Andrew Bacevich on Mattis & Why We Need to End Our Self-Destructive, Mindless Wars in Middle East

Links to today’s show transcripts:

Andrew Bacevich on Mattis & Why We Need to End Our Self-Destructive, Mindless Wars in Middle East
Secretary of Defense James Mattis has announced he will resign at the end of February, in a letter publicly rebuking President Trump’s foreign policy. Mattis resigned one day after President Trump ordered the withdrawal of all 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria and on the same day that reports emerged that Trump has ordered the withdrawal of about 7,000 troops from Afghanistan. The New York Times reports Mattis is the first prominent Cabinet member to resign in protest over a national security issue in almost 40 years. Much of the Washington establishment expressed shock over Mattis’s resignation. Andrew Bacevich, a retired colonel and Vietnam War veteran, is interviewed. He’s the author of several books, including his latest, “Twilight of the American Century.” His other books include “America’s War for the Greater Middle East: A Military History” and “Washington Rules: America’s Path to Permanent War.” He is professor emeritus of international relations and history at Boston University.

Congress Touts First Step Act as Criminal Justice Victory—But Critics Say Bill Makes False Promises
A major criminal justice reform bill is poised to become law after the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted in its favor Thursday. The First Step Act, passed in the Senate earlier this week with an 87-12 vote, would roll back sentences for federal prisoners, including mandatory life terms for third-time offenders and mandatory sentences for nonviolent drug users. The bill is now heading to the desk of President Trump, who has pledged to sign it into law. The bill only affects federal prisoners, who make up less than 10 percent of the more than 2 million U.S. prisoners. It has been endorsed by a wide range of supporters across the political spectrum, from the American Civil Liberties Union to the conservative Koch brothers. But the bill explicitly excludes immigrants and has been criticized by groups such as the Movement for Black Lives, a coalition of more than 150 black-led organizations, for encouraging profiteering and making “false promises” about bringing black prisoners home. Van Jones is president and co-founder of #cut50, a national bipartisan initiative to reduce the U.S.’s incarcerated population by 50 percent over the next 10 years. Jessica Jackson Sloan, a human rights attorney and co-founder and national director of #cut50 is also interviewed.

This Congressmember Camped in the Cold to Escort an Asylum-Seeking Honduran Mother Across Border
Nearly a month after a photo of a Honduran mother and her small children fleeing tear gas fired by U.S. Border Patrol captivated the nation, 39-year-old Maria Meza was finally admitted into the U.S. with her five children on Monday. Their asylum request is now being processed. But this came only after California Congressmembers Jimmy Gomez and Nanette Barragán intervened on behalf of Meza’s family, camping out overnight with them on the U.S. side of the border near the Otay Mesa Port of Entry between Tijuana and San Diego. Congressmember Nanette Barragán is interviewed, who just returned from the U.S.-Mexico border.


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As we go deeper into this most unusual and challenging phase of history, intelligence is the thing we need the most. That is the theme of the 2019-2020 annual edition of Planet Waves, now available for pre-order. See more information here.

Planet Waves Daily Oracle for Friday, Dec. 21, 2018

Today’s Oracle takes us to the Scorpio weekly for August 01, 2003.

oracle

It is not in your nature to take uncalculated risks. Indeed, it’s not in your nature to do much that is not well thought-out six steps ahead, much like a good chess player works the board. But you need to take a chance right now. Most likely it’s a professional chance. It may be on something that seems too good to be true; and to be sure, there are a couple of hidden pitfalls, there are risks and there are questions. Too good to be true — not quite. Too promising to pass up? Most certainly.

The Daily Oracle offers a horoscope selected randomly by our Intelligent Archive Oracle program, unique to Planet Waves. It’s also a database of my horoscopes going back to the late 1990s. You can use the Intelligent Archive Oracle to answer questions and give you ideas for how to handle problems and situations you cannot see through. This feature is available to our Galaxy, Backstage and Core Community members. See this link for more information.


intel

As we go deeper into this most unusual and challenging phase of history, intelligence is the thing we need the most. That is the theme of the 2019-2020 annual edition of Planet Waves, now available for pre-order. See more information here.

Planet Waves Weekly Horoscope for Dec. 20, 2018

Weekly Horoscope for Dec. 20, 2018 (#1230) | By Amy Elliott
Aries

Aries (March 20-April 19) — With the emphasis turning toward your house of career and status, and a powerful Full Moon about to take place right across that axis of your chart, you may well be at least beginning to feel — to borrow from Terry Pratchett — as if your get-up-and-go has got up and come. That’s likely to be a good deal more obvious in the New Year, once your ruler Mars is in your sign. Just remember all the things you’ve learned about yourself recently, especially where you’ve gotten in touch with your sensitivity and empathy. Keep close to your sense of fairness. Get your full Aries reading by Eric here.

Taurus

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — You may be experiencing some tension regarding specifically the question of what holds most meaning for you, and your general philosophy. These are profound questions, which we are in a sense compelled to answer with every decision we make and every action we take. The responses we give can change as we go through life and encounter new situations, though sometimes we stumble upon fundamental principles of such importance that they stay with us for many years. If there is turbulence around you, concepts of that sort are usually a very good anchor. Get your full Taurus reading by Eric here.

Gemini

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Mercury, your ruler, finally leaves shadow phase on Monday, meaning it will enter new zodiacal territory for the first time since its retrograde. If you’ve been feeling as if you’ve yet to shake off the sensation of slowing down and of a reflective state of being, there may be more information to emerge on your present path of self-discovery before you’re ready to move back into the active realm. Be as patient as you can, and keep going until you see fit to take a different route. At some point any uncertainty you may feel will most likely wane, and clarity fill the gap. Get your full Gemini reading by Eric here.

Cancer

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — In part thanks to the heavy emphasis on the nuclear family, around this time of year there is a culturally driven wave of sentimentality involving relationships and the imperative to Not Be Alone — regardless of whether the available company is worth keeping or not. Thanks to the Full Moon this week, you might be experiencing the urge to commit to a specific arrangement, which you would otherwise probably take your time in deciding. However, there’s no reason to rush anything; use your discernment, and weigh out all the details carefully, before coming to a decision. Get your full Cancer reading by Eric here.

Leo

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — The solstices are among the pivotal turning points in the year, around which festivals tend to congregate, and which are globally significant. When they’ve passed, we tend to go back to our routine lives. That said, there is something particularly interesting about tomorrow’s solstice, namely a sense that some of its magic can be carried forward into the workaday world, if we so wish it. There is beauty and meaning and power in every day, though sometimes finding it takes a bit of digging. You seem to possess the key, at present, to doing just that. Get your full Leo reading by Eric here.

Virgo

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — On the face of it, the astrology looks as if you’re about to turn into the creativity-related version of a perpetual motion machine. Yet it’s also possible that what you’re feeling right now is more akin to stress and overwhelm, or confusion regarding what to do next. Keep an eye out if you’re prone at the moment to wanting to push the river, or expecting too much of yourself. You cannot shoulder a level of pressure on the order of having to turn into Picasso overnight. You’re only human, and perhaps could do with remembering that it’s okay to need downtime occasionally. Get your full Virgo reading by Eric here.

Libra

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — Pay close attention to your body and emotions during the festive season, especially in social and other interactive situations. This time of year can pile on the stress as well as offering relaxation and general cheer. Take it easy, and don’t feel obliged to participate in any activity you’d rather not. Many people enjoy the parties and celebratory atmosphere; if you prefer a quiet, homely gathering or not much at all, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. Stay alert and aware of your instincts, and try to avoid too many excesses, particularly of alcohol. Get your full Libra reading by Eric here.

Scorpio

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — You’ve probably heard that riddle on what happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object. Nothing in our lived reality, fortunately, is quite so absolute; yet there are times when something has to give. When a matter feels important to us, we are apt to let our emotions sway our judgment; yet it can be enormously helpful to take a step back, analyze the situation and ensure there isn’t a factor we’re overlooking. At any rate, if there seems to be an inflexible barrier in the path, it’s probably sensible to pause and try to figure out a way round it. Get your full Scorpio reading by Eric here.

Sagittarius

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Awareness is thankfully growing regarding the impact of single-use items on the environment. It seems far too many things are made to be disposable in short order. This can impact our thinking as well; it can be ridiculously easy to decide that a project or an interest isn’t working, and to throw it over for something new without further analysis. Yet what might seem like a blind alley can often have hidden doors. If you think you’ve arrived at an impasse, look around carefully for a way through that you haven’t yet spotted. Chances are there’ll be at least a few. Get your full Sagittarius reading by Eric here.

Capricorn

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — The focus of the planets is shifting onto your sign, and it would seem you’re about to get a foretaste of what the incredible 2020 astrology might feel like for you. If you’re experiencing apprehension at the idea of being more central in the grand scheme of things, you can acknowledge this and sit with it for a while. To embrace that situation will require confidence — in yourself, and in the various beliefs you hold dear. What you possibly need to realize more than anything else is that there is every reason why said confidence is perfectly justified. Get your full Capricorn reading by Eric here.

Aquarius

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — You may feel as if you’re currently paying a visit to Wonderland, or a parallel universe in which everything is upside down or exists in ten different dimensions. There are certainly enough Mad Hatters operating on the current world stage, after all. Yet if you listen carefully, you will find the strain of truth running beneath the cacophony like a deep bass line, maintaining a rhythm of solid, reliable tones. Hold that sound in your mind, and allow it to drown out the noise when things seem like they’re getting to be too much. You know who you are, and you can lean on that feeling. Get your full Aquarius reading by Eric here.

Pisces

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — The astrological spotlight is currently on your zones of public visibility, suggesting that you’ll have opportunities to stand out more palpably over the mass of your fellow humans. Small moves in the right direction could cause a surprisingly dynamic response, propelling you into a broader realm of influence. Just remember to keep your sense of perspective; it’s all too easy to let that slip away when the world is changing around us, but you’ve grown immeasurably, and sacrificed far too much to let go of your roots and of the person you’ve spent years becoming. Get your full Pisces reading by Eric here.


The Pulse of Life

Planet Waves
Photo from Green Earth Village. “A community developed for the planet’s future. It begs the question, why didn’t we build this way sooner?”

Dear Friend and Reader:

We’re now at the southern solstice — the beginning of winter here in the Northern Hemisphere. Measured by the Sun’s ingress into Capricorn, this takes place Friday, Dec. 21 at 5:23 pm EST [for a detailed reading of the chart, please see Monday’s edition, or Amanda’s article below].

There are times when I can physically feel the movement of the planets. That is one of the things that awakened me to astrology.

I once experienced the solstice happening. I was on the ferry dock heading back to Vashon Island in Washington State when the Sun entered Capricorn. Just as this happened, the cosmos felt like a huge machine that slowed down, came to a halt, started back up, and began moving in the other direction. It was a little like being on an enormous carnival ride.

My first thought was: OK, this is about the angle of the Sun to the Earth, though it feels a lot bigger. It felt like more than the Sun-Earth relationship, though when you consider that, it’s pretty large from the standpoint of an individual body or consciousness on Earth. It might just feel like everything, and it did, kind of like the teacup ride feels like everything when you’re riding on it.

Continue reading

Trump Pledges to Withdraw U.S. Ground Troops from Syria—But Global Powers & Deadly Air Forces Remain

Links to today’s show transcripts:

Trump Pledges to Withdraw U.S. Ground Troops from Syria—But Global Powers & Deadly Air Forces Remain
President Trump has ordered the withdrawal of all 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria, shocking many in Washington and around the world. On Wednesday, Trump tweeted, “We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency.” He ordered the withdrawal despite opposition from within the White House. Yazan al-Saadi is interviewed, a Syrian-Canadian writer and researcher, who warns that U.S. military presence in the region will continue. “You might have a large chunk of the boots on the ground leaving, but it seems very clear that the American air power is going to remain,” al-Saadi says.

The Bombings Will Continue: Phyllis Bennis Warns U.S. Military Role in Syria Is Not Actually Ending
Facebook is under fire again, this time for new revelations that Russian trolls targeted African Americans on social media in an effort to influence the vote ahead of the 2016 election. A pair of bipartisan reports published by the Senate Intelligence Committee Monday claim the Russian government focused on African Americans in its effort to suppress the turnout of voters likely to cast ballots for Hillary Clinton, spreading fake news and sowing discord in the run-up to the election. The NAACP has launched a Facebook boycott in response, demanding the social media giant be held responsible. Derrick Johnson is president and CEO of the NAACP.

NAACP Launches Boycott of Facebook: Platform Is Unhealthy for African Americans & U.S. Democracy
President Trump has announced that the U.S. will withdraw troops from Syria, in a move that has been praised by some in the American peace movement and some progressive lawmakers, as well as anti-interventionist Republicans, including Senators Rand Paul and Mike Lee. Phyllis Bennis is a fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies, and warns that the U.S. warplanes and drones will continue to bomb the country. ”ISIS has not been ‘defeated,’ and the U.S. should not remain in Syria militarily,” Bennis says. “You cannot defeat terrorism militarily. Terrorism is a phenomenon that emerges out of social and economic and national and all kinds of crises, in all kinds of countries. And stopping it doesn’t mean playing whack-a-mole with your military.”


intel

As we go deeper into this most unusual and challenging phase of history, intelligence is the thing we need the most. That is the theme of the 2019-2020 annual edition of Planet Waves, now available for pre-order. See more information here.

A Full-Moon Pholus on the Solstice

By Amanda Painter

As you likely already know, late tomorrow the Sun enters Capricorn for the solstice. The next day, we get a potent-looking Cancer Full Moon. So we’re about to enter a moment of (possibly) heightened emotions, layered on top of cultural holiday busy-ness, layered on top of a seasonal point of contraction and interiority, all nestled into the personal-is-political Aries Point — with a twist.

Photo by Amanda Painter

Photo by Amanda Painter

These are days to keep a finger on the pulse of how you’re feeling.

What catches your attention as a possible synchronicity or as having meaning, and what (or who) starts to trigger your reactivity? Are you going along with the crowd because it’s expected or you’ve ‘always done this’, or is a small, inner voice whispering something about needing to spend a little time differently this year?

To help you get your bearings, here’s the timing of the main astro events: on Friday, Dec. 21, the Sun enters Capricorn at 5:23 pm EST (22:22:37 UTC), immediately making a conjunction to the centaur Pholus (technically exact the next day). That’s the “twist” I mentioned, and I’ll come back to it in a moment.

At 11:28 am EST (16:27:54 UTC) on Saturday, Dec. 22, the Moon ingresses Cancer. Then, just over an hour later at 12:48 pm EST (17:48:29 UTC), the Cancer Moon and Capricorn Sun oppose each other.

With a Full Moon in the very first degree of Cancer, we’re ringing the bell of the Aries Point pretty strongly (the Aries Point is the first degree of Aries, which resonates with the first degree of all the cardinal signs: Aries, Cancer, Libra and Cap). I know many people don’t pay as much attention to the news on the weekends, though with social media interaction it still may enter your awareness. Even so, you might want to pay attention to it over the next few days.

Continue reading

Planet Waves Daily Oracle for Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018

Today’s Oracle takes us to the Leo weekly for January 28, 2005.

oracle

People treat you fairly but that’s partly because you stand up for yourself. It’s also because you’ve long ago figured out that this elusive little thing in the world called ‘ethics’ is alive and well in your mind. You live in a world where there is actual right and wrong. This week may present you with an ethical dilemma that comes in various shades of gray. At the time it may not seem like there is a correct answer or solution. You may in the end have to make a decision that’s based on your intuition or do what feels right. You can trust yourself. With you the chances are that if it feels right it is.

The Daily Oracle offers a horoscope selected randomly by our Intelligent Archive Oracle program, unique to Planet Waves. It’s also a database of my horoscopes going back to the late 1990s. You can use the Intelligent Archive Oracle to answer questions and give you ideas for how to handle problems and situations you cannot see through. This feature is available to our Galaxy, Backstage and Core Community members. See this link for more information.


intel

As we go deeper into this most unusual and challenging phase of history, intelligence is the thing we need the most. That is the theme of the 2019-2020 annual edition of Planet Waves, now available for pre-order. See more information here.

Justice for Jakelin: Lawmakers Demand Answers in Death of 7-Year-Old Girl in Border Patrol Custody

Links to today’s show transcripts:

Justice for Jakelin: Lawmakers Demand Answers in Death of 7-Year-Old Girl in Border Patrol Custody
Outrage is mounting over the death of a 7-year-old indigenous Guatemalan girl in Border Patrol custody, as lawmakers demand answers for the conditions that led Jakelin Caal Maquín to die after being detained at the U.S.-Mexico border. Maquin died on December 8, two days after she and her father presented themselves at the border alongside 161 other Central American asylum seekers. She had been held in detention for more than eight hours when she began to have seizures. Border Patrol agents brought the girl to the hospital after her body temperature spiked to 105.7 degrees. The 7-year-old died of dehydration, shock and liver failure at an El Paso hospital less than 24 hours later. Clara Long is a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch.

Greg Grandin: How U.S. Policies Punished Central Americans, Long Before Jakelin Caal Maquín’s Death
As public outrage grows over the death of Jakelin Caal Maquín, a 7-year-old indigenous Guatemalan girl who died in Border Patrol custody, DN discusses U.S. policy in Central America with Greg Grandin, prize-winning author and professor of Latin American history at New York University. Searching for answers after Jakelin’s death, Grandin points to border militarization policies dating back to the Clinton administration and the closure of safer urban routes to the U.S. border. He also links the displacement of Jakelin’s family to the U.S.-backed coup in Guatemala in 1954 and economic policies that destroyed subsistence agriculture in her region. Grandin’s latest piece in The Nation, co-authored with Elizabeth Oglesby, is titled “Who Killed Jakelin Caal Maquín at the US Border?”

Mental Health Experts & Rights Groups Call for Unceasing Media Coverage of Detained Migrant Children
It’s been more than four months since a judge ordered the Trump administration to reunite all families that were separated at the U.S.-Mexico border, but 140 children are still separated from their parents in U.S. custody. It is believed that 30 children will never be reunited. Despite this, family separation is no longer in the daily headlines. We speak with a Harvard psychologist who is trying to change this by calling on U.S. media outlets to highlight the growing number of days that migrant children have been forcibly separated from their parents. Dr. Paula J. Caplan is a clinical and research psychologist and associate at the DuBois Institute at Harvard University. She is leading a coalition of human rights groups and mental health professionals calling attention to the ongoing family separation crisis.


intel

As we go deeper into this most unusual and challenging phase of history, intelligence is the thing we need the most. That is the theme of the 2019-2020 annual edition of Planet Waves, now available for pre-order. See more information here.