Assorted content to end your week. – Philip Bump discusses how partisan resistance to public health measures is making it harder for the U.S. to count on vaccinations to limit the spread of COVID-19. And Connor O’Donovan reports on how Saskatchewan’s health care system is drowning under chronic short-staffing which
Continue readingTag: John Kerry
Alberta Politics: Guest Post by Olav Rokne: America’s Democrats need to saddle up a dark horse
Considering his scandal-ridden administration, a shaky economy, and his disagreeable public presence, it’s easy for progressives to assume that Tovarishch Trump will be a one-term president. But here’s the bad news: There’s a very real chance that Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States, will be re-elected. For
Continue readingAlberta Politics: I come to bury Castro, not to praise him: unpacking conservative fury at PM Justin Trudeau’s condolences
PHOTOS: Fidel Castrol in his heyday. Mr. Castro died Friday at 90. Below: An affectionate Havana scene … “Viva Fidel por siempre;” Margaret Trudeau, Mr. Castro and Pierre Trudeau in 1976; King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, who died at 90 last year; Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Before I start, let’s
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Brad Wall’s call to block refugees from Syria is just more of the same old conservative wedge politics
PHOTOS: Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall (CBC Photo). Below: Alberta Premier Rachel Notley, Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott and B.C. Premier Christy Clark. Bottom: Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is either demonized or ignored by Western mainstream media. In light of the inevitably angry and emotional response to the Paris terror attacks
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Once And For All
Richard Hughes-Political Blogger Like so many of you I am reading and observing the Palestinian onslaught from afar. The positions seem to be so absolute, so tightly held that it is a challenge to grasp the sense of it sometimes. This Uri Avnery piece was sent to me recently and
Continue readingCuriosityCat: Israel & Gaza: Is Kerry a Nebish?
John Nebbish Kerry? This question has been raised, given Kerry’s missteps in recent weeks: Nonetheless, one can’t deny Kerry’s almost inexplicable series of mishaps, faux pas and unfortunate events: on Friday it was the press conference in Cairo with the UN Secretary General and the Egyptian foreign minister that was
Continue readingdrive-by planet: In-depth interview with Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov [video - English]: ‘If we’re attacked, we’ll certainly respond’
Given the American MSM angle on Ukraine that paints more or less the same picture with minor variations, I thought it would be interesting to get the Russian perspective courtesy of foreign minister Sergei Lavrov in this recent interview on RT’s Sophie and Co. Lavrov comes across as a no-nonsense
Continue readingCuriosityCat: Ukraine: One possible Russian-driven solution
Bill Clinton: Ukraine Saviour? Ukraine is in turmoil, with positions apparently hardening on all sides, since the Geneva Agreement outlining a method of resolution was agreed upon a short while ago. The level of support for the anti-Kiev position in eastern Ukraine is unclear at the moment: Armed men have
Continue readingdrive-by planet: ‘Revolt of the rich’ – the privileged face of US-backed Venezuelan opposition: Bolivarian achievements
When reading corporate media coverage of the wave of protests that have roiled Venezuela you could be excused for thinking a massively popular revolution is sweeping that nation. This version of events is more about political spin than reality. The protests have in fact been limited in scope and mostly
Continue readingdrive-by planet: Double standards, threats and false claims in run-up to March 16 referendum in Crimea
The referendum in Crimea scheduled for March 16 has been declared invalid by US secretary of state John Kerry who also issued warnings of serious consequences if Russia “annexes” Crimea. He promised that sanctions against Russia would “get ugly fast.” This was echoed by Germany’s Angela Merkel who has made
Continue readingdrive-by planet: The Syrian nightmare Washington is helping to create
Many progressives and leftists find themselves in a conflicted position over the war in Syria. They don’t support western interventionism but by the same token are unwilling to give support to the Assad regime. A third way approach is support for the Syrian people and their legitimate demands – as
Continue readingdrive-by planet: MIT report contests US intelligence on sarin attack: Lloyd – "The Syrian rebels most definitely have the ability to make these weapons"
Top: Fighters from the Free Syrian Army’s Saif al-Umayyad brigade prepare to launch a rocket towards regime forces in Ghouta, east of Damascus January 1, 2014. Bottom: Spent rockets from August 21 sarin attack A recently published MIT report titled Possible Implications of Faulty U.S. Technical Intelligence calls into question
Continue readingLeDaro: John Kerry: After concluding a deal with Russia over Syria, he headed for Israel
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, left, shakes hands with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after speaking to the media at the prime minister’s office in Jerusalem, Israel, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2013. Kerry on Sunday sent a strong warning to Syria, saying ‘the threat of force is real’ if it
Continue readingdrive-by planet: Al Qaeda linked rebels in Syria: Putin accuses Kerry of lying: Syrian rebel atrocities – NYT video footage
Islamist fighters in Syria: Beneath – al-Nusra Front fighters execute Syrian soldiers Given the military excesses the Assad regime has directed against its own people, genuine representatives of the Syrian people would seem like the force to back in the increasingly vicious civil conflict. But maybe not. A rebel force
Continue readingLeDaro: For John McCain and John Kerry Syrian conflict is a laughing matter
Senator John McCain and Secretary of State John Kerry were having fun during Senate hearings on Syrian conflict and U.S. intervention. Also John McCain was caught on camera playing poker on his cell phone during the hearings. So much for the concern about the use of nerve gas in Syria
Continue readingdrive-by planet: John Kerry’s speech: U.S. hypocrisy in preparing conditions for an illegal attack on Syria
In the course of his speech to prep public opinion for the likely US-NATO attack on Syria, U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, said: “President Obama believes there must be accountability for those who would use the world’s most heinous weapons against the world’s most vulnerable people.” The killing of
Continue readingSong of the Watermelon: An Open Letter to Barack Obama and John Kerry
Dear President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry: As a concerned Canadian, I am writing to urge you to reject TransCanada’s application to build the Keystone XL pipeline for purposes of transporting dirty oil from Alberta’s tar sands to refineries in the United States. I assure you that
Continue readingEarthgauge Radio: Will John Kerry reject Keystone XL?
A very interesting post today by Joe Romm at ThinkProgress.org. Based on the recent comments of the new U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, Romm is speculating that Kerry “shows no sign whatsoever of backing down from the moral urgency that has made him a true climate champion.” Click the
Continue reading