Trump buildup for war with Iran mimics George W. Bush’s buildup for 2003 Iraq war

 Trump buildup for war with Iran mimics George W. Bush’s buildup for 2003 Iraq war

Back in 2002 the US demanded Iraq give up its WMD, weapons of mass destruction, ostensibly to prevent another 911 attack a year earlier. To back up its demand the US threatened attacking the Iraqi regime to safeguard the Homeland.

Along with most Americans, I fell for the line that the US would stand down due to the weapons inspectors and intelligence resources in Iraq concluding Iraq had no WMD and was not a threat to America whatsoever.

Then in August 2002, I read a report buried deep in the Chicago Tribune describing America’s massive military buildup, concluding with the strong implication that such a buildup made attack on Iraq inevitable with nothing Iraq could do to prevent it.

At that moment I knew everything the Bush administration said about the Iraqi danger was a vicious lie in service of ousting Saddam Hussein and conquering Iraq. Seven months later, contrary to all the evidence, Bush did precisely that.

I’m getting the same ominous feeling when I hear Trump bragging out his massive buildup of air and naval forces near Iran poised to attack should Iran not capitulate to Trump’s non-negotiable demands that Iran give up its missile defense resources and cease supporting its regional allies.

Trump frames the ongoing negotiations as designed to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. This despite Trump’s bragging that he completely destroyed their nuclear program with his one-off bombing last June in support of Israel’s 12 day war on Iran that utterly failed to topple the Iranian regime.

The current negotiations in Geneva have nothing to do with Iran’s nuclear weapons program since, like Iraq’s imaginary WMD program in 2002, Iran has none. Indeed, for verification Iran is willing to negotiate limited nuclear enrichment for peaceful domestic purposes; even allow inspections to verify compliance But they will never negotiate away their missile program which is their only defense against further Israeli, US attacks such as they incurred last June.

Another similarity to Bush’s illegal invasion of Iraq 23 year ago? It had nothing to do with vital US national interests. It had to do with Israeli demands that successive US administrations bought up with Israel Lobby money, take out any Israeli rivals for Middle East hegemony.

Trump’s fealty to Israeli demands, encouraged by their near quarter billion in campaign support, fueled Trump’s blowing up Obama’s sensible 2015 Iran nuclear agreement in 2018. He lied to us then how the deal favored Iran by not ending its nuclear bomb program that did not exist. Trump is lying to us now on the urgency of destroying Iranian sovereignty which includes the right to self-defense.

But there is one huge difference between Trump’s trumped up Iranian threat likely presaging all out war today and George W. Bush’s falsified Iraqi threat in 2002. Unlike Iraq which had no defensive military means and no powerful allies to assist his defense, Iran has both.

They have thousands of missiles scattered thruout their large country capable of inflicting massive damage on US and Israeli forces. In addition they are getting defensive support from Russia and especially China in the form of intelligence resources to track approaching US bombers and provide accurate targeting information in retaliation.

History shows that sending a military armada near a pretend enemy never gets recalled. Its sole purpose is to attack and destroy based on a tissue of lies. And any lie and any ludicrous demand to negotiate an impossible deal in furtherance of war will be used to justify attack.

George W. Bush got 4,497 soldiers and 1,487 civilian contractors killed for nothing in his made up Iraq war. Trump’s march to war with Iran may make Bush’s folly pale in comparison.

Walt Zlotow West Suburban Peace Coalition Glen Ellyn IL

Very traumatic for whom Mr. Trump?

 Very traumatic for whom Mr. Trump?

President Trump recapped his sixth meeting this year with his real boss, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, by stating it will be “Very traumatic” for Iran if a nuclear deal isn’t reached soon.

With his vast military armada perched on Iran’s doorstep, Trump’s warning is clear. The US is preparing a massive attack to decapitate the Iranian regime and splinter Iran into a failed state. Of course this has nothing to do with US national security interests. It’s about Israel’s decade’s long demand that its US servants remove Israel’s last hegemonic rival for Middle East supremacy.

When asked about a timeline for Iran to capitulate to every US, Israeli demand that would essentially nullify Iranian sovereignty, Trump said “I guess over the next month. They should agree very quickly.” Netanyahu echoed that delusional assessment stating “The president believes the Iranians now understand who they are dealing with” (and that) “conditions could emerge for achieving a good agreement.”

Trump and Netanyahu know full well Iran will never negotiate away their ballistic missile defense which will devastate both US military forces and Israel itself once Trump launches all out war.

Knowing no deal is possible, Trump and Netanyahu likely spent their 3 hour meeting discussing when and how to destroy Iran militarily. The Israeli news site Ynet, concurred, stating the two leaders discussed military options and that Israeli officials expect the US will eventually attack Iran.

Best we in the peace community can hope for is that someone close to Trump convinces him that the trauma Trump threatens Iran with will boomerang into unfathomable trauma for the US and Israel as well as Iran.

Walt Zlotow  West Suburban Peace Coalition 

Walking away on top better than being airlifted away from the top

 Walking away on top better than being airlifted away from the top

Experiencing world class athletic success must be the most exhilarating drug ever. Once on top, it’s difficult to imagine one’s body will eventually betray the prowess that allowed the inhabitant to experience the glory sports stardom brings.

But history is replete with fabulous athletes who didn’t know when to walk away. The Sultan of Swat Babe Ruth was so slow in his last full Yankee season, pitchers refused to take the mound if he was bumbling around in left field. When the Yanks unceremoniously cut him loose after the '34 season, the Braves picked him up as a gate attraction for the ’35 season. A shadow of his former greatness, Ruth staggered off the field with 6 dingers and a .181 average in just 28 games.

Bronx Bomber Joe Louis, heavyweight champion from ’39 to ’40, came out of retirement highly overweight in 1950 at age 36 to pay off tax debts. Failing to regain the heavyweight title, Louis suffered 2 of only 3 losses in 69 fights, the last of which was a merciless beating by Rocky Marciano in 951. Rocky learned Joe’s departing lesson well, retiring on top as undefeated champ at 46-0.

That brings us to world class alpine skier Lindsey Vonn. Few such athletes reached the pinnacle of success achieved by Vonn: four World Cup championships, three Olympic medals including first American woman to win Olympic downhill gold. Vonn retired twice due to injuries but the lure of Olympic fame at the current Cortina Games was too much to resist, prompting her second comeback last November at age 41.

Even a torn ACL nine days before her first event could not dissuade Vonn from attempting the unattainable. Thirteen seconds into her run she suffered a catastrophic fall severely breaking her left leg. Three surgeries later Vonn is in for a long road ahead to simply enjoy normal, pain free mobility with likely decades to live.

Vonn’s ordeal should be a lesson to all great and not so great athletes to leave on a high note….not on a high mountain.

Guthrie kidnapping coverage symptomatic of failed mainstream media

 

Guthrie kidnapping coverage symptomatic of failed mainstream media

 

There are critical issues that mainstream media must cover to provide an informed American public. Continued death and destruction of Palestinians in Gaza and their homeland. America on the cusp of war with Iran that may blow up the Middle East. Ukraine being systematically destroyed by failed US proxy war against Russia. Cutting off oil to degrade the Cuban people and force regime change. Obliterating small unarmed boats off Venezuela and the violent kidnapping of its president to score political points back home. Refusal of the Trump administration to release the Epstein files to bring justice to Epstein’s sex trafficking victims. Refusal of the Trump administration to investigate the brutalization, even homicides of innocent citizens in Democratic cities.

 

These just scratch the surface of what mainstream news must cover in depth to foster an informed electorate. But mainstream news is not about informing the public. It is about entertaining the public to bring additional vast riches to the rich folks who run media outlets.

 

Case in point is the lengthy coverage of the February 1 Nancy Guthrie kidnapping in Arizona. Had Guthrie not been the mother of NBC news host Savannah Guthrie, the kidnapping would have been unmentioned as the other roughly 2,100 violent crimes committed on Americans that day.

 

Of course, any crime involving a celebrity will be mentioned on mainstream news. But the Guthrie coverage was both lengthy and largely uninformative while it pushed infinitely more important stories aside.

 

 The other night while watching an important piece on congressional wrangling over release of the Epstein files to bring justice to Epstein’s victims, MSNBC dramatically interrupted coverage with BREAKING NEWS. Why? To spend about 20 minutes to tell we clueless viewers nothing of value. What was the breaking news? A “person of interest” was detained for questioning. That was it. A reporter rushed to the investigation scene to repeat over and over that no information was being released. All the while the door cam video of the masked man at the door was repeated on an endless loop. As they say in Hollywood…’That’s entertainment.’

 

This worthless use of 20 minutes could have been handled in 20 seconds. ‘A person of interest has been detained in the Nancy Guthrie kidnapping. No further information has been released.’  

 

Mainstream news coverage of important stories is either non-existent or so superficial it’s worthless.

 

Today legions of Americans lament how 77 million voters can elect an authoritarian con man who, among other crimes, unleashed masked thugs on American streets to inflict senseless violence in the name of law enforcement. Spend a little time watching mainstream news and you’ll know how.

Sixth Trump meeting with his de facto boss…good day to fire him

 Sixth Trump meeting with his de facto boss…good day to fire him

President Trump’s de jure, constitutional boss is We the People. 77 302,580 of us, giving Trump 58% of the Electoral College, hired him November 5, 2024. Trump serves and reports to Us.

But during the past 13 months he’s dismissed his true boss to take orders from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Support the Israeli genocide obliterating Palestinians in Gaza with billions in weapons…check. Conspire with Netanyahu to sucker punch Iran with a sneak attack to decapitate their regime last June…check. Support Israeli provocateurs to infiltrate domestic Iranian protests to overthrow the Iranian regime last December…check.

Netanyahu is furious both his murderous Iranian regime change ventures failed. So he demanded, and of course got, his sixth sit down with Trump scheduled for today. Topic Number One? Iran, and not to make peace with Iran, likely the next and most massive attack that will finally achieve Netanyahu’s cherished dream of a decapitated, degraded Israeli rival for Middle East supremacy.

At Netanyahu's behest Trump has moved a massive military armada into the region. Pulling back is near impossible when Trump’s boss demands he pull the trigger on senseless war that could blow up the Middle East, indeed possibly the world.

It would take a psychiatrist, maybe a team of psychiatrists, to unravel why Trump allows Netanyahu to be his real boss. It may simply be the near quarter of a billion dollars Netanyahu’s Israel Lobby has provided Trump’s campaign coffers since 2020.

Regardless, someone in the Trump orbit needs to convince Trump who his real boss is. We the People do not want our treasure supporting genocide in Gaza. Nor do we want it used to launch massive war on Iran to please Trump’s de facto boss Benjamin Netanyahu.

Trump needs to usher Netanyahu into the Oval Office today and immediately announce…’You’re fired.'

Walt Zlotow West Suburban Peace Coalition Glen Ellyn IL

Ghost of McGovern haunts Democratic Party foreign policy 2028 will be the 16th presidential election in my 81 years. The only true antiwar Democratic presidential nominee in my lifetime was George McGovern in 1972. He ran against pro Vietnam War president Richard Nixon, who claimed America could achieve peace with honor there. McGovern said ‘Bunk’ and pledged to end the war without, as Nixon’s policy guaranteed, getting hundreds of thousands more Vietnamese, and tens of thousands more U.S. soldiers killed. Result? The U.S. electorate rejected McGovern’s vision overwhelmingly, giving Nixon 49 states and a 23.2% vote margin. Democrats, traditionally less militaristic than Republicans, learned a hard lesson: never campaign for peace over war. In the 14 presidential elections since, including two years ago, Democrats dared not champion peace against war loving Republicans. In 2004, former Vietnam peace advocate John Kerry had the chance to call out George W. Bush for his illegal, immoral, criminal Iraq war. Instead he bailed, campaigning on winning the war, which was in tatters, by fighting it more intelligently than stupid Bush. In 2008 and 2012, Barack Obama hinted at withdrawing from senseless wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Once in office, he not only didn’t fully end them, he added to America’s Wars of Shame, intervening in Libya, Yemen and Syria; helping turn them into failed states, with hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions of refugees. Trump also campaigned against America’s forever wars in 2016, then dropped more bombs than Obama, assassinated a high ranking Iranian general, and nearly started massive wars against both Iran and North Korea. But rather than call out and campaign against this military bellicosity, Joe Biden campaigned for more military spending, more confrontation with China and Russia, adversaries he called “near peer powers”. Biden got off to a good start by quickly ending America’s disastrous 20 year war in Afghanistan. Then he doubled, tripled quadrupled down on other perpetual warfare thruout his first term. He provoked and enabled the Russian war in Ukraine, then sabotaged every effort to end it early on. Ukraine is now on US, NATO life support near collapse as the US Trojan House against Russia that came up lame. Hundreds of thousands are unnecessarily dead and injured. Millions have evacuated to safer climes. Biden expanded provocative rhetoric and military exercises against North Korea and China in the Far East. Worst of all he enabled and supported Israel’s grotesque genocide of Palestinians in Gaza following Hamas’ attack Kamala Harris, Biden’s Vice President and nominee successor in July 2024 when his mental decline could no longer be contained, followed the pro war Biden script perfectly. Not a word against his support of Israeli genocide and the utterly failed US proxy war destroying Ukraine. Result? Over 6 million 2020 Biden voters abandoned Harris They voted third party, some even for peace promising Trump, or simply stayed home. Biggest reason? Democratic war policies. Trump immediately pivoted from his peace pledge, going war crazy upon re-election. He’s bombed 7 countries including Somalia over 125 times. He continued suppling Israel with billions in weapons to obliterate Gaza, then ignored their daily ceasefire violations that have killed hundreds while denying the 2 million decimated survivors the necessities of life. He killed over 200 by bombing small boats off Venezuela, then invading outright to kidnap its president. He nearly triggered a Middle East regional war by bombing Iran in June. He’s also bombed Syria, Yemen, Nigeria and Iraq. Tragically for peace, the Democratic Party responded by ignoring the message that peace loving Democrats delivered the Party in November. Aside from independent Bernie Sanders who is unwelcome by party elites, no prominent Democrat calls out Trump’s deranged war mongering worldwide. Peace in the upcoming party platform. Not a chance. Democrats have clearly learned the lesson of 1972. In their warped view of good governance, promoting peace will not promote electoral success this November or in 2028. They’re helped by mainstream media which has largely banished US worldwide warfare criticism from their editorial pages. The Democratic Party will not give peace a chance, believing peace doesn’t sell with a war obsessed government and military fueled by companies selling hundreds of billions in weapons of mass civilian destruction. They continue to foster a clueless, compliant and complicit electorate. And astride Democrats’ shoulders, every blood drenched step of the way, is the ghost of George McGovern. Walt Zlotow West Suburban Peace Coalition

 Ghost of McGovern haunts Democratic Party foreign policy

2028 will be the 16^th presidential election in my 81 years.

 

The only true antiwar Democratic presidential nominee in my lifetime was George McGovern in 1972. He ran against pro Vietnam War president Richard Nixon, who claimed America could achieve peace with honor there. McGovern said ‘Bunk’ and pledged to end the war without, as Nixon’s policy guaranteed, getting hundreds of thousands more Vietnamese, and tens of thousands more U.S. soldiers killed.

 

Result? The U.S. electorate rejected McGovern’s vision overwhelmingly, giving Nixon 49 states and a 23.2% vote margin. Democrats, traditionally less militaristic than Republicans, learned a hard lesson: never campaign for peace over war.

 

 

In the 14 presidential elections since, including two years ago, Democrats dared not champion peace against war loving Republicans. In 2004, former Vietnam peace advocate John Kerry had the chance to call out George W. Bush for his illegal, immoral, criminal Iraq war. Instead he bailed, campaigning on winning the war, which was in tatters, by fighting it more intelligently than stupid Bush.

 

In 2008 and 2012, Barack Obama hinted at withdrawing from senseless wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Once in office, he not only didn’t fully end them, he added to America’s Wars of Shame, intervening in Libya, Yemen and Syria; helping turn them into failed states, with hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions of refugees.

 

 

Trump also campaigned against America’s forever wars in 2016, then dropped more bombs than Obama, assassinated a high ranking Iranian general, and nearly started massive wars against both Iran and North Korea.

 

But rather than call out and campaign against this military bellicosity, Joe Biden campaigned for more military spending, more confrontation with China and Russia, adversaries he called “near peer powers”.

 

Biden got off to a good start by quickly ending America’s disastrous 20 year war in Afghanistan. Then he doubled, tripled quadrupled down on other perpetual warfare thruout his first term. He provoked and enabled the Russian war in Ukraine, then sabotaged  every effort to end it early on. Ukraine is now on US, NATO life support near collapse as the US Trojan House against Russia that came up lame. Hundreds of thousands are unnecessarily dead and injured. Millions have evacuated to safer climes.

 

Biden expanded provocative rhetoric and military exercises against North Korea and China in the Far East.

 

Worst of all he enabled and supported Israel’s grotesque genocide of Palestinians in Gaza following Hamas’ attack

 

Kamala Harris, Biden’s Vice President and nominee successor in July 2024 when his mental decline could no longer be contained, followed the pro war Biden script perfectly. Not a word against his support of Israeli genocide and the utterly failed US proxy war destroying Ukraine. Result? Over 6 million 2020 Biden voters abandoned Harris They voted third party, some even for peace promising Trump, or simply stayed home. Biggest reason? Democratic war policies.

 

Trump immediately pivoted from his peace pledge, going war crazy upon re-election. He’s bombed 7 countries including Somalia over 125 times. He continued suppling Israel with billions in weapons to obliterate Gaza, then ignored their daily ceasefire violations that have killed hundreds while denying the 2 million decimated survivors the necessities of life. He killed over 200 by bombing small boats off Venezuela, then invading outright to kidnap its president. He nearly triggered a Middle East regional war by bombing Iran in June. He’s also bombed Syria, Yemen, Nigeria and Iraq.

 

Tragically for peace, the Democratic Party responded by ignoring the message that peace loving Democrats delivered the Party in November. Aside from independent Bernie Sanders who is unwelcome by party elites, no prominent Democrat calls out Trump’s deranged war mongering worldwide. Peace in the upcoming party platform. Not a chance.

 

                                                                                                         

Democrats have clearly learned the lesson of 1972. In their warped view of good governance, promoting peace will not promote electoral success this November or in 2028. They’re helped by mainstream media which has largely banished US worldwide warfare criticism from their editorial pages.  

 

The Democratic Party will not give peace a chance, believing peace doesn’t sell with a war obsessed government and military fueled by companies selling hundreds of billions in weapons of mass civilian destruction. They continue to foster a clueless, compliant and complicit electorate.

 

And astride Democrats’ shoulders, every blood drenched step of the way, is the ghost of George McGovern.

Walt Zlotow West Suburban Peace Coalition

Has Trump been trumped by large, powerful, resolute Iran?

 Has Trump been trumped by large, powerful, resolute Iran?

Last June Israel attacked Iran, got blooded bad enough to beg Trump to negotiate a ceasefire. Trump got a reality lesson as well. Iran responded with its own attack to Trump’s one-off strike that did not “obliterate” Iran’s nuclear program, damaging a US base in Qatar. The message was clear. Any all out US attack could bring home hundreds, possibly thousands of US body bags.

Both Iranian responses demonstrate Iran has enormous firepower to both defend any US Israeli attack, but also inflict enormous damage on its attackers. And that damage would not only be to US, Israeli forces, it would shut down the Strait of Hormuz, likely wrecking the US, Israeli; indeed world economy.

Did Trump get the message? At first no. He conspired with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in December to foment violent domestic protests to overthrow the Iranian regime. Trump planned a mid-January attack to push the protesters to victory. But when Iran crushed the protests, Trump backed down once again, realizing a strengthened Iranian regime would repel any attack just like in June.

That has left Trump in an impossible quandary. He’s put the massive US military armada on Iran’s doorstep knowing he cannot possibly succeed without incurring US, Israeli losses. But his credibility is destroyed if he admits defeat and withdraws the US armada.

What to do? Trump’s M.O. when cornered is to set up fake, negotiations with his adversary to buy time and seek trifling concessions so he can claim a complete, overwhelming victory. That won’t work with Iran. His upcoming negotiations with Iran will fail worse than his failed negotiations with Denmark and NATO to gobble up Greenland. Trump’s demands going in are so extreme, essentially guaranteeing end of Iranian sovereignty, they are a non-starter.

Trump is also not the master of his destiny with Iran. He knows Iran poses no threat whatsoever to US interests. But Trump also knows he’s subservient to his Israeli masters who demand he attack Iran to destroy Israel’s last Middle East hegemonic competitor. Even major US casualties could serve Israel’s agenda by forcing Trump launch all out war to avenge those casualties as not dying in vain. It’s even possible that Israel would use their own massive casualties to drop a nuke on Tehran. Once Trump pulls the trigger on his armada installed at Israel’s behest, there is no reversal of the inevitable catastrophe for Middle East peace; possibly world peace.

It was a snap for Trump to bring his military up to Venezuela’s border and slaughter a few hundred folks with boat strikes and outright invasion to score a presidential kidnapping. Bringing that same military up to Iran’s border will be a criminal war too far for Trump. Either he blows up the Middle East, destroying US and Israeli forces along with Iran in a conflict that could go nuclear, or he admits defeat, turns tail and sheds his warrior credibility.

By caving to Israeli demands, Trump has left himself no satisfactory way out. Has he met his match in large, powerful, resolute Iran? Sure looks like it.

Walt Zlotow  West Suburban Peace Coalition  Glen Ellyn IL 

Sorrowful day for peace largely ignored thruout America

 Sorrowful day for peace largely ignored thruout America

The New Start Treaty between Russia and US expires today and America largely yawned. Big story on mainstream news? Faggedaboudit. Ask the person on the street about New Start and he might mutter something about giving disadvantaged kids free comprehensive early childhood education. Wait, wait…that’s Head Start.

Nope, New Start is the 16 year old treaty Obama signed with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on February 8, 2010. It caps the number of nuclear warheads each side can deploy at 1,550 and limits the number of deployed and non-deployed strategic launchers to 800. Still enough for either side to incinerate us all, but prevents a senseless arms race and symbolic of the critical need to reduce nuclear tensions.

But limited US Russian nuclear arsenals go back 54 years as 2010 Russian New Start signer Medvedev reminded us yesterday. “That’s it. For the first time since 1972, Russia (the former USSR) and the US have no treaty limiting strategic nuclear forces. SALT 1, SALT 2, START I, START II, SORT, New START – All in the past, winter is coming.”

President Trump rebuffed Russian President Putin’s offer to extend the limits for another year for sensible diplomacy to negotiate a new treaty.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio used the lame excuse that any new treaty must include China. But with a nuclear arsenal a pittance of the two nuclear giants, China demurred saying any treaty involving China must include US Russian nuclear stockpiles reduced to China’s level. Rubio knew his requirement was a poison pill deal breaker for any new extension of New Start.

Dumping nuclear agreements is nothing new for Trump. He left office in January 20, 2021 ignoring New Start’s eminent expiration. Successor Biden promptly renewed New Start for 5 years, exactly 5 years ago today. This time Trump has succeeded in letting it expire on his watch.

This gives Trump a trifecta in dumping critically needed nuclear agreements. In August 2019 Trump withdrew from the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty that banned all land-based missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 km. . In November 2020, just before leaving office, Trump withdrew from the 2002 Open Skies Treaty which allowed the US and Russia to conduct short-notice, unarmed reconnaissance flights over each other's territory to monitor military activities.

The only positive glimmer to put on Trump’s refusal to extend New Start, even for a measly year to negotiate a long term agreement? Trump has no more nuclear agreements to withdraw from in the last sorrowful 3 years of his second term.

This January the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists moved the Doomsday Clock, symbolic of approaching global catastrophe, to 85 seconds to Midnight, the closest in its 79 year history. With Trump president, the Bulletin might want to quickly reconvene for another gander at our march toward world annihilation. Next January, none of us might around to hear the 2027 announcement.

Walt Zlotow West Suburban Peace Coalition Glen Ellyn IL

DePetris views America’s 66 years of degrading Cuban people largely from America’s perspective, not American imposed Cuban suffering

DePetris views America’s 66 years of degrading Cuban people largely from America’s perspective, not American imposed Cuban suffering

 

The Chicago Tribune’s foreign affairs columnist Daniel DePetris continues to do a disservice educating Tribune readers on America’s illegal, immoral and criminal foreign policies degrading, destroying numerous countries.

 

Case in point is his commentary ‘What kind of deal is the US looking for in Cuba?’

 

For DePetris, it’s all about US foreign policy interests without any mention of their illegality, immorality and criminality.

 

He begins by referencing how America’s murderous Venezuelan policy, killing over 200 in the boat bombings and capture of sitting Venezuelan President Maduro, is a “a force-multiplier for the administration’s Cuba policy, which centers on increasing economic pressure on the island until its aging rulers either wither away or negotiate their own demise. 

 

It may be a “force multiplier”, but it’s in service of another notch on America’s murderous, criminal regime change belt that toppled Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Venezuela regimes and hopefully soon Cuba and Iran regimes. DePetris writes in such neutral, clinical terms that the uneducated have nary a clue of how degrading, indeed murderous, US policy truly is on hundreds of millions worldwide.

Only at the end does DePetris point out “normalizing the U.S.-Cuba relationship would be the most effective and least costly policy proposal on the table.” Most effective and least costly for whom? The United States of course, not the Cuban people who may suffer anther 66 years unless sensible commentators push back. That certainly does not include Daniel DePetris.

 

DePetris inadvertently refutes 66 years of America’s shameful Cuban policy degrading life for its 11 million people by stating the obvious that applies to all aforementioned 5 states regimes America deposed: “Cuba isn’t a real national security threat to the United States anyway, (and)  can’t possibly compete with U.S. primacy”.

 

Sadly, the Chicago Tribune has long ceased editorializing on US foreign policy, the most critical existential issue facing Americans. Instead, the Trib has outsourced foreign affairs to Daniel DePetris, a proponent of US exceptionalism, who will never challenge America’s annual trillion dollar war machine wreaking havoc worldwide.

 

Walt Zlotow  West Suburban Peace Coalition  Glen Ellyn IL 

Trump to Congress: ’I don’t need your stinkin’ approval to fund Israeli genocide in Gaza’

 Trump to Congress: ’I don’t need your stinkin’ approval to fund Israeli genocide in Gaza’

Trump is so anxious to continue funding Israel’s genocide of Palestinians Gaza that he won’t wait for customary congressional approval.
 
He authorized a mammoth weapons tranche of $6.5 billion to Israel which includes:
·          AH-64E Apache Helicopters and related equipment costing $3.8 billion
·         Joint Light Tactical Vehicle and related equipment costing $1.98 billion
·         Armored Personnel Carrier equipment and related logistics support costing $740 million
·         AW119Kx Light Utility Helicopters and related equipment costing $150 million
 
Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY), the ranking member of the House oversight committee, blasted Trump’s action.
 “Just one hour ago, the Trump administration informed me it would disregard congressional oversight and years of standing practice, and immediately notify over $6 billion in arms sales to Israel. Shamefully, this is now the second time the Trump administration has blatantly ignored long-standing Congressional prerogatives while also refusing to engage Congress on critical questions about the next steps in Gaza and broader US policy,”
 
Trump has no interest in using our tax dollars to fund decent health care, education, affordable housing, green energy, infrastructure; indeed everything needed to uplift the commons. But like predecessor Biden did when Israeli Prime Minister calls for more genocide weapons, Trump listens…then stands and delivers. 

Walt Zlotow West Suburban Peace Coalition Glen Ellyn IL

Upcoming Trump attack on Iran likely to kill thousands of Americans and Israelis

 Upcoming Trump attack on Iran likely to kill thousands of Americans and Israelis

 

In word and deed President Trump appears on the cusp of attacking Iran to decapitate its regime and destabilize the entire country of 93 million.

 

Trump threatens war and moves massive military might into the region near Iran. Trump did the same thing to Venezuela last September. On January 3, he pulled the trigger, attacking Venezuela, killing a hundred Venezuelans and kidnapping its president to stand trial in the US.  

 

The criminal Venezuelan campaign would be small potatoes should Trump pull the trigger to utterly destroy the Iranian regime, consigning Iran to failed state status.

 

The US and Israel tried and failed to do that during the June Twelve Day War. Trump suckered Iran into complacency by scheduling negotiations, allowing Israel to launch a sneak attack June 13. Tho suffering massive destruction, Iran struck back, firing over 1,500 missiles and drones into Israel. It caused enough damage and chaos that Israel begged Trump to negotiate a ceasefire.

 

Israel and the US tried again last December by using provocateurs to support domestic Iranian government protests. Trump threatened military intervention based on protecting the protesters from death. But when Iran crushed the protests Trump backed down once again.

 

This time it appears Trump may go for broke with all out war. Big mistake. Iran understands, ‘Fool me once shame on Iran.’ This time they’re ready with tens of thousands of missiles and drones widely dispersed and impossible to neutralize.

 

Iran realizes America and Israel’s existential threat to Iran cannot be negotiated away. Any attack will likely inflict thousands of casualties in Israel and to US forces in the region. The US aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln may end up in Davy Jones Locker. Iran could shut down the Strait of Hormuz, sending oil prices into the stratosphere and US economy into the dumpster.

 

War with Iran has nothing to do with America’s national security interests. It has to do with Israel’s determination to destroy its last hegemonic rival in the Middle East. For America, it has to do with acquiescing in whatever madness Israel demands of both parties under near total control by the Israeli government and its American lobby.

 

Even in his degraded mental state, Trump may comprehend the catastrophe he’s contemplating unleashing and stand down. But it’s tough to pull back when you rattle sabers and put an armada on your imagined enemy’s doorstep.

 

While spending a trillion dollars on war this year, Trump might set aside a few bucks for body bags. He may need thousands of them.

 

No wonder the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moved the Doomsday Clock to 87 seconds to Midnight, the closest to world annihilation in its 79 years. In Trump’s America the Clock only moves forward, never backward.  

Walt Zlotow  West Suburban Peace Coalition  Glen Ellyn IL 

Doomsday Clock setting feels more like 8 or 7 seconds to midnight than 87 seconds

  

Doomsday Clock setting feels more like 8 or 7 seconds to midnight than 87 seconds

 

Lived all but the first 4 months of my 81 years under the threat of nuclear annihilation. So every January, I take seriously the annual Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists Doomsday Clock announcement of our countdown to global catastrophe.

 

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists was founded in 1945 by Albert Einstein, J. Robert Oppenheimer, and University of Chicago atomic bomb scientists. They created the Doomsday Clock in 1947 to dramatize peoplekind’s threats to existence. Originally focused on nuclear annihilation, the Clock’s setting now includes climate crisis, biological threats, and disruptive AI technologies.

 

Tuesday’s announcement was disturbing. The Bulletin moved the Clock at 87 seconds to midnight, the closest it’s been in its 79 year countdown. Tho just two seconds closer than its previous worst of 89 seconds last year, the Bulletin sees nary of sign of progress in halting the proliferation of nuclear weapons, unstoppable wars, hostel military entanglements and refusal to address the escalating climate crisis.

 

The return of President Trump casts gloom over reducing nuclear tensions. In his first term he exited both the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) and the Open Skies Treaty with Russia. He also failed to renew the New Start Treaty which thankfully was extended for 5 years by successor Biden within 2 weeks of taking office. Set to expire again in 7 days, Trump’s refusal to renew it marks the end of all US Russian nuclear agreements. It will quickly accelerate US and Russian development of their nuclear arsenals limited under New Start.

 

Trump has bombed 7 countries this past year, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Venezuela, Somalia, Nigeria and Yemen. His bombing of Iran’s imagined nuclear program could have triggered a massive Middle East war with the potential of going nuclear. It also likely increases Iran's perceived need to go nuclear. 

 

 Daniel Holz, chair of the group’s science and security board give this stark assessment. “Hard-won global understandings are collapsing, accelerating a winner take all great power competition undermining international cooperation needed to reduce existential risks. If the world splinters into an us v. them, zero-sum approach, it increases the likelihood we all lose,”

 

The furthest from midnight the Doomsday Clock ticked was 17 minutes (1,020 seconds) in 1991 when the US and Soviet Union signed the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START). Followed by the demise of the Soviet Union, further progress on nuclear disarmament should have a snap. Instead, the US foreign policy elite snapped, ramping up a new Cold War against a weakened Russia. This culminated in the 2022 US proxy war on Russia destroying Ukraine, putting the world at risk of it going nuclear every day it continues.

 

No wonder the current 87 seconds, for those of us seeking an end to the specter of nuclear annihilation, feels more like 8 or 7 seconds to midnight.

 

Walt Zlotow, West Suburban Peace Coalition, Glen Ellyn IL

Floyd George murder investigation should be template for Minnesota ICE killings investigation

 George Floyd murder investigation should be template for Minnesota ICE killings investigation

On May 25, 2020, Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd in the process of arresting him. Three other officers under Chauvin’s direction either assisted in the murder or did nothing to prevent it.

Were the officers exonerated on the spot by their superiors who then told vicious lies about the now dead Floyd to support their exoneration? No. They were immediately suspended. After a thorough, impartial investigation, the 4 were charged with a variety of crimes related to the murder. Leader Chauvin pled guilty and received a 20 year sentence. Officers Tou Thao, Ale Kueng and Tom Lane received sentences of 42 months, 36 months and 30 months respectively. The George family received a civil settlement of $27 million.

Contrast that to the abomination of justice following the apparent senseless deaths of Renee Good on January 7 and Alex Pretti 17 days later in the same city of Minneapolis. They were killed by ICE agents sent into Minneapolis to essentially inflame the immigration issue politically exploited by President Trump and his immigration underlings.

Seeking justice for the victims, like Minneapolis did for George Floyd, was anathema to Trump. So he personally, and thru his immigration officials, slandered the victims as domestic terrorists bent on killing ICE officers. In their view Wood and Pretty were solely responsible for their deaths. The ICE officers in both killings were exonerated on the spot. They are still employed with ICE and likely still on duty, tho the Pretty officers have been moved out of Minneapolis ‘for their own safety.’

When a Chicago police officer fires their gun, the officer is immediately suspended pending a thorough investigation to determine if the firing and any ensuing force used was necessary to prevent imminent death or serious injury. That is representative of law enforcement procedure nationwide at the state and local level.

Only at the federal level does law enforcement disintegrate into a travesty of justice for citizens killed by federal law officers. Knowing Trump has quashed any federal investigation, Minnesota justice officials seek a local investigation of the killings as fair and thorough as that when Floyd George was murdered.

Renee Good and Alex Pretti deserve nothing less.

Walt Zlotow West Suburban Peace Coalition Glen Ellyn IL

Trump’s October 10 ceasefire, Board of Peace, simply continues Israeli Palestinian genocide in slow motion

 Trump’s October 10 ceasefire, Board of Peace, simply continues Israeli Palestinian genocide in slow motion

That was some ceasefire Trump negotiated with Israel October 10. Since then Israel has killed nearly 500 Palestinians with bullets and bombs. Many more are likely dead from starvation and disease as Israel lets in less than 170 trucks of food daily instead of the required and promised 600. ‘Ha ha…little nourishment for you starving Palestinians.’

Water, medicine, everything needed to sustain life is restricted to drive out the beleaguered living in makeshift tents. Why tents? Israel, with over 50,000 tons of Biden, Trump bombs, pulverized over 80% of all Gaza buildings, including over 90 % of all housing. Likely over 10,000 Gaza corpses are rotting under the 60 million tons of rubble including over 9 million tons of hazardous material. Ceasefire notwithstanding, Israel has knocked down or damaged over 2,500 post ceasefire buildings.

In order to force Palestinians from Gaza, Israel has reopened the Rafah Crossing between Gaza and Egypt. But it’s Israel’s version of a reverse Roach Motel. Palestinians can check out…but they can never check back into their rightful homeland. Every Palestinian that leaves, along with every Palestinian shot, bombed or starved to death, is one less pesky Palestinian to get rid of in absorbing Gaza into Greater Israel.

Israel has exploited the ceasefire to occupy over 50% of Gaza territory, shooting any Palestinian who strays over or close to Israel’s yellow boundary lines.

Astonishingly, the UN Security Council’s November 17 Resolution 2803 (2025) certified Trump’s Board of Peace which effectively makes Trump Gaza’s ruler, totally excluding Palestinian involvement. In doing so it upends over 70 years of UN resolutions and requirements that Palestinians in Gaza have the right to live and govern their homeland free from subjugation; indeed annihilation.

Why did this Security Council resolution pass? Simple, Trump essentially blackmailed Council members that it was either Trump’s ceasefire and Board of Peace, excluding Palestinians, or he would greenlight continuing the horrific 2 year bombing obliteration of Gaza and its citizens till they were all dead and gone. .

Israel, with US support, will never allow a Palestinian state in Gaza the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The horrific daily slaughter may be reduced to a trickle, but it will continue indefinitely till every Palestinian in Gaza is gone.

Trump’s ceasefire and Board of peace has the additional benefit to both Israel and Trump administration of removing the daily ethnic cleansing of Gaza from mainstream media coverage. They have moved on to more dramatic foreign hotspots in Venezuela, Iran and Greenland as well as Trump’s ICE thugs murdering fellow citizens in Minneapolis

Israel and the Trump administration’s slow motion genocide of Palestinians in Gaza should be opposed by all decent, moral nations and persons as fervently as their opposition to the preceding two yearlong all out genocide. Trump’s ceasefire and Board of Peace has simply put lipstick on the pig of Israeli genocide destroying Palestinians in Gaza.