Interesting Articles: mid November 2023

Whose afraid of the Genocide Convention, a little Guerilla Journalism, some 'on the ground' reporting from the other side, and some history.

[The lead image from the Patrick Lawrence article at Scheerpost.]

Published: 2023-11-17

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Interesting Articles

'The Hinge of History', Patrick Lawrence, ScheerPost, 2023-11-14

I read here and there in many disparate places the remark that the U.S. “has gone too far this time.” That is how Ajamu Baraka, who runs the Black Alliance for Peace, put it the other day. Every commentator making this argument is pithily to the point. The U.S. has gone too far countless times since assuming its imperial pretensions, of course, from the Spanish–American War onward. But we are watching genocidal savagery on television once again, as we watched hamlets burn and rice paddies run red during the Vietnam war. If the U.S. never fully recovered from its merciless violence in Indochina, the damage will be permanent this time. The obscenity it sponsors at the hands of a crazed apartheid regime is simply too full-frontal. Real-time inhumanity will prove America’s undoing, to say nothing of apartheid Israel’s.

The article also refers to an interview with Chas Freeman, the former US Ambassador. I always enjoy his speeches and interviews, so here is the link provided in the article as a full reference:

Chas Freeman on a Kaleidoscopic Turn, Christopher Lydon interviews (fmr. US Ambassador) Freeman, Radio Open Source (Boston/WBUR), 2023-11-09

• MP3

The War According to Hamas, Chris Hedges, ScheerPost, 2023-11-12

I get the feel that Hedges has called in a few favours and used all of his skill to offer this piece. It amounts to 'on the ground' reporting from another continent, news that you are not allowed to see published in English, or in the 'western press'.

Would you like to know what Hamas are reporting to their supporters?

Activating the Genocide Convention, Craig Murray, Craig Murray, 2023-11-13

Murray walks his common line of quoting international treaties, in this case the one of Genocide, and asks the horrid question of why no state at all, including Palestine which is a party to the convention, has used it to call out the genocide in Gaza by reporting it to the UN. Why indeed?

He describes what happens if a case is acknowledged. The International Court of Justice (not the ICC, the ICJ which handles disputes between nations) would need to respond.

Murray does answer his question. It leaves him with a uncomfortable feeling about Fatah and Makmoud Abbas. He also points to a "summit in Saudi Arabia, where Islamic countries could not agree an oil and gas boycott of Israel" and is forced to conclude that various national interests are outweighing the mass slaughter of Palestinian children.

IDF footage of what it says is Hamas weaponry 'pretty thin': ABC's global affairs editor, Tessa Flemming (reports on what Lyons is saying), ABC 'Live', 2023-11-16

The link here leads to the entire long page of individual reports, so a screenshot will serve to give you the gist of what’s being said (and help you find the article in the long page, if you’re interested to see the 3 and a half minute video):

John Lyons is the ABC's veteran Middle East correspondent. His response to the 'evidence' (my quotes) that the IDF has produced to justify their consistent bombing of a hospital is that it is insufficient to justify the action. He adds that more evidence may be forthcoming.

How about we just look at this based on experience. Firstly, there are likely to be tunnels for reasons I have already expressed; you build them where you can and under the biggest buildings are the best foundations so that is where they will be. But, that is not the point. Israel have to justify this somehow and we know what Israel does when it needs things reported in certain ways. The fake phone conversation between people speaking in Arabic, but obviously not Palestinians came out right at the start of their retribution. Expect even more misleading and devious misleading “fake news” to be published on their behalf. They will do ANYTHING to justify this unjustifiable horror of destroying a hospital full of patients being treated because of the other horrors of killing thousands of innocent children, mothers, doctors, priests, ... civilians.

There will be tunnels. There is no way to know about any weaponry they produce and claim to have been there; was it there, did they put it there, was it their’s, was it Hamas’, has it been used, is it just dummies? Nothing will be knowable at all. Just forget about that.

What we do know is that Israel is attacking a hospital full of doctors and sick people including children.

There is NO EXCUSE for this. EVER.

Tariq Ali SLAMS US, UK & EU Leaders on Israel’s Slaughter in Gaza: ‘How Can You Remain Silent?, Rattansi interviews Ali, GoingUndergroundTV, 2023-11-11

If you are not yet aware of who Tariq Ali is, this is an excellent opportunity to find out. He and Rattansi have known each other for years. The topic is tired, but needs to be covered and so the intellectual and journalist do their job.

EP 148 - The EU can never lecture anyone again, Daly and Wallace, i3cTrouble, 2023-11-11

Truth — Straight from the mouths of the two of the few sane EU politicians. I was completely surprised at how calmly they maintained themselves.

There are plenty of interesting political tid bits, like the fact that they and other members of their progressive block had to have the Humanitarian Crisis (genocide) in Gaza ... put on the agenda! They compare the EU parliament’s responses to early in the Ukraine conflict when Russia got officially involved with what has happened recently in Brussels over the Gazan nightmare.

They throw in a few numbers to put things in perspective. In 18 months of the Ukraine conflict, 545 children were killed. In 1 month in Gaza 4 000 have been murdered. Needless to say, the EU parliament is not reacting proportionately because of the fear of being labelled anti-semitic they know what happened to Jeremy Corbyn.

The two put another issue on the table, which is a form of effective action for the Irish government. In country Shannon there is an airfield which is used by the US to fly materiel (arms) onwards eastwards. The Irish Minister of Defense can revoke all privileges to use the airfield except for exemptions, and in applying for those exemptions the Irish government can demand to know what is on those transport planes. They can rightly deny use of the airfield for the transfer of munitions. This provides a way for Ireland to be truly independent of conflicts being supported by the US using Irish airspace. From where I stand, this is effective political action. These two know what it looks like, and I commend them for it.

Scott And Marat Talking., Andrei Martyanov, Reminiscence of the Future ..., 2023-11-14

"Excellent video." [That is his article.]

If you say so, Andrei:

Aaron Mate removed from train for questioning Sen. Coons about Gaza, Maté gives Senator Coons and unexpected interview, Pushback, 2023-11-14

• Maté does some guerilla journalism and gets kicked off the train in which he'd paid for his seat because of it. The reaction of the polly is interesting. He's scared shitless.

On a totally unrelated topic ... ;)

Interview 1843 - Daniele Ganser Exposes The Ruthless Empire, Corbett interviews Ganser, The Corbett Report, 2023-10-18

I love Ganser. He's so calm, so human. I cannot recommend this interview enough. If you're never head of Operation Gladio or didn't know that the US knew that Japan was going to attack Pearl Harbour and were thankful when they did (400 lives was cheap) then you can listen to a professional historian inform you about some unspoken historical truths.

Culture

Mind Games, Sinéad O'Connor (from the bonus disc to “I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got”) written by John Lennon, Sinéad O'Connor, uploaded 2022-06-21