Links for Friday, April 26
Notes on Israel, Assange, KFC and the infamous Garden of Allah. Plus music.
For the links, I’ve included a couple of speeches given at the recent Belmarsh Tribunal, none very long and all very much to the point. Plus a note on the World Bank’s help in the spread of KFC, and a link to Old Hollywood tales that are not to be missed. And music.
A Word About Biden and Competency
I’ve come to the conclusion that Joe Biden is indeed running his administration; that he’s not a caretaker or some kind of empty suit; that he’s the man in charge.
Many of his administration’s acts bear the mark of a personality. I think we can put the incompetency charge to rest. Joe’s running the show. More later.
Links
• Israel’s Doom Loop for Our Democracy (Skip Kaltenheuser)
Would it go over if any other foreign country’s minions publicly announced they’d spend a hundred million dollars to defeat a handful of US Representatives who opposed ethnic cleansing? If they offered bribes of 20 million dollars to people to primary those they want removed?
There are several angles from which to view the Gaza massacre and Biden’s determined willingness to support Israel’s prosecution of it. One, of course, is the criminal act itself. The other is how these crimes committed abroad may affect our domestic bipartisan elite.
I’ll have further thoughts on that separately. Change may be forced upon us. If so, be optimistic. Sun Tsu: The moon waxes and wanes.
File under “Our elite’s most obvious, ignored Achilles heel.”
• The Belmarsh Tribunal on Julian Assange — Marjorie Cohn (YouTube)
Last December, Ryan Grim and Amy Goodman hosted the Belmarsh Tribunal on Julian Assange at the National Press Club. There were many speakers, but this, from Marjorie Cohn is particularly cogent. I’ve queued the video to start with her testimony.
File under “Sorry. The facts are the facts.”
• The Belmarsh Tribunal on Julian Assange — Co-chair Ryan Grim’s closing remarks
A taste:
It is not a coincidence that they're targeting Julian Assange, who is somebody who both published some of the most impactful journalism over the last 20 years, but also is so disliked among so many of his peers and also among the different partisan ecosystems here in the United States.
File under “To take away a people’s freedom, target those hated the most.”