The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan has created a political headache for the Biden administration, which Khalil Bendib beautifully illustrates this week. But as I wrote last week, withdrawal — along with a robust plan to help Afghan refugees — was the best course of action, not only for the U.S. but for Afghans as well.
One particularly unseemly aspect of the war is the role played by for-profit, private military contractors. Sam Pizzigati takes a critical look this week at the “merchants of death,” from World War I to the war in Afghanistan, and explains how reducing CEO-worker pay disparities could be key to taking the profit out of war. Don’t miss it.
In other foreign policy news, Sahand Yazdanyar marks Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s visit to Washington by calling on the Biden administration to live up to its promises on human rights — by not unconditionally supporting governments like Bennett’s.
Meanwhile, as Congress takes another step toward passing Biden’s $3.5 trillion jobs and infrastructure package, Isabella DeVaan makes the case for including a robust new Civilian Climate Corps — modeled after the Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps — in the plan.
Also this week, Dana Brown explains how the closure of the largest generic drugs factory in the United States — the Mylan plant in Morgantown, West Virginia — should bolster the case for publicly owned generics.
Finally, Jim Hightower says the fix is in on the right to repair.
New This Week…
Let’s Take the Profit Out of War | CEOs shouldn’t have a financial stake in the murderous mass violence of modern warfare.
Americans Deserve Publicly Owned Generic Drugs | Dana Brown
Bold policies could have saved America’s largest generic drug plant, but it’s never too late to start putting communities first.
We Need a Civilian Climate Corps | Isabella DeVaan
Like the Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps, a 21st century CCC could create millions of jobs while repairing our environment.
It’s Time to Reassess Our Relationship With Israel | Sahand Yazdanyar
Biden can’t say he’s putting human rights first and then welcome a prime minister who boasts about war crimes to the White House.
The Fix Is In on Fixing Things | Jim Hightower
Big corporations want to make it illegal for you to repair the devices you bought from them.
Graveyard of Empires | Khalil Bendib
Prepare another plot.
In Case You Missed It…
Biden Is Right to End the War in Afghanistan | Peter Certo
Now our obligation is to those Afghans living with the consequences of our four decades of intervention.
Human Rights Are Not ‘A Threat to Development‘ | Imani Countess
From Line 3 in Minnesota to Louisiana’s Cancer Alley, communities are leading inspiring fights against environmental injustice.
A Chance to Protect Our Essential Workers | Rebekah Entralgo
Two years after the largest workplace raid in U.S. history, immigrant workers deserve a path to citizenship.
To Save the Planet, We Need to Demilitarize Police | Shea Leibow
Even with climate disasters all around us, nonviolent environmental demonstrations face fierce police repression. Why?
