Don’t Bring a Sword to a Gun Fight, Bring Unarmed Friends

By David Swanson, World BEYOND War, September 28, 2024

Without a handful of nations — and principally one nation — arming the world to the teeth, we wouldn’t have wars, or at least not wars that looked like these horrors that we do have and that risk nuclear apocalypse. Most wars have identical weapons on both sides and almost nothing rational or sensible, and almost nothing honest ever said, about the entire enterprise.

Without the long-running predictable and predicted and protested efforts read more

Tomgram: Engelhardt, An All-American Satan?

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

In a Lost Universe (With You Know Who) Creating a Genuine Hell on Earth By

Imagine yourself in space, looking down on our world and yet unable to return any time soon.

Consider it our bad luck, in fact, that Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita Williams were the two Americans sent to the International Space read more

Mapping the U.S. Empire

By David Swanson, World BEYOND War, September 25, 2024
Remarks at #NOWAR2024

We’ve heard a lot over the past few days about the damage foreign bases do and the good work people do to prevent them or close them. World BEYOND War works with our chapters, affiliates, and friends around the world on campaigns against bases. And we work globally to provide resources to these campaigns. The headquarters for getting informed and getting involved is worldbeyondwar.org/bases read more

The New York Times Wants More Weapons

The New York Times is hyping a report by war profiteers proposing higher war spending.

The report is here. It’s on the website of the United States Senate Armed “Services” Committee, but the authors are Congresswoman Jane Harman, chair; Ambassador Eric Edelman, vice chair; General John M. Keane; Thomas G. Mahnken; Mara Rudman; Mariah Sixkiller; Alissa Starzak; Roger Zakheim.

Harman has not actually been a Congresswoman for 13 years, 10 of which years she has spent working for the weapons-company-funded read more

Tomgram: Andrea Mazzarino, War Doesn’t End When It “Ends”

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

We normally think of wartime and peacetime as two distinct and separate realities. When wars end, they end. Period. Unfortunately, when it comes to modern wars, that’s been anything but the case, as TomDispatch regular Andrea Mazzarino makes clear in a striking fashion today. She read more

Together for Peace

By David Swanson, World BEYOND War, September 21, 2024

Remarks via zoom to conference in St. Petersburg, Russia, on September 21, 2024.

It’s wonderful to be joining you even virtually in St. Petersburg, which I am informed is even more beautiful than Moscow, which I was fortunate enough to visit seven years ago — Moscow is a wonderful city 20 times the size of Washington, D.C. Just the long hours of sunlight were amazing to me. I met a lot of wonderful people when I was there. I didn’t agree read more

Please Stop Saying That Every War Is Not a War But Something Bad

By David Swanson, World BEYOND War, September 20, 2024

Yes, I’m going to say this again. I’ve heard not the slightest hint of a refutation or objection to it, and yet so many, many people ignore it.

For the love of all that is decent, immediately stop the self-defeating idiocy of calling every goddamned war “not a war.”

Please. With all due respect.

“It’s not a war. It’s terrorism.” “It’s not a war. It’s genocide.” “It’s not a war. It’s an occupation.” “It’s not read more