Nuclear Sanctum http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/11/science/behind-nuclear-breach-a-nuns-bold-fervor.html

Sister Megan Rice, 82, is one of three people arrested in a break-in at a nuclear complex in Oak Ridge, Tenn.

The Danger of Laughing at Todd Akin http://www.thenation.com/blog/169451/danger-laughing-todd-akin?rel=emailnation

This Week in Poverty: Here’s to the Houston Janitors http://www.thenation.com/blog/169431/week-poverty-heres-houston-janitors

Has Welfare Reform Been a Major Success, as Romney Claims? http://nonprofitquarterly.org/policysocial-context/20812-has-welfare-reform-been-a-major-success-as-romney-claims.html

VENEZUELA

The Revolution Will Not Be Decreed – An interview with Gonzalo Gómez, Marea Socialista (Socialist Tide) http://www.socialistproject.ca/bullet/682.php

“Now is the time!”: Struggle for Sexual Diversity in Venezuela – an Interview with Maria Gabriela Blanco Alianza sexo-género diversa revolucionaria (Revolutionary Alliance of Sex-Gender, and Diversity, ASGDRe) http://www.socialistproject.ca/bullet/683.php#continue

Chavez set for win as campaign pushes socialist transformation http://venezuelatranslatingtherevolution.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/chavez-set-for-win-as-campaign-pushes.html

Fighting for Land and Territory in Urban Caracas: An Interview with Héctor Madera http://www.socialistproject.ca/bullet/679.php

“This Process Belongs to the People” – An interview with Juan Contreras, Coordinadora Simón Bolívar http://www.socialistproject.ca/bullet/681.php

ZIMBABWE

Corporate collaboration lets Mugabe continue abuses http://links.org.au/node/2990