The Global NATO Alliance, the European Left, and the Crack in Everything

Disclaimer: The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site.

The Democratic Party is unquestioningly supporting an endless proxy war and has been reluctant to press President Biden to prioritize a negotiated settlement to the war.

The Global NATO Alliance, the European Left, and the Crack in Everything

Putin’s summit next week will strengthen ties with Iran, Turkey

The Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced in Moscow on Tuesday that President Vladimir Putin will travel to Tehran on July 19, to take part in a tripartite meeting with his Iranian and Turkish counterparts as part of the Astana peace process to end the war in Syria as well as hold a bilateral meeting with Turkish President Recep Erdogan.

Putin’s summit next week will strengthen ties with Iran, Turkey

US Funds New Protests in Libya

Against a backdrop of deteriorating living conditions, electricity shortages, rising fuel and bread prices, popular unrest has returned to the streets of Libyan cities since July 1 which, with the inaction of security forces, has degenerated into disorderly acts by angry crowds, accompanied by vandalism, arson and looting. Hundreds of protesters stormed the parliament building in the eastern Libyan city of Tobruk, setting fire to official documents, offices and reception halls, according to the Libya News Agency. According to Alwasat TV, the protesters demanded the dissolution of parliament and the transfer of all electoral powers to the country’s supreme state council.

US Funds New Protests in Libya

Related:

US is Trying to Restrain Libya with its Power Collar

Media Support ‘Self-Determination’ for US Allies, Not Enemies

Disclaimer: The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site.

Article 1 of the UN Charter says that one of the purposes of the UN is “to develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples.” However, what “self-determination” means in specific international legal cases is far from a settled debate. Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute explains that:

contemporary notions of self-determination usually distinguish between “internal” and “external” self-determination, suggesting that “self-determination” exists on a spectrum. Internal self-determinationmay refer to various political and social rights; by contrast, external self-determination refers to full legal independence/secession for the given “people” from the larger politico-legal state.

Media Support ‘Self-Determination’ for US Allies, Not Enemies

Related:

Euromaidan 2014 – Orange Revolution – Donbass

The Rational Destruction of Yugoslavia

7/1/22 Shireen Al-Adeimi: The Ceasefire in Yemen is Not Enough

7/1/22 Shireen Al-Adeimi: The Ceasefire in Yemen is Not Enough

Scott is joined by Shireen Al-Adeimi to discuss the war in Yemen. They talk about the War Powers Resolution in Congress and the Ramadan ceasefire, which is holding for now. Al-Adeimi points out that the Saudis dropping their support for former President Hadi was not actually a step towards peace. Instead, they turned to a “council” made up of rival warlords who appear destined to use violence in their disputes rather than diplomacy. But, she points out, the Saudis cannot exert any real control over Yemen without full military support from the United States. That defines a clear path for bringing this bloody period of foreign intervention in Yemen to an end.

Discussed on the show:

Truce or Not, Congress Must Urgently Bring About a Real End to the War on Yemen

833-STOPWAR

Use this script if you are not sure what to say

Ecuador: Lasso’s Masquerade vs. People’s Real Demands

Today marks 15 days since the beginning of the demonstrations against the neoliberal government of Guillermo Lasso. During that time over 15,000 indigenous people and representatives of social movements have joined the protests to demand urgent actions to stop the collapse of the living conditions of the poorest and the entire working class. However, the response has been violence and police repression, which has already caused six deaths, hundreds of wounded, and over 200 imprisonments.

Ecuador: Lasso’s Masquerade vs. People’s Real Demands

Related:

Ecuador’s Lasso survives impeachment vote, halts protest talks

Biden officials worry their Russia sanctions were so powerful they also brought economic suffering to the US, report says

Corporate ‘Self-Sanctioning’ of Russia Has US Fearing Economic Blowback

But some Biden administration officials are now privately expressing concern that rather than dissuading the Kremlin as intended, the penalties are instead exacerbating inflation, worsening food insecurity and punishing ordinary Russians [they don’t care about the people, the true purpose of sanctions is to encourage people to overthrow their leader] more than Putin or his allies.

When the invasion [special military operation] began, the Biden administration believed that if penalties exempted food and energy [what exemptions?!], the impact on inflation at home would be minimal. Since then, energy and food have become key drivers of the highest US inflation rates in 40 years, a huge political liability for President Joe Biden and the Democratic party heading into November’s mid-term elections [they only care about winning the midterms].

There’s no sign that administration officials feel their sanctions policy was a mistake or that they want to dial back the pressure. If anything, officials have said a key US goal is to ensure Russia can’t do to other nations what it has done in Ukraine [then tell Puppet Zelensky to negotiate instead of flooding Ukraine with weapons!!].

The Biden administration rejects [denies] any suggestion that sanctions are part of the problem, emphasizing that the US isn’t penalizing humanitarian goods or food, and putting [shifting] the blame on Putin’s decision to attack Ukraine, including by targeting shipping on the Black Sea [which is blocked with mines].

About 1,000 companies have so far announced that they are curtailing operations in Russia, according to data collected by the Yale Chief Executive Leadership Institute. That underscores one reason sanctions are so popular with policy makers: They essentially outsource US policy to the private sector [intentional and/or just being lazy?!], which makes it less surgical, less calibrated and less responsive to policy changes, said Smith, the former OFAC adviser.

This becomes important as all sides seek an end to the war [no, they don’t]. The lifting of sanctions can be dangled as an incentive to help bring about a diplomatic resolution to the conflict. But right now it’s hard even to offer that as a potential benefit of entering into negotiations because much of the pullout by American businesses has been self-inflicted [they screwed themselves]. Companies could face public blowback if they are seen as rushing back into the Russian market.

Headline stolen from:

Biden officials worry their Russia sanctions were so powerful they also brought economic suffering to the US, report says