Stephen Lendman's blog

Commemorating Land Day

by Stephen Lendman

On March 30, Palestinians worldwide observe Land Day. They've done so since 1976.

Nationwide protests and general strike action erupted. At issue was Israel's land confiscation policy and brutal occupation harshness. 

Regime Change Begins at Home

by Stephen Lendman

Charles Derber's book by that title says it's the only way to free America from corporate rule. It transformed America from "we the people" to what CEOs say goes.

Depositor Haircuts: The New Normal

by Stephen Lendman

On March 29, Cyprus Mail said banks opened Thursday. They did so amid calm. 

Long lines queued. People waited patiently. A feared stampede didn't materialize. Whether it's the calm before the storm remains to be seen.

Cyprus Postmortems: Part II

by Stephen Lendman

On March 28, Cyrus Mail said banks opened for the first time in almost two weeks. They did so at midday local time. Cypriots face draconian restrictions. How they'll react remains to be seen.

NYT Editors Ignore GMO Health Dangers

by Stephen Lendman

It doesn't surprise. Times policy is irresponsible. It's unprincipled. It's reprehensible. It's longstanding. It supports wealth, power and privilege. 

It endorses what demands condemnation. It ignores GMO dangers. Doing so betrays its readers. More on that below.

Honduran Police State Repression

by Stephen Lendman

On June 28, 2009, Obama colluded with Honduran fascists. With US approval and support, they ousted Honduras' democratically elected president.

Manuel Zelaya was arrested at home. Security forces confronted him at gunpoint.

New BRICS Development Bank Announced

by Stephen Lendman

In September 2006, four original BRIC nations met in New York. On May 16, 2008, Yekaterinburg, Russia hosted a full-scale diplomatic meeting.

In June 2009, Brazil, Russia, India and China again met in Yekaterinburg.

Destroying Public Education in Chicago

by Stephen Lendman

It's on the chopping block for elimination. It's happening nationwide. Chicago perhaps reflects the epicenter of what's wrong.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel spent years waging war on progressive politics. He's a former investment banker. He's a corporate predator turned politician. He's an unindicted war criminal. He belongs in prison, not City Hall.

Washington Escalates War on Syria

by Stephen Lendman

Ousting Assad was planned years ago. At issue is replacing him with a pro-Western puppet. After two years of conflict, he hangs on resiliently. 

Whether he'll survive is uncertain. Syria's military is strong and supportive. Free Syrian Army and US-recruited death squads are weak by comparison.

Cyprus Postmortems

by Stephen Lendman

Solutions worse than problems don't resolve them. Cypriots face protracted hard times. Former IMF chief economist Michael Mussa explained three kinds of crises: liquidity, solvency and stupidity.

Expanding Guantanamo

by Stephen Lendman

In 2008, candidate Obama promised to close Guantanamo. Straightaway as president, he issued Executive Order titled "Review and Disposition of Individuals Detained at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base and Closure of Detention Facilities."

Obama Spurns Palestinian Rights

by Stephen Lendman

He frankly doesn't give a damn. He spent three days in Israel. He showed one-sided support. He gave Palestinians short shrift. He spent token time in Ramallah. 

He told Israelis "so long as there is a United States of America, Ah-tem lo lah-vahd (You are not alone)." He left no doubt what he means. 

Cyprus Update

by Stephen Lendman

It's all over but the post mortems. Eurocrats demanded their pound of flesh. Cypriot officials surrendered. 

They sold out their people. They deserve better. Expect greater than ever hard times. Expect growing poverty, unemployment and despair. Expect public anger. At issue is whether it'll bubble up and explode.

What Follows Turkish/Israeli Reconciliation 

by Stephen Lendman

A separate article called it grand betrayal. Aggrieved families were denied justice. What's ahead matters most. Be concerned. Be very concerned.

Shameless NYT Defense of Obamacare

by Stephen Lendman

Obamacare is a healthcare rationing scheme. It enriches insurers, drug companies and large hospital chains.

Universal, single-payer coverage alone works. Obama and complicit Democrats spurned it. 

Cyprus Seeks 11th Hour Deal

by Stephen Lendman

When politicians conspire with bankers, ordinary people suffer most. Cypriot crisis conditions continue. One bad plan follows others.

The latest is unprecedented. Cypriot and Eurocrat officials are close to agreement. At issue is levying a one-time 20% tax on Bank of Cyprus deposits over 100,000 euros. Similar amounts in other banks will be assessed 4%.

Grand Betrayal

by Stephen Lendman

Turkey and Israel reconciled. Headlines announced it. They reflect grand betrayal. It's duplicitous. It's too little, too late. More on that below.

Israel bears full responsibility. Officials ordering nine cold-blooded murders remain unaccountable. Corpses won't be reborn. Family survivors aren't assuaged. They deserve better. They were promised justice. They're denied it.

Payday Loans: Modern Day Usury

by Stephen Lendman

Payday loans let predatory lenders rip off unwary borrowers. They provide short-term unsecured quick cash. It comes at a high price. It matches the worst of loan shark practices.

High Noon in Cyprus

by Stephen Lendman

The Wall Street Journal said "Cyprus braces for a long weekend." It's not over 'till it's over. What's ahead bodes ill for Cypriots. 

Obama in Jerusalem 

by Stephen Lendman

Rhetoric doesn't reflect policy. What matters most is what Obama means, not what he says. His agenda affirms one-sided Israeli support. He spurns Palestinian rights. He's done so throughout his tenure. 

He's not about to change now. Palestinians have no friends in Washington. For sure they have none in high places. 

Lawless NYPD Spying on Muslims

by Stephen Lendman

Post-9/11, America declared war on Islam. Muslims became public enemy number one. They're stereotypically portrayed as culturally inferior, dirty, lecherous, untrustworthy, religiously fanatical and violent.

Doing so turns truth on its head. It also violates the Constitution's First Amendment. It guarantees religious freedom. It means free from persecution. 

Grand Theft Cyprus: Part II

by Stephen Lendman

Cypriot legislators rejected Plan A. At issue was taxing savings accounts over 100,000 euros 9.9% and small depositors 6.75%. Plan B followed. 

On March 21, the Financial Times headlined "Cyprus targets big depositors in bank plan," saying:

Unbreakable US/Israeli Ties

by Stephen Lendman

Longstanding US/Israeli ties remain firm. Obama's visit reinforces them. It does more. 

It assures continued support. It endorses hardline extremism. It affirms occupation harshness. It lets Israel do what it pleases.

Washington Supports Venezuelan Opposition

by Stephen Lendman

It's an open secret. Throughout Chavez's tenure, America supported opposition candidates. Quasi-government agencies did so. They're at it again now.

New York Times Hypocrisy

by Stephen Lendman

NYT's attempts to set the record straight are duplicitous. They come too late to matter.

On May 26, 2004, Times editors headlined "The Times and Iraq," saying:

Obama in Israel

by Stephen Lendman

His visit bodes ill, not good. He left late Tuesday night. On March 20, he arrived around noon Israeli time.

Secretary of State John Kerry came earlier. Scores of officials, aides and security personnel accompanied him and Obama.

America's Genocidal Iraq War

by Stephen Lendman

March 19 marks its 10th anniversary. Permanent occupation is policy. Killing, destruction, toxic pollution, and human misery remain unabated. Pre-2003 Iraq no longer exists.

America's Iraq war is one of history's greatest crimes. It followed Gulf War devastation and punishing sanctions. 

Grand Theft Cyprus

by Stephen Lendman

Cyprus is tiny. Its population numbers about a million. Its GDP is miniscule by Western standards. It's 0.2% of Europe's economy. It's entrapped under Eurozone straightjacket rules. 

They impose financial tyranny. Dissimilar countries surrender monetary and fiscal control. Doing so abandons effective ways to combat recessions.

Escalating Syria's War

by Stephen Lendman

Syria is Washington's war. It was planned years ago. At issue is regime change. America tolerates no independent governments. It wants pro-Western puppet ones replacing them.

Death squad terror is policy. Washington upped the stakes. Headlines suggest chemical weapons use. Both sides trade accusations. Nothing's verified.

Remembering Rachel Corrie

by Stephen Lendman

Rachel represented the best of courageous activism. She put her body on the line for justice. She did so because it matters. She's gone but not forgotten.

Ten years ago on March 16, an Israeli bulldozer driver murdered her in cold blood. She tried stopping a Rafah refugee camp home demolition.