20 August 2016

American jets scramble against Syrian aircraft bombing Kurdish rebels

By Alex Lantier, 20 August 2016

As US-backed Kurdish forces in Syria clash with pro-regime forces backed by Russia, Iran and China, the Middle East war threatens to escalate into all-out global conflict.

“Human rights” propaganda campaign paves way for military escalation in Syria

More on the war in Syria »

Putin visits Crimea amid rising tensions with Ukraine

By Bill Van Auken, 20 August 2016

Ukrainian President Poroshenko threatened to impose martial law and conscription in response to what he claimed was the threat of a Russian invasion.

The provocation in Crimea and the threat of world war

Government indifference in the midst of historic Louisiana flooding

By Tom Hall, 20 August 2016

The federal government has promised only paltry sums to compensate flood victims, while Obama has delayed any visit until after his lavish vacation in Martha’s Vineyard.

The Louisiana flooding—a failure of American capitalism

Trump chairman Paul Manafort resigns amidst campaign shift to the right

By Patrick Martin, 20 August 2016

Paul Manafort has been displaced by Stephen Bannon, chairman of the ultra-right Breitbart News, giving the Trump campaign its third chief in three months.

Green Party candidates at CNN town hall: Promoting illusions in the capitalist system

The 2016 elections and the crisis of American democracy

More on the 2016 US elections »

UK media denounces Corbyn’s refusal to support war with Russia

By Robert Stevens and Chris Marsden, 20 August 2016

Corbyn’s comments occasioned a slew of articles and commentary declaring that he could not be trusted with the reins of power if he were not ready for all-out war.

Britain’s Financial Times calls on anti-Corbyn plotters to prepare Labour split

By Julie Hyland, 20 August 2016

The FT said the Labour right must think “through what a new party of the centre-left would stand for” and make “serious preparation” for a breakaway.

Spain: Pseudo-left concedes to right wing over street name changes

By Alejandro López, 20 August 2016

The Stalinists, Socialist Party and the pseudo-left have strengthened the right’s efforts to rehabilitate Franco and his fascist regime.

Venezuela opens border with Colombia in order to alleviate growing social tensions

By Alexander Fangmann, 20 August 2016

The border, which has been largely closed since last September, is being opened gradually in order to stem anger arising from shortages of medicine and other basic necessities.

Indian PM Modi “plays Balochistan card” against Pakistan

By Deepal Jayasekera and Keith Jones, 20 August 2016

In a highly provocative shift, Modi has denounced Pakistan for “atrocities” in Balochistan—a strategic province that has long been convulsed by a secessionist insurgency.

Mounting evidence Canadian police summarily executed terror suspect

By Roger Jordan, 20 August 2016

The account of the taxi driver at the scene when Aaron Driver was killed and the autopsy of his corpse strongly suggest the 24-year-old was summarily executed by police.

Decades-long cover-up of “black lung” among Australian miners

By Oscar Grenfell, 20 August 2016

Reports of cases pre-date the official rediscovery of the disease in Queensland last year.

Full-time jobs and wages falling in Australia

By Mike Head, 20 August 2016

Part-time work is becoming the “new normal” for growing layers of workers, with devastating consequences for living standards.

New in Spanish

El Gigante Dormido: El engaño y las mentiras acerca de la "nueva" clase obrera

Por Nancy Hanover, 20 agosto 2016

Un libro nuevo de la editora del grupo de expertos Demos, Tamara Draut, busca renovar al Partido Demócrata y a los sindicatos a través de la promoción de la política de identidad.

New in Russian

25 лет назад: Попытка «августовского путча» в СССР терпит неудачу

20 августа 2016 г.

Утром 19 августа 1991 года группа советских политических и военных деятелей с участием КГБ во главе с вице-президентом Геннадием Янаевым совершила государственный переворот, отстранив от власти президента Михаила Горбачева и введя чрезвычайное положение.

50 лет назад: Начало «культурной революции» в Китае

20 августа 2016 г.

18 августа 1966 года председатель Коммунистической партии Китая Мао Цзэдун организовал массовый митинг в Пекине, чтобы продемонстрировать низовую поддержку так называемой «Великой пролетарской культурной революции».

New in French

Alep: la propagande « Droits de l’homme » prépare le terrain pour une escalade militaire

Par Bill Van Auken, 20 août 2016

Il faut comprendre la saturation des ondes et de la presse avec les images d’un enfant de cinq ans d’Alep comme un avertissement que Washington prépare l’opinion publique à une escalade militaire majeure.

Allemagne: un rapport critiquant la Turquie met en évidence la montée des tensions dans l'OTAN

Par Johannes Stern, 20 août 2016

Quatre semaines après le coup d'Etat militaire manqué contre le président turc Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, les relations au sein de l'OTAN sont au point le plus bas.

Avec la montée de la spéculation
Le marché obligataire international devient «surréaliste»

Par Nick Beams, 20 août 2016

La décision de la Banque d'Angleterre de poursuivre «l’assouplissement quantitatif» a entraîné encore plus de spéculation dans les marchés financiers, tandis que l'état de l’économie réelle s'aggrave.

Le New York Times blanchit l'impérialisme américain au Moyen-Orient

Par Eric London, 20 août 2016

Une série publiée dans le Times conclut que l'effondrement des gouvernements nationalistes du Moyen-Orient démontre la nécessité d'une division sectaire de la région.

New in German

„Menschenrechts“-Propaganda soll Eskalation des Kriegs in Syrien den Weg ebnen

Von Bill Van Auken, 20. August 2016

Die Bilder eines Fünfjährigen aus Aleppo, die pausenlos über alle Medien verbreitet werden, lassen vermuten, dass Washington die öffentliche Meinung auf eine größere militärische Eskalation vorbereiten will.

Stellungnahme der Bundesregierung zur Türkei verdeutlicht Spannungen innerhalb der Nato

Von Johannes Stern, 20. August 2016

Die Beziehungen zwischen Berlin und Ankara haben vier Wochen nach dem gescheiterten Putsch in der Türkei einen Tiefpunkt erreicht.

Zum Tod von Ernst Nolte

Von Christoph Vandreier und Peter Schwarz, 20. August 2016

Obwohl sich Nolte nach dem Historikerstreit nur noch in ultrakonservativen und offen rechtsextremen Kreisen bewegte, erfolgte seine ideologische und politische Rehabilitierung bereits vor seinem Tod.

Lebhafte Diskussion auf PSG-Wahlversammlung

Von unseren Korrespondenten, 20. August 2016

Angesichts der verschärften Kriegsgefahr in Syrien und der Ukraine, mit der eine offene Konfrontation zwischen der Nato und Russland in greifbare Nähe rückt, erzielt der PSG-Wahlkampf große Aufmerksamkeit.

Katastrophale Verhältnisse in griechischen Flüchtlingslagern

Von Katerina Selin, 20. August 2016

In den Massenmedien ist es still geworden um die Flüchtlinge in Griechenland. Doch das Elend dieser Menschen, die vor Krieg und Armut auf der Flucht sind, geht ununterbrochen weiter.

Japan plant Stationierung von Raketen im Ostchinesischen Meer

Von Ben McGrath, 20. August 2016

Tokio will eine Mittelstreckenrakete entwickeln und bauen, um damit die Senkaku/Diaoyu-Inseln erreichen zu können, und riskiert damit weitere Zusammenstöße mit Peking.

Zeit für Legenden
Jesse Owens und die Olympiade von 1936

Von Alan Gilman und David Walsh, 20. August 2016

Der Film von Stephen Hopkins dreht sich um die entscheidenden Ereignisse im Leben der afroamerikanischen Sportlegende Jesse Owens, der bei der Olympiade 1936 in Berlin vier Goldmedaillen gewann.

Other Languages

Perspective

The ruling class and the spectre of Leon Trotsky

20 August 2016

Seventy-six years after his assassination at the hands of a Stalinist agent, Trotsky remains not only a towering historical personality, but also a figure of acute contemporary political relevance.

Earlier Perspectives »

Obituary

On the death of German historian Ernst Nolte

By Christoph Vandreier and Peter Schwarz, 20 August 2016

Nolte is infamous for initiating the Historikerstreit (Historians’ Dispute) in 1986 with his downplaying of National Socialism and the worst crimes in human history.

Arts Review

A portrait of photographer Robert Frank

By C.W. Rogers, 20 August 2016

Don’t Blink––Robert Frank, is a very personal and generally engaging documentary of the life and career of the acclaimed photographer and filmmaker.

The Score of War: A haunting documentary film on Ukraine

SEP (Germany) Election Campaign

Berlin Election 2016
Socialist Equality Party campaigners speak with Turkish workers in Berlin

By our correspondents, 20 August 2016

The discussions with workers at the Crellemarkt outdoor market in Berlin focused on the attempted coup in Turkey on July 15.

“War is never the solution”
Report on the SEP’s election campaign in Berlin

By our correspondents, 18 August 2016

Berlin state election 2016
Vote against war! Vote PSG!
Election manifesto of the Socialist Equality Party

Socialist Equality Party

Sri Lanka: SEP meeting advances socialist program to fight government attacks

By our correspondents, 20 August 2016

The Colombo meeting discussed the growing popular opposition to the Sirisena-Wickremesinge regime and the necessity for a socialist and internationalist perspective.

After Brexit: The struggle for socialism in Britain

By Chris Marsden, 30 July 2016

Workers Struggles

Workers Struggles: Asia, Australia and the Pacific

20 August 2016

The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to contribute to this regular feature.

“The union signed away their rights”
Verizon strikers remain victimized 12 weeks after end of strike

By Shannon Jones, 19 August 2016

West coast dockworkers’ union to discuss contract extension

By Hector Cordon, 19 August 2016

Commentary

The pseudo-left and identity politics: RIO solidarizes itself with “Gina-Lisa” and promotes law and order

By Johannes Stern, 19 August 2016

Japan plans missile deployment in East China Sea

By Ben McGrath, 19 August 2016

After brawl in town of Sisco, France launches campaign to ban burkini

Cohen of the Times on Rio Olympics: “I’m tired of reading about anger in the slums”

The New York Times whitewashes US imperialism in Middle East and contemplates ethnic cleansing

SEP 2016 US Election Campaign

Socialist Equality Party vice presidential candidate Niles Niemuth condemns US-backed war in Yemen

19 August 2016

SEP campaigns in Leechburg and Brackenridge, Pennsylvania

By Evan Winters, 18 August 2016

ATI workers speak to SEP campaigners

Facebook livestream
SEP US vice presidential candidate Niles Niemuth discusses the police killing in Milwaukee

17 August 2016

More on the SEP 2016 US election campaign »

The 2016 US Elections

Trump and Democrats compete on militarism and war

By Patrick Martin, 16 August 2016

The real issues in the 2016 US elections

By Patrick Martin, 15 August 2016

Tax return places Clintons in the top 0.02 percent of Americans

After the Sanders debacle
“Socialist Convergence” meets to prepare a new trap for the working class

By Gabriel Black and David Brown, 12 August 2016

More on the 2016 US elections »

History

An interview with David Williams, author of Bitterly Divided: The South’s Inner Civil War

By Eric London, 16 August 2016

Bitterly Divided: The South’s Inner Civil War

“Ordinary people truly imbibed the principles of the American Revolution”
An interview with Victoria Bynum, historian and author of The Free State of Jones—Part 2

Science

Astronomers reveal most detailed map of galaxy distribution

By Joe Mount, 15 August 2016

25 years ago: “August putsch” attempt fails in USSR

On the morning of August 19, 1991, a group of Soviet political, military and KGB officials led by Vice President Gennady Yanayev carried out a coup to oust President Mikhail Gorbachev and impose a state of emergency.

More »

50 years ago: “Cultural Revolution” begins in China

On August 18, 1966, Chinese Communist Party Chairman Mao Zedong organized a mass rally in Beijing to show support for the so-called “Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution.”

More »

75 years ago: Reuther attacks socialists in the UAW

On August 16, 1941, the pro-war faction of the United Auto Workers led by Walter Reuther, barred any “communist” from elective or appointive office in the UAW.

More »

 

100 years ago: US seeks to control Dominican Republic

This week in August 1916, US President Woodrow Wilson sought to blackmail the government of the Dominican Republic into accepting the same type of financial protectorate that the US had recently imposed on Haiti.

More »

Book Review

Sleeping Giant: Deception and lies about the “new” working class

By Nancy Hanover, 11 August 2016

A new book by Demos editor Tamara Draut seeks to refurbish the Democratic Party and the trade unions by promoting identity politics.