Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Trump Ponders Petraeus for Senior Job
Exclusive: President-elect Trump’s promise to “drain the swamp” of Washington seems forgotten — like so many political promises — as he meets with swamp creatures, such as disgraced Gen. David Petraeus, says ex-CIA analyst Ray McGovern. By Ray McGovern The…
The Fake News About Fake News
The Washington Post’s McCarthyistic conspiracy theory implicating some 200 Web sites in an alleged Russian propaganda network continues to spread across mainstream media despite being debunked, as in Patrick Henningsen’s report. By Patrick Henningsen The mainstream media’s post-election hysteria has…
Relying on Unreliable Syrian Sources
When the mainstream U.S. media reports on Syria, it relies heavily on pro-rebel activists, including members of the White Helmets who have supplied false or dubious claims at key junctures of the war, reports Gareth Porter for Alternet. By Gareth…
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Ready to Resist Trump’s Immigrant Round-up
Donald Trump’s draconian plan to round up 11 million undocumented immigrants and deport them suggests turning America into a police state and likely confronting strong resistance from their families and friends, reports Dennis J Bernstein. By Dennis J Bernstein If…
How Clean Energy Can Create Jobs
If President-elect Trump truly intends to “make America great again,” a promising route is to encourage major investment in clean-energy jobs that can both rebuild manufacturing centers and help the environment, writes Sam Parry. By Sam Parry In the 2016…
Help Consortiumnews on ‘Giving Tuesday’
From Editor Robert Parry: Consortiumnews has just turned 21, the age when many states allow people to legally drink alcoholic beverages, which these days may seem like the best option. But we have never shied away from our responsibility to…
Monday, November 28, 2016
The ‘Trump Effect’ Hits Europe
America’s vassal states of Europe were expecting a Hillary Clinton victory and were gearing up for a New Cold War with Russia, so Trump’s win has sent shock waves across the Continent, reports Gilbert Doctorow. By Gilbert Doctorow The Swedish…
What Trump Means for American Jews
American Jews historically fought for civil rights for all but veered away when Israel began seizing Palestinian land. Now, the Trump presidency presents a challenge and an opportunity to steer back to universal principles, says Lawrence Davidson. By Lawrence Davidson…
Trying to Reason with Trump
Many progressive activists are angry over Donald Trump’s victory, but persuasion – rather than anger – may be needed to get him to act responsibly on global warming and other crucial issues, says ex-CIA analyst Paul R. Pillar. By Paul…
Sunday, November 27, 2016
Washington Post’s ‘Fake News’ Guilt
Exclusive: The “fake news” theme has captivated The Washington Post and the mainstream U.S. media so much that it is stooping to McCarthyistic smears against news outlets that don’t toe the State Department’s propaganda line, says Robert Parry. By Robert…
The West’s Shift Toward Repression
The West’s “liberal democracies” are undergoing a shift toward repression with new initiatives to spy on citizens and punish whistleblowers who expose government abuses, observes ex-British intelligence officer Annie Machon. By Annie Machon Forgive my “infamously fluent French” but the…
Clinton Campaign Joins Vote Challenge
As millions of dollars have poured in for Green Party nominee Jill Stein’s three-state recount, Hillary Clinton’s campaign is now joining the effort to investigate possible vote tampering, reports Joe Lauria. By Joe Lauria Although lacking “actionable evidence of hacking,”…
Reflections on the ‘Dispossessed’
The story of modern human history has been the dispossession of working people and the concentration of wealth in fewer hands, now transformed into a system of cradle-to-grave debt, writes Nicolas J S Davies. By Nicolas J S Davies After…
Saturday, November 26, 2016
Sessions’s Old-Time Contempt for Civil Rights
President-elect Trump’s choice of Sen. Jeff Sessions as Attorney General would put a longstanding opponent of civil rights for African-Americans in charge of the Justice Department, reports Dennis J Bernstein. By Dennis J Bernstein While much media attention has focused…
Friday, November 25, 2016
Philippine’s Duterte Seeks Peace
Exclusive: Filipino President Duterte oversaw a brutal anti-drug campaign but is now seeking peace with leftist revolutionaries and rejecting U.S. pressure for more counterinsurgency warfare, writes Marjorie Cohn. By Marjorie Cohn In April 2016, Rodrigo Duterte won the Philippine presidential…
Thursday, November 24, 2016
Greens Question Trump’s Victory
A sudden flood of cash has enabled the Green Party to demand recounts of votes in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan, three formerly Democratic states that largely decided the 2016 election for Donald Trump, reports Joe Lauria. By Joe Lauria The…
Trump’s Possible Path Out of Ukraine Crisis
Exclusive: The U.S.-backed coup in Ukraine in 2014 sparked a New Cold War with Russia, but a President Trump could roll back tensions with a creative strategy for resolving the Ukraine standoff, writes Jonathan Marshall. By Jonathan Marshall If Donald…
Still Not Thanking Native Americans
Returned to its historical roots, Thanksgiving would be a day to express thanks to Native Americans whose generosity saved the Pilgrims, but that never seems to be a lesson learned, as Dennis J Bernstein reports on the Dakota pipeline standoff.…
Wednesday, November 23, 2016
The West’s Media Delusions
Exclusive: The U.S. mainstream news media often holds itself out as the world’s gold standard, home for careful reporting and diverse opinions compared to Russia’s monolithic propaganda, but the reality is quite different, says James W Carden. By James W…
Demonizing Russian Media
The West is escalating its demonization of Russian media as weapons of “information warfare” that need neutralizing, but Gilbert Doctorow finds that accusation just another part of the West’s own propaganda war. By Gilbert Doctorow One of the West’s top…
Tuesday, November 22, 2016
US House Seeks Syria-War Escalation
Moving to trap President-elect Trump into a war escalation in Syria, the House rushed through a resolution promoting a U.S.-imposed “no fly zone” that could spark World War III, reports Rick Sterling. By Rick Sterling Late in the day, on…
A Tradition of Forgetting Indian Rights
Ironically, as Americans commemorate how Native Americans helped save the Pilgrims in 1621, Indian-rights activists are under attack today in defense of land that a 1868 treaty guaranteed as theirs, observes Nat Parry. By Nat Parry @natparry Making official a…
Fall and Rise of the Forgotten ‘Deplorables’
The political gamble that will be the Trump presidency traces back to the desperation of Americans who lost out in the social experiment of neoliberalism — and the Democrats’ candidate who personified those economic inequities, says Greg Maybury. By Greg Maybury…
Worrying About Trump’s Reactionaries
The mixed signals from Donald Trump’s transition are creating diverse interpretations of where his foreign policy is headed, with ex-CIA analyst Melvin A. Goodman seeing reasons to worry about more neocon warmongering. By Melvin A. Goodman My favorite philosopher, Garrison…
Monday, November 21, 2016
Trump’s Tulsi Gabbard Factor
Exclusive: By inviting in Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, a Democrat hostile to “regime change” wars, President-elect Trump may be signaling a major break with Republican neocon orthodoxy and a big shake-up of the U.S. foreign policy establishment, writes Robert Parry. By…
Failed Investigations of JFK’s Murder
More than a half century later, John F. Kennedy’s assassination still resonates not only because of its historical importance but because the investigation was more a cover-up than a pursuit of truth, says researcher Gary Aguilar. By Gary Aguilar November…
Obstacles to Trump’s ‘Growth’ Plans
Rust Belt voters turned to Donald Trump in hopes he could reindustrialize the U.S., but the President-elect’s plans could encounter major financial and geopolitical obstacles, says ex-British diplomat Alastair Crooke. By Alastair Crooke We are plainly at a pivotal moment. President-Elect…
Sunday, November 20, 2016
NYT Advocates Internet Censorship
Exclusive: The New York Times wants a system of censorship for the Internet to block what it calls “fake news,” but the Times ignores its own record of publishing “fake news,” reports Robert Parry. By Robert Parry In its lead…
Making the Transition Less Chaotic
The mainstream U.S. media is faulting Donald Trump for a turbulent start to the presidential transition, but part of the chaos is baked into the process and its excessively large job turnover, says ex-CIA analyst Paul R. Pillar. By Paul…
Celebrating the Death of the TPP Trade Deal
Exclusive: It’s been a rough year for neo-liberalism and its orthodoxy about global “free trade,” now including the political defeat of President Obama’s Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, writes Chelsea Gilmour. By Chelsea Gilmour In all practical senses, U.S. participation in…
Saturday, November 19, 2016
Installing a Torture Fan at CIA
Exclusive: The CIA’s torturers can breathe a sigh of relief after President-elect Trump tapped a defender of “enhanced interrogation techniques” to become CIA director, writes ex-CIA analyst Ray McGovern. By Ray McGovern President-elect Donald Trump’s selection of Kansas Congressman Mike…
America’s Post-Trump Widening Divide
An ugly side of Donald Trump’s victory has been the unleashing of bigotry against minorities and women with the President-elect only mildly reining in these belligerent followers, writes Michael Winship. By Michael Winship A friend of mine who has dual…
Friday, November 18, 2016
What to Do About ‘Fake News’
Exclusive: A pushback is coming to the Internet’s success in giving the world access to diverse opinions and dissenting information. Politicians, mainstream media and technology giants are taking aim at what they call “fake news,” reports Robert Parry. By Robert…
Iran Deal Tests Trump’s Independence
An early test of whether President Trump will bow to Israel’s political clout may come over the Iran nuclear agreement which Prime Minister Netanyahu wants killed, as ex-CIA analyst Paul R. Pillar describes. By Paul R. Pillar Among the foreign…
Thursday, November 17, 2016
Pointing Fingers Over Trump’s Victory
After Donald Trump’s victory, Democrats and progressives have traded accusations as to who was at fault, the Establishment’s insistence on Hillary Clinton or the insurgent challenges from Bernie Sanders and Jill Stein, reports Nat Parry. By Nat Parry As the…
Beyond the Anti-Trump Protests
Anti-Trump protests broke out shortly after the presidential results were in, but progressives need a more comprehensive and thoughtful approach to the next four years, says Sam Husseini. By Sam Husseini Two views seem to be dominant among progressives regarding Donald…
Dreaming Up a Reason for NATO’s Relevance
European leaders still rattle their tiny sabers at Russia, but Donald Trump’s election has spread confusion across NATO nations that had dutifully climbed aboard the New Cold War express, says ex-British intelligence officer Annie Machon. By Annie Machon A few months…
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
Death of the ‘Two-State Solution’
Exclusive: For years, proposals for a “one-state solution” to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – granting equal rights to all inhabitants – were called anti-Semitic. But Israel’s settlement building has now left no other rational choice, notes Jonathan Marshall. By Jonathan Marshall Donald Trump’s…
Why Trump’s Victory Wasn’t a Surprise
America’s liberal elitists, who look down on the discontented working class and put up a presidential candidate representing a failed Establishment, set the stage for Donald Trump’s victory, journalist John Pilger tells Dennis J Bernstein. By Dennis J Bernstein Despite…
Tuesday, November 15, 2016
Trump’s Slim Chance for Greatness
Special Report: Donald Trump’s unlikely victory created the opportunity to finally break with the orthodoxy of Washington’s neocon/liberal-hawk foreign policy, but can Trump find enough fresh thinkers to do the job, asks Robert Parry. By Robert Parry Donald Trump must…
Will Trump Resist War Hawks on Iran?
Though President-elect Trump seems ready to reduce tensions with Russia, his consideration of neocon John Bolton as Secretary of State could presage more Mideast warmongering toward Iran, writes Gareth Porter at Middle East Eye. By Gareth Porter Post-election comments on…
Monday, November 14, 2016
The Non-Existent Trump Mandate
Republicans are claiming a mandate to speak for the “silent majority,” but the actual numbers show that not only did Donald Trump fail to win a plurality, his vote total largely matched other recent GOP candidates, notes Nicolas J S…
Sanders’ Democrats Call for Change
The fallout from the imploded Hillary Clinton campaign is prompting demands from Democratic progressives for an immediate change at the top, in this case the resignation of interim DNC chairperson Donna Brazile, says Norman Solomon. By Norman Solomon It’s time…
Reflections on US Political Tragedies
Two very unpopular candidates made the 2016 presidential campaign an embarrassment for American democracy. Now, the outcome could become one more tragedy for U.S. politics, observes David Marks. By David Marks Mourning seems a strange response to election results; as I…
Sunday, November 13, 2016
The Political World After Trump’s Win
The Democratic Party’s long sojourn into corporate-friendly politics – and neglect of its old working-class base – has led to the shocking result of an erratic and untested outsider becoming President. But is there a route back, asks Joe Lauria.…
Gambling on the Unknowable Trump
Donald Trump’s victory may have shaken up the System but it also revealed a recklessness (or a desperation) among Americans in handing over such immense power to someone so untested, says Michael Brenner. By Michael Brenner At this moment of…
The World Sees a Diminished America
While there is hope that President Trump will end the bloody years of U.S. adventurism abroad, the initial shock from his victory could diminish America’s standing in the world, says ex-CIA analyst Paul R. Pillar. By Paul R. Pillar The…
How Electoral College Cheats Democracy
Exclusive: A shadow over Donald Trump’s “election” is the fact that Hillary Clinton appears headed toward a significant plurality of the national popular vote, a quirk from the archaic Electoral College, notes Daniel Lazare. By Daniel Lazare The election commentary…
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Trump’s Win — A Rebuke to the Elites
Donald Trump’s unlikely election is a Brexit-like blow to the global elites who espoused an arrogant mix of neocon foreign policy and neoliberal economics that has hurt many common citizens, says ex-British diplomat Alastair Crooke. By Alastair Crooke So, there…
Breakdown of the Clinton Money Machine
As troubling as Donald Trump’s election may be, it carries greater hope for some positive good than the alternative of Hillary Clinton, who represented a corrupt, money-churning machine, writes John Chuckman. By John Chuckman Brushing away the extreme claims and…
Who’s to Blame for President Trump?
Exclusive: Team Clinton thought the path to the White House led through a neo-McCarthyistic assault on Donald Trump as Vladimir Putin’s puppet, rather than addressing the real worries of Americans, writes James W Carden. By James W Carden Watching the…
A Victory for ‘White’ America
The narrow split in the U.S. electorate revealed by Donald Trump’s election as President ended with a victory of “white” America over “diverse” America with long-lasting consequences, says moral theologist Daniel C. Maguire. By Daniel C. Maguire My reaction four…
For Many Americans, A Day to Forget
For many Americans, Nov. 9 was a time of shock at the surprise election of Donald Trump, but the distress was perhaps strongest in New York City which knows Trump best, writes Michael Winship. By Michael Winship I would just…
Carbon Tax Reversal in Washington State
Exclusive: Washington State’s rejection of a modest carbon tax – opposed by some environmentalists for not being larger – marks a reversal for what could have been a model for the U.S., writes Jonathan Marshall. By Jonathan Marshall Even as…
Friday, November 11, 2016
The Establishment’s Massive ‘Intelligence Failure’
As shocking as Donald Trump’s victory was – and as uncertain as the future is – his victory marked a massive “intelligence failure” of the Establishment, a blow to its arrogance and self-dealing, says ex-CIA official Graham E. Fuller. By…
System Failure for the Establishment
Democrats thought the political establishment and mainstream media would assure them victory as they brushed off Bernie Sanders and insisted on Hillary Clinton, ignoring the growing hatred of “the system,” notes Lawrence Davidson. By Lawrence Davidson On Election Day, Hillary…
Fleeing a Trump Presidency Not an Option
For many Americans, the idea of a Trump presidency and a Republican-controlled Congress is frightening, with the prospect of right-wing legislation and judicial appointments sailing through, but quitting is not an option, says Norman Solomon. By Norman Solomon A lot…
Thursday, November 10, 2016
Germany Urged to Pause on Syrian Escalation
Former CIA analyst Ray McGovern presented the following statement to members of Germany’s Bundestag on Thursday, advising them against the proposed deepening of Germany’s military involvement in the Syrian conflict. By Ray McGovern In view of the surprising election victory…
In Case You Missed…
Some of our special stories in October focused on the problematic U.S. presidential campaign, revelations about U.S. alliances in the Middle East and the escalation of the New Cold War with Russia. “How Arms Sales Distort US Foreign Policy” by…
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
Learning Horrors of War from Vets
Americans shed some of their guilt over sending young men and women to war by saying “thank you for your service” but it would be better to ask veterans about their experiences of war, says former U.S. Army chaplain…
Why Trump Won; Why Clinton Lost
Exclusive: Hillary Clinton’s stunning defeat reflected a gross misjudgment by the Democratic Party about the depth of populist anger against self-serving elites who have treated much of the country with disdain, writes Robert Parry. By Robert Parry In the end, Hillary…
Tuesday, November 8, 2016
Reasons to Risk Nuclear Annihilation
Exclusive: The latest neocon/liberal-hawk scheme is for the U.S. population to risk nuclear war to protect corrupt politicians in Ukraine and Al Qaeda terrorists in east Aleppo, two rather dubious reasons to end life on the planet, says Robert Parry.…
Hillary Clinton’s Exploits in McCarthyism
The New Cold Warriors who surround Hillary Clinton have made Russia-bashing and McCarthyism the go-to tactics to silence the few voices warning of the grave and unnecessary risks of a new Cold War, notes James W Carden. By James W…
Trump World’s Darkest Side
Donald Trump’s campaign has exposed and spoken to the real pain and profound alienation of many Americans, but the candidate also has exploited those emotions with lies and appeals to prejudice, says Michael Winship. By Michael Winship When I grow…
US Hawks Gamble on Turkey’s Invasions
Exclusive: The Mideast chaos gets more and more complicated as Washington’s hawks encourage Turkey to invade Syria but worry about a possible clash between Turkey and Iraq, a maelstrom of violence that could spin out of control, writes Joe Lauria.…
The Cruelty of US Economic Sanctions
Propaganda pervades the mainstream U.S. media as much today about Russia and Syria as it did years ago about Iraq, justifying the harm inflicted on civilians whether via bombs or economic strangulation, says David Smith-Ferri. By David Smith-Ferri Here in…
Monday, November 7, 2016
New York Times: Apologist for Power
Special Report: Over the past couple of decades, America’s preeminent newspaper, The New York Times, has lost its journalistic way, becoming a propaganda platform and an apologist for the powerful, writes Robert Parry. By Robert Parry In recent years, The New York…
Sunday, November 6, 2016
NYT Admits Key Al Qaeda Role in Aleppo
Exclusive: In a backhand way, The New York Times admits that the U.S.-backed “moderate” rebels in east Aleppo are fighting alongside Al Qaeda jihadists, an almost casual admission of this long-obscured reality, writes Robert Parry. By Robert Parry As much…
Saturday, November 5, 2016
If You Wanted a Thank-You Gift…
…from our late summer/early fall fundraiser for your donation of $125 or more — or if you set up a recurring monthly donation — and have not received the gift package yet, please send us an email at info@consortiumnews.com. The…
Secrets of the US Election: Assange Talks to Pilger
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange denies the Russian government was the source of leaked emails about Hillary Clinton and says her “neo-McCarthy” Russia-bashing is just part of a cover-up, in an interview with John Pilger. By John Pilger This interview was…
Friday, November 4, 2016
Obama’s Last Stand Against War on Syria
Exclusive: For five years, President Obama has resisted neocon/liberal-interventionist pressure to go to war against Syria, but – as his departure grows near – the hawks see more “regime change” wars coming into view, says Joe Lauria. By Joe Lauria…
US Hypocrisy Over Russian ‘War Crimes’
Amid the sludge of propaganda, it’s hard to know what’s really happening in Syria, but the West’s outrage over Russian-inflicted civilian casualties is clearly hypocritical given the U.S.-Israeli slaughters elsewhere in the region, notes Gareth Porter. By Gareth Porter The…
Thursday, November 3, 2016
America’s Rocky Road to Raqqa
Exclusive: Though the U.S. has no legal right to operate inside Syria, Official Washington is boasting about its plans to liberate Raqqa from ISIS. But another problem: the battle plan makes no sense, says Daniel Lazare. By Daniel Lazare In…
How World War III Could Start
The U.S. acts as if its military has an inalienable right to operate close to the borders of other nations and those nations have no right to see these actions as provocative, writes Jonathan Marshall. By Jonathan Marshall If humanity…
The Resentments Trump Represents
Exclusive: While the mainstream U.S. media has focused on personal scandals, the presidential race has revealed a deep and sometimes ugly resentment among many Americans who blame the haughty elites for declining living standards, says Andrew Spannaus, By Andrew Spannaus…
Wednesday, November 2, 2016
Phony ‘Corruption’ Excuse for Ukraine Coup
Exclusive: The U.S.-backed “regime change” in Ukraine — launching the New Cold War with Russia in 2014 — was rationalized by the need to rid Ukraine of corruption, but post-coup officials are busy lining their pockets, reports Robert Parry. By…
How Neocons Got ISIS Wrong, Too
As Islamic State loses ground in Iraq and Syria, earlier demands from Official Washington’s neocons for a major reintroduction of U.S. troops appear to be just the latest misjudgment of these war hawks, as ex-CIA analyst Paul R. Pillar explains.…
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
Taking a Page from Joe McCarthy
Exclusive: Hillary Clinton and her supporters have turned to ugly McCarthyism in attacking Donald Trump to divert attention from their email scandals, a dangerous use of Russia-bashing, says Robert Parry. By Robert Parry One trick of the original McCarthyism from…
Debate over the Cleveland Indians’ Mascot
The U.S. government’s genocide against Native Americans has led many to find the use of Indian nicknames and caricatures in sports offensive, such as the grinning Chief Wahoo mascot of the Cleveland Indians in the World Series, reports Dennis J…
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