U.S. government lying is surely not a new thing – recall the Iraq War deceptions – but Donald Trump has started off his presidency with clearly false claims that make the problem worse, says ex-CIA analyst Paul R. Pillar.
Ignoring the Voice of the People
The massive protests that followed the inauguration should have reminded Donald Trump that he is a minority president with a slim-to-none popular mandate, as Michael Winship describes.
In Case You Missed…
Some of our special stories in December looked at the new propaganda war against dissident news outlets, the nasty fallout from the U.S. presidential election, and the bleak winter for neocons.
Thanking Trump for Killing TPP?
Progressives have long called for the death of the Trans-Pacific Partnership but many are holding their applause now that President Trump was the one who killed it, observes anti-war activist John V. Walsh.
Getting Better Results Than Law-and-Order
Exclusive: Despite President Trump’s tough law-and-order rhetoric, courts and schools are finding that “restorative justice” – as an alternative to traditional punishments – can reduce offenses and save money, writes Don Ediger.
Trump’s Pipeline Orders Challenge Protesters
Ignoring environmental concerns and tribal objections, President Trump has put the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines back on track without even consulting the opponents, Dennis J Bernstein reports.
Foreign Policy, Human Rights, Intelligence, Lost History, Obama Administration, Secrecy, The Bush-43 Administration
The Injustices of Manning’s Ordeal
Exclusive: For exposing war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan, Pvt. Chelsea Manning suffered nearly seven years in prison, an ordeal President Obama finally is ending but without acting on the crimes she revealed, says Marjorie Cohn.
Foreign Policy, Human Rights, Intelligence, Lost History, Media, Obama Administration, Secrecy, The Bush-43 Administration
Did Manning Help Avert War in Iran?
From the Archive: Though President Obama commuted Chelsea Manning’s prison sentence, he showed no appreciation for her brave disclosures, including one that undercut war plans with Iran, Robert Parry reported in 2013.
Foreign Policy, Human Rights, Intelligence, Lost History, Media, Obama Administration, Politics, The Bush-43 Administration, Trump Administration
Obama Bequeaths a More Dangerous World
Special Report: President Obama may have entered the White House with a desire to rein in America’s global war-making but he succumbed to neocon pressure and left behind an even more dangerous world, reports Robert Parry.
Campaign 2016, Foreign Policy, Intelligence, Obama Administration, The Bush-43 Administration, Trump Administration
Need to Reorganize US Spy Agencies
On President Trump’s first full day in office, he went to the CIA and promised to back the nation’s spy agencies, but his time would be better spent downsizing the sprawling intelligence community, says Ivan Eland.
Campaign 2016, Foreign Policy, Obama Administration, Politics, The Bush-43 Administration, Trump Administration
Divining Trump’s Military Strategies
A big question about President Trump is whether he will live up to promises to pull back from military interventionism or will find military adventures a way to boost his popularity, says ex-CIA analyst Paul R. Pillar.
Russia’s Leery Reaction to President Trump
Russian leaders remain leery about prospects for improved U.S. relations despite the inauguration of President Trump, doubting that he can overcome the political pressures from Washington’s “deep state,” says Gilbert Doctorow.
The Zionist Record on Refugees
Historically, Zionists have put the interests of Israel over the humanitarian plight of refugees, even in the face of Nazi Germany and now in shying away from offending President Trump, writes Lawrence Davidson.
Campaign 2016, Foreign Policy, Human Rights, Lost History, Media, Obama Administration, Politics, Secrecy, The Bush-43 Administration, Trump Administration
America’s Putin Derangement Syndrome
Exclusive: The mainstream U.S. media blames Russian President Putin for pretty much everything – from the Mideast mess to Europe’s disorder to the U.S. elections – but the reality is quite different, notes Daniel Lazare.
Foreign Policy, Obama Administration, Politics, Right Wing, The Bush-43 Administration, Trump Administration
A Balanced Assessment of Obama
Much commentary on Barack Obama’s presidency has focused on the shortcomings and missed opportunities, but it must be recalled how grim was his inheritance and fierce his opposition, writes ex-CIA analyst Paul R. Pillar.
How Clinton Defeat Derailed Syrian War
Hawkish think tanks had laid plans for escalating the U.S. “regime change” war in Syria after Hillary Clinton’s expected election, but a different result has forced them to repackage their scheme, says Gareth Porter.
Trump’s Bait and Switch
Donald Trump has portrayed himself as a billionaire for the common people but his early presidency has the look of a flock of plutocrats feathering their own nests, write Michael Winship and Bill Moyers.
Campaign 2016, Environment, Foreign Policy, Intelligence, Media, Obama Administration, Politics, Right Wing, The Bush-43 Administration, Trump Administration
Selectivity in Trashing Trump
Exclusive: Around the United States, massive demonstrations have protested the inauguration of Donald Trump, but there is a danger that the anti-Trump forces could block the positive elements of his message, writes Robert Parry
Campaign 2016, Foreign Policy, Intelligence, Media, Obama Administration, Politics, Trump Administration
Obama Admits Gap in Russian ‘Hack’ Case
The hole in the U.S. intelligence community’s “high confidence” about Russia “hacking” Democratic emails has always been who gave the material to WikiLeaks, as President Obama admitted, notes ex-CIA analyst Ray McGovern.
Trump’s Threat to Farmworkers
The Age of Trump is an unsettling time for undocumented farmworkers whose labor has helped make California’s “wine country” rich but are now facing threats of draconian arrests and deportations, reports Dennis J Bernstein.