(2020-03-09). How the New US-Afghanistan Peace Deal Rekindled a "Business Friendly Taliban" mintpressnews.com 
America's relationship with the Taliban has always been determined by how useful they are at advancing US interests in the region and the Trump administration's recent efforts to make "peace" with the group are no exception.
(2020-03-09). US starts pulling out troops from Afghanistan – report. rt.com 
American troops have reportedly begun their initial troop withdrawal as part of the US-Taliban peace agreement, with hundreds of soldiers leaving the country on Monday with no plans for replacements. | Speaking to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity, a US official confirmed the beginning steps of the withdrawal process have begun, with plans to drop the number of US troops in the country from 13,000 to 8,600. | According to the signed peace agreement, the withdrawal process for US troops had to begin 10 days within the signing of the agreement, which took place on February 29. Defense Secretary…
(2020-03-09). PSL Public Forum: A Women's Place is in the Struggle: Honoring IWD. indybay.org San Jose Peace & Justice Center, 48 S Seventh Street, San Jose, CA 95112…
(2020-03-09). There Have Been Nearly 80 Attacks in Afghanistan Since US Signed "Peace Deal" truthout.org Since last month's U.S.-Taliban peace plan, there have been nearly 80 attacks in Afghanistan. The violence could derail the deal that calls for U.S. troops to withdraw over the next 14 months. This comes as Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and top political leader Abdullah Abdullah both claimed that they won the presidential election at dual inauguration ceremonies today in Kabul, and members of the Taliban and the Afghan government were set to start direct negotiations on Tuesday. We speak with Was…
(2020-03-09). "It's a Real Mess": Afghan Rivals Both Claim Presidency as Ongoing Attacks Could Derail Peace Deal. democracynow.org 
Since last month's U.S.-Taliban peace plan, there have been nearly 80 attacks in Afghanistan. The violence could derail the deal that calls for U.S. troops to withdraw over the next 14 months. This comes as Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and top political leader Abdullah Abdullah both claimed that they won the presidential election at dual inauguration ceremonies today in Kabul, and members of the Taliban and the Afghan government were set to start direct negotiations on Tuesday. We speak with Washington Post reporter Craig Whitlock, who recently won the George Polk Award for Military Reporting for his in-depth in…
(2020-03-08). No sustainable development or peace without women: UN deputy chief. news.un.org The world will not be able to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) if half the planet is left behind, the UN Deputy Secretary-General said in Papua New Guinea on Sunday: International Women's Day.
(2020-03-08). Venezuela 2020 Elections Guarantee After Equipment Destroyed. telesurenglish.net Venezuela's President of the National Electoral Council (CNE) Tibisay Lucena said Sunday that the electoral system is far from being destroyed and that the entity guarantees the celebration of parliamentary elections despite the fire that destroyed the institution's equipment. | RELATED: | The president of the electoral body reassured Venezuelans that "if there are small groups think…
(2020-03-08). Trump Regime Blocks UN Security Council Support for Syria Ceasefire Already Breached. globalresearch.ca The US under both right wings of its war party wants endless conflict, instability, and chaos continuing in all its war theaters — peace considered detrimental to its imperial ambitions. | On Friday, the Trump regime blocked a Security Council statement, …
(2020-03-08). One tweet shows exactly why Dominic Raab shouldn't be foreign secretary. thecanary.co 
One country is showing its intent to create chaos in the Middle East. From sparking conflict in the one area in Syria where there was previously peace, to creating a humanitarian crisis in an attempt to bribe Europe to support its war in the region, Turkey is engaged in a dangerous power game that is killing people and putting lives at risk. | But Turkey is a NATO ally. And the UK is desperate for post-Brexit trade partners. So it's perhaps no surprise that foreign secretary Dominic Raab is sucking up to Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. And in one tweet, Raab showed dangerous contempt for the thousands of…
(2020-03-07). Women's Rights and Social Justice: Julia Ward Howe's 1870 Anti-War Mother's Day Proclamation, A Day of Peace. globalresearch.ca Julia Ward Howe was a humanist who cared about suffering people, a feminist, a social justice activist & suffragette, and it was because of her anti-war commitment that she wrote the famous "Mother's Day Proclamation" 5 years after the Civil War, which resulted in 600,000 dead American soldiers…
(2020-03-07). 'We Have to Get a Climate President in Office': Jane Fonda Says Bernie Sanders Is the Only Climate Candidate. commondreams.org Octogenarian actor and activist Jane Fonda declared ahead of a climate action protest in California Friday that the United States needs a "climate president" and she is now backing Sen. Bernie Sanders, who is leading a grassroots movement challenging the Democratic Party establishment coalescing around former Vice President Joe Biden. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/janefonda_firedrillfridays_greenpeace.jpg …
(2020-03-07). Nuclear Programs, Negotiations, and Naivety — Podcast Episode 12. iranian.com Episode Description: This week, Reza breaks down why advocates of abandoning the Iran nuclear deal now own the consequences, how America can help shape a peace deal in Afghanistan while still withdrawing its troops, and why Trump's effort to push China out of regional integration in Asia won't work. Siamak Naficy, Senior Lecturer at the Naval …
(2020-03-07). A "win-win" over Afghanistan and Syria. iranian.com Two peace agreements within a week are a bit too much. Hot on the heels of the US-Taliban peace agreement signed in Doha on February 9, Russia and Turkey have signed a peace agreement over the Syrian conflict in Moscow on March 6. On the face of it, the two are unconnected events but they …
(2020-03-06). Yes, Trump Should Talk with the Taliban. counterpunch.org On March 3, US president Donald Trump spoke (via telephone) with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, chief of the Taliban's Doha diplomatic office and signer, on behalf of his organization, of the recently concluded Afghanistan "peace deal." "The direct contact between an American president and a top Taliban leader would once have been unthinkable," writes Michael
(2020-03-06). The US-Taliban Deal Changes Little on the Ground. thenation.com The US-Taliban Deal Changes Little on the Ground…
(2020-03-06). Former Nobel Peace Prize Nominates Morales for 2020 Distinction. globalresearch.ca "It is an honor for me to inform you that I have nominated comrade Evo Morales Ayma for the Nobel Peace Prize for the year 2020," the Argentinian Adolfo Perez Esquivel announced on his Twitter account. | *** | The Argentinian activist …
(2020-03-06). Circle in the Darkness: Memoir of a World Watcher (2020). globalresearch.ca First, Diana Johnstone's memoir is a classic, and will be read and quoted as long as we keep struggling for peace and justice. It is one of the great personal accounts of the anguished decline of our uncivilization, …
(2020-03-06). Guyana: Granger's APNU-AFC Wants Him Sworn in Quickly. telesurenglish.net The APNU + AFC coalition is hoping that the President's oath will occur "very quickly" and that a court will dismiss tomorrow the request for a court order that has prevented the announcement of the results in favor of its leader, David Granger. "We would like this matter resolved very quickly. So that there is calm, stability, moderation, we must make the President take an oath very quickly, and that his government can take the necessary measures to guarantee the peace, stability, and security of the people of this country," said Joseph Harmon, Secretary-General of UNPA + AFC, in a video statement. | In the m…
(2020-03-06). Another Farcical Ceasefire in Syria. globalresearch.ca Time and again, ceasefires agreed to on Syria were breached straightaway by US/NATO/Turkish supported terrorists. | Is this time different? Will belligerent Trump and Erdogan regimes turn a page for restoration of peace and stability in Syria? | Will they renounce years …
(2020-03-06). Oil firm dumps plans to drill the Bight, but fight not over. greenleft.org.au 
(2020-03-05). Nuclear non-proliferation treaty an essential pillar for peace and security. news.un.org Countries meeting in New York next month to review progress on nuclear non-proliferation are being urged by the UN Secretary-General to use the opportunity to strengthen global peace and security.
(2020-03-04). Deadlock broken, South Sudan on road to 'sustainable peace', but international support still key. news.un.org Positive developments in South Sudan have "moved the country further along the road to sustainable peace", the top UN official there told Security Council members on Wednesday.
(2020-03-04). Denver students celebrate Black History Month. fightbacknews.org Denver, CO – Denver Students for a Democratic Society hosted local Denver activist Shareef Aleem for an event about radical Black history in the U.S., Feb. 25, as a part of Black History Month. At the event, Aleem discussed the history of radical Black activism, as well as how Black art and culture has been seized and stolen for generations. Aleem, an activist for over 20 years, has been involved in numerous groups, particularly in the peace movement and in the movement for police accountability. | "Anything Black people have in this country, somebody spilled their blood over," Aleem noted in his speech. Aleem th…
(2020-03-02). Breakthrough U.S.-Taliban Deal Signed, But Airstrikes Likely to Continue & Mercenaries to Remain. democracynow.org 
The U.S. has signed a deal with the Taliban aimed at drawing down its military presence and ending its 18-year war in Afghanistan. The long-anticipated deal comes after a year and a half of negotiations and following a week-long partial truce. Officials hope the accord will set the stage for a more detailed peace plan that creates a power-sharing arrangement and lasting ceasefire, but the deal did not include a key player: the U.S.-backed Afghanistan government. The Taliban has long refused to speak to the government, calling it a "puppet regime." Under the deal, nearly 5,000 of the 12,000 U.S. troops still in Af…
(2020-03-02). Can the World's Second Superpower Rise From the Ashes of Twenty Years of War? zcomm.org If there is a lesson for peace-loving Americans in the Obama and Trump presidencies, it is that we cannot just walk out of the voting booth and leave it to a champion in the White House to end our wars and bring us peace. In the final analysis, it really is up to us…
(2020-02-27). "Dead Bodies Everywhere": Hindu Nationalist Violence Rocks Delhi as Trump Visits Modi in India. democracynow.org 
In India, the death toll from anti-Muslim violence in Delhi has risen to at least 34, with police accused of turning a blind eye to assaults on Muslims committed by Hindu nationalist mobs. The violence began Sunday, when groups of Hindus attacked peaceful sit-ins of Muslims protesting against Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi's new citizenship law, which widely restricts Muslim immigration to India. Modi said nothing as the violence continued for days, instead hosting President Donald Trump on a two-day state visit in which Trump heaped praise on the Indian prime minister. We speak with Neha Dixit, i…
(2020-02-13). Peace Action: Senate Reclaims War Powers to Thwart Iran War. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — February 13, 2020 — In response to the Senate passing the bipartisan bill — S.J.Res.68 — that would thwart President Trump from going to war with Iran and end any current hostilities, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "It's about time …
(2020-02-08). US Deploys 'Mini-Nukes' in Deplorable Threat to World Peace. theantimedia.com These so-called "mini-nukes" represent—despite the diminutive-sounding name—an increased risk of nuclear war.
(2020-02-06). Embassy Protection Collective: "We Are Not the Ones Who Violated the Law" theantimedia.com In this exclusive interview, VA talks to the activists who defended the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington DC ahead of their trial.
(2020-01-31). Omar Baddar on Israel/Palestine 'Peace' Plan, Rainey Reitman on Greenwald Persecution. fair.org 
MP3 Link This week on CounterSpin: It is strange to think that you could create a plan to shape the relationship between two entities, in consultation with one but not the other, and then not just declare it, yourself, a "win-win," but also say to the unconsulted party, "You better take it, or else." Yet …
(2020-01-31). House Votes to Rein in Trump's Iran War Powers While Ending Endless Wars. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — January 30, 2020 — In response to two high-profile war powers votes on the House floor today, Peace Action released the following statement: "Our nation's endless wars are on autopilot, with Trump fitfully grabbing the steering wheel until his attention wanders somewhere else. Today's votes are a step toward Congress reclaiming its …
(2020-01-08). In the ongoing crisis, Congress must rein in Trump's war powers. peaceaction.org As we feared, President Trump's reckless assassination of Iran's Gen. Soleimani resulted in escalation — direct Iranian missile attacks on two military bases in Iraq. It's painful to watch more violence in a country that has already suffered far too much from endless war. All parties in the US/Iran conflict must cease military action and …
(2019-12-20). Notes on a private TV newscast in Bolivia. The contrast with Venezuela is clear as day. zcomm.org In August, I took detailed notes a news broadcast on one of Venezuela's largest TV networks. I summarized these notes in an interview I did with the Real News Network making the point that Venezuela's private media (which reaches 60-90% of households) is remarkably free — most especially when you consider the US is openly
(2019-11-07). Take Action — Some actual, SANE legislation. peaceaction.org Trump has plans to spend nearly $2 TRILLION over the next 30 years on unneeded and unnecessary nuclear weapons and delivery systems. This makes no sense. This is insane. That's nearly $100 million wasted every day for thirty years on weapons we are supposed to be getting rid of. To put that amount in perspective, …
(2019-09-25). Take Action to Avoid War with Iran. peaceaction.org photo credit Dear Groundswell Readers, We have to keep pushing Congress this week if we want to avoid war with Iran. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said recently that the U.K. might join a U.S.-led military effort in the Gulf. When other nations step up to join the "coalition of the willing" it's often a bad sign. …
(2019-07-18). Diplomacy Instead of a Disaster in Iran. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — July 18, 2019 — In response to reports of the U.S. shooting down an Iranian drone, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "Because of the Trump administration's policy of maximum provocation towards Iran, America stands on the precipice of another blunderous …
(2019-07-11). Peace Action Endorses 'the Squad' — Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Pressley and Tlaib for Congress. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — July 11, 2019 — Peace Action, the nation's largest grassroots peace organization, has endorsed four progressive champions for the House of Representatives in the 2020 election, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for New York's 14th district, Rep. Ilhan Omar for Minnesota's 5th district, Rep. Ayanna Pressley for Massachusetts' 7th district, and Rep. Rashida Tlaib …
(2019-06-28). Most Senators Oppose War with Iran Without Congressional Approval. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — June 28, 2019 — In response to the Senate voting 50-40 in favor of an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to block funding for military action against Iran without congressional approval, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "Because …
(2019-06-25). Peace Action Endorses Ilhan Omar for Congress. peaceaction.org Washington, DC — June 25, 2019 — Peace Action has announced its endorsement of Ilhan Omar for Congress in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District. Peace Action is a national grassroots organization working to advance nuclear disarmament, promote government spending priorities that support human needs, encourage real security through international cooperation and human rights, and support nonmilitary …
(2019-06-24). Peace Action Endorses Kara Eastman for Congress. peaceaction.org Washington, DC — June 24, 2019 — Peace Action has announced its endorsement of Kara Eastman for Congress in Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District. Peace Action is a national grassroots organization working to advance nuclear disarmament, promote government spending priorities that support human needs, encourage real security through international cooperation and human rights, and support nonmilitary …