Patrice de Bergeracpas

STANSFIELD SMITH—During the 21st century, the US, working with corporate elites, traditional oligarchies, military, and corporate media, has continually attempted coups against Latin American governments which place the needs of their people over US corporate interests. US organized coups in Latin American countries is hardly a 20th century phenomenon.

However, this century the US rulers have turned to a new coup strategy, relying on soft coups, a significant change from the notoriously brutal military hard coups in Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, and other countries in the 1970s. One central US concern in these new coups has been to maintain a legal and democratic facade as much as possible. 

In a move that should come as a surprise to absolutely no one, CNN Business has chosen to honor Pfizer’s Albert Bourla as the network’s “CEO of the Year.” Pfizer has enjoyed more than $30 billion in profits thanks to the coronavirus vaccine, and has spent plenty of those gains on advertising, much of it on CNN. But no doubt this selection had nothing to do with that. Jimmy and comedian Kurt Metzger discuss this big win for Bourla.

BRUCE LERRO—The purpose of this article is to say that it is perfectly understandable that people who are working class and/or poor think studying history is a waste of time. But in large part that is because mainstream history is an ideological expression of the upper classes. What I hope to do is present an alternative view of history.

J.G. HORNBERGER—Don’t count on the U.S. Supreme Court to order a shutdown of Gitmo. Yes, I fully realize that the Constitution does not authorize the federal government to operate a torture and prison center and a military-tribunal judicial system. I also understand that the policies of indefinite detention, torture, denial of due process, denial of speedy trial, and denial of trial by jury at Gitmo violate the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. That makes no difference. The Pentagon and the CIA are exempt from those restrictions. The Supreme Court knows that it’s the Pentagon and the CIA that are in charge at Gitmo. There will be no substantial judicial interference with Pentagon and CIA operations at their imperial base in Cuba.

THE SAKER—There are no official results from the meeting in Geneva yet.  The US has promised to give the Russians an official answer in writing within a week.  The Russians have declared that they have explained the Russian position to their US counterparts in minute details, leaving no ambiguity.  According to Russian sources, the US position was a “diehard/stubborn” one.