SATURDAY AT THE THEATRE

WHAT TO DO WITH ISIS?

Six Steps Short of War to Beat ISIS

Weakening ISIS requires eroding the support it relies on from tribal leaders, military figures, and ordinary Iraqi Sunnis. Here's how to do it without bombs.

By Phyllis Bennis

President Obama is right: There is no military solution to the problem of ISIS. Military actions will not set the stage for political solutions; they will prevent those solutions from taking hold.

The bottom line is there is no immediate action that will make ISIS disappear, even if U.S. airstrikes manage to get the right target somewhere and take out an APC or a truckload of guys with RPGs or whatever.

You can’t destroy an ideology—or even an organization—through bombing (look at the efforts to do so with Al Qaeda: lots of members killed in Afghanistan, but the organization took root in a bunch of other countries).

And arming the so-called “moderate” opposition in Syria doesn’t mean supporting the good guys. It means sending arms to the Free Syrian Army which, according to the New York Times, “went on to behead six ISIS fighters…and then posted the photographs on Facebook.”

A military strike might bring some immediate satisfaction, but we all know revenge is a bad basis for foreign policy, especially when it has such dangerous consequences.

As horrifying as the beheading of the two U.S. journalists was, revenge is never a good basis for foreign policy. We should keep in mind that Matthew Olson, the outgoing head of the National Counterterrorism Center, said last week that “there is no credible information that [ISIS] is planning to attack the United States,” and there is “no indication at this point of a cell of foreign fighters operating in the United States—full stop.”

Instead, we have to recognize that military solutions really don’t work. Have we forgotten the failures of the U.S. wars in the Middle East over these many years?

We need to keep our focus on the medium- and long-term solutions, something not so easy to do in an election year.

We have to recognize that military attacks are not only wrong in a host of ways (illegal in international law, immoral because of civilian casualties, a distraction from vitally needed diplomacy) but also that those strikes are making real solutions impossible.

Why?

We have to start by understanding just why ISIS is so powerful.

First, ISIS has good weapons (mostly U.S. and Saudi weapons that have flooded the region for more than 15 years). So we need to start thinking about the need for an arms embargo on all sides.

Second, ISIS has good military leadership, some of it provided by Sunni generals who were kicked out of their positions in the Iraqi military when the U.S. invaded and who are now providing training, strategy, and military leadership to ISIS-allied militias and ISIS itself. These guys are a very secular bunch. They drink and smoke, and they will be unlikely to stick around ISIS if they believe they have any chance of recovering their lost jobs, prestige, and dignity. That could happen over time, but only if a truly new government takes hold in Iraq. It’s not going to be enough to simply choose a new prime minister and announce a new government made up of too many of the same old sectarian faces.

Third, ISIS has support from Sunni tribal leaders—the very people President Obama says he wants to “persuade” to break with ISIS. But these are people who have suffered grievously—first during the U.S. invasion, and then especially under the U.S.-backed, Shi’a-controlled sectarian government of Nouri al-Maliki. They were demonized, attacked, and dispossessed by the government in Baghdad, and many of them thus see ISIS at the moment as the only force they can ally with to challenge that government. And many of them control large and powerful militias now fighting alongside ISIS against the government in Baghdad.

Fourth, ISIS has support from ordinary Iraqi Sunnis, who (being also largely secular) may hate what ISIS stands for, its extremism and violence, but who suffered terribly from the Maliki government’s arrests, torture, extra-judicial executions, and more. As a result they also are willing to ally with ISIS against Baghdad, at least for now.

So, weakening ISIS requires eroding the support it relies on from tribal leaders, military figures, and ordinary Iraqi Sunnis. The key question is how do we do that?

Step One: Stop the airstrikes. Because what we in the U.S. see as “hooray, we got the bad guys” is seen by many in Iraq, especially the very Sunnis the president wants to persuade to break with ISIS, as the U.S. acting as the air force for the Kurds and the Shi’a against the Sunnis. Thus the airstrikes defeat the important goal of ending popular support for ISIS, and instead actually serve to strengthen the extremist organization.

Step Two: Make real the commitment for “No boots on the ground.” In announcements during just the last few weeks, the White House has acknowledged sending close to 1,300 pairs of boots to the ground in Iraq. And who knows how many unacknowledged pairs of CIA and JSOC (special operations forces) sneakers may already be in Iraq? We need a call to “Stop the Slippery Slide Towards Even More Boots on the Ground!” The U.S. must also stop flooding the region with arms that only result in more violence against civilians, and end its policy of ignoring the violations of human rights and international law committed by its allies. We need enforcement of the Leahy Law, which prohibits assistance to foreign military units known to violate human rights, here at home.

Step Three: Organize a real diplomatic partnership to deal with ISIS. Even though the U.S. is carrying out airstrikes and deploying new troops in Iraq, everyone agrees there is no military solution. So diplomacy must have center stage. That means serious engagement with Iran, among other players. Tehran has more influence in Baghdad than Washington does. If we are serious about wanting to encourage the Iraqi government to accept a truly more inclusive approach, joint pressure from the U.S. and Iran holds the best chance. Even though Iran is predominantly Shi’a itself, the country’s leaders are very worried about the instability in their next-door neighbor resulting from the years of Shi’a sectarianism in Baghdad. The U.S.-Iran nuclear talks appear to be moving very well; this is the moment to broaden those talks to include discussion of a real “grand bargain” between the U.S. and Iran, to include all the regional crises.

Step Four: Initiate a new search for broader diplomatic solutions in the United Nations. That means working to build a real coalition aimed at using diplomatic and financial pressures, not military strikes, at the international level in both Iraq and Syria. All the regional governments have their own concerns. Turkey, for instance, knows that joining a U.S.-led military assault on Iraq could threaten the lives of its 49 diplomats and their families now held by ISIS. A real coalition is needed not for military strikes but for powerful diplomacy. That means pressuring U.S. ally Saudi Arabia to stop arming and financing ISIS and other extremist fighters; pressuring U.S. ally Turkey to stop allowing ISIS and other fighters to cross into Syria over the Turkish border; pressuring U.S. allies Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and others to stop financing and arming everyone and anyone in Syria who says they’re against Assad. We don’t need another Coalition of the Killing (see Step One for why). Why not work to make it a Coalition of the Rebuilding?

Step Five: Push the UN, despite Lakhdar Brahimi’s resignation, to restart real negotiations on ending the civil war in Syria. That means everyone involved needs to be at the table: the Syrian regime; civil society inside Syria, including non-violent activists, women, young people, refugees, etc.; the armed rebels; the external opposition; and the regional and global players supporting all sides, including the U.S., Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Turkey, Jordan, and beyond. This could provide a moment to work with Russia on Syria policy, thus building on the successful joint effort to destroy Syria’s chemical weapons and perhaps lessening tensions over Ukraine. An arms embargo on all sides should be on the long-term agenda.

Step Six: Massively increase U.S. humanitarian contributions to U.N. agencies for the millions of refugees and displaced people from both Syria and Iraq. The U.S. has pledged significant funds, but much of it has not actually been made available to the agencies, and more should be pledged and given.​

- Phyllis Bennis directs the New Internationalism Project at the Institute for Policy Studies.

PUBLIC COMMENTS ON PROPOSED MISSILE DEFENSE BASE

Comments to Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Continental United States Interceptor Site 
TO: Missile Defense Agency MDA.CIS.EIS@BV.com

Our organization is opposed to any of the four proposed interceptor sites in Maine, Ohio, Michigan or New York.

First reason is because of enormous cost, especially at the time of severe economic hardship for people across the nation.

Secondly, the proposed GMD program is severely underperforming in its testing phase and has long suffered from corruption.

Thirdly, development of the interceptor base at any of these proposed sites would have severe environmental consequences.

In particular I want to address the proposal for Rangeley, Maine since I live and work in this state.

Culture:  The proposal to put the base in Rangeley would have enormous negative impact on the local culture by essentially doubling the size of the existing community.  Local schools and other human resources would be overwhelmed by the influx of personnel estimated to work at the proposed base.  There would be an obvious detrimental impact on tourist haven Rangeley area and against Maine's life giving tourist industry.

Environment:  The ridiculous notion of driving interceptor silos and missiles on already bad Maine roads would further destroy these roads that the state already cannot keep in good condition.  The idea of widening these roads in some places to make it possible to transport silos and missiles would have severe negative impact on the environment.  The state would not be able to maintain even wider roads since they can’t already handles their existing road network.  Blasting mountain areas to place the silos underground would also have severe impact on wildlife, native vegetation and water quality would be impacted.  It is my understanding that Poland Springs has a 1,000 acre water well near this area that would certainly be negatively impacted. Where's the enormous amount of gravel needed for this project going to be mined?

Liquid rocket fuels:  The toxic liquid fuels to be used in the interceptor missiles would have to be transported, stored, and then placed inside missiles.  This process would allow many opportunities for toxic spills in the area contaminating local water sources.  Liquid Hydrazines are most commonly known for their use in rocket fuels. They are highly toxic, colorless, flammable liquids with an ammonia-like odor. There are several types of hydrazines, including hydrazine, monomethylhydrazine (MMH) and 1,1-dimethyl-hydrazine, also known as unsymmetrical dimeth-ylhydrazine (UDMH). Hydrazine is unstable and is usually handled as an aqueous solution for safety reasons. Exposure to hydrazines can cause central nervous system effects as well as kidney and liver damage. Hydrazine and UDMH are listed as probable human carcinogens and classified under Group B2 by the U.S. EPA.

Solid rocket fuels: An analysis of data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control indicates that a toxic chemical in solid rocket fuel has severely contaminated the nation's food and water supply - read the Environmental Working Group study   http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_3250.cfm  Scientists warn that the chemical, known as perchlorate, could cause thyroid deficiency in more than 2.2 million women of childbearing age. This thyroid deficiency could damage the fetus of pregnant women, if left untreated. Perchlorate, the explosive ingredient in solid rocket fuel, has leaked from military bases and defense and aerospace contractors' plants in at least 22 states, contaminating drinking water for millions of Americans. Despite massive complaints, defense contractors have done little or nothing to clean up the pollution. Perchlorate has also been widely detected in milk, lettuce, produce and other foods. In an alarming study, the CDC found perchlorate in the urine of every person tested. The Organic Consumers Association has mobilized thousands of consumers to pressure the EPA and government officials to begin a massive clean up of perchlorate. The Environmental Working Groups report is an analysis of data originally released in 2005, when the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) released its long anticipated report on the human health effects of perchlorates. Perchlorates have been found in 93% of lettuce and milk.... 97% of breast milk samples taken randomly from around the U.S. have tested positive for perchlorates. The government funded NAS report reveals that perchlorates are roughly ten times more toxic to humans than the Department of Defense has been claiming. Perchlorates can inhibit thyroid function, cause birth defects and lower IQs, and are considered particularly dangerous to children. The NAS report recommends human exposure at no more than .0007 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. The EPA has responded to the report by recommending a water standard reference dose of 24.5 ppb for perchlorate. This is bad news for military sites and rocket fuel plants around the country, including Henderson, Nevada, where EPA well monitoring has found perchlorates at a level 30,000 times higher than that. There are over 12,000 military sites in the U.S. that are used for training with live explosives.

GMD Program:  The Ground-based Midcourse missile defense system has been riddled with failure and corruption since its inception. In early 2000, the GAO received a request from former Rep. Howard Berman of California to review certain allegations of fraud in the missile defense program. Dr. Nira Schwartz, an Israeli-born scientist made the allegations while working at TRW - a defense contractor based in Los Angeles. TRW was a subcontractor to the defense behemoth Boeing Company. She was promptly fired from her job after she made the allegations. She alleged that a key component in the missile defense system – software to process signals collected by an infrared sensor - did not perform as advertised by TRW and Boeing.  She was intimately involved in the development of the software, which was used in a crucial test of the missile defense program in 1997 at a cost of $100 million. The contractors Boeing and TRW falsely claimed it was a total success. Many of the so-called “successful” tests over the years have been what scientists call “strap down rabbit” tests as they placed a beacon on the dummy missiles so that the interceptors could identify them in deep space at 15,000 mph.  For all these reasons and more this program should not be building any permanent deployment installations anywhere.  It is a huge waste of taxpayers dollars.

Public Hearings:  I attended one of the two “public meetings” that were held in Rangeley and spoke to others who attended them in Farmington.  In every case people who attended complained to me that the nature of the meetings had nothing to do with “public”.  The poster sessions, where people were swarmed with MDA and contractor personnel, were not very informative.  Many of my questions were not answered by those staffing the event.  (Such as what is the weight displacement on a road of a truck hauling silos or interceptor missiles.  I was told I’d be informed but I never heard from anyone with an answer.  This is why I’ve waited until the last minute to send in my comments.)  In most real public hearings there is a formal time when testimony can be taken from the public and citizens can listen and learn from one another.  The average citizen is not able to go into such a “hearing” like these and understand the many technical variables involved.  A real public hearing would allow citizens to learn from one another.  That is how true democracy works.  It was clear to me, and others that I spoke with who attended these events, that the MDA and its contractors intentionally and effectively limited the public participation process.  For that reason alone this public comment period should be extended and the hearings should be redone in a proper way.

No Decision: Our organization thus opposes the selection of any of the four sites and proposes that no selection be made.

September 13, 2014

Bruce K. Gagnon
Coordinator
Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space

- Thank God men cannot fly, and lay waste the sky as well as the earth. - Henry David Thoreau

PRISONER SWAP

Self-defense forces in E. Ukraine have exchanged a batch of prisoners with the Ukrainian army in a move that was stipulated as one of the key issues of the Minsk ceasefire agreement reached between the two sides last week.

Many believe that the ceasefire is being used by Kiev to resupply and reposition their troops who lately had been suffering severe losses on the battlefield in eastern Ukraine. Various NATO countries have been shipping weapons to Kiev's army in recent days.

No doubt that this is a US-NATO proxy war against Russia.

POETICALLY BEAUTIFUL TRUTH

What do we really know about 9-11?

QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS...

On that day
9-11
in 2001
in dentist office
TV on wall
planes into building
collapse
controlled demolition
right before my eyes

pulled out
the world atlas
where is Afghanistan?

third building
#7
never hit
small fires
steel framed
high rises
built to withstand
damn near anything
pancake collapse

Had to be
controlled demolition
experts say so
we know it
to be true
we just fear
what happens
when you take
that leap
into this reality

Gladio
Strategy of Tension
make the people
so afraid
they cry out to
great white father
in Washington
'please protect us'
Crazy Horse
is coming after us
again.....

Allows for further
militarization of
Ferguson

our airwaves
our minds
our hearts
become corrupted
humans
forgetting the prophets
call to love
turn the other check
share with one another

Now we only know
fear
and vengeance
so bomb we do
it fuels our economy
the world despises us

a priest in Korea says
America is the evil
of this world.

US-NATO EXPANDING WAR ON SYRIA

Washington could be violating international law if it acts in Syria - something pointed out by Russia's foreign ministry. Syrian journalist and mid-east expert Alaa Ibrahim says US plans not just strikes against ISIS in Syria, but also money to rebels in the country.

STRATEGY OF TENSION

Vietnam veteran and peace activist Bill Perry from Philly writes:

ISIS/ISIL/IS is a creation of our CIA, and Mossad, and MI-6. We trained them, in Jordan, Turkey, and other States we control, and we're using them to bust up the Shia Crescent, from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Iran. (for the Saudi Wahabbi & Salafi Takfiri, and for Zionist fear of Shia Iran) ISIS has existed for more than a few years, and the "West" has known about them, since January. Why have we, and our coalition, had such an easy time running 100 to 150 sorties, per day, EVERY DAY, on Libya, for a couple weeks, yet we've only run a GRAND TOTAL of 150 sorties on ISIS, since June? If the U.S. was serious about routing ISIS, we could have run 10,000 bombing sorties, vs ISIS, since June (when our NSA was "surprised" about that convoy of 143 gleaming white Toyota trucks kicking up dust from Turkey, thru Syria, and into Mosul? WTF? NSA & CIA ♥ ISIS.

ISIS/IS/ISIL is providing us with easy access into Syria, which is the KEY to stopping HisbAllah, in Lebanon, for the zio's, and slowing down Iran (Bibi's Boogiemen).   Putin shut down our Empire's charge into Syria this  time, last year, but our IS/ISIL/ISIS creation, and a couple decapitation Vids, and those 143 Toyota's, and our Satellite INTEL have gifted ISIS/ISIL/IS with nearly 100 tanks, Bradley's, APC's, and up-armored Humvee's.

Our Apache Airships massacred 100's of Saddam's Tanks, with Hellfire missiles, back in January, 1991, all in ONE DAY.   (look it up)   They called it the "Highway of Death"

We could have knocked out the entire IS/ISIS/ISIL vehicle fleet, back in June, if our Empire of Chaos really wanted to, but the University of Chicago NeoCons knew they had to bring all the Murkins along, with those DeCap Vids.   71% of us are foaming at the mouth, NOW.

They now have 71% of Murkins scared shitless, and demanding we ramp up our endless wars.

Our EMPIRE of CHAOS thrives on Endless War, and Divide and Conquer (it's so much easier to get signatures on Oil, Gas, and Munitions contracts)

Be Well, RAISE HELL !
Bill Perry, Service Officer
Disabled American Veteran CSO

THE HISTORY OF GLADIO

The secret fascist terror organization run by US-NATO allies has a long and dirty history.  This BBC TV series digs deep to interview many who knew about or were involved in the western terror outfit.  Gladio was originally used to kill and suppress any attempts to have electoral victory for left-wing parties throughout Europe and to clandestinely undermine the former Soviet Union.

These days the secret terror outfit Gladio is used to further the interests of corporate globalization as it attempts to take control of declining resources on the planet.  ISIS, Libya, Somalia, Israeli attacks on Gaza, Ukraine, or assassination of leading leftists all bear the mark of Gladio.

If you really want to know what is going on behind the dark curtain then you'll want to watch Gladio.

For more on current activities of Gladio see here

STOP MILITARIZATION OF SPACE

THE RACE IN MAINE

Mike Michaud (left), Paul Lepage (Center) and Eliot Cutler (right) are all running to be Maine's next governor.  LePage, the right-wing Republican, is the incumbant

These three are running to be the next governor of Maine.  Mike Michaud (Democrat), Paul LePage (Republican) and Eliot Cutler (Independent) are now in the heat of the race.

Maine's basically an extraction colony. Lumber, water, fishing, mill towns, hunting and tourism have been the chief money maker for this state.  Alot of those jobs are now gone, or faltering like the fish count in the ocean because of rising ocean temperatures and over fishing.  The planet is dying.

Paul LePage is hated by two-thirds of the public and loved by one-third.  He uses racism and pits the public against the poor.  He's a mean spirited man who after first coming into office told the NAACP to "kiss my ass" when they asked him for a meeting.  He's a total corporate hack who uses his working class dysfunctional family personal story to attract many voters who respond to his emotion. He seems to hate the natural environment as much as he hates much else in the world.  He's really a very sad man who most certainly is an alcoholic.  Brought in to do the dirty work.

I once saw Eliot Cutler in the Portland airport and his shoes likely cost more than I make in a couple of months.  His suit... the best cut.  He's a former Democrat corporate lawyer who made his way serving as a functionary between US corporations and Chinese officials as jobs were moved overseas during the Clinton years. He'd likely be decent on the environment but would continue the corporate takeover of state and local government.

Mike Michaud has been the Congressman for northern Maine (District 2) for many years.  He came out of the East Millinocket paper mill and became a state legislator and worked to clean up the river being polluted from the mill.  During the height of the Iraq war Michaud responded positively to appeals from citizens in his district and began routinely voting against war spending supplementals.  He never went to college, total working class, and recently announced that he is gay.  Michaud has slim lead in the polls but the corporate big $$$$ attack game is now cranking hard going after him.  Just today the Repubs released a video of a Democratic Party state legislator saying Michaud was "not a brain guy" - which means he's not slick - just a working class dude.

Michaud is actually one of the few Democrats in Maine I feel respect for.  He's dared come to a couple of Veterans For Peace events over the years.  I've found him to be humble.  He listens quite well.  He does support funding for more destroyers at Bath Iron Works like all the other politicians in the state.

Maine is kneeling in the long line at the Pentagon with its worn hand stretched out. Our roads are a mess, schools folding, no jobs to speak of, and the human infrastructure collapsing all around the state.  The primary future for the children (excepting the few that usually come from the 'best families' with lots of advantages) is working for the war machine.

The Pentagon has been saying for some time that America's role under corporate globalization will be security export.  We won't have much industry, cheaper labor can be found overseas, even service jobs are being exported.  The youth of America will be sent to fight and die on behalf of "our interests" - and those interests only point toward the 1%.

So like every other state Maine is begging for more military production because the Pentagon budget is the only game in town.  It's where many state universities are getting funding and the schools respond by becoming a research and development arm for the military industrial complex.

America has been hollowed out and turned into a militarized culture.  I figure our best chance is to call for conversion of the war machine so we can use the funds to try to limit the coming harsh impacts from climate change.  But unless we work the issue into our existing efforts, and build the momentum to push such a real vision forward, then we will continue to slid further behind the eight ball.

THE EMPIRE KEEPS STRIKING

Kerry did a nice impression
of a peacenik
back in the day
but it was all for show

Coming out of the tomb
at Yale
the boys
at Skull & Bones
had long past decided
that Kerry
would play good cop
as the bad cop
pirates
looted the planet

it's been endless war
ever since

Kerry took the fall
when he ran
against
bonesman Bush
for prez
was rewarded
with job at State
so he could
remind the world
that civilized
nations don't bomb
others

SWITCHING SIDES IN UKRAINE

Interview with Nikita, an ex-soldier of the Ukrainian army from Makeevka, Donetsk Oblast (Donbass) who has sided with the Army of Novorossiya/DPR militia in recent days. His thoughts on the civil war, Ukrainian soldiers, the junta government in Kiev, and the situation as a whole.

WHOSE BOOTS ON THE GROUND?

• The politicians in Washington are promising no boots on the ground in Iraq.  They know the public is war weary and tired of seeing their tax dollars pissed down the rat hole.  So the solution is hiring more contractors (at huge salaries) and have then doing the killing.  This "helps solve" for the first of the public's concerns but not the latter.  The Stars & Stripes newspaper reports:

David Johnson, a former Army lieutenant colonel who is executive director of the Center for Advanced Defense Studies in Washington, said contractors aren’t considered “boots on the ground” in conflict zones.

“The government always seeks to minimize boots on the ground to reduce domestic political risk,” he said in an email. “The American people and media do not consider a paid contractor to represent them in the same way that they do a soldier.”

• In my latest This Issue public access TV show (see post below) I interviewed Maine climate change activist Billy Rixon.  I asked him why few folks working on climate change make the links to the Pentagon which has the largest carbon bootprint on the planet.  (In Billy's case it was a bit of an unfair question because he is both a peacenik and does environmental work.  He is willing to make the connection.)  Many environmentalists don't like to go near the military issue though and it bears some questioning as to the reason.  My theory is that many enviros feel like they have a good relationship with members of the Democratic Party (generally are supportive of the environment). Many enviro activists feel the war issue is "too controversial" and should be avoided so as to ensure that their relationships with the elected officials are not hampered.  The Pentagon and climate change connections are thus most often avoided.  Today I saw an article on this topic and am happy to share it here

• I spoke at a peace festival in Belfast, Maine on Saturday.  It was the "first annual" and included a panel discussion made up of three of us from Maine Veterans For Peace (the others were Doug Rawlings and Dud Hendrick).  In the Q & A after our three opening presentations there was a request for me to share more about Ukraine and I stressed that the conflict is largely motivated by the US desire to break Russia into pieces so the US/British resource extraction corporations can get their hands on the abundant supplies of natural gas.  I ran across an article today called The outrageous strategy to destroy Russia.  This subject of the US plan to take down Russia is under-discussed in the peace movement worldwide.  To me it is the key issue of our time.  The article includes these words:

Zbigniew Brzezinski recommends how Russia should be militarily weakened and intimidated. He is convinced that the best way to achieve it is by destabilizing its border regions, a political strategy that aroused the interest of former presidential candidate John Kerry’s team who recruited his son Mark Brzezinski as its foreign policy adviser. [The same Mark Brzezinski is currently the US ambassador to Sweden and has just been successful in helping to drag Sweden into NATO as a junior partner.]

THINNING IT ALL OUT

Even at Taco Bell
the corporate decision
has been taken
'thin out the refried beans'
the packing tape I use
has been thinned out
by 3M Scotch
the bumperstickers
on our car
don't last so long
they've been
thinned out too

corporate greed
everywhere
maximize profits
minimize
product quality
and durability
chew up the planet
we can make money
off it

Capitalism
is the death machine
blasting
drilling
digging
grinding
chewing
spitting
polluting

We've been told
we can't talk
openly about
capitalism

if you do
you will be
called a commie
and put on
a black list
and maybe even
the 'black & blue'
list
the mob comes in
and destroys
your knees

the thinning
of the superfluous
populations
Africa
Middle East
is underway
NATO in charge
of the mission
the "peace alliance"
at work

the mafia is government
politicians
enable mobsters
fascists carry out
the heavy hitting
people suffer

LATEST THIS ISSUE ON CLIMATE CHANGE

The latest edition of This Issue features Billy Rixon from Freeport.  Rixon is an activist with 350Maine.org and speaks about the growing reality of climate change.  He invites people to join the coming national People’s Climate march in New York City on Sept 21.  Rixon is also a life long sailor and speaks passionately about the changes he has seen in the ocean in recent years.

"WE HELPED BUILD ISIS"

Straight from a horse's mouth.....

See a good article about the bigger US-NATO plan to use ISIS here

SUNDAY SONG