Faking it By William Bowles

January 2018 — InvestigatingImperialism

It’s time I did a piece on this Fake News nonsense being put about by the Western propagandists, the originators of fake news and what better place to start than the BBC, the fountainhead of impartial and objective journalism, not.

Hacking, leaking and disputing the facts, it’s never been easier to distort the truth. Thanks to the digital revolution, anyone can dispute established facts and share it with the world on social media – be it for commercial or political gain. But when the line between fact and fiction becomes blurred the very fabric of our society can be endangered. Public trust in traditional media and political institutions has plummeted and some argue the unity of our nations is at stake. How can a free and fair media still operate in a digitised world and restore trust in political debate? – Davos The Fake News Challenge to Politics

The above quote is from the BBC News Website on 28 January 2018. It’s probably the single most disingenuous piece of journalism the BBC has ever published, for what it’s really telling its public is that the BBC no longer has a monopoly on deciding what is the truth. No wonder it thinks the ‘unity of our nation is at stake’.

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Hollywood’s Dangerous Afghan Illusion: “Charlie Wilson’s War”. Legacy of the late Robert Parry

29 January 2018 — Global Researchconsortiumnews.com

By Robert Parry

Robert Parry, editor and publisher of Consortiumnews.com, passed away on January 27th.

The Global Research team pays tribute to Robert Parry and his unwavering commitment to independent and honest journalism. His legacy will live.

On January 1st, I sent a short note to Robert Parry. Today our thoughts are with Robert Parry and his family. 

Robert Parry was a powerful voice, incisive in his analysis of complex foreign policy issues, with a longstanding commitment to peace and social justice.  

To consult  The Robert Parry Archive of articles posted on GR, click here. 

Below is Robert Parry’s incisive and timely April 2013 article on Hollywood’s slanted interpretation of the Soviet Afghan war.  The US supported “Freedom Fighters” were Al Qaeda. The Afghan Mujahideen were jihadist mercenaries recruited by the CIA. It was all for a good cause: destabilize a progressive secular government, occupy and destroy Afghanistan, undermine the Soviet Union.

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America’s National “Defense” Is Really “Offense”: Selected Articles

28 January 2018 — Global Research

Shifting Geopolitical Realities in Afghanistan. Threat to US Hegemony?

By Fraidoon Amel, January 28, 2018

Violent geopolitical rivalries between imperialist and hegemonist powers over Afghanistan’s natural resources, trade and transit routes, and geostrategic location have dramatically intensified. Despite sixteen years of heavy-handed US presence to establish its hegemony in Afghanistan and beyond, influence of regional powers like Russia, China, Iran, Pakistan, and India is growing. Continue reading

Blackouts and Flashpoints in 2018: Who Rules America, Globalization and Geopolitics By Prof. James Petras

28 January 2018 — Global Research

A radical making and remaking of political and economic integration, East and West.

The prophets and forecasters for the coming year have already set out their global vision ranging from rising economies to catastrophic global wars.

I want to argue from a different perspective, focusing on the increasing subdivision of markets, the deepening autonomy of political action from economic development, the greater threat of military interventions and increasing political accommodation.  I believe that we will experience a radical making and remaking of political and economic integration, East and West, within and without nations states.  ‘States Rights’ will re-emerge as an antidote to globalization.  Big countries will compete in regional wars with limited commitments but with global goals.

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Facebook details plans to censor news feeds and manipulate public opinion By Andre Damon

28 January 2018 — WSWS

Over the past two weeks, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced plans to reduce the amount of news shown to Facebook users and to ensure that the news that does appear comes from vetted sources, to introduce censorship to the world’s largest social network.

Even as it incrementally rolls out new “features” to its product intended to prevent users from communicating freely, Facebook is publicly making the case for limiting the freedom of expression online.

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The Genocide Conspiracy Against North Korea: An Open Letter to the International Criminal Court By Christopher Black and Prof. Graeme McQueen

26 January 2018 — Global Research

The American threats against North Korea continue to mount and with them the threat of the genocide of the people of North Korea by the United States of America and its allies. The meeting of the USA, Canada and other nations that attacked North Korea in 1950 held in Vancouver, Canada, on January 16, which some hoped would lead to a political solution, instead took on the character of a meeting of criminals who by their presence, agreement and actions made them parties to a conspiracy to commit genocide, a crime under the statute of the International Criminal Court and the Genocide Convention of 1948.

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Remembering Bra Hugh Masekela

26 January 2018 — Jazz on the Tube

Hugh Masekela (April 4, 1939 – January 23, 2018)

Hugh Masekela “Grazing In The Grass” live at the Kuumbwa, March 24th, 2014

I had the pleasure, and the honour of hanging out with Bra Hugh on a number of occasions when I lived Johannesburg as well as here in London when he visited here. A modest and honest human being, who was the same offstage as we was on, and who dedicated his life, not only to the wonderful music of South Africa but to the struggle to free its people from the evil of Apartheid.

As they say  in SA, Hamba Kahle Bra Hugh, you are forever in our memory Continue reading

The Exploitation of the World’s Poor: Selected Articles

25 January 2018 — Global Research

Federal Government Shutdown and the Duopoly System of Two-party Politics

By Abayomi Azikiwe, January 25, 2018

After three days of recriminations from both sides of the political aisles, the government was reopened on January 22. What is described as “essential services” were continued over the weekend of the closure. Continue reading

WaPo Defends Its Owner Against Charges That He's Very Wealthy By Jim Naureckas

24 January 2018 — FAIR

WaPo: Bernie Sanders claims the world’s six wealthiest people have as much wealth as half the global population

The Washington Post (10/2/17) maintains that is unfair to compare the wealth of its owner with that of ordinary people.

The vaunted Washington Post fact-checking team (10/2/17) took a look at this assertion:

Bernie Sanders Claims the World’s Six Wealthiest People Have as Much Wealth as Half the Global Population

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Saint Corbyn? A response to my detractors By William Bowles

24 January 2018 — InvestigatingImperialism

Illusion and Reality

It’s interesting reading comments on the essays I write that get published around the world on various websites (at least those that permit comments) regarding Jeremy Corbyn.

What appears to generate the most ire are my views on Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party as the alleged vehicle for radical, social transformation. It seems the man can do no wrong. He appears to have achieved some kind of saintly status amongst those on the left and amongst progressives in general, let alone the millions who voted for him. So is it any wonder that my decidedly unfashionable views provoke such negative reactions?

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US-Turkey Clash in Northern Syria. Turkey’s “Operation Olive Branch”: Selected Articles

23 January 2018 — Global Research

Ankara is militarizing the Afrin district of Syria with operation code-named “Olive Branch” to establish a “safe zone” along the Turkish-Syrian border. The district is controlled by US-backed People’s Protection Units (YPG) which are allegedly the target of the Turkish forces in the region. 

Will this invasion mount up the existential crisis in the Middle East? 

Read our selection of articles below and share it far and wide, post it on your social media accounts and discuss with your cliques.

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For an international coalition to fight Internet censorship

23 January 2018 — WSWS

An open letter from the International Editorial Board of the World Socialist Web Site to socialist, anti-war, left-wing and progressive websites, organizations and activists

The United States government, in the closest collaboration with Google, Facebook, Twitter and other powerful information technology corporations, is implementing massive restrictions on Internet access to socialist, antiwar and progressive websites. Similar repressive policies are being enacted by capitalist governments in Europe and throughout the world.

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Murdoch-Sky Merger Update: Good News?

23 January 2018 — Media Reform

Today, the Competition and Markets Authority announced that it is recommending a provisional block on the Fox-Sky merger on plurality grounds. This is welcome news, but far from a done deal. We still need to make sure that the merger doesn’t win approval on the basis of superficial undertakings offered by the Murdochs. 

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US Military Confrontation with Russia and China: Selected Articles

21 January 2018 — Global Research

“Explosive”, “Shocking” and “Alarming” FISA Memo Set to Rock DC, “End Mueller Investigation”

By Zero Hedge, January 21, 2018

All hell is breaking loose in Washington D.C. after a four-page memo detailing extensive FISA court abuse was made available to the entire House of Representatives Thursday. The contents of the memo are so explosive, says Journalist Sara Carter, that it could lead to the removal of senior officials in the FBI and the Department of Justice and the end of Robert Mueller’s special counsel investigation. Continue reading

This is for the Guardian, NYT and the BBC: 1939 to 2018 By William Bowles

21 January 2018 — InvestigatingImperialism

Before I go any further with this let me state that I’m not a Trotskyist, or a Leninist, or a Stalinist or a Maoist (but I might have been all of the above, with exception of Maoist, at one time or another). However, I might be a Zapatista, at least in spirit, but I’m definitely a Socialist Revolutionary (or is that a Revolutionary Socialist?). I’m not sure if I’m a Marxist either, but I’m definitely an admirer of the old man, he was a great artist and thinker, and possibly, along with Charles Darwin, the greatest mind of the 19th century. Whatever you call it, we need a socialist revolution and we need one now, we are running out of time!

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