Eduardo Galeano: " El primer semáforo funcionó, desde fines de 1868, frente al Parlamento británico. En nuestro tiempo, otros semáforos, mucho más poderosos, dirigen el tráfico mundial. En casi todos los países del norte, la luz roja impide la circulación de herbicidas, pesticidas y abonos químicos que contengan abamectina, acefato, carbofurano, cihexatina, endosulfato, forato, fosmet, lactofem, metamidofós, paraquate, parationa metílica, tiram y tricloform. En casi todos los países del sur, la luz verde da la bienvenida a esos mismos agrotóxicos, venenosos para la salud humana, que los países del norte les venden. ¿Quién maneja los semáforos? ¿Quién gobierna a los gobiernos?"

El derrame de petróleo en el golfo de México pasará a la historia como uno de los peores desastres ambientales a escala mundial. Se habla de un accidente en la plataforma Deepwater Horizon, pero sería más adecuado hablar de negligencia criminal. El desastre se debe a la arrogancia corporativa y la ambición de los operadores de BP. Claro, también están involucrados la empresa Transocean, dueña y operadora de la plataforma (por cuenta de BP) y Halliburton, responsable de la cimentación del pozo. ¿Qué fue lo que pasó el 20 de abril?

The need for greater linkages between the environmental, peace and Wall Street reform movements grow by the day in the face of the epic oil spill caused by British Petroleum, a multinational firm tied to Goldman Sachs and Halliburton in oil wars from the Gulf of Mexico to the Persian Gulf. The current oil spill invites a coming together of many social movements, including those inspired by the recent indigenous gathering in Bolivia and mainstream groups with a new opportunity for principled battle against the Obama administration’s embarrassing energy legislation which green-lights more off-shore drilling. It still remains for progressives to move beyond a single-issue focus to make the connections between Wall Street, war, and environmental destruction.

What's happening in the Gulf -- now spreading into the Atlantic -- isn't funny at all. Indeed, war hardly ever is, and that's what we've got on our collective hands here, in one form or another. Cherished ideals, future generations, hopefulness, the earth itself -- all are among war's many casualties. The sooner we recognize the sense of pervasive warfare in our midst, embedded in the flow of our everyday lives, the sooner we can intentionally turn that essential corner toward peace. Waking up to war may in fact be the first genuine step toward peace, both among ourselves and with the environment.

Source: The Guardian Ten years after the publication of No Logo, Naomi Klein switches her attention from the mall to Barack Obama and discovers that corporate culture has taken over the US government by Naomi Klein January 16, 2010 Extracted from a 10th anniversary edition of No Logo to be published by Fourth Estate on 21 January. In May 2009, [...]

Before you can appeal to America’s voters you have to appeal to the corporations by Johann Hari November 20, 2009 Almost a year after Barack Obama ascended to the White House, many of his supporters are bemused. His healthcare bill is a hefty improvement but it still won’t provide coverage for all Americans, and may not provide a [...]

by Christopher Brauchli August 15, 2009 There are men in the world who derive as stern an exaltation from the proximity of disaster and ruin, as others from success. — Winston Churchill, The Malakand Field Force KBR will long remember August 7, 2009. Cheryl Harris will long remember August 7, 2009. Each will remember it for the same reason. [...]

How the Pentagon bought stability in Iraq by funneling billions of taxpayer dollars to the country’s next generation of strongmen. by Shane Bauer August 12, 2009 It’s a bright day in February, and I am in a pink villa on the outskirts of Fallujah, sitting with a tribal sheikh and a Marine commander as they hunch over a [...]

por Carlos Miguélez Monroy 17 de julio, 200 La subordinación de los Estados a los intereses de grandes corporaciones llama a la creación de mecanismos internacionales frente a los que éstas respondan por violaciones de derechos humanos.

Guard members’ claims against KBR raise questions about war zone contractors. by Sharon Cohen July 12, 2009 Larry Roberta’s every breath is a painful reminder of his time in Iraq. He can’t walk a block without gasping for air. His chest hurts, his migraines sometimes persist for days and he needs pills to help him sleep.