Showing posts with label Rachel Maddow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rachel Maddow. Show all posts
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
Glenn Greenwald: War on Terror Logic
(Extra credit opportunity for HUM 121 students--read entire essay, watch Rachel Maddow video, and write a response)
War on Terror logic
By Glenn Greenwald
Salon
The U.S. war in (against) Pakistan continues to escalate, as Pakistanis attacked NATO tankers carrying fuel through their country to soldiers in Afghanistan last night, killing three people, an attack that was in retaliation for vastly increased U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan this month, which were ordered in alleged response to reports of increased Terrorist threats aimed at Europe, which, in turn, were in retaliation for the escalating wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan (as evidenced by the large numbers of individuals of Afghan descent involved in these plots). Jim White -- in a post this morning entitled "Stuck in Feedback Loop: Drone Strikes Provoke Terrorists Who Provoke More Drone Strikes" -- documents exactly the process at play here:
What a surprise: bombing Muslims more and more causes more and more Muslims to want to bomb the countries responsible. That, of course, has long been the perverse "logic" driving the War on Terror. The very idea that we're going to reduce Terrorism by more intensively bombing more Muslim countries is one of the most patently absurd, self-contradicting premises that exists. It's exactly like announcing that the cure for lung cancer is to quadruple the number of cigarettes one smokes each day. But that's been the core premise (at least the stated one) of our foreign policy for the last decade: we're going to stop Terrorism by doing more and more of exactly the things that cause it (and see this very good Economist article on the ease with which drones allow a nation's leaders to pretend to its citizenry that they are not really at war -- as we're doing with Pakistan).
Speaking of counter-productive U.S. actions in Pakistan, this Washington Post article from Friday discusses the possibility that a coup could be engineered in that country to overthrow the current Government and replace it with one that is friendlier to U.S. interests:
The article does not say that the U.S. is actively involved in those efforts, but it's very difficult to imagine American military and intelligence officials simply sitting passively by as a coup is underway in a country (like Pakistan) where we are so invested, just keeping their fingers crossed that it results in a new government "better positioned to support U.S. policies." Whatever else is true, it's very easy to imagine how such a coup -- resulting in a more U.S.-friendly government -- will be perceived in that country and around the Muslim world. That perception is unlikely to help reduce the threat of Terrorism.
To Read the Rest of the Essay, Access More Resources, and Watch a Rachel Maddow Commentary
War on Terror logic
By Glenn Greenwald
Salon
The U.S. war in (against) Pakistan continues to escalate, as Pakistanis attacked NATO tankers carrying fuel through their country to soldiers in Afghanistan last night, killing three people, an attack that was in retaliation for vastly increased U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan this month, which were ordered in alleged response to reports of increased Terrorist threats aimed at Europe, which, in turn, were in retaliation for the escalating wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan (as evidenced by the large numbers of individuals of Afghan descent involved in these plots). Jim White -- in a post this morning entitled "Stuck in Feedback Loop: Drone Strikes Provoke Terrorists Who Provoke More Drone Strikes" -- documents exactly the process at play here:
The situation in Pakistan appears to have reached a point where a positive feedback loop prompts continued escalation on both sides. The US sees drone attacks as its primary weapon and has stepped up such attacks in the belief that they will create more security for military actions in Afghanistan and disrupt planning of terrorist attacks on the West. Instead, the attacks appear to enrage the surviving targets, recruit more to their ranks and lead to more attacks.
What a surprise: bombing Muslims more and more causes more and more Muslims to want to bomb the countries responsible. That, of course, has long been the perverse "logic" driving the War on Terror. The very idea that we're going to reduce Terrorism by more intensively bombing more Muslim countries is one of the most patently absurd, self-contradicting premises that exists. It's exactly like announcing that the cure for lung cancer is to quadruple the number of cigarettes one smokes each day. But that's been the core premise (at least the stated one) of our foreign policy for the last decade: we're going to stop Terrorism by doing more and more of exactly the things that cause it (and see this very good Economist article on the ease with which drones allow a nation's leaders to pretend to its citizenry that they are not really at war -- as we're doing with Pakistan).
Speaking of counter-productive U.S. actions in Pakistan, this Washington Post article from Friday discusses the possibility that a coup could be engineered in that country to overthrow the current Government and replace it with one that is friendlier to U.S. interests:
U.S. officials pointed to recent signs that Pakistan's powerful army and opposition parties are positioning themselves to install a new civilian government to replace President Asif Ali Zardari and his prime minister in the coming months. . . . U.S. officials indicated that the administration has begun to contemplate the effects of a change, engineered through Zardari's resignation as head of his political party, the dissolution of the current coalition government, or a call for new elections under the Pakistani constitution, rather than any overt action by the military. Some suggested that a new, constitutionally-approved government that was more competent and popular, and had strong military backing, might be better positioned to support U.S. policies.
The article does not say that the U.S. is actively involved in those efforts, but it's very difficult to imagine American military and intelligence officials simply sitting passively by as a coup is underway in a country (like Pakistan) where we are so invested, just keeping their fingers crossed that it results in a new government "better positioned to support U.S. policies." Whatever else is true, it's very easy to imagine how such a coup -- resulting in a more U.S.-friendly government -- will be perceived in that country and around the Muslim world. That perception is unlikely to help reduce the threat of Terrorism.
To Read the Rest of the Essay, Access More Resources, and Watch a Rachel Maddow Commentary
Friday, May 21, 2010
Best of the Left #361: The Police State Welcomes You (Immigration)
#361 The Police State Welcomes You (Immigration)
Best of the Left
Act 1: Boycotting AZ, teas and otherwise – Wait wait don’t tell me
Song 1: Tea for the Tillerman – Cat Stevens
Act 2: AZ law spurs immigration reform – Rachel Maddow
Song 2: Different People – No Doubt
Act 3: AZ Sheriff rips new law – Young Turks
Song 3: Stand – R.E.M.
Act 4: Law and Border – Daily Show
Song 4: I miss you – Blink 182
Act 5: O’Reilly grasping to support AZ law – Counterspin
Song 5: See you on the other side – Ozzy Osbourn
Act 6: Papers please amendments – Rachel Maddow
Song 6: Bouncing around the room – Phish
Act 7: The word – No Problemo – Colbert Report
Song 7: Mexico – The Refreshments
Act 8: Wrongful arrests happens already – Young Turks
Song 8: Still crazy after all these years – Paul Simon
Act 9: Police State Pete – Mark Fiore
Song 9: What I’m looking for – Brendan Benson
Act 10: AZ law writers are liars, racists – Rachel Maddow
To Listen to the Episode
Best of the Left
Act 1: Boycotting AZ, teas and otherwise – Wait wait don’t tell me
Song 1: Tea for the Tillerman – Cat Stevens
Act 2: AZ law spurs immigration reform – Rachel Maddow
Song 2: Different People – No Doubt
Act 3: AZ Sheriff rips new law – Young Turks
Song 3: Stand – R.E.M.
Act 4: Law and Border – Daily Show
Song 4: I miss you – Blink 182
Act 5: O’Reilly grasping to support AZ law – Counterspin
Song 5: See you on the other side – Ozzy Osbourn
Act 6: Papers please amendments – Rachel Maddow
Song 6: Bouncing around the room – Phish
Act 7: The word – No Problemo – Colbert Report
Song 7: Mexico – The Refreshments
Act 8: Wrongful arrests happens already – Young Turks
Song 8: Still crazy after all these years – Paul Simon
Act 9: Police State Pete – Mark Fiore
Song 9: What I’m looking for – Brendan Benson
Act 10: AZ law writers are liars, racists – Rachel Maddow
To Listen to the Episode
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Rachel Maddow: Racist Roots of Arizona Law
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Thursday, February 25, 2010
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