Book Review: Petras- The End of the Republic and the Delusion of Empire

October 10, 2016Leave a comment

10 October 2016 — — Global Research

THE END OF THE REPUBLIC AND THE DELUSION OF EMPIRE by James Petras. 2016, Clarity Press Reviewed by Professor Edward Curtin

Very few public intellectuals pull no punches in their analyses of world affairs. James Petras is one of them. Possessed of a brilliant and capacious mind that grasps global events in a comprehensive and interconnected way, he also writes with a moral urgency befitting our dangerous historical moment. He reminds me of C. Wright Mills, another brilliant sociologist whose warnings went unheeded more than fifty years ago.

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Leaked EU documents show that big corporations have seized control of our food safety regulations

October 10, 2016Leave a comment

10 October 2016 — SumOfUs

Under corporate pressure, the EU is set to adopt meaningless “guidelines” that will mean dangerously high levels of a substance called acrylamide in our food. Even the EU’s own food safety experts say this substance could damage our DNA and increase the risk of cancer.

It’s a dream come true for the industry giants. In the coming days, the European Commissioner for Health will consider the draft proposal. And even after Brexit, these rules could set the baseline for future UK regulation, too. But a public outcry across Europe for real, legal limits that protect people (not profits!) can still beat the lobbyists.

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Media Lens: Media Silence Over Deadly Sanctions: From Iraq To Syria

October 10, 2016Leave a comment

10 October 2016 — Media Lens

Awkward facts that erode the ‘benign humanitarian’ self-image of the West are routinely side-lined or buried by the corporate media. Consider, for example, the severe impact of sanctions imposed on Syria by the United States and the European Union.

An internal United Nations assessment, revealed on September 28 by Rania Khalek in The Intercept, makes clear that the sanctions are punishing ordinary Syrians and preventing vital aid, including medical supplies, from reaching those in dire need. Access has been denied for blood safety equipment, medicines, medical devices, food, fuel, water pumps and spare parts for power plants, amongst other items.

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