Antiwar.com Blog

Press release from Oregon’s Coalition for Peace:

A bill that would radically change Oregon’s involvement in foreign conflicts has been sponsored by Oregon Senate Minority Leader Daniel Bonham and freshman Senator Diane Linthicum.

SB 667, also known as “Defend The Guard”, is model legislation being proposed simultaneously in several other State governments that would prohibit National Guard troops from being deployed to foreign conflicts unless there is an official declaration of war by the United States Congress.

Recently, the Oregon National Guard has been deployed to active conflict zones such as eastern Syria and the Sinai peninsula. Oregon National guard troops are a critical resource for confronting natural disasters in our State such as floods and wildfires. During the devastating 2020 wildfire season, a lack of National Guard operated Chinook helicopters in our State was a contributing factor to the challenges of that season as many of them were still deployed in the now-defunct mission in Afghanistan.

As of this writing, SB 667 has not yet been referred to a committee by Oregon Senate leader Rob Wagner.

Our peace coalition will be working hard to make this piece of legislation a law.

For more information or to volunteer please contact: ibra@antiwaroregon.com

Learn more about Defend the Guard at Defendtheguard.us

Following is an interview with a high-level translator and university professor who lives in Damascus. He was interviewed by Rick Sterling on January 15.  Qusay is not his real name.

RS: What is the current situation in Damascus?

Qusay:  It is over  a month since the overthrow of the Assad regime. The situation is not stable. In the the area where I live, Dummar,  there was a very heavy artillery fire exchanged.  I saw the events myself.  I was going to work and  saw what happened. The official statement said that there were some people belonging to the Assad regime who were taking weapons. So the HTS military leadership sent groups to confront them. It was really terrifying.  Children were running in the streets. Women and men on the street and in cars were terrified because the bombing was very close. So everyone saw death today feeling that a bullet or a bombing could reach them.

And two days ago in Latakia there was some soldiers of the Assad group. They kidnapped seven people of the Tahir Sham group. And then there were negotiations between the two parties. Then about 4,000 soldiers went there in Latakia in order to free them. And by the end they killed the soldiers and with their command. The situation in Homs is not stable either… we already have sectarian calls.

Continue reading “Interview With a Damascus Resident: ‘People in Syria Are Scared’”

Journalism in Action: Holding Blinken Accountable on Gaza

A powerful confrontation between journalists and Secretary Blinken reveals the urgent need for accountability in U.S. foreign policy, particularly regarding the situation in Gaza. The episode highlights how challenging narratives can shift discussions and emphasizes the importance of journalistic integrity in the face of state power.

• Blumenthal directly questions Blinken about the U.S. role in the Gaza conflict
• Husseini highlights the importance of journalist accountability
• Insights into the impact of U.S. aid on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
• Discussion of the complexity surrounding the potential ceasefire in Gaza
• Reactions to the shifting political narratives in Washington
• The role of media in shaping public perception and policy decisions

Reprinted from Bracing Views with the author’s permission.

A few days ago, I posted the following comment to a fine article that addressed America’s nuclear triad and the reality that we really only need the Navy’s nuclear submarine force for deterrence:

My old service, the Air Force, will fight for new ICBMs and new “stealth” bombers just because they always want MORE. More money, more bases, more planes, more power. Doesn’t matter if America needs them or not. Doesn’t matter if new nuclear weapons may end the world. What matters is dominance, especially Air Force dominance over the U.S. Navy and Army.

“Nothing can stop the U.S. Air Force” in its budgetary battles at the Pentagon.

Honestly, this is self-evident to me. The Air Force always wants more planes, especially offensive aircraft like fighters and bombers. The Army always wants more divisions, more equipment, a bigger Army. The Navy always wants more ships.

Continue reading “Military Service Parochialism: All the Services Always Want More”

New reporting published Wednesday details the impotence and insincerity of President Joe Biden’s “multiple threats, warnings, and admonishments” to Israel as it annihilated the Gaza Strip, killing tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians while receiving tens of billions of dollars in U.S. arms and unwavering diplomatic support.

Writing for ProPublica, Brett Murphy showed how multiple “red lines” issued by Biden administration officials were ignored by Israel with impunity. Murphy highlighted Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s October 2024 demand that Israel take “urgent and sustained actions” to improve humanitarian conditions in Gaza – mainly by allowing far more aid into the embattled strip – within 30 days or face a military aid cutoff.

Continue reading “Report Says Biden’s ‘Empty Threats’ on Gaza Fed Israeli Impunity”

Reprinted from Bracing Views with the author’s permission.

Yesterday, the Merchants of Death Tribunal concluded with a verdict of “guilty” for all those U.S. dealers and exporters of weapons globally. Yes, the merchants of death are guilty as sin, even as they account for 40% of the global trade in deadly weaponry. Who says nothing is made in America today? We make plenty of things that go “bang.”

In our culture today, it’s considered “patriotic” to make loads of money, especially by selling guns. Just look at the National Rifle Association (NRA) and its enablers in Congress and all the gun companies domestically.

Continue reading “America’s Merchants of Death Are Making a Killing”