WORLD DESK

JAY JANSON—In a hopefully not to distant future the two populations of Palestine will again recognize and appreciate each other’s uniqueness, nobility and charm, as these two kindred peoples, did over centuries living next to each other as neighbors in their Middle East.

Now the sides are unevenly matched, with the European settlers far and away on top in every way, but there were centuries when Arabs were the technologically, militarily and culturally advanced civilization doing the conquering. Arabs introduced, to a Europe in the dark ages, the classical literature and philosophy of its Greek provinces that would spark Europe’s Renaissance. Couldn’t first world Jews in Israel be leading a Middle East Renaissance of technology?

JAY JANSON—At the end of the war, when ghastly, spine-chilling photos of the internment and murder of Jews in concentration camps were revealed, the public was shocked into some self-awareness. The most violent persecution, brutal arrests and internment had been done openly in a world basically owned and run by the “democratically’ elected legislatures of white industrialized nations, nations that had earlier used their edge in arms manufacture to conquer, colonize and exploit the whole non white population of the world.

When the difficult to behold newsreels and newspaper photos of the indescribably inhuman conditions inside the camps and of the cremation ovens, shame, guilt and agonized sympathy finally replaced a good deal of the long standing, pervasive, fierce antipathy and prejudice toward Jews.

JAMES PETRAS—The politicians and propagandists in Washington can blather about Russia’s interference in the US’s corrupt electoral theater and scuttle moves to improve diplomatic ties, but they cannot counter Russia’s growing influence in the Middle East and its expanding trade with Asia, especially China.

JAMES PETRAS—Washington has launched a strategy of military encirclement and a trade war against China. The White House rounded-up Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines and South Korea to provide military bases which target China. Nevertheless, up to the present the US has no allies in its trade war. All of Trump’s so-called Asian ‘allies’ defy his economic sanctions policies. The countries depend on and pursue trade with and investments from China. While all pay diplomatic lip service and provide military bases, all defer on the crucial issues of joining US military exercises off China’s coast and boycotting Beijing.

JAY JANSON—Given what we know about the expected deadly effect of nuclear war on the planet and all life on Earth, it would seem that a good amount of people everywhere would have come to realize the horrific danger to themselves, their loved ones, all fellow human beings, even animals and plants. There should be millions demanding that Americans respect the rest of us and our planetary home, and end all plans and preparations for nuclear war, and explain why a war with Russia and China is even contemplated.