Yesterday I was listening to Brian Lehrer’s politics show on WNYC, the NPR station, on the year anniversay of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The guest was Ishaan Tharoor, a foreign affairs columnist for The Washington Post. I didn’t hear much from him that didn’t assume as true all the arguments of the U.S. in its proxy war with Russia over Ukraine, and I see very little in U.S. media today that isn’t designed to keep people living here in support of U.S. aims.
This is such a bitter contrast with 20 years ago when we never saw Iraqi civilians portrayed with sympathy as the “shock and awe” hit them, nor the people of Afghanistan, Syria, Libya or Yemen who suffered from unjustified U.S. occupation.
The interesting feature of the radio show was the callers. A woman called to say the U.S. should support Ukraine no matter what, because “they’re fighting our fight for democracy,” but the other callers brought some truth and opposition to the “America as a force for good” version of history. An Afro-American who had lived both in Ukraine and Russia, and whom the host expected to be pro-war, talked about how racist both Ukraine and Russia are, and also blasted the idea that the U.S. government cared about people there.
Al, a Vietnam vet from Brooklyn said, “Do you people understand that Russia is a nuclear power? You’re staring WW III. I heard the same thing when I registered for the draft, that if we don’t stop them in Vietnam, we’re going to have to fight them here on our shore… you people have to understand that this is not just a little skirmish. You’re trying to build up against a superpower with enough nukes to destroy the world… you’re talkin’ crazy stuff here.”
I called in and got through to the screener — which almost never happens as so many people call. The screener told me I wouldn’t get on because they had too many people on the line against the war, and that they didn’t have enough people arguing for pursuing the war. This is not a bad sign, at least for public radio listeners in NYC.
Are enough people rejecting the government/media-imposed consensus that the U.S. is fighting this war with Russia over the bodies of Ukraine for “democracy”? No, and the responsibility is on us to change that. Biden just promised the weapons manufacturers $2B more for Ukraine for laser-guided rockets.
Wake Up: U.S. Amps Up Threats to China
Since the U.S. shot down a balloon alleged to be a Chinese spy mission, Congressional reps from both parties, including the liberal Ro Khanna, Democrat representing Silicon Valley, have gone to Taiwan to pledge U.S. support against China. The war-makers announced 200 U.S. military are going to Taiwan for “training.” (Question: Isn’t that how the war on Vietnam began with “advisors”?}
But this move is not a U.S. incursion leading to a war of occupation. It’s a whole other level of challenging the the world’s largest economy and fellow superpower, directly on its territory, including hours ago, as U.S. surveillance and fighter planes are doing regularly.
As Al, said, with nukes, “you’re talkin’ crazy stuff here.”
We’re sharing this take on brainwashed American “chauvinists,” from Rafael Kadaris and Noche Diaz, both of whom were active with World Can’t Wait against U.S. wars since they were quite young, on the RNL – Revolution, Nothing Less – Show.
Thursday March 2 on Zoom – The Coming War with China: What Are the Causes? What Will It Entail? How Can It Be Prevented?
Register now for this presentation by Michael Klare, professor emeritus of peace and world security studies at Hampshire College, a Senior Visiting Fellow at the Arms Control Association in Washington, D.C., and defense correspondent of The Nation magazine. This event is organized by Brooklyn for Peace and cosponsored by World Can’t Wait. Visit Facebook Event Page.
Wednesday March 1: Yemen Can’t Wait National Day of Protest
End the U.S.-Backed Saudi War on Yemen
March 26 will mark the eighth anniversary of the brutal war on Yemen — a war that has killed tens of thousands of people and wreaked havoc on the country. While we’ve seen some progress made toward ending ongoing U.S. support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, we need to rally the grassroots and continue pressuring Congress to once and for all end U.S. participation in this war.
World Can’t Wait is part of a coalition organizing protests Wednesday March 1. Join us!