The incompetence of the current crew and the entire foreign policy apparatus is beyond remission, redemption, and even comprehension. Its reckless move against Russia through its Georgian puppet brazenly demonstrates the extent of that incompetence. Not only can they not win a war, whether directly (Afghanistan and Iraq) or by proxy (Lebanon, Somalia, Georgia), they cannot think and shoot straight when, as Michael Doliner sensibly points out, whatever Russia-bashing rhetoric may originate within a foreign policy apparatus that was caught with its pants down, the Russians did not take this Georgian so-called miscalculation lightly, reacted proportionally to the perceived threat, and are darn serious -- and competent. Meanwhile, Michael Barker brings to the fore another crew of unpalatable individuals and organizations -- neocons, Humanitarians, religious imperialists, and Zionists -- that are hard at work destabilizing and demonizing China on the specious issues of human rights abuses in Tibet, Sudan, and against Falun Gong practitioners. What a motley bunch of bedfellows working together to sustain imperialism!
On the road to November 2008, Jan Baughman takes a look at the state of the US economy, the regime of taxation without representation (except for the corporations and the wealthy who don't pay much taxes at all), and the conditions of our faltering democracy turned into a national-security state with fenced-in cages for demonstrators and a detention center of make-shift cells topped with razor wire, bearing warnings of stun-device use for over-zealous protesters. Welcome to the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado, where the Obama-Biden couple will chant in unison, "No Four More Years," and "Yes We Can!" -- which brings Gilles d'Aymery to ponder in a short and to-the point essay what it would take for him to support Obama instead of Nader. As for the myth of change we can believe in, Carol Warner Christen puts her pen to work on the political expediency we continue to vote for despite the local and global entropy and individual chaos that results.
On the literary side, both Charles Marowitz and Peter Byrne have a take on Eric Bentley and Bertolt Brecht -- two completely coincidental pieces, the former told from the inside, the latter from afar. Michael Doliner revisits the 1968 novel A Sport and a Pastime, a poignant love story as told by an imaginary narrator through twists and turns of reality. Guido Monte presents another of his colorful, multilingual, and unique poems; and we end this issue with a short poem by Scott Porter and your letters.
As always, please form your OWN opinion, and let your friends (and foes) know about Swans. It's your voice that makes ours grow.
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Michael Doliner: The Situation In Georgia As I See It
Michael Doliner counters the Bush administration and the US corporate media's anti-Russian propaganda with an analysis of Georgia's attempted land grab, Russia's counterattack, and America's unspoken agenda, which is not humanitarian. More...
Michael Barker: The Project For A New American Humanitarianism
In addition to the Project for a New American Century, there is a little-known coalition Michael Barker refers to as the Project for a New American Humanitarianism; the former sustains imperialism through militarism, the latter under the moral cover of human rights, from Darfur to Tibet and Beijing. More...
Jan Baughman: Representation Without Taxation
Corporate America enjoys representation without taxation, while its citizens suffer the opposite. Only Ralph Nader and Matt Gonzalez take a stand against corporate crime and unfair tax system and represent the well being of we the People. More...
Gilles d'Aymery: Could I Support Obama Instead Of Nader?
What would it take the author to support the candidacy of Barack Obama? Simple, he avers: A Fundamental Paragigm Shift; which he does not see coming. That's why he keeps supporting Ralph Nader and Matt Gonzalez. Short and to the point. More...
Carol Warner Christen: Expediency Creates Entropy Within The Human Environment
Political expediency -- which we continue to vote for -- is creating local and global entropy, and as corporate-political-religious power increases, our daily lives are spent in increasing chaos. More...
Charles Marowitz: Fusing Brecht & Bentley
Charles Marowitz recounts his collaboration with Eric Bentley to make Bentley's book, The Brecht Memoir, into the play Silent Partners. More...
Peter Byrne: Eric & Bert
A review of Eric Bentley's 2008 edition of Bentley on Brecht, which looks at Brecht and his work from a dazzling variety of angles. More...
Guido Monte: Mondana Commedia n.1: Inferno (World Comedy n.1: Hell)
Guido Monte describes the world horror in the first part of his "World Comedy," which follows his trhid part that he chose to write first upon his return from Russia. More...
Michael Doliner: James Salter's A Sport and a Pastime
Michael Doliner revisits the 1968 novel A Sport and a Pastime, a poignant love story as told by an imaginary narrator through twists and turns of reality. More...
R. Scott Porter: Madness
A poem that expresses its author's ode to war. More...
A few thoughts on rereading Zinn, reclaiming democracy, and an Unreasonable Man (i.e., Ralph Nader); speaking out against Russia-bashing; and the Bureau of Public Secrets' tenth birthday. More...
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