By James Petras, 99GetSmart Washington escalates its military interventions abroad, launching simultaneous air and ground attacks in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan; multiplying drone attacks in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia; training, arming and financing proxy mercenaries in Jordan, the Gulf States and Iraq; and dispatching National Guard battalions to West Africa, ostensibly to

By James Petras, 99GetSmart Introduction The principal reason why Washington engages in military wars, sanctions and clandestine operations to secure power abroad is because its chosen clients cannot and do not win free and open elections. A brief survey of recent election outcomes testify to the electoral unattractiveness of Washington backed clients.

By Eric Toussaint and Tassos Tsakiroglou, CADTM • Manuel Valls and Matteo Renzi are asking for more time to reduce their countries’ deficits, offering in exchange reforms that would make their countries more competitive. Is this a real challenge to the European austerity consensus? Can this bring about some advantages? I think their request

Written by Turkish political analyst / blogger, Gürkan Özturan: Activists and young intellectuals from across Europe came from all directions and gathered in the heart of Europe, at a centuries-old castle near Berlin, Schloss Wartin, for the #FixEurope Autumn Campus. European Alternatives, who organized the meeting, set up the agenda to

Posted by James Petras, 99GetSmart Introduction There is no question that, in the immediate aftermath and for several years following US military conquests, wars, occupations and sanctions, US multi-national corporations lost out on profitable sites for investments.  The biggest losses were in the exploitation of natural resources – in particular, gas and

Posted by SnakeArbusto and greydogg, 99GetSmart Written by Turkish political analyst / blogger, Gürkan Özturan: Draconian Internet laws in Turkey are deepening yet once again with a new reform package that will bring new measures against freedom of speech in the country. Previously, the government had already tried to silence the masses

By William Blum, 99GetSmart The Islamist State You can’t believe a word the United States or its mainstream media say about the current conflict involving The Islamic State (ISIS). You can’t believe a word France or the United Kingdom say about ISIS. You can’t believe a word Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait,

Posted by greydogg, 99GetSmart Source: Michel Chossudovsky The world is at a dangerous crossroads. The United States and its allies have launched a military adventure which threatens the future of humanity. VIDEO @ http://youtu.be/34j2Rf-IvJQ

Posted by greydogg, 99GetSmart Source: TED “He who does not move does not notice his chains.”   – Rosa Luxemburg VIDEO @ http://youtu.be/pcSlowAhvUk

Posted by greydogg, 99GetSmart * HOPE AND DESPAIR GRIPS KURDS AS KOBANE CONTINUES TO RESIST By Joris Leverink, RoarMag ROAR editor Joris Leverink is in North Kurdistan on the Turkish-Syrian border to report on the battle for Kobanê and the Kurdish struggle for democratic autonomy. This is the first in a series