Not one day in prison! No fine in Uhuru 3 sentencing victory!
“No one’s going to prison; no one’s going to be fined,” stated U.S. District Court Judge William Jung on Monday, December 16, 2024 in the sentencing of the “Uhuru 3.”
What a fantastic and deserving victory for the Uhuru 3!
Anyone who understand the Uhurus knew from day one that they were going to win, because:
1) They did nothing wrong
2) They always fight back
3) They always win!
Here’s to Chairman Omali Yeshitela, Penny Hess and Jesse Nevel – the Uhuru 3! What they endured to achieve a victory for everyone is historic and will forever be appreciated by all of us who rely on freedom of expression and association. It wasn't a wise move by the FBI to go after the Uhurus, and now the precedent has been sent and it will be harder for them to carry out more anti-Russia witch hunts.
Here is some media coverage:
• The Uhuru post-sentencing press conference
• Hands Off Uhuru coverage
• Antiwar.com article: 'Uhuru Members Will Face No Prison Time Over Bogus Foreign Agent Allegations'
“Twenty-eight months and two weeks ago, July, 29 2022, the US government came to the homes of [the Uhuru 3 and Kitty Riley], the Uhuru house in St Petersburg, Florida, the Uhuru Solidarity Center in St Louis. They came with hundreds of agents. How much money was spent that day alone carrying out that military operation against the Uhuru movement? [They] handcuffed [Uhuru Chairman Omali Yeshitela and his wife] at gunpoint for hours. And nine months later, you have the indictment. You have hundreds of FBI agents working on this case. You have the national security division of the Justice Department coordinating the prosecution. You have an untold amount of resources and focus that the US government tried to bring down against the movement of African people for liberation, and they got their asses handed to them.” – Jesse Nevel of the Uhuru 3
(Sorry for the late notice, hope you can support the Uhuru 3 in any way you can.)
This Monday December 16, Chairman Omali Yeshitela, Penny Hess and Jesse Nevel will go before Judge William Jung in Federal Court in Tampa where the government wants to put them in prison for 5 years and fine them $250,000 each on a conspiracy conviction entirely tied to their exercising of their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and association.
Come out to the Anti-Colonial Free Speech Rally the day before the Sentencing Hearing of Chairman Omali Yeshitela Penny Hess and Jesse Nevel!
When: Sunday, December 15th @ 4pm ET
Where: Uhuru House, 1245 18th Avenue S, St. Petersburg, FL 33705
Show your support for the Uhuru 3 in their fight to defeat the U.S. government's attempt to end free speech rights by attacking Chairman Omali the leader of the worldwide African liberation movement along with Penny Hess and Jesse Nevel two white people who work under the Chairman's leadership for reparations to African people.
Invited speakers include:
- Omali Yeshitela, African People’s Socialist Party
- Jesse Nevel, Uhuru Solidarity Movement
- Penny Hess, African People’s Solidarity Committee
- Pam Africa, MOVE Family Africa
- Caleb Maupin, Center for Political Innovation
- Efia Nwangaza, WMXT Radio and Malcolm X Center for Self Determination
- Belinda Parker Brown, Louisiana United International
- Charles Barron, former NY City Councilman, leader of Operation Power
- Betty Davis, New Abolitionist Movement, member of Black Is Back Coalition for Social Justice and Reparations
- Scott Ritter, US weapons inspector
Watch the livestream:
Uhuru 3 Sentencing Hearing *PACK THE COURTROOM* @ Tampa, Fl - Federal Courthouse + other activities
Mon Dec 16th 9:00am - 12:00pm (EST)
Federal Courthouse - Sam Gibbons United States Courthouse, 801 S Florida Ave, Tampa, FL 33602, USA
Date: Monday, December 16, 2024 beginning at 9am ET, Courtroom 17
Sign up to pack the court HERE.
Dec 6, 2024
The Syrian "Rebels" are (officially) Terrorists
From CNN (Dec 2, 2024):
“Let me be clear that the US is in no way involved in the operations you see playing out in and around Aleppo in northwestern Syria, which as you know are being led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a designated terrorist organization,” Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary said in reference to a group known as HTS.
The dilemma for the US was further put into focus by national security adviser Jake Sullivan, who told CNN on Sunday that HTS is a “a terrorist organization designated by the United States. So, we have real concerns about the designs and objectives of that organization.”
“At the same time, of course, we don’t cry over the fact that the Assad government, backed by Russia, Iran and Hezbollah, are facing certain kinds of pressure,” Sullivan added.
The founder of HTS, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, previously started a different group, an al Qaeda Syrian affiliate called Jabhat al-Nusra. And despite efforts by HTS to distance itself from al Qaeda, the US designated the group a terror organization in 2018, saying it evolved from the original group.
“As you know, they are formerly known as ‘Nusrah Front,’ an al Qaeda affiliate in Syria, but bottom line is: still a designated terrorist organization,” Ryder said Monday of HTS.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/02/politics/us-syria-diplomatic-situation/index.html
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The U.S. (and Turkey, among others) have been using al-Qaeda/ISIS/etc to try and overthrow Assad since 2013.
https://www.stpete4peace.org/syria
“AQ is on our side in Syria” – Jake Sullivan to Hillary Clinton (Feb 12, 2012)
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September 26, 2024
Putin orders changes to Russia’s nuclear doctrine - what will Biden & the neocons do?
1. ISRAEL WANTS BIDEN TO JOIN WAR IN LEBANON, AND THEN IRAN
2. RUSSIA CHANGES NUCLEAR DOCTRINE - WILL BIDEN BACK OFF?
As you know, the US and the world are facing multiple major foreign policy crises, all of which could significantly, and rapidly change the world. And just the past two weeks, things have begun to spiral out of control.
The world is in this position largely because of the US, Israel and many other European imperialist, racist, colonizer countries, such as France and the UK.
They're also the only countries who are preventing wars in the Middle East and Ukraine from being resolved peacefully.
1. ISRAEL WANTS BIDEN TO JOIN WAR IN LEBANON, AND THEN IRAN
(This will be be brief because many of you probably know all of this, and these topics are being widely covered, including very well by independent media.)
Israel is terrorizing the people of Lebanon, and the US is allowing it to happen. It appears an invasion is imminent, and Israel very much wants Lebanon to retaliate, and they are desperately trying to bring the US into the conflict, and eventually into a war with Iran.
- Previously, a war with Iran was very unlikely, but Israel is behaving in an inhumane, irrational manner, and Netanyahu will only stay out of jail and international court by destroying Gaza, the West Bank (where Israel and its settlers have drastically escalated violence and theft of land in recent weeks), Lebanon, and finally Iran.
- A large number, if not a majority of those in US foreign policy decision making roles, have wanted war with Iran for decades.
- But the military balance of power has shifted, and most experts agree the reality is that Israel and the US do not have the military power to win those wars unless very heavy weapons, including nuclear weapons are used. It appears as though this is the message the Pentagon is trying to get Biden to understand.
A lot of what happens in the coming days will be decided by the response of Hezbollah, Iran, militias in Iraq and Syria, and the Houthis in Yemen. All of them have the right to use force against Israel, but doing so could lead to Israel and the US to essentially wipe them out.
These are sickening thoughts, but Israel has shown the world in Gaza and Lebanon what it is willing to do, and who's going to stop them? Only the US can, and Biden most certainly won't.
2. RUSSIA CHANGES NUCLEAR DOCTRINE - WILL BIDEN BACK OFF?
Russia announced a series of major changes to its nuclear doctrine yesterday, in a sobering warning to the west. Here are some key takeaways, according to RT:
- ATTACK BY A "NON-NUCLEAR STATE": “Aggression against Russia by any non-nuclear state… supported by a nuclear power should be treated as their joint attack,” Putin said. The weapons used in an enemy’s potential strike do not have to be nuclear - they could include anything from ballistic or cruise missiles to strategic aircraft and drones, he stated.
- LOWERING THE NUCLEAR THRESHOLD: The proposed revisions also “clearly state” the conditions under which Russia can proceed to employ atomic weapons, as “receipt of reliable information about a massive launch of air and space attack weapons and their crossing of our state border.”
- EXPANDING THE UMBRELLA TO BELARUS: For the first time, Russia has spelled out that its nuclear deterrent could be used in case of aggression against Belarus as well. “We reserve the right to use nuclear weapons in case of aggression against Russia and Belarus.” Nuclear weapons can be used if an enemy poses a “critical threat to either state’s sovereignty through the use of conventional weapons,” according to the proposal.
Putin reiterated on Wednesday that the use of nuclear weapons remains an “extreme measure” to protect Russian sovereignty, but that Moscow must take into account that the “modern military-political situation is changing dynamically… including the emergence of new sources of military threats and risks for Russia and our allies.”
The changes come as Ukraine's president Zelensky is meeting with the Biden administration today, again seeking approval from the US to send long-range missiles into Russia.
Russia has already made it clear that if the US were to do so, it would mean that the US and NATO would be at war with Russia. And now Russia is changing it's nuclear doctrine in response to the escalating US proxy/hybrid war.
If the US pushes things further, the US will be in a direct war with Russia, according to Putin, and then Russia could use atomic weapons to preemptively stop a missile or drone attack, if it so chooses. Just months ago, the Russian nuclear doctrine only allowed for them to use nukes if someone else used them first. This is how seriously Russia takes the situation today.
Many in the Biden administration - including Biden himself and his neocon foreign policy team - have stated that they believe Russia is bluffing. This is a gross miscalculation that is potentially world-changing.
WHO'S MAKING THESE DECISIONS?
Ultimately, Biden, as Commander in Chief has the final say.
Because Biden is not mentally capable of making many decisions, let alone potentially history altering decisions, is there a mechanism in place to prevent him from doing so?
Many believe that the US military, including the Joint Chiefs of Staff are very strongly advising Biden to take Russia's position extremely seriously, and they are also telling Biden not to further escalate.
Reportedly, this is what happened a couple weeks ago when the British PM asked Biden to approve long-range missile strikes into Russia, and Biden had to back down and say no. Biden was visibly very upset about having to do so.
WHO'S PUSHING FOR ESCALATION?
This is the easiest part to figure out. It's the same who started this war with Russia years ago: the believers in manifest destiny, those who believe America is exceptional and the one indispensable nation. They are empire builders who are fanatical and have gotten the US into wars that have killed millions of people since WWII alone.
It is essentially the entire war machine, including the neocon liberal interventionists who heavily populate the Biden administration, the corporate media (and much of the supposed "left" media), the democratic and republican parties in general, the CIA, and many NATO country leaders, among many others.
As Ukraine's chance of battlefield success has dwindled to near zero, calls for escalation have increased. The neocons, in particular, have no regard for potential consequences - they will do anything to defeat Russia, knowing that if they don't, the US empire will take a near-fatal blow. And what cost is it to these hyper-elitists who won't shed a drop of blood and will make a fortune regardless of how many people die and suffer?
The CIA is tasked with ensuring that the US remains the world's sole superpower, and today Russia has stood up to the empire, so predicting what the US will do is difficult.
With Putin's announcement yesterday, what's not difficult, is to understand Russia's position.
Logic suggests the US will back off, but that seems very unlikely in the long-run. Biden's decisions these next few months could impact the world in ways that could be irreversible.
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August 1, 2024
Israel bombed 5 countries in July; Netanyahu protest recap
Do you trust Netanyahu and Biden to de-escalate the increasingly dangerous situation that Israel and the US are causing in the Middle East?
Israel is lashing out against its neighbors and appears to be pushing for a wider war in the Middle East. They bombed 5 countries in July: Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Yemen & Palestine.
The US not only doesn't try to stop Israel from inflaming the region, but it is also actively participating in the escalation, by recently bombing Syria, Yemen and Iraq, where US airstrikes on Tuesday occurred on the same day Israel assassinated a top Hamas official in Iran. CENTCOM recently said that the US has conducted 196 Operations against ISIS in Iraq and Syria in the first half of 2024.
Asked on Wednesday what assistance the United States would provide if a larger conflict should break out in the Middle East and Israel were attacked, Pentagon secretary Lloyd Austin said, “we certainly will help defend Israel. You saw us do that April. You can expect to see us do that again.”
Many analysts say Lebanon and Iran have no desire to get into a larger war with Israel and the US, which is one reason why their counter-responses to Israel’s recent attacks have been measured. But if they militarily respond to the assassinations by Israel this week, Netanyahu will happily ramp-up Israel’s response, and the US will get further involved, of course. US politicians who already support Israel’s genocide in Gaza will be on-board with a wider-scale war in the Middle East.
These same lawmakers have no problem with Netanyahu even though, among other things:
- He is up on corruption charges in his own country.
- He was charged this year by the International Criminal Court with war crimes, and there is a warrant out for his arrest.
- His country’s occupation of the Gaza strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, was declared unlawful by the International Court of Justice on July 19 in a “landmark ruling” in which the Court stated that “Israel's legislation and measures violate the international prohibition on racial segregation and apartheid.” “The ICJ mandated Israel to end its occupation, dismantle its settlements, provide full reparations to Palestinian victims and facilitate the return of displaced people.”
In spite of all of this, Netanyahu was given 58 standing ovations when he addressed Congress last week.
While Netanyahu had the red carpet rolled out for him, people protesting him outside the Capitol were not being treated quite as well.
A couple of us were at the protests of Netanyahu at the Capitol last week, and here are a few observations:
- It was a very impactful day – by far one of the best national protests we've attended, and it confirmed that these protests are strong and are having a meaningful impact.
- Most of the protestors were focused, purposeful and lovingly serious. Many people at the protest have had family and friends killed in Gaza.
- Most of the people speaking at the rally were excellent and spoke with conviction, and largely without restraint. Since 9/11, it has been difficult for many Muslims to speak up – but those who spoke at the rally didn’t seem to hold much back.
- The rally and march lasted about 6 hours and the energy was very high the whole time, which is not always the case.
- Not only was there was zero talk of Biden/Harris/Democrats being good/better for Palestine, but there was also a lot of resentment towards them. (The same was true about Trump/Republicans – but that’s almost always the case at these types of protests.) The disillusionment amongst Arab/Muslims with the current American government was much greater than in years past.
- There were at least 40,000 protestors, which was an unexpectedly high number for a protest on a Wednesday.
- About 75% of the protestors were either under the age of 30, female, and/or Arab/Muslim. This is not typical. This may have been one of the most interesting and significant observations.
- The protest was pushed back away from the Capitol more than we ever have experienced, by far.
- It's typical to have a heavy police presence, but this was worse than normal in terms of numbers, but in terms of brutality, it was relatively very light. Law enforcement from around the country were brought in and the cops from New York City got vehemently yelled at by thousands and thousands of protesters for hours because of their treatment of protesters at Columbia Univ.
- The rally and march were organized by multiple groups who did a great job and kept a step ahead of cops as the march was being diverted – it was a bit of a cat and mouse game. On a couple of occasions, cops got so frazzled that they were running into each other on bikes.
- Other than a few incidents, the protest was perfectly peaceful, as usual. We got pepper-sprayed and were about 20 ft away when the cops set off a flash grenade, which was jolting and a little painful. Unfortunately, some people spray-painted monuments at Union Station which didn’t help our cause. One of the messages was ‘Hamas is coming’ which of course ended up being what people heard about. What was cool, though was when US flags were replaced with Palestinian flags at Union Station!
- There were essentially no Zionist counter-protestors/thugs which was very unexpected, but very welcome news.
Overall, it was a highly successful day that provided pressure to leaders and hope to Palestinians.
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May 5, 2024 Update
Will historic Gaza student protests continue despite repression?
This email was started a couple weeks ago to help draw attention to the Gaza solidarity encampments on college campuses, and wow, there’s no need to do that now as the protests have been the biggest, or one of the biggest news stories around the world this past week!
We may be seeing history in the making with the increasing presence of demonstrations by college students across the US and the world.
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Here are some updates and thoughts…
• There are student encampments in at least 38 states and 125 campuses.
• Protests are quickly spreading around the world. From London to Paris, Rome, Sydney, Tokyo, Beirut, New Delhi, Mexico City, Montreal and more.
• As horrific as things are in Gaza, the historic student solidarity encampments that started at Columbia University have brought much needed hope to Palestinians, and to everyone who wants the war to end now.
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This one-minute video will make your day:
Gaza students send thank you to pro-Palestine student protesters in the US.
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The protests are putting an immense amount of pressure on US universities, war profiteers, the media, and on the US government and this is being talked about by everyday people much more now than one month ago due to the protests.
It’s a hugely pleasant surprise to have American college students be the ones to lead the way and there is a certain pleasing symmetry to it as well, given America’s complicity and responsibility for Gaza.
• Students for Justice in Palestine, Jewish Voice for Peace, the Gaza Freedom Flotilla, CODEPINK, the Party for Socialism and Liberation, the United National Antiwar Coalition, ANSWER, the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights, alternative media journalists, and others who’ve been bringing attention to Israel and the United States’ genocide in Gaza, have paved the way.
• Knowledgeable, energetic youth leading a movement must worry the establishment.
• Many of the protests are led by women, people of color, and/or by Muslims. These types of connections provide an opportunity for people to make friends with and learn about people they wouldn’t have otherwise. This should help add steam to the protests, as well as help create a more harmonious future.
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Demands among protesters vary slightly by university, but the basic message has been clear and to the point: Universities must stop doing business with Israel and companies that support the war in Gaza. The protests have also called for a ceasefire. This simple message makes it easy for people to explain and to understand.
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Could this be the biggest student movement since Vietnam? Could this be a generational shift in the way young people view US foreign policy? Or is the repression going push students away and then protests could slowly dwindle in size, as we’ve seen the past couple days?
• Many student protesters are just learning how violent the US, Israel, UK, France, etc. truly are.
• Something to consider: Do you remember when you first started learning about how atrocious US foreign policy is? Young students are sponges, and they have access to much more information, and can get it much, much faster than in the past.
• Imagine the conversations protesters are having with their family and friends. Because of these protests, people are somewhat being forced to think about US foreign policy, and in some cases, to make some changes to their belief set.
• The police chiefs, mayors and governors - who have directed police to arrest at least 2,300 people in the past two weeks - have initially seen their strategy backfire, as the protests have grown the past couple weeks in response. But some people may now be apprehensive to continue, or to join the protests due to the police brutality, in addition to the school expulsions, and workplace firings.
• Imagine the lawsuits to be brought against universities and law enforcement.
• With summer approaching, students will have more free time, and the protests could expand. Or, because the encampments are on college campuses, the protests could get smaller. And living in a tent for extended periods of time is not for everyone.
• It will be interesting to see if the protesters change tactics.
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If Israel invades Rafah (on Friday, Netanyahu again promised that they will invade), student protests around the world will almost certainly grow, regardless of the repression.
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• The media, advertisers, and everyday viewers enjoy covering and watching the protests, in part because of the excitement, the violence, the young people, and the drama.
• But the media is also covering the protests because the topic is Gaza, which they’ve been covering (surprisingly) closely already.
• (Alternative media has been covering this story for 75 years, so this refers to the establishment, corporate, mainstream media, of course.)
• The media has been shifting their views lately towards a more pro-Palestine stance (excluding Fox News which is hopeless on this topic.)
• The words genocide, apartheid and Zionism are being used a little more often in the media, and they are showing protest banners and signs with those words more than expected.
• Everyday there are news stories that make you want to scream because you know they are factually wrong or misleading. But there are also many stories that expose what Israel and the US are doing. For example, NBC did an investigative report on how on seven separate occasions Israel told people in Gaza to flee south only to later bomb them in the place they were told to flee.
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The New York Times: How Counter-Protesters at U.C.L.A. Provoked Violence, Unchecked for Hours
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Young people are trendsetters, and their demographic really appeals to advertisers and politicians, so the protests - and the reasons behind them - have a chance to become some part of pop culture in the form of music, movies, TV, etc.
Will the protests stop Israel from invading Rafah? Maybe not, but they’re definitely putting pressure on the US and Israel not to do so.
The world has been trying to stop Netanyahu, but the US has been the roadblock. US politicians are now facing the wrath of young people and Arab and Muslim adult voters.
With all the other issues that are dividing Americans, and with so many more people learning about how violent the US is to the rest of the world, is this topic adding to the sense that the US is at somewhat of a point of reckoning?
What Israel is doing in Gaza seems to have sped up the transition to a multipolar world, as the Global South has another reason to cut ties with Israel, the US and the West. Chad and Niger recently announced they are expelling the US military from their countries – this type of thing is happening much more regularly now. And Gaza could be one of the final straws to eventually ending western hegemony, because the world is repulsed by what Israel and the US are doing.
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The site has once again been remodeled to try to make it as easy as possible for readers to get US foreign policy news. There are no pop-ups or ads, so at least you won’t be annoyed! The news is listed chronologically, and if you’re just interested in Palestine, for example, you can go to the Middle East page and that way you don’t have to sift through all the news about what the US has been doing with Russia, China, Venezuela, Somalia, etc., etc., etc.
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Peace
Feb 29, 2024 Update
“I will no longer be complicit in genocide”- Aaron Bushnell
On Feb. 20 the US vetoed a third UN resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. The next day, the US defended Israel’s occupation of the West Bank at the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
In this context, a few of us talked and started putting together an email exploring the topic of American complicity in Gaza. Because it’s a complex and sensitive topic there was some hesitation to send it out.
And then Aaron Bushnell brought the topic of complicity out in the open.
On Sunday, as most of you are probably aware, Aaron Bushnell, a 25 year-old senior airman in the US Air Force, self-immolated in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington DC to protest what Israel and the US are doing in Gaza.
“I am an active-duty member of the United States Air Force, and I will no longer be complicit in genocide. I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest, but compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers, it’s not extreme at all. This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal” said Bushnell. He shouted “Free Palestine” as he was dying.
There have been a handful of particularly honorable, heroic people since 9/11: Pat Tillman, Julian Assange, Edward Snowden, Chelsea Manning, and now Aaron Bushnell.
It’s heartbreaking to see a person choose to end their life in protest of their government’s actions - and this is a stain on the US Empire for pushing him to that point - but his choice will resonate and is forcing people to sincerely consider their part in what is happening in Gaza.
If you live in the US, the UK, Germany, France, Australia, Canada, or any other western country that is funding, arming, and supporting Israel’s actions in Palestine, are you, as a citizen, complicit? Are there levels of complicity? In particular, in the US:
* If you don’t support what Israel is doing, and you didn’t vote for any of the people in the government who today are supporting Israel’s actions, are you complicit?
* What if you voted for Biden or a congressmember in the US who is supporting Israel, but you personally don’t support what Israel is doing, are you complicit?
* In the future if you vote for someone who today is supporting Israel’s genocide, then you surely are complicit, right?
* Just hours after Aaron Bushnell’s actions, Joe Biden was on the Seth Meyers TV show where he said, “you need not be a Jew to be a Zionist, I’m a Zionist”. Biden said the same thing last October, after Israel invaded Gaza. If you are still a Biden supporter, then you definitely are complicit to genocide, correct?
* If you live in the US, do you ever feel guilty about living in the Empire - the most violent country, by far, since WWII? The US was built on theft, slavery, colonization and today, imperial power. Do you consider your American privilege in the context of what the US does around the world?
* Do you think about how already in 2024 the US has bombed inside four countries: Yemen, Iraq, Syria and Somalia? Israel has bombed three: Palestine, Lebanon and Syria – all with US taxpayer support and bombs. Can we imagine what it’d be like living inside a country that is being bombed?
Dec 14, 2023 Update
How Can Israel Be Stopped?
“All of our missiles, the ammunition, the precision-guided bombs, all the airplanes and bombs, it’s all from the US. The minute they turn off the tap, you can’t keep fighting. You have no capability. … Everyone understands that we can’t fight this war without the United States. Period.” – Ret. Israeli Major General Yitzhak Brick.
This surprisingly honest quote provides a simple roadmap to stopping Israel – the US must stop giving them weapons. He clearly states that Israel could not continue without US support. Period.
Not only is the US arming and funding Israel’s genocide, but it’s also giving them diplomatic cover and is blocking world opinion - most recently last week at the UN by vetoing a Security Council resolution that demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. The US has previously vetoed dozens of other UN resolutions regarding Israel's occupation of Palestine.
The New York Times ran an opinion piece this week by leaders of some of the world’s largest global humanitarian organizations. They wrote that they have never seen anything like the siege of Gaza which has already killed at least 7,500 Palestinian children. “A significant change in approach from the U.S. government is needed today to pull Gaza back from this abyss … For a start, the Biden administration must stop its diplomatic interference at the United Nations, blocking calls for a cease-fire.”
If the US continues to arm Israel and give them diplomatic immunity, Israel will not stop until they’ve taken all of Gaza and probably the West Bank, too, while murdering thousands more innocent Palestinians.
Conversely, if the US ends its support, Israel will most likely be forced to stop. Ultimately the Israeli government will decide if it continues, but without US weapons and without US support in the UN, Israel would be on its own and would face condemnation unlike the world has seen in generations – as it already is in many ways.
So what can make the US government stop its support of Israel’s invasion of Palestine? Among other things, the US voting public needs to stop backing politicians who continue to fund and support Israel’s genocide.
If enough politicians believe they won’t get reelected if they continue to support Israel’s actions, then there’s a chance Israel will be forced to stop.
People in other countries are already pressuring their elected officials to stop supporting Israel’s war. If voters in the US do the same, Israel can be stopped.
St Pete for Peace applauds Jewish Voice for Peace, CODEPINK and many other anti-war groups, activists, congressional and White House staffers and other government employees who are having a meaningful impact by protesting for peace. The same holds true for the journalists and news outlets like Antiwar.com who tirelessly provide critical information and inspiration.
Oct 23, 2023 Update
“The Indispensable Nation” is supporting Israel’s ethnic cleansing of Palestinians
May 26, 2023 Update
Neo-Nazis Use U.S. Military Vehicles to Attack Inside Russia
What Israel is doing in Palestine is collective punishment, crimes against humanity, terrorism, a massacre, and ethnic cleansing. While these are all serious labels, they are accurate when looking at the facts.
The Israeli government is suffocating and carpet bombing innocent people in Palestine, and the U.S. government is not only onboard with it, but they are also giving Israel the means to do so. According to most reports,
over 2,000 Palestinian children have been killed in 17 days. Many of the deaths are slow and painful, as hospitals are either being bombed or they are running out of medicine.
According to a UN Human Rights Commission report from last Thursday, what is happening to Palestinians could eventually be a genocide. “We are sounding the alarm: There is an ongoing campaign by Israel resulting in crimes against humanity in Gaza. Considering statements made by Israeli political leaders and their allies, accompanied by military action in Gaza and escalation of arrests and killing in the West Bank, there is also a risk of genocide against the Palestinian People,” the report said.
Later that day,
Joe Biden -
in his speech from the Oval Office in trying to drum up support for his $105 billion proposal to send more weapons to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan - said,
“America is a beacon to the world still. Still. We are, as my friend Madeleine Albright said, “the indispensable nation.”
Tonight, there are innocent people all over the world who hope because of us, who believe in a better life because of us, who are desperate not be forgotten be- — by us, and who are waiting for us”.
Biden's statement is out of touch with reality, and trying to convince the world that America is a beacon is being laughed at, if not spit on by much of the world right now. And invoking former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is telling – she’s the person who in 1996 was asked on 60 Minutes about the estimated 500,000 Iraqi children who died because of U.S. sanctions: "We have heard that half a million [Iraqi] children have died. I mean, that is more children than died in Hiroshima. And, you know, is the price worth it?" Albright responded, "I think that is a very hard choice, but the price - we think, the price is worth it."
We all know where Biden and the U.S. government stands on this issue, and quoting Madeleine Albright is another sign that the neo-cons/liberal interventionists continue to control the narrative and policy making decisions, which makes this situation bleak.
* Since the U.S. announced it's sending troops, warships and weapons to the region in support of Israel, why shouldn’t Iran, Lebanon, Syria or any other country be able to do the same for Palestine? Particularly Lebanon and Syria who have been bombed by Israel in recent days.
* Some good news - have you noticed that some parts of mainstream media, while still siding with Israel, are becoming less one-sided and are showing videos, pictures and are telling the story of Palestinians unlike they have before? When push comes to shove we know what the headlines will be, but it is encouraging to see some of the coverage.
The Russian defeat of Ukraine in Bakhmut seems to have triggered the U.S. and Ukraine into escalating the war. Things appear to be heading in an increasingly dangerous direction.
There's so much going on, so in case you missed it, below are some stories from this past week. You can read more at ForeignPolicy.News
A neo-Nazi militia launched a cross-border raid from Ukraine into Russia’s Belgorod region on Monday using US armored vehicles,
Financial Times
reported Tuesday...
Denis Nikitin, leader of the Russian Volunteer Corps, said his fighters who attacked Belgorod were in possession of US armored vehicles...
Nikitin is a well-known extremist who has ties to neo-Nazis across the world and has his own white nationalist clothing line. According to Financial Times, the Russian Volunteer Corps “includes self-avowed neo-Nazis.”
The group was formed in 2022 and is said to be comprised of Russian citizens who have volunteered to fight for Kyiv. Some of its members signed up to fight in the Donbas war back in 2014 and are Azov Battalion veterans.
Washington is investigating reports that U.S. military vehicles were used in raids on Russia, a White House official said Wednesday, warning Ukraine and pro-Ukraine forces against using U.S. equipment to attack inside Russia.
Andriy Chernyak, an official from Ukraine's military intelligence directorate, HUR, acknowledged for the first time some form of co-operation with the [militias who claimed responsibility for the attacks inside Russia]. "Of course, we communicate with them. Of course, we share some information, Chernyak said. And, one might say, we even co-operate."
Vadym Skibitsky, deputy head of Ukraine's military intelligence service, told Germany's Die Welt newspaper in an interview that Kyiv wanted to assassinate Russian president Vladimir Putin
The notorious Ukrainian “kill list” that identified the Zelensky regime’s opponents like Aaron Maté, Scott Ritter, Roger Waters and even Henry Kissinger has added a new name: Jimmy Dore. The list is ostensibly maintained by an independent group, but an investigation into funding reveals that the Ukrainian government is behind the effort, as well as U.S. and NATO cutouts.
And this Saturday is the International Day of Action - Drop the Charges Against the Uhuru 3!
May 11, 2023 Update
Drop the Charges Against the "Uhuru 3"
Hi everyone,
This is Chris Ernesto, one of the co-founders of St. Pete for Peace.
I am in absolute solidarity with the "Uhuru 3" (African People’s Socialist Party Chairman Omali Yeshitela and Uhuru solidarity leaders Penny Hess and Jesse Nevel) who are being falsely charged as “Russian agents.”
The Uhuru Movement helped shape my views on U.S. foreign policy, free speech and the liberation of people being oppressed by the U.S. Empire and its colonial partners. They have a wealth of knowledge that many of us are fortunate to continue to learn from.
They are the most intelligent, principled and focused group I've worked with. They led the years-long struggle for free speech at Baywalk. They are strong, and the charges against them are bogus and desperate. I know they're going to win, and I look forward to the day the U.S. government gets faced for attacking people because of their beliefs.
Uhuru!
April 16, 2023 Update
US coercion is losing its effectiveness and the damaging leaks don't help
April has already been one of the busiest, and most newsworthy months for world affairs in a long time. Much of what’s happening is very encouraging, if not good news that may help slow down the war in Ukraine, and possibly hinder or stop other US global ambitions.
- The intelligence leaks are very damaging to US aspirations in Ukraine and abroad.
- US coercion is not working like it used to – the world is rapidly realigning.
- A rare anti-Empire statement from a political figure – RFK Jr.
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INTELLIGENCE LEAKS
The intelligence leaks have already damaged US aspirations in Ukraine. Not only do the documents confirm US direct involvement in the war, but they also show that the US is exaggerating and, in some cases, lying about Ukraine’s military accomplishments and capabilities.
Here are what some of the documents regarding Ukraine have said so far:
- Without a massive influx of advanced munitions, Ukraine’s entire air defense network will “be completely reduced” by late May, and most of Ukraine’s critical national infrastructure outside Kyiv and two other areas in southwestern Ukraine will no longer have air-defense cover.
[Many military analysts say this is the most important battlefield revelation thus far because it means Russia would have complete control of Ukraine’s airspace.]
- The number of Ukrainian weapons, tanks and other military equipment was detailed.
[These figures display a much weaker Ukrainian force than has been portrayed by leaders and leads to real-life questions about Ukraine’s ability to fight moving forward.]
- Special Forces from NATO countries are in Ukraine: UK (50), Latvia (17), France (15), US (14) and the Netherlands (1).
[When asked about this, White House spokesperson John Kirby acknowledged the presence of Special Forces, but said they were just at the embassy in Kiev.]
- One of the documents summarized the training schedules of 12 Ukraine combat brigades and said nine were being trained by US and NATO forces.
[This contradicts Kirby’s assertion above]
- Some NATO weapon supply chains and weapons facilities were identified.
[This is more proof of NATO’s direct military involvement in Ukraine. Also, on Thursday, just days after the documents were leaked, Russia destroyed a large weapons depot based on the leaked intelligence.]
- The New York Times reported that “the leaks have caused concern in foreign capitals that intelligence shared in Washington might be subject to exposure and has caused embarrassment over the reminder that the United States spies on even its closes allies, including South Korea and Israel.” Bill Lynn, a former US deputy secretary of defense who now serves as CEO of arms company Leonardo DRS, told CNBC, “It’s hard to trust us with your secrets if we can’t protect them.”
[This statement from the CEO validates the seriousness of the leaks and their potential consequences.]
- The US supported a failed Ukrainian attack in October on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
[Similar to blowing up the Nord Stream pipeline, the US is willing to commit acts of sabotage, war and eco-terrorism in its desperate attempts to affect the balance of power in Ukraine - even if that means creating an environmental disaster.]
- The US does not expect peace talks this year.
[Russia and Ukraine reached an agreement to end the war on April 1, 2022, but the US wouldn’t let it happen then, and it’s not letting it happen now. The US and Ukrainians continue to say that negotiations will only take place when Russia withdraws all troops and gives back all territorial gains. Maybe now with the intel leaks painting a more realistic picture of the situation on the ground they will reconsider their unrealistic position.]
Regarding how the leaks occurred, the information is still coming in, so we’ll see where that goes. The even more significant issue is the content of the leaks, and how they may help disintegrate support for the war and may damage America’s dominant position around the world. And all of this comes at a time in history when the US is already losing global influence at an unexpectedly fast pace.
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US COERCION
The decades-long era of America coercing other countries into behaving as it orders is beginning to fade.
Saudi Arabia’s rapprochements with Iran (brokered by China) and with Syria (brokered by Russia) last month are historic and have already changed the face of the Middle East.
Even in the early stages of collaboration, the Arab world today is more unified than it has been in many, many years.
Because of these developments, the war in Yemen* appears to be ending. There is now potential for the US/Israeli war in Syria to at least slow down.
Middle Eastern countries are now beginning to work with each other instead of against each other, leading to a loss of US influence and control in the region.
(As a side note, the US spent $21 trillion in its War on Terror that killed over 1 million people) and today it has less control and influence than it did before the start of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.)
Changes in the Middle East are part of a rapidly evolving geopolitical and global economic realignment throughout Asia, Africa, and Latin America, as well.
Self-determination is being publicly demanded by world leaders and their people as brewing discontent with America’s “rules-based order” is boiling over.
Many developing countries are redefining their relationship with America as they publicly express a preference to have international relationships be based on mutual respect and shared prosperity, thus the appeal of China and Russia, according to them.
Even long-time US allies are now publicly expressing their own autonomous, independent views. Recently:
- France’s leader Emmanuel Macron said, "Being an ally does not mean being a vassal... doesn't mean that we don't have the right to think for ourselves," when describing why Europe should not be a “follower” of the US or China on the issue of Taiwan.
- Hungary, a member of NATO and the EU, said last week that the war in Ukraine would end if the West stops sending weapons.
- In March, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said the US are “liars” who "believes it's the government of the world."
- In a historic meeting last week in China, Brazil’s president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called for the end of the dollar’s trade dominance. “Every night I ask myself why all countries have to base their trade on the dollar … Why can’t we do trade based on our own currencies … Who was it that decided that the dollar was the currency after the disappearance of the gold standard?” Prior to his remarks, China and Brazil reached an agreement to conduct trade and financial transactions in their own currencies, not in the US dollar.
*The war in Yemen, which has destroyed much of the Arab world’s most ancient culture and has killed over 300,000 people, was started by the Obama administration in 2009, not by Saudi Arabia in 2015 as is widely reported. Saudi Arabia just took over various military aspects of the war under US command.
For more: foreignpolicy.news/multipolar
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RFK JR QUOTE
“The collapse of US influence over Saudi Arabia and the Kingdom’s new alliances with China and Iran are painful emblems of the abject failure of the Neocon strategy of maintaining US global hegemony with aggressive projections of military power. China has displaced the American Empire by deftly projecting, instead, economic power. Over the past decade, our country has spent trillions bombing roads, ports, bridges, and airports. China spent the equivalent building the same across the developing world. The Ukraine war is the final collapse of the Neocon's short-lived “American Century.” The Neocon projects in Iraq and Ukraine have cost $8.1 trillion, hollowed out our middle class, made a laughingstock of US military power and moral authority, pushed China and Russia into an invincible alliance, destroyed the dollar as the global currency, cost millions of lives and done nothing to advance democracy or win friendships or influence.”
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