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Articles by Ron Forthofer
Ron Forthofer: The U.S. and the genocide of Palestinians
Last November, I wrote a column about the violence in Gaza and Israel. At that time, about 1,200 Israelis had been killed, the great majority by Hamas and an unknown number by Israeli forces in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack. In Gaza, Israeli forces indiscriminately attacked Gaza and had already killed over 10,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and the number was increasing daily.
Why Do Minority Rights Matter?| Countercurrents
Thirty-one years ago on December 18, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities. The UN declaration represents a set of political and moral commitments of states towards their minorities and pushes states to live up to them.
U.S. Complicity With Israel’s Genocidal Crimes
Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, January/February 2024, pp. xx-xx Special Report MUCH OF THE WORLD community showed both outrage over the horrendous Hamas attack on Oct. 7 and strong support for Israel during its suffering over the loss of 1,200 lives and the capture of about 240 Israeli hostages. However, when Israel began its indiscriminate bombing in Gaza, the world looked on in horror at its collective punishment of an essentially defenseless population.
Baring Their Claws
There is a news that the government is planning to proceed against ‘anti-government content’ appearing in media on the lines of British colonial laws that still quietly survive in our codes of criminal law.If true,this shows its state of panic as it is beginning to sense the deep disaffection and disenchantment against it among the people.If that shows on the ballot box it would be a severe unsettling jolt to its confidence.Hence it is arming itself with all available weapons as well as with...
Guest opinion: Ron Forthofer: More violence leads to even more violence
By Ron Forthofer Since Oct. 7, the ongoing horrific violence in Palestine and Israel has received incredible amounts of media coverage. Both Israelis and Palestinians are experiencing terrible pain and suffering. Unsurprisingly, the mainstream media’s reporting provided little context for the deadly Hamas attack and its war crimes. Note that the provision of the context is not a justification for the Hamas attack, but it allows people to have more information about what happened.
More violence leads to even more violence
By Ron Forthofer Since Oct. 7, the ongoing horrific violence in Palestine and Israel has received incredible amounts of media coverage. Both Israelis and Palestinians are experiencing terrible pain and suffering. Unsurprisingly, the mainstream media’s reporting provided little context for the deadly Hamas attack and its war crimes. Note that the provision of the context is not a justification for the Hamas attack, but it allows people to have more information about what happened.
More Violence Leads to Even More Violence
Since October 7th, the ongoing horrific violence in Palestine and Israel has received incredible amounts of media coverage. Both Israelis and Palestinians are experiencing terrible pain and suffering. Unsurprisingly, the mainstream media’s reporting provided little context for the deadly Hamas attack and its war crimes. Note that the provision of the context is not a justification for the Hamas attack, but it allows people to have more information about what happened.
Long Live Palestine, Death To The Occupation
The intensified war on Palestinians across Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories is being protested by democratic and progressive people across the world since Saturday, and many of us here in India have also been watching the siege and genocide unfold with growing dread.
Israel’s Final Solution For The Palestinians| Countercurrents
When Jewish extremists, fanatic Zionists, religious zealots, ultranationalists and crypto-fascists in the apartheid state of Israel say they want to wipe Gaza off the face of the earth, believe them. I covered the birth of Jewish fascism in Israel. I reported on the extremist Meir Kahane, who was barred from running for office and whose Kach Party was outlawed in 1994 and declared a terrorist organization by Israel and the United States.
Johnson And Morrison In Israel| Countercurrents
Banished Prime Ministers are an irritation. They clog the airwaves of punditry with their views about how things were and how things should be. But even there, degrees of severity and competence should be observed. The more noble sorts would pursue the goals of peace, even as they bag large wads of cash in stating the obvious. With former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, and his disgraced counterpart from the UK, Boris Johnson, the cash is being forked out for war.
Gaza Refugee “camps”| Countercurrents
As the massacre of Palestinian civilians continues a widening global outrage to Israeli atrocities is growing. Commentators, mostly as asides, have wondered why the areas being bombed and attacked are called camps. The question about using the nomenclature “camps” arrived from two decidedly opposing sources. One source is a firmly pro-Israel website where the host, a Texas conservative, questioned the use of the word camp in describing Jabaliya (but inclusive of Shati and Nuseirat).
More Violence Leads To Even More Violence| Countercurrents
Since October 7th, the ongoing horrific violence in Palestine and Israel has received incredible amounts of media coverage. Both Israelis and Palestinians are experiencing terrible pain and suffering. Unsurprisingly, the mainstream media’s reporting provided little context for the deadly Hamas attack and its war crimes. Note that the provision of the context is not a justification for the Hamas attack, but it allows people to have more information about what happened.
Blatant Hypocrisy in Response to Russian, Israeli and U.S. Aggressions
Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, October 2023, pp. 38-39 Special Report THE U.S. MAKES CLEAR its shameful hypocrisy about war and occupation in its contrasting treatments of actions taken by Russia and Israel as well as of Ukrainians and Palestinians. Israel attacked and invaded Arab lands in 1967.
Guest opinion: Tom Mayer and Ron Forthofer: Diplomatic end to Ukraine war is best way to avoid nuclear catastrophe
By Tom Mayer and Ron Forthofer A nuclear war would be the greatest catastrophe humanity has ever experienced. A full-scale nuclear war would almost certainly annihilate all human life on our planet. And even a limited nuclear war would probably accelerate into a full-scale humanity-destroying nuclear calamity.
Ron Forthofer: Regarding Russia and Ukraine, where are the statesmen?
I remember well the fear over the presence of nuclear-armed Soviet missiles in Cuba in 1962. The U.S. was so alarmed about these missiles near its shore that it enacted a quarantine/blockade of Cuba, risking a nuclear confrontation. The U.S. clearly ignored Cuba’s sovereignty and its right to have those missiles. Fortunately, President Kennedy and Premier Khrushchev reached a compromise.
War in Ukraine needs statesmen to find resolution
By Ron Forthofer I remember well the fear over the presence of nuclear-armed Soviet missiles in Cuba in 1962. The U.S. was so alarmed about these missiles near its shore that it enacted a quarantine/blockade of Cuba, risking a nuclear confrontation. The U.S. clearly ignored Cuba’s sovereignty and its right to have those missiles. Fortunately, President Kennedy and Premier Khrushchev reached a compromise.
Suppression of Contrarian Voices
In the US, we proudly point to the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights that was adopted in 1791: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” By Ron Forthofer We believe that our freedom of speech and of the press are two of the ways the US differs from more...
Suppression of Contrarian Voices
In the US, we proudly point to the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights that was adopted in 1791: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” We believe that our freedom of speech and of the press are two of the ways the US differs from more dictatorial nations...
Suppression of Contrarian Voices
by Ron Forthofer / September 22nd, 2022 In the US, we proudly point to the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights that was adopted in 1791: We believe that our freedom of speech and of the press are two of the ways the US differs from more dictatorial nations such as Germany under the Nazis and the former Soviet Union. Unfortunately, these freedoms are not as absolute as they sound.
Peace Train: Silencing contrarian voices
In the U.S., we proudly point to the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights that was adopted in 1791. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” Unfortunately, this freedom is not as absolute as it sounds.
US Interests and Israeli Crimes
by Ron Forthofer / August 22nd, 2022 Many people were surprised and outraged when US President Biden recently fist bumped Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. After all, as a candidate, Biden pledged to make the Saudi kingdom a pariah since the Crown Prince had been directly linked to the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. In contrast, consider the relative lack of outrage to Biden’s statement after the latest criminal Israeli attack on Gaza that began on August 5th.
U.S. interests and Israeli crimes
Many people were surprised and outraged when U.S. President Joe Biden recently fist bumped Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. After all, as a candidate, Biden pledged to make the Saudi kingdom a pariah since the crown prince had been directly linked to the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. In contrast, consider the relative lack of outrage to Biden’s statement after the latest criminal Israeli attack on Gaza that began on Aug. 5.
Heads up: A Major Threat to Medicare!
Medicare has been a highly successful, popular and treasured government program that provides health care for seniors, for those with disabilities and for those with end-stage renal disease. The Traditional Medicare (TM) approach spends 98% of its funds on health care and only 2% on administration. A key part of TM is that beneficiaries don’t have to jump through all the hoops that the private health insurance industry often requires of its enrollees who are trying to obtain care.
Medicare is being threatened with privatization Original
By Ron Forthofer Medicare has been a highly successful, popular and treasured government program that provides health care for seniors, for those with disabilities and for those with end-stage renal disease. The Traditional Medicare (TM) approach spends 98% of its funds on health care and only 2% on administration. A key part of TM is that beneficiaries don’t have to jump through all the hoops that the private health insurance industry often requires of its enrollees who are trying to obtain care.
Peace Train: U.S. leadership — benign or not?
For much of the period since the breakup of the Soviet Union, the United States was politically, militarily and economically unchallenged. The U.S. was now the world’s hegemon and, to remain dominant, it couldn’t allow powerful challengers to arise. This goal meant that the U.S. viewed the relationship with nations such as Russia and China as a zero-sum game, thus reducing the space for cooperation. If we examine the past 30 years, what might one conclude about the outcome of this period?
Lessons from recent US history
by Ron Forthofer / July 28th, 2022 For much of the period since the breakup of the Soviet Union, the US was politically, militarily and economically unchallenged. The US was now the world’s hegemon and, to remain dominant, it couldn’t allow powerful challengers to arise. This goal meant that the US viewed the relationship with nations such as Russia and China as a zero-sum game, thus reducing the space for cooperation.
Exorbitant Military Spending Sacrifices Public Well-being
by Ron Forthofer / July 7th, 2022 President Dwight Eisenhower gave his first major presidential speech, The Cross of Iron, on April 16, 1953. He laid out several important precepts guiding US conduct in world affairs as well pointing out the cost of military spending in very concrete terms. Eisenhower stated: Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed.
Peace Train: It’s past time to look at exorbitant military spending
President Dwight Eisenhower gave his first major presidential speech, “The Cross of Iron,” on April 16, 1953. He laid out several important precepts guiding U.S. conduct in world affairs as well pointing out the cost of military spending in concrete terms. Eisenhower stated: “Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed.
Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union at the end of 1991, the US has been able to exert tremendous influence on other nations through its military and economic power. The world no longer was bipolar with the US and the Soviet Union competing for leadership. Instead, it has been a unipolar world under US hegemonic leadership. In 1997, US neoconservatives created a think tank, Project for the New American Century, to promote and extend American global leadership.
End the fighting now!
War is hell. It doesn’t matter where the fighting is—Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Ethiopia, Libya, Ukraine or elsewhere—suffering, death and destruction are sure to follow. These are key reasons that every reasonable effort should be made to avoid wars. Despite knowing this, appallingly, sometimes leaders of a nation will intentionally try to provoke another nation into a conflict.
Peace Train: Does the world want a hegemon?
Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union at the end of 1991, the U.S. has been able to exert tremendous influence on other nations through its military and economic power. The world no longer was bipolar with the U.S. and the Soviet Union competing for leadership. Instead, it has been a unipolar world under U.S. hegemonic leadership. In 1997, U.S. neoconservatives created a think tank, Project for the New American Century, to promote and extend American global leadership.
Peace Train: Media and the case of manufacturing consent
Role of the media Many believe the societal purpose of the media is to enlighten the public, and to enable the public to assert meaningful control over the political process by providing them with the information needed for the intelligent discharge of political responsibilities. I strongly agree that this should be the role of an effective media.
Peace Train: Outdated thinking leads to disaster
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the U.S. was unrivaled as a superpower. During the 1990s and, until about 2012, the U.S. was relatively unconstrained in its use of military power in an attempt to get its way. However, often the use of military power was counterproductive. More importantly, the U.S. frequently violated international law through its military interventions and unilateral sanctions, thus weakening support for the idea of a rules-based order.
Peace Train: War always has been, and still is, hell
Around 2,000 years ago Roman philosopher Seneca the Younger said: “We are mad not only individually but nationally. We check manslaughter and isolated murders, but what of war and the much vaunted crime of slaughtering whole peoples?” Here we are in 2022, and we have apparently learned very little. Why is that? Part of the reason is the selective enforcement of international law since World War II.
Media Coverage of Russia's Criminal Invasion of Ukraine
The recent appalling Russian invasion of Ukraine must be condemned. It’s yet another atrocious aggression in a long series of violations of international law by several countries including the US, Britain, Russia and Israel. It is terribly disappointing that humanity has failed to advance beyond the use of warfare (military, economic and cyber) to settle problems. Lobbying by the merchants of death, that is, the military-industrial complex, certainly plays a role in this disastrous failure.
Peace Train: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine must be condemned
The recent appalling Russian invasion of Ukraine must be condemned. It’s yet another atrocious aggression in a long series of violations of international law by several countries including the U.S., Britain, Russia and Israel. It is terribly disappointing that humanity has failed to advance beyond the use of warfare (military, economic and cyber) to settle problems. Perhaps lobbying by the merchants of death, that is, the military-industrial complex, plays a role in this disastrous failure.
The US Corporate Press Aids Israel's Push To Curtail Free Speech
Israel is greatly concerned about the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) effort that seeks: 1) to end international support for Israel’s oppression of Palestinians; and 2) to pressure Israel to comply with international law. Israel claims that this campaign is a threat to its legitimacy. Unsurprisingly, Israel doesn’t want to acknowledge that it is its own repeated flouting of international law, including its numerous war crimes, that threaten its legitimacy.
Peace Train: Media lacks coverage of Israeli violations
Israel is greatly concerned about the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) effort that seeks: To end international support for Israel’s oppression of Palestinians To pressure Israel to comply with international law. Israel claims that this campaign is a threat to its legitimacy. Unsurprisingly, Israel doesn’t want to acknowledge that it is its own repeated flouting of international law, including its numerous war crimes, that threaten its legitimacy.
Heads up: another threat to Medicare!
Medicare is a successful and treasured government program that provides health care for seniors, for those with disabilities and for those with end-stage renal disease. The Traditional Medicare (TM) approach provides quality and necessary health care with administrative costs that are far lower than that of private health care insurance such as Medicare Advantage (MA).
Ron Forthofer: Heads up - another threat to Medicare!
Medicare is a successful and treasured government program that provides health care for seniors, for those with disabilities and for those with end-stage renal disease. The Traditional Medicare (TM) approach provides quality and necessary health care with administrative costs that are far lower than that of private health care insurance such as Medicare Advantage (MA).
The US Enables Criminal Israeli Behavior
Given all the attention focused on the covid-19 pandemic, the Build Back Better bill, the January 6th attack on the Capitol and the media-hyped crises over Ukraine and Taiwan this past year, many other important issues have not received much attention. One example is the Palestinian/Israeli situation.
Peace Train: The U.S. enables criminal Israeli behavior Original
Given all the attention focused on the COVID-19 pandemic, the Build Back Better bill, the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol and the media-hyped crises over Ukraine and Taiwan this past year, many other important issues have not received much attention. One example is the Palestinian/Israeli situation.
Failure of US Media on Ukraine
We need to constantly remind ourselves about the US media. During the Cold War, there was the saying that the difference between the New York Times and the Soviet Pravda was that Pravda readers knew they were being lied to. Unfortunately, current coverage by the US media about the movement of Russian troops demonstrates the applicability of that saying today.
Peace Train: Provoking Russia over Ukraine
We need to constantly remind ourselves about the U.S. media. During the Cold War, there was the saying that the difference between the New York Times and the Soviet Pravda was that Pravda readers knew they were being lied to. Unfortunately, current coverage by the U.S. media about the movement of Russian troops demonstrates the applicability of that saying today.
Peace Train: U.S. prioritizes military over domestic spending
The latest legislation for funding the Pentagon now calls for $778 billion, and it’s likely to be approved with little real discussion about priorities and possible alternative uses of these funds. This money supposedly is for defending the United States. If the money is for defense, why do we have military bases and naval forces surrounding much of both Russia and China? Doesn’t the presence of U.S. forces on or near to their borders cause these two countries to be worried about a possible attack?
US Past and Present
Recently there has been much discussion about the teaching of US history. In the past and perhaps slightly less so in the present, the full story of our history and of the founding fathers hasn’t been presented. The founders’ inspirational and impressive accomplishments have been highlighted. The fact that many of the founders were slave owners was downplayed or ignored.
US Politics: We need a Transformation
As if we needed any more evidence of the sorry state of our political system, the long-running battle over the ‘Build Back Better’ bill has provided it. As Senator Bernie Sanders pointed out, an early version of this bill included many proposals that would help Americans live with a sense of security. In addition, these proposals were strongly supported by the US population.
Peace Train: U.S. history books need to include the abuses of minorities
Recently there has been much discussion about the teaching of U.S. history. In the past, and perhaps slightly less so in the present, the full story of our history and of the founding fathers hasn’t been presented. The founders’ inspirational and impressive accomplishments have been highlighted. The fact that many of the founders were slave owners was downplayed or ignored.
Ron Forthofer: We need a transformation in U.S. politics
As if we needed any more evidence of the sorry state of our political system, the long-running battle over the “Build Back Better” bill has provided it. An early version of this bill was transformational, putting the public interest over that of the wealthy, as it included many proposals that would help Americans achieve a sense of security.
US undercuts the rules-based order
The US has been targeting China by expressing a concern that China does not or will not act according to a ‘rules-based’ order. This column examines how well the US follows the rules, especially international laws, it played a key role in developing. For example, two key articles in the United Nations Charter stress the importance of non-intervention.
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