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Published by the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI)

20 May 2017

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Trump approves new Pentagon strategy to “annihilate” ISIS

By Niles Niemuth, 20 May 2017

Defense Secretary Mattis announced the plan, which would involve an escalation of the drive for US domination of the Middle East, as Trump prepared for his first foreign trip, beginning with Saudi Arabia.

US airstrike targets pro-Assad forces in Syria

Washington levels new allegations against Syria on eve of Geneva talks

New report: Current Trump official a “person of interest” in FBI probe of White House-Russia ties

By Barry Grey, 20 May 2017

The Washington Post reported Friday that the FBI-special counsel investigation of Trump-Russia ties is targeting current as well as past Trump aides.

Democrats appeal to military in campaign against Trump

The working class must intervene with its own program in the political crisis in Washington

French media, political parties hush up PS government’s coup plan

By Alex Lantier, 20 May 2017

Thursday’s edition of L’Obs magazine revealed that the outgoing Socialist Party government planned a coup d’état if National Front candidate Marine Le Pen had won the May 7 presidential elections.

French government prepared coup if Le Pen won presidential election

More on the French presidential election »

Sweden drops bogus investigation, but Julian Assange threatened with extradition to US

By Robert Stevens, 20 May 2017

The case against the WikiLeaks founder was concocted from the beginning so he could be sent from Sweden to the US.

WikiLeaks’ lawyers sharply criticize Laura Poitras’ documentary Risk

Chelsea Manning released amid growing attacks on democratic rights in the US

Japanese government exploits Korean crisis to whip up war scares

By Gary Alvernia, 20 May 2017

Post-war Japanese governments have attempted for decades to find ways around the limitations on military force in the constitution.

Three dead in US immigration custody in one week, two from suicide

By Genevieve Leigh, 20 May 2017

Eight people have died in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement since October, while the Trump administration arrested 41,000 immigrants in the first three months of 2017.

Hundreds of US citizens arrested in joint immigration-police roundup

More on North American immigration issues »

Michigan partnership agreements only a temporary reprieve in statewide school closure threats

By Marissa Ross, 20 May 2017

The announcement of unprecedented mass closures sparked outrage among students, parents and educators across the state.

Trump administration education budget proposes $10.6 billion in cuts

California: San Diego to cut $2.3 million from city arts budget

By Marko Leone and Kevin Martinez, 20 May 2017

Mayor Kevin Faulconer has called for a 15 percent cut in the city’s budget for theaters, museums, playhouses and other cultural sites.

Germany: SPD reacts to election defeat with authoritarian state measures

By Ulrich Rippert, 20 May 2017

After its electoral debacle last weekend in North Rhine-Westphalia the SPD is placing police measures at the heart of its Bundestag election campaign.

Neo-Nazi network in German army larger than previously thought

Dangerous developments in Germany
Neo-Nazi network in German army exposed

UK government seeks additional surveillance powers, including overriding encryption

By Barry Mason, 20 May 2017

The UK government is seeking to implement policies that would, as one commentator put it, “effectively make strong and unbreakable encryption illegal.”

Québec Solidaire congress prepares alliance with Parti Québécois

By Richard Dufour, 20 May 2017

Since its formation, Québec Solidaire’s principal role has been to give a progressive gloss to the PQ’s largely discredited project of an independent capitalist Quebec.

Australian budget fallout deepens political crisis

By Mike Head, 20 May 2017

The conclusion is being drawn in corporate boardrooms that Turnbull has failed, generating fractures throughout the parliamentary order.

Falling wages fuel social crisis in Australia

Student protests in Australia promote Labor and the Greens

By our reporters, 20 May 2017

The poorly attended demonstrations reflected alienation from the NUS and its support for the major parliamentary parties.

Australia: Contract teacher voices opposition to the AEU-government agreement

By our reporters, 20 May 2017

“I feel as though we’re teaching to a test, and not spending enough time on building our relationship with our students, and building on their strengths.”

New in French

Frappe aérienne américaine sur les forces pro-Assad en Syrie

Par Jordan Shilton, 20 mai 2017

L’attaque américaine est la deuxième en six semaines visant directement les forces fidèles au régime d’Assad, à la suite de l’attaque aux missiles de croisière le 6 avril sur la base aérienne de al-Shayrat.

La crise politique aux États-Unis et la désintégration de la démocratie américaine

Par Andre Damon, 20 mai 2017

Au milieu de l’approfondissement de la lutte des factions qui saisit Washington, des sections de l’establishment politique exigent que l’armée intervienne.

Québec se prépare à criminaliser une grève dans l'industrie de la construction

Par Laurent Lafrance et Louis Girard, 20 mai 2017

Par leur silence sur la menace d’une loi spéciale, les syndicats de la construction indiquent qu’ils ne feront rien pour s’y opposer et ordonneront aux travailleurs de s’y soumettre.

Jörg Baberowski s’obstine à dire que Hitler « n’était pas cruel »

Par Peter Schwarz, 20 mai 2017

Le professeur, Jörg Baberowski, de l’université Humboldt affirme dans le magazine Forschung & Lehre (La recherche et l’enseignement) que Hitler était « un criminel de bureau qui ne voulait rien savoir des conséquences de ses actes. »

New in Russian

Спустя сто лет после Октябрьской революции
Данные доклада свидетельствуют о рекордном уровне социального неравенства в России

Клара Вайс, 19 мая 2017 г.

За исключением небольшого и невероятно богатого слоя олигархов и узкого среднего класса, реставрация капитализма для населения России стала катастрофой.

New in German

Chelsea Mannings Freilassung und die zunehmenden Angriffe auf demokratische Rechte

Von Bill Van Auken, 19. Mai 2017

Mannings siebenjährige Haftstrafe war die drakonischste Strafe, die jemals für die Weitergabe geheimer Dokumente in den USA verhängt wurde.

SPD reagiert auf NRW-Niederlage mit Staatsaufrüstung

Von Ulrich Rippert, 19. Mai 2017

Nach den Stimmenverlusten an Rhein und Ruhr fordert die SPD Polizeiaufrüstung und Stärkung der inneren Sicherheit.

Griechenland: Eintägiger Generalstreik gegen EU-Sparpaket

Von Alex Lantier, 19. Mai 2017

Am Mittwoch riefen die griechischen Gewerkschaften zu einem landesweiten Streik gegen die neuen Sparmaßnahmen der Syriza-Regierung auf.

Konflikt in Albanien destabilisiert Balkan-Region

Von Markus Salzmann, 19. Mai 2017

Der seit Monaten anhaltende Konflikt zwischen Regierung und Opposition in Albanien ist am Donnerstag vorerst beigelegt worden.

Other Languages

Perspective

Sweden’s investigation into Julian Assange was a political frame-up from the outset

20 May 2017

The entire affair was aimed at discrediting and paralyzing WikiLeaks and creating conditions under which Assange could be extradited or abducted to the US, to be executed or condemned to a lifetime in prison.

Earlier Perspectives »

Commentary

Veteran drives through crowd in Times Square: The war comes home

By Eric London, 20 May 2017

There are many young people in the US who know a veteran who “came back crazy” with “nobody to help them,” as Rojas’ friends put it.

The political issues behind the removal of Confederate monuments in New Orleans

By Tom Hall, 20 May 2017

The decision by Mayor Mitch Landrieu to remove the statues is a tactical move aimed at bolstering the tattered reputation of the Democratic Party.

“A declaration of hostility towards the principles of humanity”
Professor Mario Kessler publishes comment criticizing views of right-wing professor Jörg Baberowski

By Christoph Vandreier, 19 May 2017

International Socialist Organization lines up behind Democrats’ anti-Russian campaign against Trump

Free the Maruti Suzuki workers!

Sri Lankan plantation workers support campaign to release framed-up Maruti Suzuki workers

By M. Thevarajah, 20 May 2017

Sri Lankan plantation workers in the hill country spoke to the WSWS, condemning the frame up of Maruti Suzuki workers and describing their own increasingly difficult working conditions.

The frame-up of the Maruti Suzuki workers—Part 5: Judge Goyal mangles the law to sustain the legal vendetta

By Eric London and Keith Jones, 18 May 2017

“There is an air of worker rebellion in India and China”
A conversation with Professor Immanuel Ness on the Maruti Suzuki workers

By Jerry White, 4 May 2017

More on the frame-up of Maruti Suzuki workers »

Arts

ABC’s Designated Survivor: The US government in crisis, onscreen and off

By Carlos Delgado, 20 May 2017

The series stars Kiefer Sutherland as Tom Kirkman, a low-level cabinet member who ascends to the presidency after a devastating attack on the US government.

Socialist Equality Party

SEP and Victorian Teachers and ES Staff Forum
The political issues in the fight against the AEU-Labor government EBA

20 May 2017

The forum on May 28 will present a detailed critique of the Australian Education Union’s sell-out deal with the Andrews Labor government, and clarify why teachers and ES staff should reject it.