AMERICAN STUDIES

Richard Medhurst:  There is no real Left in America. The Democratic Party is not a workers’ party, nor is it a leftist party. Anywhere else in the world they would be a right-wing party. Moreover, what you have in the United States is a one-party system where the two factions – Republicans and Democrats – come together to fuck over the working class. They appear to be at odds with each other on a handful of issues. However, when it comes to maintaining the interests of the American empire through war, sanctions, bailouts and corporate handouts — miraculously they seem to agree with each other and “reach across the aisle.” Their sole purpose is to serve the oligarchs to whom they’ve prostituted themselves, and to give people the illusion of choice. This way they can pacify the working class and prevent revolt.

MICHAEL HUDSON—If China had been crazy enough to have student loans and leave its graduates impoverished instead of providing free universities, China’s central bank could simply write off the student loans. No investors would lose, because the banks are owned by the government. Its position is, “If you’re a factory, we don’t want you to have to close down and unemploy your labor. We’ll just write down the debt. And if your employees are having a really hard time, we’ll just write down their debts, so that they can spend their money on goods and services to help expand our internal market.”

America’s banks are owned by the stockholders and bondholders, who would never let Chase Manhattan or Citibank or Wells Fargo just forgive their various categories of loans. That’s why public banking is so much more efficient from an economy-wide level than private banks. It’s why banking should be a public utility, not privatized.

Nearby, clashes between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Turkish-backed militants were reported in the Sher district of Afrin. According to the reports by the Syrian Observation for Human Rights, on March 28th, SDF forces carried out a successful operation in the Ras al-Ain countryside, killing 5 Turkish-backed militants and wounding 3 others. It is a back and forth struggle, especially since the SDF stopped giving oil to the Turkish-backed factions to smuggle for Ankara. In Greater Idlib, the Russian Air Force carried out an airstrike on a militant headquarters. The attack reportedly took place near the town of Martin in the Western Idlib countryside. These strikes, as well as shelling from the Syrian Arab Army will continue as long as Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham and the other militant groups in Greater Idlib continue to regularly violate the ceasefire agreement.

JEFF J. BROWN—This is Jeff’s most recent conversation with the well-known geopolitical analyst and (genuine) journalist Pepe Escobar. The focus is on the tug of war between the US epire and its vassals in the EU and elsewhere, and the emrging bloc of truly independent powers led by Russia, China and Iran. The world is watching the birth of a new order. American global hegemony, enforced by lies, hypocrisy, economic blackmail and military power is on the way out, largely victim of its own arrogance and excess. Meanwhile, Moscow and Beijing are busy constructing a multilateral order based on mutual benefit and respect.

RICK STERLING—In the past few months, Grayzone journalist Aaron Mate has interviewed two former ambassadors to Syria: former UK Ambassador Peter Ford and former U.S. Ambassador Robert S. Ford.  The two ambassadors have a common surname but dramatically different perspectives. This article will compare the statements and viewpoints of the two diplomats.