CounterCurrents: Trump Warmongering, Is It Time To Lose Heart?

Dear Friend,

The  Trump executive signing spree continues. The most liberal of Trump's supporter's must be wringing their hand's after Mr President's latest Pentagon executive order. It is a virtual declaration of war on the world. It orders the US military  to prepare for war with “near-peer competitors”—a reference to nuclear-armed China and Russia—and “regional challengers,” such as Iran.

Is it time to lose heart? Not yet says Rob Hopkins co-founder of the Totness transition movement drawing inspiration from one his deeply moving experience. 

David Korten has another point to make. Taking our attention to the massive marches across America he writes, "How do we best characterize the spirit of these marches? Are they protests? Are they demonstrations of resistance? I have been struck by the wisdom of the Native American tribes at Standing Rock who reject the “protestor” label. They instead call themselves “protectors”—protectors of the waters."

And also more stories from around the world. 

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Binu Mathew
Editor
www.countercurrents.org




Trump Orders Military To Prepare For War
by Tom Eley 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2017/01/28/trump-orders-military-to-prepare-for-war/

During a visit to the Pentagon on Friday, President Donald Trump issued an executive action calling for stepped up violence in Syria and a vast expansion of the US military, including its nuclear arsenal, to prepare for war with “near-peer competitors”—a reference to nuclear-armed China and Russia—and “regional challengers,” such as Iran.




How Do I Know Good Can Overcome Ignorance, Spite And Hate? Because I’ve Seen it
by Rob Hopkins 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2017/01/28/how-do-i-know-good-can-overcome-ignorance-spite-and-hate-because-ive-seen-it/

I want to share a story with you today that I’ve not shared before on this blog.  I was moved by something I saw on Twitter to the effect that the future will not remember Trump, but the future will remember the remarkable things done by those mobilising to oppose him.  It really resonated with me.  I wanted to share a very personal story from my own life which, for me, illustrates that this is possible.





Take Notice, Trump: We Are Not Protestors—We Are Protectors
by David Korten 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2017/01/28/take-notice-trump-we-are-not-protestors-we-are-protectors/

Saturday’s marches energized millions of people with the assurance they are not alone. And those people affirmed our belief that the power of love can trump the power of hate. This sets the stage for future popular action in defense of the well-being of all. How do we best characterize the spirit of these marches? Are they protests? Are they demonstrations of resistance? I have been struck by the wisdom of the Native American tribes at Standing Rock who reject the “protestor” label. They instead call themselves “protectors”—protectors of the waters.





Don’t Let Trump Distract You: Public Comment On DAPL Is Now Open
by Jake Tracy 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2017/01/28/dont-let-trump-distract-you-public-comment-on-dapl-is-now-open/

If Trump’s order is not legally actionable, now through Feb. 20 is the only chance we will have to push for a full review of the pipeline’s climate impacts. Consider that Trump’s picks (and lack thereof) have not yet been appointed to the Army Corps. This means there may still be decision-makers on the inside who are committed to fully analyzing the project.





Killing The TPP: Trump’s Executive Action
by Dr Binoy Kampmark 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2017/01/28/killing-the-tpp-trumps-executive-action/

The obituary of rampant free trade ideology is by no means written, though it has received crippling pneumonia of sorts courtesy of Trump’s signing hand. It was the outcome favoured by Sanders and Clinton herself, and in that, there can be little complaint.





On Email Hacking Allegations, West Establishment says Trust Torturers, Distrust Torture-Whistleblowers
by Robert J Barsocchini 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2017/01/28/on-email-hacking-allegations-west-establishment-says-trust-torturers-distrust-torture-whistleblowers/

British mainstream paper the Daily Mail reported that former British Ambassador to Uzbekistan, Craig Murray, says he can attest first hand that the Clinton/Podesta materials handed to Wikileaks were leaked from a Washington insider, not stolen by Russia.






Communes In Venezuela: Experiments In Direct Democracy
by T Navin 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2017/01/28/communes-in-venezuela-experiments-in-direct-democracy/

The book by George Ciccariello shows efforts in the direction of direct democracy with a socialist orientation being undertaken in Venezuela. The communes represented the base of experiments in direct democracy and received further push through the role of Chavez and Maduro.





NAPM Condemns State-Sponsored Mob-violence On Bela Bhatia And​ ​Human Rights Activists, Academics And Adivasis In Bastar
by National Alliance of People’s Movements 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2017/01/28/napm-condemns-state-sponsored-mob-violence-on-bela-bhatia-and%E2%80%8B-%E2%80%8Bhuman-rights-activists-academics-and-adivasis-in-bastar/

The National Alliance of People’s Movements strongly condemns the multiple, brazen acts of intimidation directed at well-known academic and activist Bela Bhatia in Bastar including the most recent attack a few days back at her house in Parpa village by a belligerent mob of 30 goons. Clearly, this direct ultimatum and threat to Bela to “leave Parpa (Bastar) within 24 hrs” is a response of the non-state and state actors who feel threatened by her very presence in the region and her propensity to expose the massive human rights violations of the adivasis and activists by the police and para-military forces, in the name of combating extremism.