News and politics from the Left Coast.

January 22, 2013June 15, 2021PBC

Palestinian Iyad Burnat from the West Bank, on His Brother’s Oscar-Nominated Documentary, “5 Broken Cameras”

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Iyad Burnat from the West Bank town of Bi’lin and Anna Rogers of Marin Peace and Justice Coalition talk about nonviolent resistance to Israeli expansion as recounted in the documentary, 5 Broken Cameras. Continue reading Palestinian Iyad Burnat from the West Bank, on His Brother’s Oscar-Nominated Documentary, “5 Broken Cameras”

January 17, 2013PBC

Two Progressives Review Obama’s First Term, Preview the Second: Prof. David Coates and Norman Solomon

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Timed for the inauguration, we look back at the first Obama term, and the prospects in the next four years. Professor David Coates of Wake Forest and author/activist Norman Solomon offer analysis. Continue reading Two Progressives Review Obama’s First Term, Preview the Second: Prof. David Coates and Norman Solomon

January 16, 2013PBC

Minstrel Roy Zimmerman Returns to Share New Songs, Report on 49-state US Tour

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Roy Zimmerman, singer-songwriter with a satirical political twist, is back with new songs and a report on his election year road trip. Continue reading Minstrel Roy Zimmerman Returns to Share New Songs, Report on 49-state US Tour

January 15, 2013January 15, 2013PBC

Truthout’s Jason Leopold on His Upcoming Trip to Guantanamo, His Update on the Gitmo “Suicide” of Adnan Latif, and the Case of ex-CIA Spy John Kiriakou

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In this wide-ranging conversation with Jason Leopold, Truthout’s lead investigative reporter, he talks about his upcoming trip to Guantanamo, the impact of the new pro-torture film Zero Dark 30, the scheduled sentencing of former CIA agent Kiriakou, and his fifth report on the reported suicide of Gitmo prisoner Adnan Latif. Continue reading Truthout’s Jason Leopold on His Upcoming Trip to Guantanamo, His Update on the Gitmo “Suicide” of Adnan Latif, and the Case of ex-CIA Spy John Kiriakou

January 11, 2013PBC

Nick Turse, Author of ‘Kill Anything That Moves’, Recounts Vietnam War Crimes; Andy Worthington on Guantanamo, Becoming a Tomb for At Least 86 Men Cleared for Release

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Nick Turse leads our podcast, author of Kill Anything That Moves: The Real American War in Vietnam. Turse spent 10 years researching the book, talking with US veterans and Vietnamese survivors and reviewing thousands of files on atrocities against civilians including rape, indiscriminate killing, Agent Orange and other tactics.

Defense Secretary Robert MacNamara was obsessed with numbers, and this drove the effort to amass a body count of Vietnamese that was also used to create the illusion in the US that we were winning. With ugly attitudes toward all Vietnamese seared into US troops, the wanton killing tactics included free-fire zones and search-and-destroy missions.

We talk about the range of war crimes, and how the My Lai investigation was one of the few cases where troops and some leaders were held accountable. But overall, punishment was limited and light, and almost no commanders or decision makers were held accountable.

Turse also draws some parallels between Vietnam and our modern wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

At 55:26, Worthington returns to update the status of our illegal offshor penal colony in Cuba, and tells how the administration, the Congress and the courts have all lined up to continue to hold 166 prisoners there, even though 86 have been cleared for release. Obama said he would close the camp, and did release a number of prisoners in 2009; but he buckled to opposition, and Congress has placed sever restrictions on the president’s ability to release any inmates from the camp, while the courts have been blocking all habeus corpus actions.

This leaves the 86 entombed with no indication of if and when they might be released, with dozens more who may never be charged or released, just left in a legal limbo.

Here is Worthington’s website, where you can link to the Close Guantanamo website and sign the petition.

January 9, 2013January 9, 2013PBC