The Persistence of Pinkerism

By David Swanson, World BEYOND War, November 12, 2021

I’m old enough to remember when you couldn’t do a speaking event related to war and peace without being asked numerous reasonable and not so reasonable questions about 9/11 (each accompanied by a stack of DVDs and flyers presented to you as a revelation from on high). There was a long period when you could count on the inevitable question about “peak oil.” I’ve been around enough to know that you can’t talk to peace-oriented people read more

A warlike nation, the US has an appalling disinterest in peace: Let’s Just be Honest and Call November 11 Forgetting Day

By Dave Lindorff

Back on November 11, 1918, with the end of World War I, once the most bloody war in history, and with a two-year deadly flu pandemic raging, caused in large part by the war and the rapid spread of the disease by infected troops returning to their homes,  nobody was in the mood to celebrate anything.

The four-year war, fought not to defend democracy” as our national mythology tells us, but as a cat-fight read more

Tomgram: Rajan Menon, America Has a Drinking Problem

This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com. To receive TomDispatch in your inbox three times a week, click here.

It remains the most famous line of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” — and yes, of course, you know what it is:

“Water, water, everywhere,
And all the boards did shrink;
Water, water, everywhere,
Nor any drop to drink.”

In a sense, that sums up America’s water problems described so vividly, if painfully, by read more

Feel Like NPR Is Spewing Corrupt Propaganda? Here’s Why.

NPR posted a story called “Feel like you don’t fit in either political party? Here’s why.” Of course I knew why. Neither party supports anything remotely close to my views on government budgets, climate, environment, taxation, militarism, healthcare, retirement, housing, education, transportation, or any other significant policy area.

But NPR’s story was about a Pew poll that asked 16 questions read more

Tomgram: Hartung and Smithberger, The Pentagon’s Yearly Blank Check

This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com. To receive TomDispatch in your inbox three times a week, click here.

Today, TomDispatch regulars and Pentagon experts William Hartung and Mandy Smithberger consider the way the funding of the U.S. military and the industrial complex that goes with it has headed for what used to be called “the wild blue yonder.” After all, it’s just about the only thing a Congress that can’t otherwise seem to reach an accord agrees about.

In a strange read more

Talk World Radio Debate: Reform War or Abolish It?

Talk World Radio is recorded as audio and video on Riverside.fm (except when it doesn’t work, and then Zoom is used). Here is this week’s video and all the videos on Youtube.

This week on Talk World Radio, we’re going to hold a bit of a respectful and civil debate. I’m going to take the position that we should be focused on preventing wars and defunding militaries even at the expense of working to reform wars. My guest, Leonard Rubenstein’s position includes support read more

Tomgram: Liz Theoharis, The Politics of the Poor in an America on Edge

This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com. To receive TomDispatch in your inbox three times a week, click here.

Consider it strange indeed that Congress won’t even blink when asked to fund the military — anything military whatsoever. In fact, when the Biden administration suggested a Pentagon budget of a staggering $715 billion for fiscal year 2022, both parties in the House of Representatives responded by insisting on read more

Video: Militaries As Global Health Threat

By Rotary Club of Fort Collins, November 4, 2021

David Swanson spoke on November 3, 2021, with the Rotary Club of Fort Collins. The views he expressed were his, obviously, and not those of the Rotary Club of Fort Collins. But they could be yours. That’s up to you.