Tom Hayden's Blog, page 47

The American Defeat in Afghanistan

The United States government is facing defeat in Afghanistan. But that is not a bad thing in comparison to the alternative: waging war for another decade.

What’s Behind That Handshake?

The queen was wearing green. Since she was silent, we assume this was a message of sorts to the Irish people as she prepared for her historic handshake with Martin McGuinness, a republican former IRA commander and now a co-leader of the Northern Irish power-sharing government. Meanwhile, Irish republicans staged a militant protest in Belfast and came under siege by infuriated loyalists. What was really behind this symbolic step in the continuing peace process? From an inside source in Belfast comes this analysis:

La Jornada Supports Asylum for Assange

The leading Mexican paper La Jornada is strongly supporting asylum for Julian Assange in Ecuador, in a sign of Latin American sentiment against his extradition to Sweden or the United States. The conflict is portrayed as one between the Old World and new democratic norms embraced by much of the world.

“The Invisible War” Targets Rape in the Military - Again

“The Invisible War” is a gripping description of the epidemic of rape within the American military, as documented in the new Sundance-acclaimed film by director Kirby Dick and producer Amy Ziering. If the horrors depicted in this documentary reveal the extent of hidden sexual violence within the military, one can only shudder at the scale of rape inflicted by American troops in the field on Iraqis and Afghans but rarely if ever reported.

“The Invisible War” Targets Rape in the Military Again

“The Invisible War” is a gripping description of the epidemic of rape within the American military, as documented in the new Sundance-acclaimed film by director Kirby Dick and producer Amy Ziering. If the horrors depicted in this documentary reveal the extent of hidden sexual violence within the military, one can only shudder at the scale of rape inflicted by American troops in the field on Iraqis and Afghans but rarely if ever reported.

Calls for Non-Nuclear California Increase

The Los Angeles Times delivered a major blow to California’s two remaining nuclear plants with a June 24 editorial calling for state officials “to begin the planning for a non-nuclear future,” and a report that energy planners already are “beginning to look at long-range scenarios in which California would use no nuclear power from either San Onofre or the state’s one other nuclear plant, Diablo Canyon on the Central Coast.”

Mexico's Youth Movement Creates Own Presidential Debate

While President Felipe Calderon hosted the G20 summit at the Los Cabos resort in Baja California, Mexico's Yo Soy 132 youth movement again showed its power by holding an interactive third presidential debate, the first real citizen's debate in Mexico's history of presidential elections.

Obama, Romney and the Super PACs

Barack Obama is the first sitting president who will be outspent in his re-election campaign. He may lose as a result.

Urgent Petition in Support of Asylum for Julian Assange in Ecuador

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has taken refuge in the Ecuadoran embassy in London and is seeking political asylum.

Correa Against CIA, Death Squads and Oligarchy

It is no exaggeration to say that the CIA, in league with death squads, has been involved in Ecuador since the infamous torture and assassination program known as “Condor” in the 1970s.