FAIR:
"So, many people in the United States don’t realize that the US has maintained the threat of a nuclear attack against North Korea for decades. From 1958 to 1991, the US had hundreds of nuclear weapons in the southern half of the Korean peninsula, in South Korea. So at that time, North Korea’s countermeasure to deter a US nuclear attack was to forward deploy all of its conventional forces near the DMZ.
In 2001, when George W. Bush came to power, many things changed. There were technological advancements, and he also made doctrinal changes, centered around very high-tech, precision-capable weapons that gave the US preemptive strike advantage. He named North Korea part of the 'Axis of Evil.' He also listed North Korea as one of seven countries that were potential targets for a US preemptive strike in the US Nuclear Posture Review. So then, in response to that, North Korea had to develop a new kind of deterrent, and that’s when it seriously turned to developing nuclear weapons, and its first nuclear test was in 2006." CounterSpin interview of Hyun Lee.
-->With all the heated warmongering in the US media, it is a distinct pleasure to finally read an alternative view of US/Korean history. The mainstream media has become a Pentagon mouthpiece again, a sure sign that the US is considering starting another war.
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Common Dreams:
"Trump Administration Considering 'Back-Door Way' to Cut Social Security. President Donald Trump, who campaigned on a promise not to cut Social Security, is reportedly considering a plan to eliminate much of the payroll tax that funds the critical safety net program.
According to the Associated Press on Monday, the proposal is being floated as the Trump administration goes 'back to the drawing board in a search for Republican consensus behind legislation to overhaul the U.S. tax system.'
The AP reported that one option 'circulating this past week would change the House Republican plan to eliminate much of the payroll tax and cut corporate tax rates. This would require a new dedicated funding source for Social Security.' "
-->Most of US media is behind gutting social security and privatizing the system to benefit Wall Street. Readers of the NYT won't be learning about Trump's back-door way to slash benefits.
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Common Dreams:
"Hackers and security experts are raising alarm over a massive cyber weapons dump that they say underscores the danger of government spy agencies developing intrusive surveillance tools. ...
This means that any computer-savvy individual could download the tools and hack into any of the millions of personal Microsoft computers worldwide. ...
NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden said the release makes clear that the 'lawful access' debate is over, 'and the government's claim that 'nobody but us' has access to these surveillance tools is moot.' "
-->The debate is certainly moot for readers of the NYT, who didn't get to read about their government's spy efforts and the disastrous effect they have had on computer security.
