Where were these big headlines in 2003?

PRAY FOR PEACE - PRAY FOR UKRAINE

RUSSIA HAS EMBARKED ON A PATH OF EVIL

SECOND CITY IN SOLIDARITY WITH UKRAINE

These bold headlines graced the first 3 pages yesterday's Chicago Sun Times. Here are the bold headlines that the Sun Times and every other mainstream U.S. paper should have printed on March 21, 2003, the day after U.S. unleashed the most monstrous criminal war in its long history?

PRAY FOR PEACE - PRAY FOR IRAQ

AMERICA HAS EMBARKED ON A PATH OF EVIL

SECOND CITY IN SOLIDARITY WITH IRAQ

Alas, they weren't there because the Sun Times and every other mainstream outlet, print or electronic, was cheering on U.S. slaughter in Iraq.

Moral outrage over criminal war is selective indeed

Message to Senator Richard Durbin on U.S. theft of Afghan assets

Sen. Durbin, you did not respond to my demand for you to work to stop the theft by Biden of $7 billion in Afghan treasure which is worsening the Aghan humanitarian crisis. You just offered happy talk of how concerned you are and how involved you are in providing more assistance. Afghans are suffering and dying every day from US refusal to release these funds, most likely to punish the Taliban rulers for defeating the American invaders who subjugated Afghanistan for 20 years, killing hundreds of thousands.  

I beg you to use your considerable influence to stop this grotesque theft of desperately need Afghan treasure. It is clear from your comment "Holding the Taliban accountable for their actions does not mean we must make the people of Afghanistan suffer greater hardship", that you support the theft and ignore the continuing US made humanitarian crisis there.

Please respond to my demand to work for the release this treasure to the Taliban and the Afghan people. US policy is simply killing Afghans from afar. 

Walt Zlotow

President, West Suburban Peace Coalition

Glen Ellyn    

******************************************************************************

 

February 24, 2022 Mr. Walt Zlotow 340 Greenfield Avenue Glen Ellyn, IL 60137-5337 Dear Mr. Zlotow:           Thank you for contacting me about the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.  I appreciate hearing from you.            After a severe drought and decades of conflict, Afghanistan is amidst an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe.  More than half of the country's population will require humanitarian assistance to survive the winter, and more than one million children will face acute hunger.  In the months since the Taliban seized power, conditions have deteriorated drastically.  Doctors and nurses have not been paid. Less than 20 percent of the  2,300 health clinics are functional.  The United Nations requested $4.4 billion for humanitarian aid within Afghanistan, the largest request in history for a single country.            Holding the Taliban accountable for their actions does not mean we must make the people of Afghanistan suffer greater hardship.  I was pleased when the Biden Administration announced that aid groups would be exempt from the sanctions meant to hinder the Taliban, as well as the pledge of hundreds of millions of dollars in direct humanitarian aid.  The administration also has worked with international allies and institutions to ensure direct aid can flow into Afghanistan easier and has helped organize additional international funds for relief.            In recent weeks, I have spoken with administration officials, urging them to continue to assist the humanitarian effort underway in Afghanistan.  On January 20, 2022, I led several of my colleagues in sending a letter to President Biden requesting that he include additional direct humanitarian funding in any supplemental appropriations request sent to Congress.            I will continue to speak with administration officials and monitor the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.  Should additional direct humanitarian funding measures be considered in the Senate, I will be sure to keep your thoughts in mind.           Thank you again for contacting me.  Please feel free to keep in touch.
	Sincerely,       Richard J. Durbin       United States Senator
RJD/cc

Short take on Ukraine crisis

"Oh what a noxious stew we brew, when first we practice senseless coup"

Why Germany sent just helmets to Ukraine

While the U.S., $30 trillion in debt, pumps billions in weaponry into Ukraine and NATO states ringing Russia, Germany just sent…helmets. Aghast, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko sputtered “The behavior of the German government leaves me speechless. What kind of support will Germany give next, pillows?”

The short answer is Germany is not stupid. They have better things to do with their treasure, like continue to expand German infrastructure, health care for all, conversion to green energy, education. Let the shortsighted Americans squander their treasure on militarism ignoring every decent, humane initiative of responsible governance.

But the long answer has to do with energy. Germany gets 40% of its energy from Russia. That will expand once the Nord Stream II natural gas pipeline connects Russia to Germany, doubling Russia’s capacity to send natural gas to Europe under the Baltic.

That prospect threatens U.S. energy suppliers who want to keep Europe dependent on more expensive liquefied natural gas (LNG) which must be shipped in tankers overseas to Europe. Nord Steam II will also cut out Ukraine’s middleman fees to transit Ukraine, further eroding their economy. What better way to derail Nord Stream II and keep Europe dependent on American energy companies than manufacturing a crisis with Russia. Hey, how bout marching NATO up to Russia’s borders, putting in troops and missiles, and leaving open NATO membership to Ukraine and Georgia.

So far that strategy is working to keep the crisis on the front burner….except Russia hasn’t yet quite taken the bait. A good way to make that happen is to make no concessions whatsoever to Russia’s legitimate security concerns. If up to Germany, the U.S. would keep its weapons of war out of the conflict and quit interfering in European affairs.

Getting back to German help for Ukraine, Germany should take up Kyiv Mayor Klitschko’s comment about what’s next from Germany. They might contact Mike Lindell, the My Pillow Guy, to prop up his faltering U.S business by opening a franchise in Kyiv. Unless I’m mistaken, unlike U.S. weapons of civilian destruction, don’t believe My Pillow Guy’s pillows have killed anyone yet.