thegreanvillepostbiasrating--2020-07-29--Freedom Rider: Media Silent as Trump Declares Wars

Donald Trump ’ s attacks on Venezuela , Syria and Iran are criminal , but Joe Biden vows to be even worse .
The corporate media in this country can endlessly repeat lies about Russia paying Taliban bounties , but ignore important information that is public and easily provable .
A recent example is President Donald Trump ’ s announcement of some sort of an attack against Venezuela .
“ There is no congressional opposition to Trump ’ s acts of aggression which are literally killing people around the world.
” While visiting the U.S. Southern Command ( SOUTHCOM ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Noticias Telemundo and said the following , “ Something will happen with Venezuela .
That ’ s all I can tell you .
Something will be happening with Venezuela.
” The United States chose a puppet president to replace the elected president Nicolas Maduro , increased sanctions , attempted to send mercenaries to destabilize the country , and charged Maduro and his wife with drug trafficking .
The U.S. puppet state known as the United Kingdom ruled that it will keep more than $ 1 billion worth of Venezuelan gold instead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The heist against Venezuela totals $ 24 billion in stolen and frozen assets .
The wall that Trump said Mexico would pay for was actually paid for with ill gotten gains from Venezuela .
“ The heist against Venezuela totals $ 24 billion in stolen and frozen assets.
” Venezuela has been under constant attack from the United States and its allies for years with the Trump administration making the most blatant regime change efforts .
But the media who ordinarily pillory Trump are either silent or support these attacks .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The president of the United States once again declared some sort of hostilities against Venezuela but his words garnered hardly any attention .
Trump has placed the United States on the precipice of war in a variety of ways .
He has withdrawn the U.S. from nuclear treaties with Russia that were ratified decades ago .
His war of words against China is not merely rhetorical .
Uttering slurs about the “ Wuhan virus ” and always adding the word communist along with the word China are not just stunts .
Inciting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a larger scheme to weaken an economic and political rival .
The U.S. is waging war by other means all over the world .
The war against Syria is lost .
There will be no regime change there by military means , so Trump resorts to stealing oil , burning wheat crops and increasing sanctions that restrict access to food and medicine .
Israel , the U.S. partner in crime , bombs Iranian defense facilities in hopes that they can finally see their war fantasy come to reality .
“ Waging war by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But none of these incidents receive sufficient coverage .
If they are commented upon at all , the news relies on the ubiquitous anonymous intelligence source , or others who will parrot the official line .
One must know where to look to find decent analysis .
The new devastation wrought upon Syria is either unreported or celebrated by the corporate media .
There has been no critique of the policy , no one pointing out that a war crime is being committed in the name of the American people .
In fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the aptly named Caesar Act has “ helped crash the Syrian currency.
” They could have added that it helped increase suffering too .
Shrieking about Russiagate , Ukrainegate , Bountygate or any other gate that will be cooked up is smoke and mirrors for the masses and propaganda for the duopoly .
There is no congressional opposition to Trump ’ s acts of aggression which are literally killing people around the world .
“ War crimes are being committed in the name of the American people.
” Sadly , neither these policies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different if Joe Biden becomes president .
Biden ’ s Venezuela policy is the same as Trump ’ s .
His attacks have in fact been further to the right .
When Trump expressed a willingness to talk to Maduro , he backtracked after Biden condemned any effort to talk .
“ Trump talks tough on Venezuela , but admires thugs and dictators like Nicolas Maduro , ” was Biden ’ s twitter rejoinder .
[ Probably written by one of his handlers . ]
The end result of these machinations is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as both countries seek protection from U.S. imperialism .
They try to keep the U.S. and its puppet state allies from interfering in their countries or destroying Syria or Iran or Venezuela and thereby making themselves impotent .
Iran and China recently reached an agreement which will build Iran ’ s infrastructure and supply China with discounted oil for the next 25 years .
While the media here keep Americans ignorant with ridiculous stories about Russian bounties , the targeted nations work together for their own benefit .
Only people with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media know how their country threatens the world .
After all , Trump issued a public threat against Venezuela and it hardly registered as a blip on a screen .
When the U.S. goes too far and the world faces a hot war , ignorant Americans will not know what hit them .
They may babble about the latest fake scandal or cry out “ They hate us for our freedoms , ” but the rest of the world won ’ t care and ignorance will be no defense .
Please join the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ page at http : //facebook.com/blackagendareport Or , you can comment by emailing us at comments @ blackagendareport.com

Donald Trump’s attacks on Venezuela, Syria and Iran are criminal, but Joe Biden vows to be even worse.
The corporate media in this country can endlessly repeat lies about Russia paying Taliban bounties, but ignore important information that is public and easily provable. A recent example is President Donald Trump’s announcement of some sort of an attack against Venezuela.
“There is no congressional opposition to Trump’s acts of aggression which are literally killing people around the world.”
While visiting the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) in Florida, Trump gave an interview to Noticias Telemundo and said the following, “Something will happen with Venezuela. That’s all I can tell you. Something will be happening with Venezuela.”
The United States chose a puppet president to replace the elected president Nicolas Maduro, increased sanctions, attempted to send mercenaries to destabilize the country, and charged Maduro and his wife with drug trafficking. The U.S. puppet state known as the United Kingdom ruled that it will keep more than $1 billion worth of Venezuelan gold instead of turning it over to its rightful owners. The heist against Venezuela totals $24 billion in stolen and frozen assets. The wall that Trump said Mexico would pay for was actually paid for with ill gotten gains from Venezuela.
“The heist against Venezuela totals $24 billion in stolen and frozen assets.”
Venezuela has been under constant attack from the United States and its allies for years with the Trump administration making the most blatant regime change efforts. But the media who ordinarily pillory Trump are either silent or support these attacks. Trump’s remarks should have made headlines. The president of the United States once again declared some sort of hostilities against Venezuela but his words garnered hardly any attention.
Trump has placed the United States on the precipice of war in a variety of ways. He has withdrawn the U.S. from nuclear treaties with Russia that were ratified decades ago. His war of words against China is not merely rhetorical. Uttering slurs about the “Wuhan virus” and always adding the word communist along with the word China are not just stunts. Inciting violence in Hong Kong was part of a larger scheme to weaken an economic and political rival.
The U.S. is waging war by other means all over the world. The war against Syria is lost. There will be no regime change there by military means, so Trump resorts to stealing oil, burning wheat crops and increasing sanctions that restrict access to food and medicine. Israel, the U.S. partner in crime, bombs Iranian defense facilities in hopes that they can finally see their war fantasy come to reality.
“Waging war by other means all over the world.”
But none of these incidents receive sufficient coverage. If they are commented upon at all, the news relies on the ubiquitous anonymous intelligence source, or others who will parrot the official line. One must know where to look to find decent analysis.
The new devastation wrought upon Syria is either unreported or celebrated by the corporate media. There has been no critique of the policy, no one pointing out that a war crime is being committed in the name of the American people. In fact, the Washington Postapplauded the fact that the aptly named Caesar Act has “helped crash the Syrian currency.” They could have added that it helped increase suffering too.
Shrieking about Russiagate, Ukrainegate, Bountygate or any other gate that will be cooked up is smoke and mirrors for the masses and propaganda for the duopoly. There is no congressional opposition to Trump’s acts of aggression which are literally killing people around the world.
“War crimes are being committed in the name of the American people.”
Sadly, neither these policies nor the corporate media response will be different if Joe Biden becomes president. Biden’s Venezuela policy is the same as Trump’s. His attacks have in fact been further to the right. When Trump expressed a willingness to talk to Maduro, he backtracked after Biden condemned any effort to talk. “Trump talks tough on Venezuela, but admires thugs and dictators like Nicolas Maduro,” was Biden’s twitter rejoinder. [Probably written by one of his handlers.]
The end result of these machinations is that Russia and China are closer than ever, as both countries seek protection from U.S. imperialism. They try to keep the U.S. and its puppet state allies from interfering in their countries or destroying Syria or Iran or Venezuela and thereby making themselves impotent. Iran and China recently reached an agreement which will build Iran’s infrastructure and supply China with discounted oil for the next 25 years. While the media here keep Americans ignorant with ridiculous stories about Russian bounties, the targeted nations work together for their own benefit.
Only people with the interest and wherewithal to seek out independent media know how their country threatens the world. After all, Trump issued a public threat against Venezuela and it hardly registered as a blip on a screen. When the U.S. goes too far and the world faces a hot war, ignorant Americans will not know what hit them. They may babble about the latest fake scandal or cry out “They hate us for our freedoms,” but the rest of the world won’t care and ignorance will be no defense.
Margaret Kimberley’s Freedom Rider column appears weekly in BAR, and is widely reprinted elsewhere. She maintains a frequently updated blog as well at patreon.com/margaretkimberley and she regularly posts on Twitter @freedomrideblog. Ms. Kimberley lives in New York City, and can be reached via e-Mail at ’s Freedom Rider column appears weekly in BAR, and is widely reprinted elsewhere. She maintains a frequently updated blog as well at patreon.com/margaretkimberley and she regularly posts on Twitter @freedomrideblog. Ms. Kimberley lives in New York City, and can be reached via e-Mail at Margaret.Kimberley@BlackAgendaReport.com
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thegreanvillepostbiasrating--2020-07-29--No to the New Cold war with China

No to the New Cold war with China

he African radical , anti-imperialist , internationalist movement , sees the Chinese state and the Chinese people much differently than the U.S. state and its ruling class .
“ We must name the Pan-European white supremacist colonial/capitalist patriarchy as an existential threat to all of humanity.
” The author delivered the following remarks on July 25 to a webinar titled “ No to the New Cold War with China , ” hina ’ s Ambassador to the United States posed a very simple question : `` Is the United States ready or willing to live with another country with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political and economic system ... in peace ?
” The answer to this question must be that despite the intentions of the U.S. rulers , the people must opt for peace .
For the Black liberation and anti-imperialist movement in the U.S. , we are clear : War is a class issue and we say not one drop of blood from the Black working class and poor to defend the capitalist oligarchy .
It is important that this position be clear because the U.S. state wants to disconnect the ongoing black struggle for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ democracy in the U.S. from the broader anti-colonial and revolutionary struggles and movements globally .
The U.S. state wants to project our movement as one concerned only with Black Lives or winning “ civil rights ” or something called racial justice , which objectively is an impossibility for a white supremacist settler colonial state .
This was the strategy of the U.S. in the late 1940s when Africans in the U.S. were in the forefront of agitation for a radical notion of human rights that centered democracy , racial justice and national and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politics were often explicitly anti-capitalist , seeing that what we refer to today as racial capitalism as providing the material basis for white supremacist power .
This is the Black radical internationalist tradition and is the perspective that informs my positions on the question of China and a new cold war .
“ We say not one drop of blood from the Black working class and poor to defend the capitalist oligarchy.
” This Black internationalist perspective was captured in the response of Nelson Mandela during his first visit to the U.S. after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Africa , when he was asked , in what was supposed to be one of those ‘ got you ’ questions , about the support that the ANC and other South African liberation movements received from Cuba , Libya and the PLO .
He answered by saying that the “ the mistake some make is assuming that their enemies should be our enemies.
” Our movement – the African radical , anti-imperialist , internationalist movement , sees the Chinese state and the Chinese people much differently than the U.S. state and its ruling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right of self-determination and national sovereignty for all peoples , nations and states , and , therefore , take a position of resolute opposition to the efforts by the U.S. state to isolate , subvert and militarily threatened the Chinese state .
We opposed the so-called pivot to Asia under the Obama administration and the designation of China along with Russia as global threats in the 2018 NDAA .
We oppose the provocative military maneuvers by the U.S. in the Asia-Pacific region , specifically the unnecessary and intentionally aggressive actions in the disputed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And we condemn the militarization of the waterways and maritime routes from the Malacca-Singapore strait to the South China Sea and East China sea by the U.S. state , which is aimed at intimidating and threatening the Chinese state .
We take the position that all disputes in the Asia-Pacific region should be resolved solely by the nations of that region .
In Particular , we oppose the proposals to enhance U.S. basing in the Asia-Pacific region .
My friends , we are living at a moment of history that is extremely dangerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the anxiety it is producing , along with the recklessness and mediocre character of U.S. decision makers , has created a volatile situation that some argue is more dangerous than at any point during the Cold War period with the Soviet Union .
Insane strategies like the concept of “ pre-launch interception , ” the theory that the U.S. can launch a first strike to destroy the intercontinental ballistic missiles of Russia and China while they are still in launchers , are becoming accepted possibilities .
U.S. policymakers responded to questions from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to NATO after the announcement of the U.S. pivot to Asia by saying that “ the European NATO powers should welcome the fact that the US is willing to engage in this new strategic challenge on behalf of the alliance.
” It is clear for those of us who understand the white supremacist mentality – because our lives depend on us understanding it – the position voiced here is an acknowledgement of the common interests the white West in maintaining global Western dominance .
This is the collective imperialism that is committed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kwame Nkrumah talked about that characterized U.S. leadership of the Western powers coming out of the Second World War .
This is the mad psychopathology of white supremacy .
They are preparing for war , a winnable war , with the Chinese .
And what has been the response from the Chinese ?
They said that they will vigorously oppose the deployment of new weapon systems into the Asia-Pacific region .
In just the last two months , U.S. public opinion has hardened against the Chinese with veiled racial coding from Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an impeding and inevitable conflict on the horizon .
Today the language might be coded but its intent to shore up the common interests of the Pan-European colonial/capitalist white supremacist project is absolutely clear .
That is why BAP says that we must name the Pan-European white supremacist colonial/capitalist patriarchy as an existential threat to all of humanity .
Our task must be to take away the power that they have to destroy the world .
This is a historic imperative ; whether we can do that will determine if we live or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black Agenda Report 's Facebook page at http : //facebook.com/blackagendareport Or , you can comment by emailing us at comments @ blackagendareport.com

T
he African radical, anti-imperialist, internationalist movement, sees the Chinese state and the Chinese people much differently than the U.S. state and its ruling class.
“We must name the Pan-European white supremacist colonial/capitalist patriarchy as an existential threat to all of humanity.”
The author delivered the following remarks on July 25 to a webinar titled “No to the New Cold War with China,”
C
hina’s Ambassador to the United States posed a very simple question: "Is the United States ready or willing to live with another country with a very different culture, a very different political and economic system ... in peace?”
The answer to this question must be that despite the intentions of the U.S. rulers, the people must opt for peace. For the Black liberation and anti-imperialist movement in the U.S., we are clear: War is a class issue and we say not one drop of blood from the Black working class and poor to defend the capitalist oligarchy.
It is important that this position be clear because the U.S. state wants to disconnect the ongoing black struggle for human rights, anti-colonialism, and authentic democracy in the U.S. from the broader anti-colonial and revolutionary struggles and movements globally. The U.S. state wants to project our movement as one concerned only with Black Lives or winning “civil rights” or something called racial justice, which objectively is an impossibility for a white supremacist settler colonial state.
This was the strategy of the U.S. in the late 1940s when Africans in the U.S. were in the forefront of agitation for a radical notion of human rights that centered democracy, racial justice and national and people(s) self-determination. The politics were often explicitly anti-capitalist, seeing that what we refer to today as racial capitalism as providing the material basis for white supremacist power. This is the Black radical internationalist tradition and is the perspective that informs my positions on the question of China and a new cold war.
“We say not one drop of blood from the Black working class and poor to defend the capitalist oligarchy.”
This Black internationalist perspective was captured in the response of Nelson Mandela during his first visit to the U.S. after he was released from prison in South Africa, when he was asked, in what was supposed to be one of those ‘got you’ questions, about the support that the ANC and other South African liberation movements received from Cuba, Libya and the PLO.
He answered by saying that the “the mistake some make is assuming that their enemies should be our enemies.”
Our movement – the African radical, anti-imperialist, internationalist movement, sees the Chinese state and the Chinese people much differently than the U.S. state and its ruling class. We center the collective human right of self-determination and national sovereignty for all peoples, nations and states, and, therefore, take a position of resolute opposition to the efforts by the U.S. state to isolate, subvert and militarily threatened the Chinese state.
We opposed the so-called pivot to Asia under the Obama administration and the designation of China along with Russia as global threats in the 2018 NDAA. We oppose the provocative military maneuvers by the U.S. in the Asia-Pacific region, specifically the unnecessary and intentionally aggressive actions in the disputed waters of the South China sea. And we condemn the militarization of the waterways and maritime routes from the Malacca-Singapore strait to the South China Sea and East China sea by the U.S. state, which is aimed at intimidating and threatening the Chinese state.
We take the position that all disputes in the Asia-Pacific region should be resolved solely by the nations of that region. In Particular, we oppose the proposals to enhance U.S. basing in the Asia-Pacific region.
Conclusion:
My friends, we are living at a moment of history that is extremely dangerous. The irreversible decline of U.S. imperialism and the anxiety it is producing, along with the recklessness and mediocre character of U.S. decision makers, has created a volatile situation that some argue is more dangerous than at any point during the Cold War period with the Soviet Union. Insane strategies like the concept of “pre-launch interception,” the theory that the U.S. can launch a first strike to destroy the intercontinental ballistic missiles of Russia and China while they are still in launchers, are becoming accepted possibilities.
U.S. policymakers responded to questions from their European allies regarding the U.S. commitment to NATO after the announcement of the U.S. pivot to Asia by saying that “the European NATO powers should welcome the fact that the US is willing to engage in this new strategic challenge on behalf of the alliance.”
It is clear for those of us who understand the white supremacist mentality – because our lives depend on us understanding it – the position voiced here is an acknowledgement of the common interests the white West in maintaining global Western dominance. This is the collective imperialism that is committed to upholding the white supremacist colonial power that Kwame Nkrumah talked about that characterized U.S. leadership of the Western powers coming out of the Second World War. This is the mad psychopathology of white supremacy. They are preparing for war, a winnable war, with the Chinese.
And what has been the response from the Chinese?
They said that they will vigorously oppose the deployment of new weapon systems into the Asia-Pacific region. In just the last two months, U.S. public opinion has hardened against the Chinese with veiled racial coding from Donald Trump, Joe Biden and corporate press suggesting an impeding and inevitable conflict on the horizon. Today the language might be coded but its intent to shore up the common interests of the Pan-European colonial/capitalist white supremacist project is absolutely clear.
That is why BAP says that we must name the Pan-European white supremacist colonial/capitalist patriarchy as an existential threat to all of humanity. Our task must be to take away the power that they have to destroy the world.
This is a historic imperative; whether we can do that will determine if we live or die.
Ajamu Baraka is the national organizer of the Black Alliance for Peace and was the 2016 candidate for vice president on the Green Party ticket. Baraka serves on the Executive Committee of the U.S. Peace Council and leadership body of the United National Anti-War Coalition (UNAC). He is an editor and contributing columnist for the Black Agenda Report and contributing columnist for Counterpunch. He was recently awarded the US Peace Memorial 2019 Peace Prize and the Serena Shim award for uncompromised integrity in journalism.
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thegreanvillepostbiasrating--2020-07-29--The Free Speech Fetish is American Exceptionalism on Steroids

Harper ’ s “ Letter ” is little more than an exercise in white insecurity and opportunism among so-called liberal sections of the establishment .
ancel culture is being widely debated among a broad section of the American intelligentsia—from the most powerful figures in the pundit class to so-called leftists in academia and socialist tendencies .
Harper ’ s “ Letter ” poured kerosene on a debate that really began when corporations and other institutions of white imperialist power frantically responded to the uprising against racist policing by “ cleaning house.
” In truth , the letter would never have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times Opinion editor James Bennett was not fired for publishing Tom Cotton ’ s racist and militarist screed against the incipient movement .
Mainstream pundits and journalists who have engaged for decades in the censorship of the broad masses of people are now clutching their pearls amid a mass movement that has pushed the question of race and white supremacy to the forefront of political life .
The “ free speech ” debate spurred by Harper ’ s “ Letter ” exemplifies American exceptionalism on steroids and is a blatant demonstration of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anyone engaged in a struggle for liberation should oppose corporations determining what is ‘ free speech ’ and what is ‘ hate speech.
’ ” It could be argued that within the U.S. context , “ free speech ” has little meaning from the point of view of the oppressed .
The United States supposedly enshrined the right to free speech and assembly in its Constitution but did so only for the capitalist elite at the helm of a white supremacist power structure .
African and Indigenous victims of settler colonialism were not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States .
They were violently “ canceled ” by way of state sanctioned terrorism in such forms as Fugitive Slave laws and genocidal campaigns to strip Indigenous People of their land .
If the 2nd Amendment codified the right of white colonial militias to arm themselves in a crusade to stamp out slave rebellions and plunder indigenous territories , why then is the First Amendment ’ s “ right to free speech ” not seen as a weapon to empower the very same class with exclusive freedoms to write history in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ colonial and imperialist mode of production ?
“ ’ Free speech ’ has little meaning from the point of view of the oppressed.
” Such hypocrisy is a demonstration of American exceptionalism on steroids .
While members of the intelligentsia feel comfortable placing their names next to Zionist fanatics such as Bari Weiss , plagiarizing warmongers such as Fareed Zakaria , or arch-neocons like David Frum , state-sponsored repression has intensified for sections of the left engaged in the struggle against war , white supremacy , and capitalist austerity .
The capture of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Portland is no “ dress rehearsal ” for fascism ; it is a logical extension of the fascist underpinnings of U.S. society which are always in motion against Black movement activists .
Scores of Black activists connected to the 2014 uprising in Ferguson have mysteriously died , leading many to believe their deaths are a byproduct of the FBI ’ s “ Black Identity Extremism ” counterinsurgency operation .
The official Holman Square black site operated by the Chicago Police Department has detained and tortured thousands of Black Americans and denied them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these examples have inspired Harper ’ s Letter signatories to wage a similar campaign against the cancellation of Black Americans or their movements .
The call for “ free speech ” thus rings hollow since no attention is given to the forces actually being suppressed by the state .
There is no question that The New York Times and social media platforms have engaged in a faux liberal response to the uprising against racist policing that seeks to monopolize ideological debate and discourse .
Anyone who considers themselves to be engaged in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Google , or any other corporation having the ability to determine what is “ free speech ” and what is “ hate speech.
” But this isn ’ t a new phenomenon .
Capitalism is predicated upon unleashing the freedom of the capitalist class to exploit workers and the oppressed , which is why the workplace is one of the most undemocratic and repressive environments under the system .
The dictatorship of capital inevitably leads to a dictatorship over the means of communication and no better example of this exists than the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. state .
“ The New York Times and social media platforms have engaged in a faux liberal response to the uprising against racist policing.
” Why , then , is so much animosity being directed at “ cancel culture ” and not the forces of capitalist and imperialist treachery doing the canceling ?
The logic isn ’ t particularly nuanced .
Those who signed the letter have a vested interest in maintaining the illusion of American exceptionalism .
It is good for their careers .
As Max Blumenthal discussed on The Pushback @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cancel culture ” when the ruling class destroys the careers of pro-Palestinian academics , passes anti-BDS laws in several U.S. states , or deploys the Pentagon to fuel proxy wars and sanctions that silence entire nations such as Syria .
No singular “ cancel culture ” exists and to assert otherwise is to be complicit in the smearing of radical political activity .
The recent fetishization of “ free speech ” has emerged in response to the movement against racist policing which has struck fear into the hearts of the ruling class .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country and inspired millions of people in the United States to protest killer cops and the racist regime they protect .
“ Black Lives Matter ” chants vocalized the rage of a generation plagued by a non-existent response to a deadly pandemic , a Great Depression in the capitalist economy , and a brutally racist and repressive system of law enforcement .
Corporations and their handlers within all levels of the U.S. state immediately reacted to the movement with a combination of repression and placation .
The reaction was immense in scale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policing remains unchanged .
While there is no doubt that the internecine struggle within the ruling class to contain the rebellion led to counterrevolutionary dynamics such as an overemphasis on symbolism , this has been mistakenly assessed by some in the American intelligentsia as an overall reflection of the movement rather than the forces of reaction that seek to destroy it .
“ No singular ‘ cancel culture ’ exists and to assert otherwise is to be complicit in the smearing of radical political activity.
” That Noam Chomsky and a select few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make this distinction and instead signed their names next to warmongers and imperialists is deeply troubling .
It reveals a deep failure on the part of the American intelligentsia as a whole , regardless of which side of the political aisle individual members claim to represent .
Harper ’ s “ Letter ” is a testament to the enduring belief that so-called cultural institutions such as academia and the corporate media are in fact “ ours ” in the first place .
The U.S. is a class society with deeply racist roots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Academia and mass corporate media are two of the most important tools of ideological social control that normalize racism and imperial hegemony under the guise of exceptional values such as “ free speech ” and “ democracy.
” These values offer a terrain of struggle in and of themselves—not a struggle for social justice or liberation but of rendering the U.S. a more perfect union for the oppressed and oppressor alike to coexist together within a nation chosen by god .
American exceptionalism makes many exceptions , none of which are the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The signatories appear unwilling to confront the modern manifestations of the U.S. ’ original sins of white supremacy and colonialism .
Corporate efforts to institute “ diversity ” are not the only dangerous form of American exceptionalism and liberal repression that the ruling class wields to reproduce its dominance over society .
The Harper ’ s “ Letter ” approach of opposing the corporate trend toward “ diversity ” is a right deviation masquerading as a crusade for “ free speech.
” It amounts to little more than a further attempt to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of one of the most intense explosions of Black resistance in two generations .
The real struggle against “ cancel culture ” resides between the exploited classes and the ruling class .
To paraphrase Amilcar Cabral , people do not fight for ideas , they fight for the material things that will improve the lives of themselves , their families , and their communities .
Ideology is an important aspect of this struggle .
The demand for justice of any kind always poses the question : how does the movement arrive at victory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teaches us that the fight for an abstract “ free speech ” brings us no closer to the eradication of war , racism , and austerity nor the new set of social relations required to bring such conditions about .
Speech does not trump economic and political power , unless such speech rests upon the empowerment of the few at the expense of the many .
This is the American story that too many in the intelligentsia work so hard to avoid .
“ The signatories appear unwilling to confront the modern manifestations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white supremacy and colonialism.
” Black Agenda Report has never wavered in its commitment to exposing the enemies of the movement both internal and external .
The commitment is motivated by an enduring love of the people and a deep desire to strengthen its movements , especially the Black movement .
No social movement or uprising that emerges out of the excrements of this rotten imperialist system is without its limitations and contradictions .
An overemphasis on the real or imagined limitations of any movement is a common error of those who at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States can and one day become a living embodiment of American exceptionalism .
These forces sitting in their ivory towers or behind their comfortable media platforms deny the fact that much of Black America and indeed the world view the United States as a terrorist state based in the cruelest forms of dehumanization and exploitation known in the history of human civilization .
The refusal to acknowledge the system of imperialist cancellation that produces political prisoners such as Julian Assange , Mumia Abu-Jamal , and all prisoners of war renders Harper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fraudulent .
So does the simultaneous pleading to the powers of exclusion themselves to open more room within their repressive media apparatus .
Harper ’ s “ Letter ” is little more than an exercise in white insecurity and opportunism among so-called liberal sections of the establishment who so hopelessly cling to American exceptionalism even as the Empire continues to decline .
Worse , “ free speech ” zeal against an amorphous “ cancel culture ” reinforces the common myth that racism is a secondary or debatable issue and makes the movement more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Such a fate can not be allowed to stand , which is why it is imperative to expose the failures of the Harper ’ s Letter signatories and the consequences of their actions .
Please join the conversation on Black Agenda Report 's Facebook page at http : //facebook.com/blackagendareport Or , you can comment by emailing us at comments @ blackagendareport.com

Harper’s “Letter” is little more than an exercise in white insecurity and opportunism among so-called liberal sections of the establishment.
C
ancel culture is being widely debated among a broad section of the American intelligentsia—from the most powerful figures in the pundit class to so-called leftists in academia and socialist tendencies. Harper’s “ Letter” poured kerosene on a debate that really began when corporations and other institutions of white imperialist power frantically responded to the uprising against racist policing by “cleaning house.” In truth, the letter would never have been written at all if New York Times Opinion editor James Bennett was not fired for publishing Tom Cotton’s racist and militarist screed against the incipient movement. Mainstream pundits and journalists who have engaged for decades in the censorship of the broad masses of people are now clutching their pearls amid a mass movement that has pushed the question of race and white supremacy to the forefront of political life. The “free speech” debate spurred by Harper’s “Letter” exemplifies American exceptionalism on steroids and is a blatant demonstration of the failures of the American intelligentsia.
“Anyone engaged in a struggle for liberation should oppose corporations determining what is ‘free speech’ and what is ‘hate speech.’”
It could be argued that within the U.S. context, “free speech” has little meaning from the point of view of the oppressed. The United States supposedly enshrined the right to free speech and assembly in its Constitution but did so only for the capitalist elite at the helm of a white supremacist power structure. African and Indigenous victims of settler colonialism were not merely left out of the construction of the United States. They were violently “canceled” by way of state sanctioned terrorism in such forms as Fugitive Slave laws and genocidal campaigns to strip Indigenous People of their land. If the 2nd Amendment codified the right of white colonial militias to arm themselves in a crusade to stamp out slave rebellions and plunder indigenous territories, why then is the First Amendment’s “right to free speech” not seen as a weapon to empower the very same class with exclusive freedoms to write history in the image of the U.S.’ settler colonial and imperialist mode of production?
“’Free speech’ has little meaning from the point of view of the oppressed.”
Such hypocrisy is a demonstration of American exceptionalism on steroids. While members of the intelligentsia feel comfortable placing their names next to Zionist fanatics such as Bari Weiss, plagiarizing warmongers such as Fareed Zakaria, or arch-neocons like David Frum, state-sponsored repression has intensified for sections of the left engaged in the struggle against war, white supremacy, and capitalist austerity. The capture of activists by federal agents in the streets of Portland is no “dress rehearsal” for fascism; it is a logical extension of the fascist underpinnings of U.S. society which are always in motion against Black movement activists. Scores of Black activists connected to the 2014 uprising in Ferguson have mysteriously died , leading many to believe their deaths are a byproduct of the FBI’s “Black Identity Extremism” counterinsurgency operation. The official Holman Square black site operated by the Chicago Police Department has detained and tortured thousands of Black Americans and denied them free speech or due process. None of these examples have inspired Harper’s Letter signatories to wage a similar campaign against the cancellation of Black Americans or their movements.
The call for “free speech” thus rings hollow since no attention is given to the forces actually being suppressed by the state. There is no question that The New York Times and social media platforms have engaged in a faux liberal response to the uprising against racist policing that seeks to monopolize ideological debate and discourse. Anyone who considers themselves to be engaged in a struggle for liberation should oppose Facebook, Google, or any other corporation having the ability to determine what is “free speech” and what is “hate speech.” But this isn’t a new phenomenon. Capitalism is predicated upon unleashing the freedom of the capitalist class to exploit workers and the oppressed, which is why the workplace is one of the most undemocratic and repressive environments under the system. The dictatorship of capital inevitably leads to a dictatorship over the means of communication and no better example of this exists than the high-tech and extensive spying powers of the U.S. state.
“The New York Times and social media platforms have engaged in a faux liberal response to the uprising against racist policing.”
Why, then, is so much animosity being directed at “cancel culture” and not the forces of capitalist and imperialist treachery doing the canceling? The logic isn’t particularly nuanced. Those who signed the letter have a vested interest in maintaining the illusion of American exceptionalism. It is good for their careers. As Max Blumenthal discussed on The Pushback , there is no outrage about “cancel culture” when the ruling class destroys the careers of pro-Palestinian academics, passes anti-BDS laws in several U.S. states, or deploys the Pentagon to fuel proxy wars and sanctions that silence entire nations such as Syria. No singular “cancel culture” exists and to assert otherwise is to be complicit in the smearing of radical political activity.
The recent fetishization of “free speech” has emerged in response to the movement against racist policing which has struck fear into the hearts of the ruling class. Minneapolis’ rebellion spread to cities across the country and inspired millions of people in the United States to protest killer cops and the racist regime they protect. “Black Lives Matter” chants vocalized the rage of a generation plagued by a non-existent response to a deadly pandemic, a Great Depression in the capitalist economy, and a brutally racist and repressive system of law enforcement. Corporations and their handlers within all levels of the U.S. state immediately reacted to the movement with a combination of repression and placation. The reaction was immense in scale even if the material impact of racist policing remains unchanged. While there is no doubt that the internecine struggle within the ruling class to contain the rebellion led to counterrevolutionary dynamics such as an overemphasis on symbolism, this has been mistakenly assessed by some in the American intelligentsia as an overall reflection of the movement rather than the forces of reaction that seek to destroy it.
“No singular ‘cancel culture’ exists and to assert otherwise is to be complicit in the smearing of radical political activity.”
That Noam Chomsky and a select few “left” academics and writers failed to make this distinction and instead signed their names next to warmongers and imperialists is deeply troubling. It reveals a deep failure on the part of the American intelligentsia as a whole, regardless of which side of the political aisle individual members claim to represent. Harper’s “Letter” is a testament to the enduring belief that so-called cultural institutions such as academia and the corporate media are in fact “ours” in the first place. The U.S. is a class society with deeply racist roots that reverberate through each and every institution. Academia and mass corporate media are two of the most important tools of ideological social control that normalize racism and imperial hegemony under the guise of exceptional values such as “free speech” and “democracy.” These values offer a terrain of struggle in and of themselves—not a struggle for social justice or liberation but of rendering the U.S. a more perfect union for the oppressed and oppressor alike to coexist together within a nation chosen by god.
American exceptionalism makes many exceptions, none of which are the subject of Harper’s “Letter.” The signatories appear unwilling to confront the modern manifestations of the U.S.’ original sins of white supremacy and colonialism. Corporate efforts to institute “diversity” are not the only dangerous form of American exceptionalism and liberal repression that the ruling class wields to reproduce its dominance over society. The Harper’s “Letter” approach of opposing the corporate trend toward “diversity” is a right deviation masquerading as a crusade for “free speech.” It amounts to little more than a further attempt to silence Black movement politics in the midst of one of the most intense explosions of Black resistance in two generations.
The real struggle against “cancel culture” resides between the exploited classes and the ruling class. To paraphrase Amilcar Cabral, people do not fight for ideas, they fight for the material things that will improve the lives of themselves, their families, and their communities. Ideology is an important aspect of this struggle. The demand for justice of any kind always poses the question: how does the movement arrive at victory? Harper’s “Letter” teaches us that the fight for an abstract “free speech” brings us no closer to the eradication of war, racism, and austerity nor the new set of social relations required to bring such conditions about. Speech does not trump economic and political power, unless such speech rests upon the empowerment of the few at the expense of the many. This is the American story that too many in the intelligentsia work so hard to avoid.
“The signatories appear unwilling to confront the modern manifestations of the U.S.’ original sins of white supremacy and colonialism.”
Black Agenda Report has never wavered in its commitment to exposing the enemies of the movement both internal and external. The commitment is motivated by an enduring love of the people and a deep desire to strengthen its movements, especially the Black movement. No social movement or uprising that emerges out of the excrements of this rotten imperialist system is without its limitations and contradictions. An overemphasis on the real or imagined limitations of any movement is a common error of those who at baseline remain committed to the notion that the United States can and one day become a living embodiment of American exceptionalism. These forces sitting in their ivory towers or behind their comfortable media platforms deny the fact that much of Black America and indeed the world view the United States as a terrorist state based in the cruelest forms of dehumanization and exploitation known in the history of human civilization.
The refusal to acknowledge the system of imperialist cancellation that produces political prisoners such as Julian Assange, Mumia Abu-Jamal, and all prisoners of war renders Harper’s “Letter” worse than fraudulent. So does the simultaneous pleading to the powers of exclusion themselves to open more room within their repressive media apparatus. Harper’s “Letter” is little more than an exercise in white insecurity and opportunism among so-called liberal sections of the establishment who so hopelessly cling to American exceptionalism even as the Empire continues to decline. Worse, “free speech” zeal against an amorphous “cancel culture” reinforces the common myth that racism is a secondary or debatable issue and makes the movement more vulnerable to attacks from its enemies. Such a fate cannot be allowed to stand, which is why it is imperative to expose the failures of the Harper’s Letter signatories and the consequences of their actions.
Danny Haiphong is an activist and journalist in the New York City area. He and Roberto Sirvent are co-authors of the book entitled American Exceptionalism and American Innocence: A People’s History of Fake News--From the Revolutionary War to the War on Terror (Skyhorse Publishing). He is the co-host with BAR Editor Margaret Kimberly of the YouTube show BAR Presents: The Left Lens and can be reached at wakeupriseup1990@gmail.com and Twitter @spiritofho.
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thegreanvillepostbiasrating--2020-07-29--Freedom Rider: Let the Movement Be Radical

Craven black misleaders jumped at the chance to side with white corporate power against radical white allies .
“ Decades of movement stagnation and lack of political education has made black people less likely to push the envelope.
” he unprecedented size and diversity of the new protest movement is something that black people should welcome .
Portland , Oregon is now the epicenter of media and public attention after the Trump administration sent Border Patrol and other Homeland Security forces there .
His effort to make political hay has reenergized radical forces and makes clear what is at stake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s population is black .
Yet the killing of George Floyd inspired a nearly all white cohort in that city to take to the streets .
This seeming contradiction is proof of a nation in the depths of a great crisis .
Police violence against black people is not the sole motivator for every protester and that is all to the good .
The crisis is caused by unrelenting neo-liberal policies which have negatively impacted the lives of millions of people .
The COVID-19 pandemic drew back the curtain and further exposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serve human needs .
The country that boasts about advancement and wealth could neither keep this new disease under control nor help people who were unemployed and without health coverage during a pandemic .
The demonstrations would not have been so many and so persistent had there not been an anxious mood in the nation before George Floyd ’ s death .
“ The COVID-19 pandemic drew back the curtain and further exposed a system that is not meant to serve human needs.
” But a strange thing happened in this process .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in carrying out the most radical acts .
The suspect in the burning of the Minneapolis police precinct is a young white man .
It is probable that Floyd ’ s killer would not have been arrested if the police themselves had not been attacked .
Unfortunately , there are black people who do not appreciate the significance of this and other actions .
Decades of movement stagnation and lack of political education has made black people less likely to push the envelope and to even point fingers at the people labeled “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It is a sign of the weakness of our movement that some of us do not see the importance of cultivating solidarity and dispensing with establishment approval as we seek to make change .
The misleaders do know their people however , and they are well aware that claims of white people undoing the movement would resonate .
E.D .
Mondainé is president of the Portland branch of the NAACP .
As such he has access to the Washington Post editorial page and used his opportunity to do some classic misleading .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ spectacle ” which drew attention away from police violence .
“ What are antifa and other leftist agitators achieving for the cause of black equality ?
” was one of his questions .
One might ask what the Portland NAACP had ever achieved in this regard , but that didn ’ t stop him from condemning white people who are not limiting their actions to the realm of respectability politics .
“ The president of the Portland branch of the NAACP used his opportunity to do some classic misleading.
” If Mr. Mondainé @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make common cause with the white radicals they disregard .
This is no time to listen to people whose dependence on the donor class of the Democratic Party has helped no one but themselves .
Mondainé makes clear why the emphasis can not be on a well intentioned notion of equality .
It is too easily manipulated while the allies who have come forward are left undefended by the people who should be working with them .
Hopefully the misleaders can muster the energy to support the media in Seattle where a judge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of protests must be turned over to the police .
Perhaps they will say something about the police unions welcoming Trump ’ s troops against the wishes of local elected officials .
Whoever set a fire in the Portland police union office is the best kind of ally .
After years of scorn about the notion of white allyship we are finally seeing it in action .
This columnist has advised white people to be like John Brown if they wanted to be allies .
We are seeing people who may not share @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go where some of us fear to tread .
“ The allies who have come forward are left undefended by the people who should be working with them.
” We have to admit that years of misleadership and the loss of our most radical forces have made many of us unprepared at this critical juncture .
The damage can be undone if we understand the need to move in the most radical directions .
We can not talk about justice for George Floyd or Breonna Taylor or any of the 1,000 victims of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we don ’ t seize this moment to get true justice for all of us .
That will mean waging a sustained attack against this system and all of its manifestations of injustice .
We must say good-bye to establishment notions of what is acceptable and what is not .
The “ white as hell ” protest is a sign of a political shift that must be acknowledged and embraced .
The establishment Democrats who run Portland and other cities are on notice that business as usual will no longer be accepted .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ against these retrograde forces would be a classic divide and conquer strategy and we must not succumb .
Please join the conversation on Black Agenda Report 's Facebook page at http : //facebook.com/blackagendareport Or , you can comment by emailing us at comments @ blackagendareport.com

Craven black misleaders jumped at the chance to side with white corporate power against radical white allies.
“Decades of movement stagnation and lack of political education has made black people less likely to push the envelope.”
T
he unprecedented size and diversity of the new protest movement is something that black people should welcome. Portland, Oregon is now the epicenter of media and public attention after the Trump administration sent Border Patrol and other Homeland Security forces there. His effort to make political hay has reenergized radical forces and makes clear what is at stake.
A mere 6% of Portland’s population is black. Yet the killing of George Floyd inspired a nearly all white cohort in that city to take to the streets. This seeming contradiction is proof of a nation in the depths of a great crisis. Police violence against black people is not the sole motivator for every protester and that is all to the good.
The crisis is caused by unrelenting neo-liberal policies which have negatively impacted the lives of millions of people. The COVID-19 pandemic drew back the curtain and further exposed a system that is not meant to serve human needs. The country that boasts about advancement and wealth could neither keep this new disease under control nor help people who were unemployed and without health coverage during a pandemic. The demonstrations would not have been so many and so persistent had there not been an anxious mood in the nation before George Floyd’s death.
“The COVID-19 pandemic drew back the curtain and further exposed a system that is not meant to serve human needs.”
But a strange thing happened in this process. Young white people often led the way in carrying out the most radical acts. The suspect in the burning of the Minneapolis police precinct is a young white man. It is probable that Floyd’s killer would not have been arrested if the police themselves had not been attacked.
Unfortunately, there are black people who do not appreciate the significance of this and other actions. Decades of movement stagnation and lack of political education has made black people less likely to push the envelope and to even point fingers at the people labeled “outside agitators” by craven black misleaders. It is a sign of the weakness of our movement that some of us do not see the importance of cultivating solidarity and dispensing with establishment approval as we seek to make change.
The misleaders do know their people however, and they are well aware that claims of white people undoing the movement would resonate. E.D. Mondainé is president of the Portland branch of the NAACP. As such he has access to the Washington Post editorial page and used his opportunity to do some classic misleading. He opined that demonstrations had become “spectacle” which drew attention away from police violence. “What are antifa and other leftist agitators achieving for the cause of black equality?” was one of his questions. One might ask what the Portland NAACP had ever achieved in this regard, but that didn’t stop him from condemning white people who are not limiting their actions to the realm of respectability politics.
“The president of the Portland branch of the NAACP used his opportunity to do some classic misleading.”
If Mr. Mondainé and others were less compromised they would make common cause with the white radicals they disregard. This is no time to listen to people whose dependence on the donor class of the Democratic Party has helped no one but themselves. Mondainé makes clear why the emphasis cannot be on a well intentioned notion of equality. It is too easily manipulated while the allies who have come forward are left undefended by the people who should be working with them.
Hopefully the misleaders can muster the energy to support the media in Seattle where a judge ruled that unpublished photos and video footage of protests must be turned over to the police. Perhaps they will say something about the police unions welcoming Trump’s troops against the wishes of local elected officials. Whoever set a fire in the Portland police union office is the best kind of ally.
After years of scorn about the notion of white allyship we are finally seeing it in action. This columnist has advised white people to be like John Brown if they wanted to be allies. We are seeing people who may not share Brown’s fate, but they go where some of us fear to tread.
“The allies who have come forward are left undefended by the people who should be working with them.”
We have to admit that years of misleadership and the loss of our most radical forces have made many of us unprepared at this critical juncture. The damage can be undone if we understand the need to move in the most radical directions. We cannot talk about justice for George Floyd or Breonna Taylor or any of the 1,000 victims of police violence who die every year if we don’t seize this moment to get true justice for all of us. That will mean waging a sustained attack against this system and all of its manifestations of injustice. We must say good-bye to establishment notions of what is acceptable and what is not.
The “white as hell ” protest is a sign of a political shift that must be acknowledged and embraced. The establishment Democrats who run Portland and other cities are on notice that business as usual will no longer be accepted. Turning against the people who also work against these retrograde forces would be a classic divide and conquer strategy and we must not succumb.
Margaret Kimberley’s Freedom Rider column appears weekly in BAR, and is widely reprinted elsewhere. She maintains a frequently updated blog as well at patreon.com/margaretkimberley and she regularly posts on Twitter @freedomrideblog. Ms. Kimberley lives in New York City, and can be reached via e-Mail at Margaret.Kimberley(at)BlackAgendaReport.com. ’s Freedom Rider column appears weekly in BAR, and is widely reprinted elsewhere. She maintains a frequently updated blog as well at patreon.com/margaretkimberley and she regularly posts on Twitter @freedomrideblog. Ms. Kimberley lives in New York City, and can be reached via e-Mail at Margaret.Kimberley(at)BlackAgendaReport.com.
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thegreanvillepostbiasrating--2020-07-29--THE US’S NEW “EVIL EMPIRE”

THE US’S NEW “EVIL EMPIRE”

The US seems to have decided that it can ’ t take on China and Russia at the same time , so its principal geopolitical rival in the coming decades will be China .
Trump ’ s Republican administration and the Democrats agree on this , though they are campaigning vigorously against each other ahead of next year ’ s presidential election .
China has replaced the ‘ evil empire ’ of the Soviet Union and ‘ Islamic terrorism ’ as the US ’ s main adversary .
But China , unlike the Soviet Union , has a dynamic economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enormous trade deficit .
And China ’ s strength is far more impressive than that of a few tens of thousands of Islamic fundamentalist fighters wandering the deserts of ancient Mesopotamia or the mountains of Afghanistan .
Barack Obama instigated a US foreign policy pivot to Asia and the Pacific .
Trump typically formulates the new strategy with less elegance and subtlety ( see Curbing China ’ s rise , in this issue ) .
Trump views cooperation as a trap , a zero-sum game , so China ’ s economic growth automatically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vice versa : ‘ We are winning against China , ’ he said in August .
‘ They had the worst year ... in a half a century , and that ’ s because of me .
And I ’ m not proud of that.
’ ‘ Not proud ’ doesn ’ t sound like Trump .
Just over a year ago , he allowed a cabinet meeting to be broadcast live .
They discussed everything : one member congratulated himself on the slowdown in China ’ s economic growth ; another blamed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US on fentanyl imported from China ; a third blamed the problems of American farmers on China ’ s retaliatory trade measures .
Trump blamed North Korea ’ s recalcitrance over nuclear weapons on the indulgence of its ally , China .
Selling more maize or electronics to China is no longer enough .
The US wants to isolate a rival whose GDP has increased nine-fold in 17 years , to weaken it , to stop it from extending its sphere of influence , and above all to prevent it from becoming a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spectacular increase in wealth has not made it more American , or more docile , the US will show no mercy .
In a fiery speech on 4 October 2018 , Vice-President Mike Pence criticised China for its ‘ Orwellian system ’ , ‘ tearing down crosses , burning bibles and imprisoning believers ’ and ‘ coercing American businesses , movie studios , universities , think tanks , scholars [ and ] journalists ’ .
He even talked of an ‘ effort to influence ... the 2020 presidential elections ’ .
After Russiagate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this time aimed at ousting Trump ?
The US seems somewhat fragile .

This is a repost. Originally published in October 2019
The US seems to have decided that it can’t take on China and Russia at the same time, so its principal geopolitical rival in the coming decades will be China. Trump’s Republican administration and the Democrats agree on this, though they are campaigning vigorously against each other ahead of next year’s presidential election. China has replaced the ‘evil empire’ of the Soviet Union and ‘Islamic terrorism’ as the US’s main adversary. But China, unlike the Soviet Union, has a dynamic economy, with which the US has an enormous trade deficit. And China’s strength is far more impressive than that of a few tens of thousands of Islamic fundamentalist fighters wandering the deserts of ancient Mesopotamia or the mountains of Afghanistan.
Barack Obama instigated a US foreign policy pivot to Asia and the Pacific. Trump typically formulates the new strategy with less elegance and subtlety (see Curbing China’s rise, in this issue). Trump views cooperation as a trap, a zero-sum game, so China’s economic growth automatically threatens that of the US, and vice versa: ‘We are winning against China,’ he said in August. ‘They had the worst year ... in a half a century, and that’s because of me. And I’m not proud of that.’
‘Not proud’ doesn’t sound like Trump. Just over a year ago, he allowed a cabinet meeting to be broadcast live. They discussed everything: one member congratulated himself on the slowdown in China’s economic growth; another blamed the epidemic of opioid addiction in the US on fentanyl imported from China; a third blamed the problems of American farmers on China’s retaliatory trade measures. Trump blamed North Korea’s recalcitrance over nuclear weapons on the indulgence of its ally, China.
Selling more maize or electronics to China is no longer enough. The US wants to isolate a rival whose GDP has increased nine-fold in 17 years, to weaken it, to stop it from extending its sphere of influence, and above all to prevent it from becoming a strategic equal. Since China’s spectacular increase in wealth has not made it more American, or more docile, the US will show no mercy.
In a fiery speech on 4 October 2018, Vice-President Mike Pence criticised China for its ‘Orwellian system’, ‘tearing down crosses, burning bibles and imprisoning believers’ and ‘coercing American businesses, movie studios, universities, think tanks, scholars [and] journalists’. He even talked of an ‘effort to influence ... the 2020 presidential elections’. After Russiagate, could this be a Chinagate, this time aimed at ousting Trump? The US seems somewhat fragile.