News Blog

Both parties responsible for failing to restrain Israel in Gaza – Bryan Clark/Idaho Statesman

“The Arab/Israeli conflict has a long history of violence. Israeli historians like Ilan Pappe in his book, “The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine,” remind us that around 800,000 Palestinians were displaced and dispossessed of their land with the creation of Israel, and historical memory of what Pappe termed “ethnic cleansing” runs deeply among Palestinians to this day.

“Yet American support of Israel has been for the most part unqualified over the years. Republicans and Democrats have jousted for how strongly they can support Israel, with some even accusing any hesitation in support of Israel as antisemitism. What could possibly account for America’s subservience to the Israeli version of history and politics?…”

This detailed history describes the growth of the Zionist movement and how it bent US lawmakers to its will:

John Judis’s Truman book is a landmark in anti-Zionism – Mondoweiss

Sunday, September 28, 2025

“Blessed are the peacemakers…”

Rumors of peace talks notwithstanding, Israel’s daily and long-term goals remain the same:  Kill, wound, and displace as many Palestinians as politically and militarily feasible and take their land. Repeated actions by the governments of Israel and its sponsor, the United States, demonstrate a belief that Palestinians do not have equal standing as human beings or political rights that Israelis do.

True to form, this WaPost headline’s use of the word “transform” sugar coats the brutal facts of Israel’s expansion into the West Bank that the reporters lay out in the story.

Ray Dalio fears US edging toward 1930s-style authoritarianism – msn

“The 1930s were marked by significant economic and political upheaval, setting the stage for the rise of autocratic regimes. The Great Depression had left economies in shambles, leading to widespread unemployment and poverty. This economic despair created fertile ground for extremist ideologies to take root, as people sought strong leadership to restore stability. In countries like Germany and Italy, charismatic leaders exploited these conditions, promising to revive national pride and economic prosperity, often at the expense of democratic principles…”

Why the DoW ‘general alarm’? Pep talk? Fancy new phones from Israel? Short-arm inspection?

Hegseth calls hundreds of generals to Quantico, but no one is saying why – Straight Arrow News

This?:

Project 2025’s plan for the US military – Task & Purpose

“Project 2025 would reduce the number of generals while increasing the size of the Army, ban transgender service members and restore troops separated over COVID-19 vaccinations.”

Could be worse:

Joseph Stalin’s Paranoid Purge – Warfare History Network

File under workforce…

We receive weekly updates from senators of both parties. This one from Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) stands out and could help Democrats find common purpose in the next election. He presents a detailed indictment of President Trump’s economic (and other) policies. Was the BBB big and beautiful – as Republican messaging claims – or a big bunch of BS?:

Senate Update: The Fall Fights Ahead – Chris Van Hollen

To retake power, the D party needs to move toward the center on cultural issues and leftward on economic issues to where struggling Americans can find common ground regardless of their gender, race, or background.

How Trump nearly doubled his support from Black voters – Theodore R. Johnson/WaPost

read on pressreader (ungated)

“Trump’s improvement isn’t due to his delivery on campaign promises or better outcomes for Black voters. Though his continued support of historically Black colleges is welcome, he hasn’t kept his word on nearly any other policy promise made to the group. Their economic situation is worsening: Unemployment is up; income and homeownership are down. And it isn’t his style or persona that is winning them over. Only 5 percent of Black Americans strongly approve of his performance, earning him the group’s lowest approval rating since 1983, when Reagan opposed creating a federal holiday for the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. So, what explains Trump’s success?…”