Episodes
Monday Nov 24, 2014
Monday Nov 24, 2014
This episode of the Global Research News Hour takes a closer look at the October 22 Ottawa Shootings with guests Richard Sanders of the Coalition Opposed to the Arms Trade and Barrie Zwicker, author, journalist and media critic.
Sanders explains that there are parallels between the way the Harper government is capitalizing on the Ottawa shootings to advance a militarization of domestic and foreign policy, and the way the Borden government of 1914 used the first World War to undermine the rights of Eastern European immigrants and other ‘undesirables’ seen as a threat to the capitalist order of the day.
Barrie Zwicker goes one step further and makes the case that the shooting by lone gunman Michael Zehab-Bibeau may have been a false flag. That is, aided and abetted by elements of the State and Security apparatus. Among the issues he touches on in this discussion are the “lone nut” sceneario, common to many false flag situations, indications of fore-knowledge and a cover-up on the part of US media, and the prospects of US covert involvement in the event.
This interview is largely based around his recent article for Truth and Shadows, now posted on the Global Research website.
Monday Nov 17, 2014
Monday Nov 17, 2014
Veteran’s Tales
As noted in last week’s program, the myth of the soldier as guarantor of freedom and security for our fellow citizens has become wide-spread and reinforced in the imaginations of citizens, particularly in America, and lately in Canada.
We therefore see the “Support the Troops” monicker adorning bumpers and webpage banners.
Veterans’ Day and Remembrance Day ceremonies increasingly are, in the opinion of this author, becoming celebrations of the sacrifice of ‘heroic’ men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country. These sentiments overwhelm any sense of regret about the tragedy of their loss and the resolve to put an end to such military conflicts so future generations of soldiers (and civilians) need not suffer the same gruesome fate.
Even on Canada Day 2014, Prime Minister Stephen Harper in his public remarks, chose not to mention scientific, medical, artistic or other such achievements, nor the creation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, nor the debut of national projects such as publicly funded health care.
Instead he chose to focus almost exclusively on the accomplishments of our military personnel abroad, and the prowess of our Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Evidently, PM Harper seeks to transform Canada’s image away from the land of friendly ‘hosers’ to that of a Modern Day Sparta.
Not surprisingly then, this unthinking devotion to all things military has affected policy. It is fueling more US wars of aggression in the Middle East and prompting Canada’s enthusiastic support.
This week’s Global Research News Hour takes a close look at the toll war takes on the fighting men and women and particularly on the broader society. Critically, it examines the roots of the pro-war mentality that has gripped the imaginations of the people, and of the men in particular. This show also probes possible remedies that might potentially de-program members of the pro-war cult.
Both of the show’s two guests are veterans of the US Armed Forces, and have served in missions abroad. They are now staunch critics of US military adventurism.
Stan Goff began his military service in January, 1970 as an infantryman with the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vietnam. His service took him to seven more conflict areas after Vietnam, including Guatemala, Grenada, El Salvador, Peru, Colombia, Somalia, and Haiti. He retired as a Master Sergeant from the US Army in 1996. He has taught military science at the US Military Academy at West Point. Over the last decade he has published a number of articles and three books, including Sex and War, and Full Spectrum Disorder: The Military in the New American Century. He currently authors the blog Chasin’ Jesus. His latest book, Borderline – Reflections on War, Sex, and Church from Wipf and Stock (Cascade Books) is expected to be released in February of 2015.
Joshua Key who hails out of Guthrie, Oklahoma was trained as a US combat engineer was dispatched to Iraq in April of 2003. He claims to have witnessed numerous instances of abuse of the Iraqi civilian population by US forces, which went unaddressed by commanding officers. He fled the war for reasons of conscience at the end of 2003, and with his then wife and children in tow, made his way across the border to Canada in early 2005. He has sought and been denied refugee status in that country. Remarried to a Canadian, he along with other Iraq War Resisters and deserters are ‘living in limbo’ waiting for deportation orders back to the US where they face the prospect of dishonorable discharge and lengthy prison sentences for the crime of desertion. Joshua Key is the author, along with Lawrence (Book of Negroes) Hill of The Deserter’s Tale: The Story of an Ordinary Sold
Monday Nov 10, 2014
Monday Nov 10, 2014
One of the most devastating conflicts in history the First World War drew in all the major powers at the time. Eight and a half million soldiers and Six and a half million civilians are estimated to have perished in the war that was supposed to end war. [1][2]
Set off by a diplomatic crisis, triggered by the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand in June of 1914, The Great War as it was known at the time lasted four bloody years. On November 11, 1918, Germany became the last of the Central Powers to capitulate and sign an armistice with the victorious Allied Powers, signalling the end of the war.
To this day, the 11th hour of the eleventh month is set aside to reflect and honour those military men and women who paid the ultimate cost to secure a more peaceful and just world. The occasion is referred to as Remembrance Day in the British Commonwealth.
The spirit of Remembrance Day has shifted in recent years, especially in Canada.
Following the centenary of the start of World War I, the Canadian Prime Minister credited the war as a critical ingredient in establishing the country as an independent nation. [3]Harper stokes national pride over Allied victories in Ypres, Vimy and Passchendaele rather than lament a tragic loss of life over a mostly pointless war. [4]
Cautionary warnings about the terrible toll of war with slogans like “Never Again” and “Lest We Forget” seem to have been eclipsed by imperatives to paint the sacrifices of military men and women serving the State (for whatever reason) as heroic and necessary.
Today, Remembrance Day may as well be called “Thank a Soldier for your Freedoms Day.”
Without disrespecting those who have died serving in past conflicts, it is worth reflecting during Remembrance Week on exactly why World War I and other twentieth century conflicts were waged in the first place. Were these wars truly for democracy, peace and democracy? Or were there more cynical motives being pursued by Canada and the other major powers?
To this end, this week’s Global Research News Hour interviews two prominent authors and dissident thinkers on the century old conflict known as World War I and Canada’s role in this and other military forays.
Yves Engler is an activist and author of numerous books on Canadian foreign policy includingThe Black Book on Canadian Foreign Policy, Canada and Israel: Building Apartheid and his latest The Ugly Canadian: Stephen Harper’s Foreign Policy.
Dr. Jacques Pauwels, Canadian historian and author of the 2000 book The Myth of the Good War: America in the Second World War . He has a French language book on World War 1 available now. An English version will be available in 2015.
Monday Nov 03, 2014
Monday Nov 03, 2014
“Ever since the US has lost the war militarily, i.e., signed the Armistice Agreement in July 27, 1953, they’ve instead chosen a war propaganda strategy by mobilizing the whole global media (i.e., their globally-monopolized mainstream media) to demonize(isolate) the North till this very day…
This ongoing demonization as war propaganda against “North Korea” has therefore made the world very difficult, if not impossible, ever to learn about this extremely (i.e., probably the worst in that sense) demonized nation on earth. Thus, as a result, in most cases, the world in general does not know about the DPRK at all.” (Report from the DPRK Association for Human Rights Studies, published by 4th Media [1]
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) otherwise known as North Korea is arguably among the most demonized countries in the world.
The country has been portrayed as a nuclear threat, a human rights abuser, belligerent and an economic basket case.
During the onset of the so-called “War on Terrorism,” US President George W Bush referred to THe DPRK as part of the Axis of Evil.
Are the problems facing the Communist country principally a consequence of structural problems with the State itself? Or is it a consequence of sanctions and other measures being imposed on the population?
The Global Research News Hour probes the myths and realities behind the North Korean menace with two analysts.
Kiyul Chung is a Visiting Professor at Tsinghua University, Beijing and the Editor in Chief of 4th Media, an internet-based publication. He has been participating in the Korea’s self-determined and peaceful reunification movement for decades, and he has been to visit North Korea close to one hundred times.
Henri Feron is a Ph.D candidate in international law at Tsinghua University, Beijing. He holds an LL.B. in French and English law from Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and King’s College London, as well as an LL.M. in Chinese law from Tsinghua University. On May 5 of this year, he authored an article called, “Doom and Gloom or Economic Boom? The Myth of the “North Korean Economic Collapse.” Feron points to the idea that the collapse narrative is based on faulty data, comprehensive sanctions from the West and the US in particular, and an incentive on the part of the US and its allies to portray this enemy country in the most negative light possible.