Nygaard Notes
Independent Periodic News and Analysis
Number 502, February 22, 2012
On the Web at http://www.nygaardnotes.org/
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This week: Okinawa, and Campaign Madness
1. “Quote” of the Week: “Talk of war has reached a strident pitch”
2. Identifying the “True Views” in a Media Story
3. Presidential Campaign Madness, Installment #1:
“Meaningless” Becomes “Monumental”
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1.
“Quote” of the Week: “Talk of war has reached a strident pitch”
This past Tuesday, February 21st, the New York Times published a major front-page article headlined “In Din Over Iran, Rattling Sabers Echo.”
“Talk of war over Iran’s nuclear program has reached a strident pitch in recent weeks, as Israel has escalated threats of a possible strike, the oratory of American politicians has become more bellicose and Iran has responded for the most part defiantly. With Israel and Iran exchanging accusations of assassination plots, some analysts see a danger of blundering into a war that would inevitably involve the United States.”
Of course Iran is “defiant,” since they are under threat of attack. And if a war starts, it won’t be because of “blundering,” and the involvement of the United States is not “inevitable.”
This is a very dangerous moment. Iran is no threat to the United States. The real threat to the United States, not to mention the people of Iran, is the threat of another insane war like the ones in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Please do your part to stop this looming war. Contact your local anti-war organization – just do an Internet search for “No war on Iran” and the name of your city or state – and get involved, or at least donate some cash.
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2.
Identifying the “True Views” in a Media Story
The U.S. keeps over 40,000 troops permanently stationed in Japan. About half of these troops, and three-quarters of the total military facilities in Japan, are on the island of Okinawa. This all started after World War II, and has been maintained since as a part of the network of U.S. military bases that U.S. leaders considered necessary to maintain U.S. dominance in the region.
The importance of the U.S. military presence in East Asia has recently begun moving up the Imperial agenda again. Writing in the London Financial Times last November, President Obama’s National Security Advisor, Tom Donilon, wrote that the President is pursuing a strategy of “rebalancing our foreign policy priorities,” adding that “On his recent trip to Asia Pacific, the president made it clear that the centrepiece of this strategy includes an intensified American role in this vital region.” And that role includes lots of troops in Japan.
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Good afternoon.
Today, we find ourselves inside the vortex of a gigantic conundrum – the United States of America. Our nation is the strongest military force in the history of the known universe. For the past century, we have been waging wars all over our tiny planet.
Politicians are attacking Medicare and Medicaid on all sides–Democrats and Republicans alike. Obama’s national health care bill will slash hundreds of billions from Medicare over the next decade, an act supported by so-called “progressive” Democrats. Soon after this “victory” Obama created the Super Committee to balance the budget, which included automatic “triggers”– if no decision was reached — that are now slated to cut $600 billion more from Medicare.
A young girl protesting at an Occupy Portland demonstration has military grade pepper spray sprayed down her throat at close range by riot police, 11/18/11.
FAIR
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