Come you masters of war
You that build the big guns
You that build the death planes
You that build all the bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks
You that never done nothin‘
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it‘s your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly
Like Judas of old
You lie and deceive
A world war can be won
You want me to believe
But I see through your eyes
And I see through your brain
Like I see through the water
That runs down my drain
You fasten all the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you sit back and watch
When the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion
While the young people‘s blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud
You‘ve thrown the worst fear
That can ever be hurled
Fear to bring children
Into the world
For threatening my baby
Unborn and unnamed
You ain‘t worth the blood
That runs in your veins
How much do I know
To talk out of turn
You might say that I‘m young
You might say I‘m unlearned
But there‘s one thing I know
Though I‘m younger than you
That even Jesus would never
Forgive what you do
Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good?
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could?
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul
And I hope that you die
And your death will come soon
I‘ll follow your casket
By the pale afternoon
And I‘ll watch while you‘re lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I‘ll stand over your grave
‚Til I‘m sure that you‘re dead
Archiv: Vergangenheit / Gegenwart / Zukunft / past / present / future
1984 – By George Orwell
The espionage, the betrayals, the arrests, the tortures, the executions, the disappearances will never cease. It will be a world of terror as much as a world of triumph. The more the Party is powerful, the less it will be tolerant: the weaker the opposition, the tighter the despotism. Goldstein and his heresies will live for ever. Every day, at every moment, they will be defeated, discredited, ridiculed, spat upon and yet they will always survive. This drama that I have played out with you during seven years will be played out over and over again generation after generation, always in subtler forms. Always we shall have the heretic here at our mercy, screaming with pain, broken up, contemptible—and in the end utterly penitent, saved from himself, crawling to our feet of his own accord. That is the world that we are preparing, Winston. A world of victory after victory, triumph after triumph after triumph: an endless pressing, pressing, pressing upon the nerve of power. You are beginning, I can see, to realize what that world will be like. But in the end you will do more than understand it. You will accept it, welcome it, become part of it.`
George Orwell – 1984
»Ich weiß nicht – kann es nicht sagen. Irgendwie wird es euch fehlschlagen. Etwas macht euch einen Strich durch die Rechnung. Das Leben macht euch einen Strich durch die Rechnung.«
»Wir kontrollieren das Leben, Winston, in allen seinen Äußerungen. Sie bilden sich ein, es gebe so etwas wie die sogenannte menschliche Natur, die durch unser Tun beleidigt sein und sich gegen uns auflehnen werde. Aber wir machen die menschliche Natur.
Die Menschen sind unendlich gefügig. Oder vielleicht sind Sie wieder auf Ihre alte Idee zurückgekommen, daß die Proletarier oder die Sklaven aufstehen und uns stürzen werden. Schlagen Sie sich das aus dem Kopf. Sie sind hilflos wie die Tiere. Die Menschheit ist die Partei und die Menschheit ist nur noch ein Brei.
Patti Smith – „Rock ‚N‘ Roll Nigger“
(…)
Daniel Neun – Der Fels
(audio)
lyrics:
Inmitten des Kosmos
am Meer aus Zeit
hier stehe ich am Abhang und
erstreckt sich weit
zum Horizont
ich seh es glühn
Zeit meinen Weg zu gehn
zu tun was ich muss
denn wisset – ich bin Sisyphos.
An der Sonne entlang
hinauf den Hang
tausend Gemälde ohne Vergleich
und aus den Tiefen steigt
der Mond und zeichnet weich
Geometrie ins Firmament
Geometrie
ins Firmament
roll ich den Fels hinauf den Hang
bin schon fast hinüber
tausend Leben lang
war ich Verdammter dieser Erde
dort wo mein Platz ist
dort wo der Fels rollt
Rollt
Mein Platz ist dort wo der Fels rollt
Dort
Dort wo mein Platz ist
dort wo der Fels rollt
Ich wollt Du könntest sehn
Deine Welt sie ist so schön
Mitten im Nichts zu sein
So viele Sterne sind
im Äther ziehn dahin
ich muss nicht mehr wie einer sein
Nicht mehr wie Einer sein
der rollt den Fels hinauf den Hang
bin schon fast hinüber
tausend Leben lang
war ich Verdammter dieser Erde
dort wo mein Platz ist wo der Fels rollt
Rollt
war ich Verdammter dieser Erde
Mein Platz ist dort wo der Fels rollt
Dort
war ich Verdammter dieser Erde
dort wo mein Platz ist wo der Fels rollt
Du willst mich kaufen
Du willst mein Herz
Was bietest Du
nur ein bisschen Erz.
Erdling, was kannst Du mir geben
Ich bin verdammt nochmal
am Leben
Den Kopf in den Sternen hab ich´s geschafft
Dir zum Zeichen werf ich sie
hinab
den Hang
die Erde bebt
sieh wer nun dort oben steht
Erdling, werde was Du bist
weil Du sonst nie am Leben bist
und das ist es doch wert, Mensch
Das ist doch wert, Mensch
Du bist es doch wert, Mensch
Du bist es wert
Mensch.
Und das ist es mir wert, Mensch
Und das ist es mir wert
Und das ist es wert, Mensch
Und das ist es wert
BRAVE NEW WORLD by Aldous Huxley (1894-1963)
(1932)
Suddenly ,from out of the Synthetic Music Box a Voice began to speak. The Voice of Reason, the Voice of Good Feeling. The sound-track roll was un winding itself in Synthetic Anti-Riot Speech Number Two (Medium Strength). Straight from the depths of a non-existent heart, „My friends, my friends!“ said the Voice so pathetically, with a note of such infinitely tender reproach that, behind their gas masks, even the policemen‘s eyes were momentarily dimmed with tears, „what is the meaning of this? Why aren‘t you all being happy and good together? Happy and good,“ the Voice repeated. „At peace, at peace.“ It trembled, sank into a whisper and momentarily expired. „Oh, I do want you to be happy,“ it began, with a yearning earnestness. „I do so want you to be good! Please, please be good and …“
Two minutes later the Voice and the soma vapour had produced their effect. In tears, the Deltas were kissing and hugging one another–half a dozen twins at a time in a comprehensive embrace. Even Helmholtz and the Savage were almost crying. A fresh supply of pill-boxes was brought in from the Bursary; a new distribution was hastily made and, to the sound of the Voice‘s richly affectionate, baritone valedictions, the twins dispersed, blubbering as though their hearts would break….
Bob Dylan – Masters of War (Audio)
Come you masters of war
You that build the big guns
You that build the death planes
You that build all the bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks
You that never done nothin‘
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it‘s your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly
Like Judas of old
You lie and deceive
A world war can be won
You want me to believe
But I see through your eyes
And I see through your brain
Like I see through the water
That runs down my drain
You fasten all the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you sit back and watch
When the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion
While the young people‘s blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud
You‘ve thrown the worst fear
That can ever be hurled
Fear to bring children
Into the world
For threatening my baby
Unborn and unnamed
You ain‘t worth the blood
That runs in your veins
How much do I know
To talk out of turn
You might say that I‘m young
You might say I‘m unlearned
But there‘s one thing I know
Though I‘m younger than you
That even Jesus would never
Forgive what you do
Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good?
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could?
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul
And I hope that you die
And your death will come soon
I‘ll follow your casket
By the pale afternoon
And I‘ll watch while you‘re lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I‘ll stand over your grave
‚Til I‘m sure that you‘re dead
From Free Speech to Free Palestine: Six Decades of Student Protest
“You’ve got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and you’ve got to make it stop,” he said. Soon the students would flood into a campus administration building.
That scene played out 60 years ago at the University of California, Berkeley. The words were directed at the university leadership, and referring to its restrictions on campus political activity. But the speech, from the student leader Mario Savio, and the sit-in that followed could have happened yesterday.
College administrators are falling into a tried and true trap laid by the right
For now, Trump has called the recent protests “antisemitic” and “far worse” than the 2017 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville. Biden has similarly condemned “the antisemitic protests” and “those who don’t understand what’s going on with the Palestinians.” (…)
Like their association of civil rights and peace demonstrators with communism throughout the Cold War, politicians on both sides of the aisle are now broadly hurling claims of antisemitism against anyone protesting Israel’s war in Gaza, many of whom are Jewish.
The purpose then, as it is now, is to intimidate administrators into a false political choice: Will they protect students’ right to demonstrate or be seen as acquiescent to antisemitism?
Column: The crackdown on student protesters shows exactly why we need them
After all, the division over the war in Gaza is by no means confined to students. As has happened with so many rifts in our country’s history, students have simply used their activism to become a prism reflecting the wider world. Which is why they need to be taken seriously, for all of our sakes.
If they do nothing else, the growing demonstrations are forcing us to confront who we are, what we believe and why.
What is happening in Gaza is not a war “over there.” It’s right here, right now, among our own children. And we all need to figure out where we stand.
Campus Protests: Beautiful Moments Vs. Trampling Of Speech
Going over some of the news, good and bad, coming out of the campus protests. Including what happened to Emory University‘s professor of economics Caroline Fohlin, but also a beautiful speech given by an 88-year-old activist.
How Americans felt about campus protests against the Vietnam War
There is no guarantee that history will eventually vindicate the positions of protesters. But it does seem safe to assume that the positions, not the protests, are what will be remembered.
RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2222 (XXI). Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies
(19. Dezember 1966)
Article III
States Parties to the Treaty shall carry on activities in the exploration and use of outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, in accordance with international law, including the Charter of the United Nations, in the interest of maintaining international peace and security and promoting international co-operation and understanding.
Article IV
States Parties to the Treaty undertake not to place in orbit around the earth any objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction, install such weapons on celestial bodies, or station such weapons in outer space in any other manner.
The moon and other celestial bodies shall be used by all States Parties to the Treaty exclusively for peaceful purposes. The establishment of military bases, installations and fortifications, the testing of any type of weapons and the conduct of military manoeuvres on celestial bodies shall be forbidden. The use of military personnel for scientific research or for any other peaceful purposes shall not be prohibited. The use of any equipment or facility necessary for peaceful exploration of the moon and other celestial bodies shall also not be prohibited.
Bob Dylan – Masters of War (Audio)
Come you masters of war
You that build the big guns
You that build the death planes
You that build all the bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks
You that never done nothin‘
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it‘s your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly
Like Judas of old
You lie and deceive
A world war can be won
You want me to believe
But I see through your eyes
And I see through your brain
Like I see through the water
That runs down my drain
You fasten all the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you sit back and watch
When the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion
While the young people‘s blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud
You‘ve thrown the worst fear
That can ever be hurled
Fear to bring children
Into the world
For threatening my baby
Unborn and unnamed
You ain‘t worth the blood
That runs in your veins
How much do I know
To talk out of turn
You might say that I‘m young
You might say I‘m unlearned
But there‘s one thing I know
Though I‘m younger than you
That even Jesus would never
Forgive what you do
Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good?
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could?
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul
And I hope that you die
And your death will come soon
I‘ll follow your casket
By the pale afternoon
And I‘ll watch while you‘re lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I‘ll stand over your grave
‚Til I‘m sure that you‘re dead
Yitzhak Rabin – The Last Speech (English Subtitles)
The last speech of prime minister and minister of defense Yitzhak Rabin, who was assassinated by right-wing Israeli radical on November 4th 1995 in Tel Aviv.
E.U.-Kader Verhofstadt: “Die Welt von Morgen ist eine Welt der Imperien”
(15. September 2019)
Da der Wille zum eigenen Denken – explizit in Deutschland und explizit im Linkskörper – gegen Null geht, sei des Weiteren noch erklärt:
Mal ganz davon abgesehen, dass Verhofstadt und alle anderen E.U.-Freaks das Völkerrecht und die “Organisation der Vereinten Nationen” bereits völlig ignorieren (dort kann sich erkundigt werden was ein Staat ist und warum man keinen davon angreifen, ausplündern oder auflösen darf):
Verhofstadts Rede repräsentiert genau das, wovor wir bereits vor zehn Jahren gewarnt haben. 17.08.2009, EU-Nationalisten und Globalisten planen den Staatsstreich gegen die Republik
Wobei wir da nicht mit Rosa mithalten können, die warnte nämlich schon vor über hundert Jahren davor. Genau davor. Rosa Luxemburg über die „Vereinigten Staaten von Europa“: „Eine imperialistische Mißgeburt“
Wie alle “Europäer”, also paneuropäischen Ideologen, sagt Verhofstadt Nein zu Europa wie es ist. Er ist Realitätsverweigerer. Er will etwas, was nicht da ist. Eben ein Imperium.
Und genau dieses Imperium von dem er da redet, nämlich die sogenannte “Europäische Union” als designierte “Vereinigten Staaten von Europa” und wiederum deren vorprogrammierte weitere Transformationsform als trikontinentaler Block “Mittelmeerunion”, genau dieses Imperium wird demnächst in Großbritannien vom Hof gejagt.
Und dann sehen wir weiter.
Guy Verhofstadt speech at the UK Liberal Democrats conference [14.09.2019]
Guy Verhofstadt‘s speech at the conference of the UK Liberal Democrats September 14h, 2019.
Guy Verhofstadt: World of tomorrow is world of empires
(September 16, 2019)
„The world order of tomorrow is a world of empires.“
Guy Verhofstadt, the EU Parliament‘s Brexit Coordinator, says British people can only defend their interests by „doing it together, in a European framework“.
Papst erteilt feierlichen Weihnachts-Segen – Ruf nach Frieden
Eindringlich rief der Papst in seiner Urbi-et-Orbi-Botschaft dazu auf, sich für Frieden einzusetzen. „Er komme bald in Israel und Palästina, wo der Krieg das Leben dieser Völker erschüttert. Ich umarme sie alle, insbesondere die christlichen Gemeinschaften in Gaza und im gesamten Heiligen Land. Ich trauere im Herzen um die Opfer des verabscheuungswürdigen Angriffs vom 7. Oktober und erneuere meinen dringenden Appell für die Freilassung derjenigen, die noch immer als Geiseln festgehalten werden. Ich flehe darum, dass die Militäroperationen mit ihren entsetzlichen Folgen unschuldiger ziviler Opfer eingestellt werden und dass man etwas gegen die verzweifelte humanitäre Situation unternimmt, indem man das Eintreffen der Hilfslieferungen ermöglicht.“
Franziskus richtete den Scheinwerfer aber über das aktuelle Gaza-Drama hinaus auf die Zukunft der Menschen und Völker im Nahen Osten. „Man schüre nicht weiter Gewalt und Hass, sondern führe die palästinensische Frage zu einer Lösung, und zwar durch einen aufrichtigen und beharrlichen Dialog zwischen den Parteien, der von einem starken politischen Willen getragen wird und von der Unterstützung der internationalen Gemeinschaft.“ Der Vatikan wirbt für eine Zwei-Staaten-Lösung Israel/Palästina und für einen international garantierten, freien Zugang zu den Heiligen Stätten.
Pope: May Christmas bring peace to our world and turn sorrow into joy
Following the birth of the Saviour came the slaughter of the innocents, the Pope recalled, and he remembered the innocents, the „little Jesuses“ of today, who are victims „in their mothers’ wombs, in odysseys undertaken in desperation and in search of hope, in the lives of all those little ones whose childhood has been devastated by war.“
We must say „yes“ to peace and „no“ to war the Pope decried, as every war marks „a defeat without victors, an inexcusable folly.“ He also called for a „no“ to weaponry given that with human weakness we can often end up using it for war sooner or later.
Peace is even more difficult, he observed, „when arms production, sales, and trade are on the rise“ and public funds spent on arms can come at the expense of bread for the hungry. He decried „the interests and the profits that move the puppet strings of war.“ And these must be brought to light, „talked about and written about,“ he emphasised, since many have no idea how much of their public funds are being spent on weapons, whereas they should be informed.
Hostage Deaths Fuel Israelis’ Doubts About Netanyahu
n the face of increasing pressure from the United States, Britain and Germany, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has doubled down on his opposition to what these allies see as the future of Gaza: an interim government overseen by the Palestinian Authority and an eventual Palestinian state existing alongside Israel.
Speaking only hours after the army admitted to shooting three Israeli hostages as they held up a white flag in Gaza, fueling consternation and anger among Israelis, Mr. Netanyahu appeared to be trying to change the subject, boasting that he had prevented the creation of a Palestinian state in the past and would continue to do so.
Yitzhak Rabin – The Last Speech (English Subtitles)
The last speech of prime minister and minister of defense Yitzhak Rabin, who was assassinated by right-wing Israeli radical on November 4th 1995 in Tel Aviv.
PM: I’m proud I blocked a Palestinian state. Looking at Gaza, everyone sees what would have happened
At the Tel Aviv press conference, Netanyahu is asked by a reporter why he did not withdraw from the Oslo Accords, given that he keeps criticizing them.
“I inherited the Oslo Accords,” he says. “The decision to bring the PLO from Tunis, and plant it in the heart of Judea and Samaria [West Bank], and in Gaza, was a decision made and implemented before I became prime minister. I thought it was a terrible mistake and I still do.”
Turning on the reporter, he says: “You and your journalist friends have been blaming me for almost 30 years for putting the brakes on the Oslo Accords, and preventing the Palestinian state. That’s true,” he says.
Yitzhak Rabin – The Last Speech (English Subtitles)
The last speech of prime minister and minister of defense Yitzhak Rabin, who was assassinated by right-wing Israeli radical on November 4th 1995 in Tel Aviv.
Gaza will be neither Hamastan nor Fatahstan, no Oslo 2 – Netanyahu
“Following an intensive dialogue with President Biden and his team, we received full backing for the ground incursion and blocking the international pressure to stop the war,” Netanyahu said
“Yes, there is disagreement about ‚the day after Hamas‘ and I hope that we will reach an agreement here as well,” he explained.
Israel-Palestine: Gaza and Jenin bombed as Netanyahu braces for ‚possible war‘ with Palestinian Authority
In a recorded statement published on X, Netanyahu said he will not let Israel repeat the “mistake” of the Oslo Accords, and that Gaza will neither be “Hamastan nor Fatahstan”.
Earlier, he was quoted on the Israeli public broadcaster as saying that Israel was preparing for a possible war with the PA in the West Bank.
“It can’t be that after the enormous sacrifice of our citizens and fighters, we will let into Gaza those who teach terror, support terror, finance terror,” he said.
Hussein al-Sheikh, a senior PA and Fatah leader, said Netnayhu’s remarks “confirm his war against all Palestinians”.
My middle school @UNRWA in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza Strip blown apart by demolition explosives.
Poor souls .. This is what happens to the children when they hear israeli bombings, now imagine when they hear it 100 times a day, it‘s just crazy.
(…)
Bob Dylan – Shelter from the Storm …
(…)
If past is precedent, we could see 1000s of Palestinians die, accompanied by overwhelming disturbing images of violence involving children & other innocents. A ground invasion of Gaza is on the cards, too, given the scale of this attack & impulses of Bibi‘s right-wing coalition.
Netanjahus Enkel zu Premierminister Israels: „Du schuldest uns Krieg“ – aus dem Zukunftsarchiv, 13.Oktober 2031
(13. Oktober 2013)
Wie wir alle wissen, wurde der rechtsradikale Premierminister Benjamin Netanjahu vor 18 Jahren wegen einem maßgeblich durch seine Person organisierten drohenden Atomkrieg gegen den Iran, nachfolgend gegen Libanon, gegen Syrien sowieso und natürlich auch gegen den Gazastreifen und überhaupt die gesamte Region von einem linksradikalen Israeli erschossen. Ganz Israel reagierte seinerzeit wie Netanjahus eigene Likud Partei. Es sagte: „Oh. Das ist aber schade.“ Und dann kam alles ganz anders…
Guy Verhofstadt speech at the UK Liberal Democrats conference [14.09.2019]
Guy Verhofstadt‘s speech at the conference of the UK Liberal Democrats September 14h, 2019.
Guy Verhofstadt: World of tomorrow is world of empires
(September 16, 2019)
„The world order of tomorrow is a world of empires.“
Guy Verhofstadt, the EU Parliament‘s Brexit Coordinator, says British people can only defend their interests by „doing it together, in a European framework“.
BRAVE NEW WORLD by Aldous Huxley (1894-1963)
(1932)
Suddenly ,from out of the Synthetic Music Box a Voice began to speak. The Voice of Reason, the Voice of Good Feeling. The sound-track roll was un winding itself in Synthetic Anti-Riot Speech Number Two (Medium Strength). Straight from the depths of a non-existent heart, „My friends, my friends!“ said the Voice so pathetically, with a note of such infinitely tender reproach that, behind their gas masks, even the policemen‘s eyes were momentarily dimmed with tears, „what is the meaning of this? Why aren‘t you all being happy and good together? Happy and good,“ the Voice repeated. „At peace, at peace.“ It trembled, sank into a whisper and momentarily expired. „Oh, I do want you to be happy,“ it began, with a yearning earnestness. „I do so want you to be good! Please, please be good and …“
Two minutes later the Voice and the soma vapour had produced their effect. In tears, the Deltas were kissing and hugging one another–half a dozen twins at a time in a comprehensive embrace. Even Helmholtz and the Savage were almost crying. A fresh supply of pill-boxes was brought in from the Bursary; a new distribution was hastily made and, to the sound of the Voice‘s richly affectionate, baritone valedictions, the twins dispersed, blubbering as though their hearts would break.
Seine Exzellenz der Android
Der Eindruck, den Lars machte, war durchaus der eines Mannes von Geltung. Er saß bequem im Lehnstuhl, hielt Zeitung und Zigarre in den Händen, lächelte mit dem zuvorkommenden Lächeln, das ihm Andersen beigebracht hatte, und erwiderte auf alle Fragen je nach den Stichworten. Frithjof gewann die Überzeugung: Sein Android war gelungen, ganz Mensch! Er unterschied sich durch nichts von den anderen als durch den Mangel von Herz und Gemüt. Und vielleicht nicht einmal dadurch.
Israel’s Protests Are Creating a New People
Members of the governing coalition say the results of the election reflect the will of the people, but so do the demonstrations. Moreover, since their inception demonstrations have had a place in the political imagination of democracy. According to political philosopher Hannah Arendt, demonstrations are “spaces of appearance” that serve as the antithesis to displays of power by totalitarian regimes.
They Incited Rabin‘s Murder. Now They‘re Murdering Israel‘s Democracy
Following Rabin’s murder, the public turned against Netanyahu. Many believed his political career was over. But he was soon brought to power amid a wave of terror by Hamas and a slick campaign capitalizing on the public‘s fears.
And that original assault against democracy, secular law and territorial compromise that launched both Netanyahu’s career and the ascent of the religious right, is today continuing its illiberal advance via a legal hijacking.
To Foreign Policy Veteran, the Real Danger Is at Home
Mr. Haass recently published a book called “The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens,” outlining ways Americans can help heal their own society, like “Be Informed,” “Remain Civil,” “Put Country First” — all admittedly bromides and yet somehow often elusive these days. (…)
Putting his foreign policy hat aside for now, he said he wants to expand the message from his book and help refocus the country on the core values embodied in the Declaration of Independence as the 250th anniversary of the document approaches three years from now.
Chris Hedges: They Lied About Afghanistan. They Lied About Iraq. And They Are Lying About Ukraine.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine was a war crime, although one that was provoked by NATO expansion and by the United States backing of the 2014 “Maidan” coup which ousted the democratically elected Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. Yanukovych wanted economic integration with the European Union, but not at the expense of economic and political ties with Russia. The war will only be solved through negotiations that allow ethnic Russians in Ukraine to have autonomy and Moscow’s protection, as well as Ukrainian neutrality, which means the country cannot join NATO. The longer these negotiations are delayed the more Ukrainians will suffer and die. Their cities and infrastructure will continue to be pounded into rubble.