Tom Hayden's Blog, page 45

Marines Use Tax Dollars to Counter Counter-Recruitment

Nearing exhaustion from two ground wars and student-faculty-parental opposition, the Marine Corps is spending $800,000 every year for twelve junkets by high school teachers to Marines Corps Base Camp Pendleton in San Diego, CA. The Marines host teachers at Parris Island, SC, as well.

Winning the Peace Vote in November

President Obama and the Democrats need a new peace initiative to increase turnout and voting by pro-peace voters who will make a critical difference in this November's election.

From the Energy Action Coalition

There is a deep need for the peace, environmental and political reform movements to come together. Single issue organizing is all well and good, but we are greater as a unified pro-democracy public. While strip mines and pipelines plunder along, the US government is fighting so many wars over resources that it is difficult to count. As long as the energy conservation budget is a fraction of the war budget, we are dead, be it one way or another.

Obama, Upset by Latin America Criticism, Replaces an Advisor

President Obama has replaced his senior Latin American advisor, Dan Restrepo, because of embarrassing heat the president took over his drug war and Cuba policies at the mid-April Summit of the Americas in Cartagena, Colombia.

Democratic Consultants Promote Middle Class Populism but Downplay War, Military Issues

Top Democratic consultants James Carville and Stanley Greenberg have issued a must-read, well researched, and entertaining manifesto, It's The Middle Class, Stupid! summarizing their oft-stated argument that the Democratic Party must embrace middle-class populism to win. Another major Democratic adviser, George Lakoff, makes a similar case in terms of message framing in his The Little Blue Book, with co-author Elisabeth Wehling.

Sicilia Caravan Calls for Peace Movement Against Drug War; US Escalates Drug War in Africa

The face of a growing movement against the US drug war will appear in California August 12-13 as the Mexican poet Javier Sicilia begins a long procession across the United States to the steps of the White House.

Gang Truce Lifts Salvadoran Economic Prospect

El Salvador's gang truce still is holding after four months, gaining support from Organization of American States (OAS) officials and positive improvements for the country's bond market. A national delegation of gang interventionists returns from El Salvador this week with recommendations for social and economic assistance.

The Failure of the Long War: Al Qaeda Rising in Syria, Iraq

Despite trillions of dollars and thousands of lives lost, it now appears that Al Qaeda is far from defeated and even on the rise in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Somali and Mali. The American counterterrorism strategy, symbolized by the 2011 killing of Osama bin Laden, and while inflicting serious damage on the network, has failed to prevent its spread and regeneration. Counter-insurgency, the rival Pentagon strategy of providing security for local populations, is already being shelved after a brief period of enthusiasm among defense intellectuals and journalists.

Garzón to Represent Assange

A renowned human rights lawyer, Spain's Baltasar Garzon, is now representing the WikiLeaks founder in multiple jurisdictions where he may face legal charges or possible extradition.

Romney Leads on Deficits, Economy, Jobs

Mitt Romney has a solid lead on economic issues after millions of Democratic dollars and thousands of Democratic ads, according to the Gallup-USA Today poll conducted July 19-22.