Wednesday, September 05, 2018

Black Agenda Report:
"From 1992 till weeks before his death John McCain served as chairman of the International Republican Institute, a US government funded organization that interferes in the political processes of scores of other countries, training rebel groups to overthrow inconvenient elected governments, like that of John Bertrand Aristide in Haiti, Hugo Chavez in Venezuela and many others. McCain and the IRI were prominent backers of neo-nazi politicians and armed militia groups in Ukraine who are now part of that country’s army and civilian government. ...

During his 32 years in the US Senate, the real John McCain was a consistent warmonger , advocating US military intervention in Africa, South America, Korea, and almost everywhere. He sang 'bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran' before a veterans group, and called demonstrators against Henry Kissinger 'despicable scum.' The record of his public calls for coups, invasions, blockades, bombings and assassinations to advance US military and economic domination of the planet is far too long to list.

All this explains why corporate media are lifting up their whitewashed and manufactured version of John McCain. He’s one of their own, a genuine war criminal and loyal servant of capital. Lifting him up, creating and embellishing his heroic story lifts up and legitimizes the rule of the rich."

-->Finally, an honest assessment of John McCain. The mainstream media just can't resist pleasing the Pentagon and the weapons makers by portraying McCain as an American hero. Disgusting, isn't it?

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Common Dreams:
"Progressives Disgusted as Democrats Fold at Brett Kavanaugh Hearing. As more than 30 people were dragged away in handcuffs on Tuesday for protesting during the confirmation hearing for Brett Kavanaugh, critics of the Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee demanded a comparable show of courage and called on those lawmakers—who failed to win a delay of the proceedings—to simply end their participation and walk out. ...

But those hopes were largely dashed when it became increasingly clear that the Democrats were not prepared for what would happen if Grassley refused to heed their calls, as he predictably did. The acquiescence was led by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who ended the series of objections by delivering her prepared opening statement. ...

But critics held that continuing with the hearing at all was a betrayal of constituents who are counting on Democratic senators to serve their interests—as Republicans went to extreme lengths to block President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee, Judge Merrick Garland, from even having a confirmation hearing in 2016 in order to serve their party's interests.

-->More disgust at the Democratic leadership that can't stop selling out to right wing, corporate America. Mainstream media didn't dwell on Feinstein's cowardice. And with a net worth of $94 million, what does she care anyway?

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Common Dreams:
"After the U.S.-backed Saudi-led coalition issued a statement on Saturday calling its deadly bombing of a Yemeni school bus 'unjustified' and claiming it was the result of mere 'mistakes,' human rights groups and progressive lawmakers ramped up calls for the U.S. to immediately halt all arms sales to Saudi Arabia, which has been viciously bombing Yemen for years.

'We must end U.S. support for this disastrous war in Yemen,' Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) declared on Twitter Saturday evening. 'It is also long past time that we begin to take a very hard look at our relationship with Saudi Arabia.'

-->The NYT has finally gotten around to condemning the Saudi bombing in an opinion piece by the Editorial Board. But the news it presents to the public still whitewashes Saudi Arabia, with stories entitled "Saudi-Led Coalition Condemns U.N. Rights Report on Yemen." Contrast this to the AP headline: "Rights Group: Strike on Bus in Yemen Is Apparent War Crime."