(2019-05-17). Amid Murky Intel, Experts Say Time to Be Clear: Threat of War With Iran "Solely and Unequivocally" Trump's Fault. commondreams.org "Trump action provokes Iran reaction provokes U.S. reaction and suddenly march to another quagmire catastrophic war." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/pompeo_trump_bolton_iran.jpg…
(2019-05-17). 2020 Elections: It's Militarism and the Military Budget Stupid! counterpunch.org 
U.S. ships are involved in provocative "freedom of navigation" exercises in the South China Sea and other ships gather ominously in the Mediterranean Sea while National Security Advisor John Bolton and Secretary of State Michael Pompeo along with convicted war criminal Elliot Abrams conspire to save the people of Venezuela with another illegal "regime change" More
(2019-05-17). Trump — from China to Iran to Venezuela — Threats and Sanctions Everywhere — A Chronicle of Disorganized Chaos Foretold. globalresearch.ca Trump himself, has not only reached a level of incompetence and ignorance which is scary — but he has also surrounded himself with inept, preposterous people, like, Pence, Bolton, Pompeo — who, it appears, have no other means left than running around the world amok, dishing out threats left and right…
(2019-05-17). Only Ones to Blame for Fresh US-Iranian Tensions: Team Trump. commondreams.org U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (R) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu talk during the group photo at the Ministerial to Promote a Future of Peace and Security in the Middle East on February 14, 2019 in Warsaw, Poland. (Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/bibi_pompeo_iran_war.jpg…
(2019-05-17). The Pompeo Bolton Tag Team from Hell. globalresearch.ca There was little pretense that when former UN Ambassador John Bolton became President Trump's National Security Adviser and former Rep. Mike Pompeo moved into the Secretary of State position, that either would bring a professionally credible and respectable presence to …
(2019-05-17). The Pompeo Smirk. counterpunch.org No wonder Mr. Pompeo awkwardly laughed or, as it was described by some observers, "smirked," when asked about the reports of the execution of four of the people with whom Mr. Trump and Mr. Pompeo had been negotiating a few shorts months ago. Their roles might have been reversed. The smirk made its appearance when More
(2019-05-17). Trump May Not Want War With Iran—But the Coalition of the Killing May Give Him One. thenation.com Trump May Not Want War With Iran—But the Coalition of the Killing May Give Him One…
(2019-05-17). Border Official Admits Targeting Journalists and Human Rights Advocates With Smuggling Investigations. theintercept.com 
When first confronted with evidence that it was collaborating with Mexican law enforcement in a sweeping intelligence-gathering operation targeting journalists, activists and attorneys along the U.S.-Mexico divide, Customs and Border Protection was silent. When still more evidence emerged, in the form of documents leaked by a Department of Homeland Security whistleblower, the agency dismissed the significance of the revelations as routine law enforcement work. | Now, more than four months after the story broke, CBP is owning up to its operations — in a way — and raising new questions about its treatme…
(2019-05-17). Uncle Sam Needs Our Help Again? counterpunch.org 
Earlier in 2019, the US Congress utilized its power to wage or not wage war and voted to end US involvement in the Saudi Arabian war in Yemen. Donald Trump vetoed the bill and it died. Meanwhile, the Pentagon and US intelligence agencies were ramping up pressure on the nations of Venezuela and Iran. Other More
(2019-05-17). Chelsea Manning jailed again after telling judge she'd rather 'starve to death' than cooperate with grand jury. thecanary.co After just six days of freedom, former US intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning was remanded into custody on 16 May for refusing to testify before a federal Grand Jury. | Manning will be held in confinement for the entire investigation. And Judge Anthon…
(2019-05-17). Millions in Australia "view Assange as a hero who is being attacked for revealing the truth." wsws.org We are publishing here the speech of Oscar Grenfell, a leading member of the Socialist Equality Party (Australia) and national convenor of the International Youth and Students for Social Equality, at the May 12 meeting in London in defence of Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning.
(2019-05-17). Head of Swedish Bar Association Condemns the Handling of the Assange Case in the UK and Sweden as Deplorable. globalresearch.ca This article was written by Anne Ramberg, who happens to be the Secretary General of the Swedish Bar Association, the professional body of lawyers in that country. The article has been translated by Marcello Ferrada de Noli, Swedish professor emeritus …
(2019-05-17). Workers and youth discuss Julian Assange, social conditions and war at SEP election meetings. wsws.org One worker said: "It is absolutely vital that we have meetings like this in working-class areas. Having this meeting, as a party, is one step ahead towards the goal of achieving equality."
(2019-05-17). "We must act now in mobilising to free him. He is one of us." wsws.org We are publishing here the remarks of Clara Campos, a representative of the Julian Assange Defence Committee, who spoke at the May 12 meeting in London in defense of Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning.
(2019-05-17). Chelsea Manning Back in Prison After Refusing to Testify. therealnews.com 
Freed eight days ago, Manning was subpoenaed before a new grand jury investigating Assange. Despite grave danger to her health, she refused to testify, saying she would rather die in prison than change her principles…
(2019-05-17). Chelsea Manning jailed again after refusing to testify against WikiLeaks. wsws.org Manning has courageously insisted on principle that she will never testify before any grand jury about her possible contacts with Assange and WikiLeaks or anything else.
(2019-05-17). Socialist Equality Party in Germany to hold central meeting of European election campaign in Berlin. wsws.org Prior to the May 18 meeting, the SGP will organise a rally in front of the British Embassy in Berlin to demand the freedom of Julian Assange.
(2019-05-17). 'This was treason:' Trump hints at 'long jail sentences' over 'FBI spying' on his campaign. rt.com 
President Donald Trump has hit back at the FBI and Justice Department officials accused of spying on his 2016 campaign, calling the actions "treason" and suggesting serious jail time may be in order.
(2019-05-17). As Anti-Choice Laws Multiply, Many Are Already Living in a Post-"Roe" US. truthout.org Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer issued what many considered a dire warning from the bench this week, implying that Roe v. Wade — the landmark ruling that recognizes the constitutional right to an abortion — is in danger. He wrote the comments in a dissent for an unrelated case in which the court voted to overturn a 40 year-old precedent. Breyer wrote "Today's decision can only cause one to wonder which cases the Court will overrule next." We speak to journalist Robin Marty about what a post-Roe America would look like, and how many people are already cut off from abortion access across the cou…
(2019-05-17). 'I don't believe it's too extreme:' Republicans hope to pass near-total abortion ban in Virginia. nationofchange.org Lawmakers have clearly stated that their goal is to get the topic in front of the Supreme Court, currently boasting a conservative majority, to legally overturn Roe V. Wade and outlaw abortion altogether.
(2019-05-17). Nationwide Protests and State Boycotts Planned Amid Wave of GOP Attacks on Abortion Rights. commondreams.org Supporters of reproductive rights are fighting back against Republican politicians' latest wave of attacks on abortion rights by organizing nationwide protests and boycotts of states that have passed restrictive laws to challenge the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade ruling. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/stop_the_bans.jpg…
(2019-05-17). Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Recognizes 65 Year Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court Ruling. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2019-05-17). 65 years after Brown vs. Board: What happened to multicultural education? peoplesworld.org 
How much progress have we made in getting racism out of our schools since the Supreme Court decision in Brown vs. Board of Education? In 1954, our highest court ruled, "Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal." Clearly, that was a great victory. Yet today, in many of our nation's cities, schools remain highly segregated. In former …
(2019-05-17). What Does a Post-Roe America Look Like? As Anti-Choice Laws Multiply, Many Already Are Living In It. democracynow.org 
Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer issued what many considered a dire warning from the bench this week, implying that Roe v. Wade — the landmark ruling that recognizes the constitutional right to an abortion — is in danger. He wrote the comments in a dissent for an unrelated case in which the court voted to overturn a 40 year-old precedent. Breyer wrote "Today's decision can only cause one to wonder which cases the Court will overrule next." We speak to journalist Robin Marty about what a post-Roe America would look like, and how many people are already cut off from abortion access across the countr…
(2019-05-17). Chelsea Manning to Return to Jail in 'Unprecedented' Ruling. truthdig.com Free speech advocates cry foul after a judge slaps the whistleblower with a steep financial fine if she continues to refuse to testify.
(2019-05-17). US Again Jails Chelsea Manning for Refusing to Testify on WikiLeaks. theantimedia.com (ANTIWAR.COM) — Released only last week after 62 days in detention for "contempt" from a previous grand jury for refusing to testify about WikiLeaks, whistleblower Chelsea Manning has been jailed by a new grand jury for the exact same reason. Manning has refused to testify against WikiLeaks, and her lawyers argued that the law doesn't allow detention to …
(2019-05-17). 'This Is Unprecedented': Judge Orders Chelsea Manning Jailed, Imposes Daily $500 Fine After 30 Days Behind Bars. commondreams.org "The U.S. government's harassment of whistleblower and activist Chelsea Manning is intensifying." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/chelsea_manning_3.jpg…
(2019-05-17). Judge Orders Manning Jailed, Imposes Daily $500 Fine After 30 Days Behind Bars. truthout.org In a move press freedom advocates and progressive critics decried as an "outrageous" and "unprecedented" escalation of a prolonged government harassment campaign, a federal judge on Thursday ordered U.S. Army whistleblower Chelsea Manning back to jail for refusing to testify before a secretive grand jury and imposed a $500 fine for every day she is in custody after 30 days. | If Manning refuses to comply with the grand jury subpoena after 60 days, the fine will increase to $1,000 per day. | During a court hearing on Thursday, Manning told Judge Anthony Trenga that she has no intention of giving in to governmen…
(2019-05-17). Trump and the Middle East: a Long Record of Personal Failure. counterpunch.org 
Many American presidents have blundered in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf, but Donald Trump's personal involvement in the region has been particularly disastrous. President Eisenhower introduced the CIA to the world of covert action, when he ordered the overthrow of the legitimate government of Iran in 1953. President Reagan endorsed a U.S. troop presence in Lebanon in 1982 in order to pull Israeli chestnuts out of the fire there due to their war crimes in Beirut, offering proof to the Arab nations of Washington's one-sided support for Israel. President George H.W. Bush went ahead with Desert Storm in 1991…
(2019-05-17). Ignore the Propaganda: A US War Against Iran Would Be a Costly Mistake. commondreams.org US National Security Adviser John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo listen as Trump speaks in the Oval Office in Washington on 7 February (AFP) US National Security Adviser John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo listen as Trump speaks in the Oval Office in Washington on 7 February. (Photo: AFP/Getty) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/screen_shot_2019-05-17_at_8.31.28_am.png…
(2019-05-16). Iran war crisis: What's really going on? liberationnews.org 
It's time to get the U.S. military out of the Middle East, leave the people there to determine their own lives, and use the money instead to meet human needs at home.
(2019-05-16). Warnings of 'Gulf of Tonkin 2.0' as Trump officials blame Iran for oil tanker attacks. mronline.org 
It's obvious that Bolton and Pompeo are trying to create a Gulf of Tonkin incident with Iran. | Source
(2019-05-16). 'I'd rather starve to death': Manning jailed again for refusing to testify against WikiLeaks. rt.com 
A federal judge has ordered Chelsea Manning to be jailed again for refusing to testify in a grand jury probe of Julian Assange, threatening the whistleblower with fines if the defiance continues. Manning says she would rather die.
(2019-05-16). US military complex is a 'malignant virus' that's evolved to defend itself — Andrew Cockburn. rt.com 
The US military industrial complex has grown into a self-sustaining organism with an immune system that attacks and smothers any threat to its food supply — the taxpayers' money, writes renowned defense analyst Andrew Cockburn.
(2019-05-16). Fight Against Voter Suppression Continues in Georgia. therealnews.com 
Plaintiffs argue before the GA Supreme Court that malfunctioning voting machines caused tens of thousands of missing votes in the Georgia Lt. Gov. race. What could it mean if this case goes forward?
(2019-05-15). Headlines for May 15, 2019. democracynow.org Alabama Legislature Passes Near-Complete Abortion Ban, U.S. Evacuates Non-Emergency State Dept. Personnel from Iraq, Houthis Launch Drone Attack on Saudi Oil Facilities, Pompeo Meets With Lavrov & Putin Over Iran, Venezuela, 2020 Elections, CNN: Migrant Children Sleeping Outside on the Ground at Texas Border Patrol, Pennsylvania Sues Purdue Pharma Over Oxycontin, Reports: Donald Trump Jr. Agrees to Conditional Senate Hearing, San Francisco Bans Facial Recognition Technology, Pilots' Union Confronted Boeing Over Faulty 737 Max Jets After First Fatal Crash, NYC Activists Stage Hunger Strike To Call for Halt to Will…
(2019-05-15). 'Putin smiles': Russophobic media is having none of Pompeo's diplomacy trip. rt.com 
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's recent trip to Sochi to meet with the Russian president and foreign minister has heads exploding. Many in the media, it seems, will not tolerate a shred of diplomacy with Russia.
(2019-05-15). Medical Insurance Companies Can Decide Who Lives and Dies — RAI with Wendell Potter (4/7). therealnews.com 
Whistleblower Wendell Potter says the death of a young woman denied care by the insurance company he worked for was a turning point in his life; he says these practices are still taking place under the Affordable Care Act — on Reality Asserts Itself with Paul Jay…
(2019-05-14). Venezuelan Communes Protect the State. dissidentvoice.org Direct democracy works like a charm. Check out Venezuela's Communes…. Venezuela's ubiquitous Communes are proof that direct democracy works. And, interestingly enough, those same Communes are powerful buffers to attempted coups, protecting the sanctity of direct democracy in their country. In all likelihood, John Bolton and Trump and Pence and Pompeo and Rubio were shocked …
(2019-05-14). Intelligence and Local Cooperation Guide Precise Houthi Drone Attack on Saudi Pipeline. mintpressnews.com Saudi and UAE vital strategic targets are all within the range of fire and Houthi sources have warned that they should expect more attacks on their oil infrastructure should the Saudi-led Coalition continue its aggression and siege on the Yemeni people.
(2019-05-14). NAACP Opposes Wendy Vitter and all Nominees Who Refuse to Affirm Brown v Board of Education. naacp.org BALTIMORE — Today, the NAACP announced its opposition to the nomination of Wendy Vitter to the Eastern District of Louisiana and all nominees refusing to endorse the Supreme Court's seminal ruling in Brown v. Board of Education. "This week, we celebrate the 65th anniversary of the Supreme Court's landmark decision in Brown v. Board of …
(2019-05-14). ACTION ALERT: WaPo Must Acknowledge CIA Role in Pakistan Polio Crisis. fair.org 
In commenting on what's holding back the conquest of polio, the Washington Post ( 5/10/19) didn't mention the humans at the CIA. | See " ACTIVISM UPDATE: WaPo Editor Responds on Polio, Pakistan and the CIA." | If the last three years have taught us anything, it's that it's much easier to blame "f…
(2019-05-13). Headlines for May 13, 2019. democracynow.org Sweden Reopens Julian Assange Sexual Assault Case, Seeks His Extradition, Pompeo to Discuss Iranian "Threats" in Europe as U.S. Ramps Up Military Presence, Saudi Oil Tankers Damaged in "Sabotage Attack" off UAE Coast, 187 Countries, Not Including the U.S., Agree to Landmark Deal Curbing Plastic Waste, U.S.-China Trade Talks End Without Deal, Increased Sanctions, Pentagon Redirects $1.5 Billion To Fund Border Wall, Afghanistan: Gunmen Kill Ex-Broadcast Journalist and Gov't Adviser Mina Mangal, Pakistan: Attack on Hotel Kills at Least 5, Burkina Faso: Gunmen Kill 6 People, Incl. Priest and Burn Down Church, At Leas…
(2019-05-13). After Assange, Ecuador's Lenin Moreno escalates persecution of critics and perceived foes. thegrayzone.com The US-backed, neoliberal Ecuadorian leader is persecuting Swedish software developer Ola Bini for his political sympathies, censoring critical media, and…
(2019-05-13). Arundhati Roy on Why She Admires WikiLeaks & Opposes Assange's Extradition to the U.S. democracynow.org 
In Sweden, prosecutors are reopening an investigation into sexual assault allegations against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, and are seeking his extradition to face charges in Sweden. Prosecutors had dropped the investigation in 2017 because they said the case could not proceed while Assange was holed up at the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he lived for seven years before being forcibly removed by British police last month. Assange has since been sentenced to 50 weeks in jail in Britain for skipping bail in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden. Assange has denied the sexual assault accusations. Assange pr…
(2019-05-10). The Mueller Report Isn't The Only Thing That William Barr Is Hiding. aclu.org Barr's attempt to block a report detailing how often the government seeks to spy on Twitter's users is inappropriate and dangerous. | Attorney General William Barr recently invoked a powerful, rarely used privilege to withhold information from the public, marking a dramatic turn of events in a battle over the release of a highly contested report. | Only this time, we're talking about a report that would provide much-needed information on the government's spying activities. | For the past five years, Twitter has been trying to make public a transparency report with detailed statistics about how often the U.S. gove…
(2019-05-10). Weekend Read: Brown v. Board of Education and modern-day segregation. splcenter.org Friday marks the 65th anniversary of the Supreme Court's landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education, the unanimous ruling that outlawed racial segregation in public schools as a violation of the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.
(2019-05-09). Trump Administration Charges Drone Whistleblower With Allegedly Violating Espionage Act. shadowproof.com Trump DOJ Charges Drone Whistleblower | *Listen to this story by clicking the above player. | A former language analyst for the United States Air Force, who worked for the National Security Agency, was arrested and charged with violating the Espionage Act and other offenses. | According to the indictment filed in the Eastern District of Virginia, Daniel Hale allegedly disclosed eleven classified documents to a reporter…
(2019-05-08). Transgender People's Rights Are in Peril. progressive.org The majority-conservative Supreme Court is poised to review the rules on discriminating against trans people in the workplace.
(2019-05-06). Rachel Maddow endorses regime change in Venezuela to "push Russia back," sympathizes with Bolton and Pompeo. thegrayzone.com The top rated MSNBC host took her trademark brand of liberal militarism to new levels by branding efforts to avert…