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Monthly Archives: May 2009

The Case for Corporate Accountability: Royal Dutch Shell in Nigeria

Now at last it’s time for Shell to atone for my father’s death The son of the executed activist faces the oil giant in a human rights trial this week. He seeks understanding rather than retribution. By Ken Saro-Wiwa Jnr … Continue reading

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Guantanamo : Bush’s Toxic Assets, Boogie Men and Political Prostitution

Photo by Shane T. McCoy / U.S. Navy. The Republican game plan is to make it look like Obama is about to empty the prison camp down in Cuba, and turn out the lights and let the terrorists be set … Continue reading

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Land of the Fearful, Home of the Almost Brave

Starting June 1, 2009 anyone crossing into the United States from Canada will require a passport or a special document approved by the U.S. government. Photo: Craig Glover/Toronto Star.Smile! The U.S. sees you comingBy Tonda MacCharles / May 23, 2009 … Continue reading

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Obama’s Preventive Detention Policy Explained

See Rachel Maddow video below. Facts and myths about Obama’s preventive detention proposalBy Glenn Greenwald / May 22, 2009 In the wake of Obama’s speech on Thursday, there are vast numbers of new converts who now support indefinite “preventive detention.” … Continue reading

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Englehardt: The Expanding Afghanistan-Pakistan Conflict

Bodies of some of 25-30 Afghan civilians killed in NATO air strike, October 16, 2008. Obama has escalated the Afghanistan war. Photo: Abdul Khaleq/Associated Press.Going for Broke: Six Ways the Af-Pak War Is ExpandingBy Tom Engelhardt / May 21, 2009 … Continue reading

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Disaster in the Making: Mexico City Short of Water

Dawn breaks over the sprawling metropolis of Mexico City. Officials are struggling to provide water for all 20 million residents. Photo: Brennan Linsley/Associated Press.Water shortages plague Mexico CityMay 21, 2009 It’s been three weeks since the taps in Carlos Sandana’s … Continue reading

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Barack Obama : So Soon the Assassin

Obama’s choice: Gen. Stanley MacChrystal, America’s new army chief in Afghanistan. His expertise is in assassination and “decapitation.” Photo by Getty Images.How Long Does It Take? As far back as President Woodrow Wilson in the early twentieth century, American liberalism … Continue reading

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Marilyn Buck from the Greybar : Reflections on Liberation and Poetry

Portrait of Marilyn Buck by Tom Manning from Can’t Jail the Spirit: Art by Political Prisoner Tom Manning and others, 2006. The following is from former Austinite and Ragamuffin (contributor to our Sixties underground paper), long-time political prisoner and poet … Continue reading

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Ralph Solonitz : Memorial Day

Political cartoon by Ralph Solonitz / The Rag Blog / May 23, 2009. [Ralph Solonitz’ cartoons also appear at MadasHellClub.net.]The Rag Blog

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True Fiction, Dept. : San Angelo Mayor Quits to be With Gay Alien Lover

(Former) San Angelo Mayor J.W. Lown, in a photo with (and autographed by) U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson. Photo from jwloan.comSan Angelo Mayor springs a Hell of a surprise on his townBy Richard Connelly / May 21, 2009 See ‘Texas … Continue reading

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Canada Convicts Rwandan War Criminal

If this can happen, then surely we can also bring people such as George W. Bush and Dick Cheney to justice. Genocide in Rwanda or genocide in Iraq are of equal weight – both are heinous crimes under international law … Continue reading

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Talk Show Host Waterboarded : ‘It Was Instantaneous… Absolutely Torture’

Right-Wing Radio Host Gets Waterboarded, and Lasts Six Seconds Before Saying It’s TortureBy John Byrne / May 22, 2009. Host Erich Muller says “It was instantaneous…and I don’t want to say this: absolutely torture.” Chicago radio host Erich “Mancow” Muller … Continue reading

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