AMERICAN STUDIES

PAUL EDWARDS—It’s not complicated.  The Empire, like every empire before it, does nothing—absolutely nothing!—for its impotent people. It sucks all the money out of the country, curtails and cripples all opportunity and benefit, contributes nothing to the general welfare (promised in the Constitution), cons and diddles its citizens with idiot “entertainment”, and offers them only reflected glory from the mass murder its War Machine inflicts on the world.

When you have a government that does nothing but cheat its people, and lie to them as if they were defective children; one that does nothing to elevate or support them; one whose chief aim is to exploit their labor and energy and keep them down; one whose whole purpose is to deceive them into idolizing their abusers, and paying for that privilege on their knees, then you have no government at all: you have baldfaced, brutal tyranny.

HAMMI—In this insightful episode, I sit down with political scientist and author Norman Finkelstein to discuss the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the implications of the 2024 U.S. presidential election. Finkelstein examines the progression of Israel’s military strategy toward Gaza, tracing it from past operations to the current crisis, and offers his perspective on the U.S. candidates and what their potential leadership means for the future of American foreign policy in the Middle East and elsewhere. Join us as Finkelstein shares his unfiltered analysis on one of today’s most urgent issues, providing historical context and a candid look at what’s ahead.

ROGER BOYD—You would expect some substance from a person that could be a heart beat away from being president of the United States, but then we have J. D. Vance. He was born in Middletown Ohio in 1984, and he has written that his childhood was one of poverty, abuse and his mother’s drug addiction; being raised mainly by his maternal grandparents. In 2003, after graduating from high school, he joined the US Marine Corp in the non-combat role of military journalist, including six months in Iraq in 2005. Working to all intents and purposes in the public affairs section of the US Marine Corp, Vance would have become experienced in how to put stories together that hide much of the truth and weave stories that humanize what is an elite killing machine.

MAIN EDITORS—Both Col. Wilkerson and (former) weapons inspector Scott Ritter analyse Israel’s airstrikes on Iran, judging them a failure. This evaluation contrasts markedly with the cacophony of celebratory voices on the US and western press in general, proclaiming the mission an absolute triumph for Israeli arms over Iran, its longstanding regional foe. The NYTimes seemed to reflect the more sober evaluation of the event, noting with evident relief, that both sides seemed to be satisfied with the outcome.

EDITOR—Israel has long had a beef with Iran, the only nation in the Gulf capable and willing to stand up to its crimes and provocations. The events of 10/7, which some regard as a false flag designed to allow Israel to carry out a systematic genocide of Palestinians  (with open encouragement and support by the US empire), have also sharpened the conflict with Tehran, triggering a dangerous cycle of Israeli aggressions and Iranian well-measured escalatory responses, which have now put the two nations on the brink of an all-out war. Some analysts suggest that the US, despite its “pro-peace” mask, and using “plausible deniability”, is actually pushing Israel to lead the way in the military conquest of Lebanon, Hezbollah, Iran and other parties of the “Axis of Resistance”. The panel is however dubious about the seriousness of Tel-Aviv’s thirst for a major war with Iran, and so is Iran for that matter. Everyone has much to lose in this confrontation, which could easily get out of hand and escalate to WW3 dimensions and complete economic collapse. Israel—despite its bellicosity, born of a sense of impunity given its close connection with the US and Britain—is extremely vulnerable to an Iranian attack on its infrastructure, as Iran could easily destroy its desalination plants, electricity stations and other vital resources. While the US is clearly the main force behind the Palestinians’ genocide and the expansion of Israeli territorial ambitions, the US ruling class, itself pathetically led at this point, and fractured into several factions with different priorities and imperialist approaches, seems unsure about the consequences of a regional and possibly global war with the multipolar alliance.