Author: Dave DeCamp

Journalist and filmmaker Abby Martin agreed to speak at a media conference that was set to take place at Georgia Southern University on February 28th. The university sent Martin a contract for the event that included a clause not to boycott Israel. Seeing it as a clear affront to her constitutional rights, Martin refused to sign, and the speech was canceled.

In response, Martin filed a lawsuit against the State of Georgia with the help of two civil rights groups, The Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund.

In 2016, Georgia passed a law that prohibits the state from contracting with individuals or companies that boycott Israel. The legislation is an effort to thwart the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. BDS is an international campaign that calls on people to pressure Israel over its human rights violations through various boycotts. Last month, South Dakota became the 28th US state to pass anti-BDS legislation.

The clause in the contract Martin was sent by the university read, "You certify that you are not currently engaged in, and agree for the duration of this agreement not to engage in, a boycott of Israel."

Continue reading “Journalist Abby Martin Sues State of Georgia Over Israel Loyalty Oath”

The UN Security Council met in New York on Monday to discuss the investigation by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) into an alleged chemical attack that was said to have taken place in April 2018 in Douma, Syria. The alleged attack was blamed on the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and the US, UK, and France responded with an airstrike against Syrian government targets.

A former OPCW employee spoke to the UN Security Council and accused OPCW management of ignoring and suppressing findings of the investigative team that was deployed to Douma.

The OPCW released their final report on the Douma attack in March 2019, the report concluded that a chlorine chemical attack likely occurred. Two cylinders were found at two separate locations in Douma that were said to be the source of the chlorine gas. The idea that these cylinders were dropped from an aircraft is central to the allegation that the Syrian government was responsible.

Continue reading “Author of Leaked OPCW Engineering Report on Douma Speaks at UN Security Council”

One of the leading co-sponsors of an amendment to the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would end US support for Saudi Arabia’s war on Yemen appears to be withdrawing his support.

Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) spoke at an American Enterprise Institute event on Thursday. When Smith took a question about his efforts to end US support for the war, he said, "There is nothing we are going to pass in Congress that’s going to stop the war in Yemen." Smith said Iran’s involvement in the war cannot be ignored and that he does not want to "cut off Saudi Arabia’s and UAE’s ability to deal with Iran."

In April, President Trump vetoed a bipartisan effort to end US support for the war in Yemen. In June, Trump vetoed resolutions that would have blocked arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Experts agree that the best way to end the war in Yemen is through this amendment to the NDAA.

Continue reading “Rep. Adam Smith Backtracks on Support for NDAA Amendment to End War in Yemen”

A new poll conducted by the Eurasia Group Foundation shows Americans are losing their belief in American exceptionalism, and tend to favor a more non-interventionist foreign policy. The participants were asked a range of foreign policy questions.

Over 1,200 people across the country were surveyed for the Eurasia Group poll. Here are some of its findings:

Most of the participants believe that America is an exceptional nation. 42.4 percent believe America is exceptional for what it represents, and 18.2 percent believe the nation is exceptional for what it has done in the world. 39.5 percent of the participants believe America is not exceptional, just another country acting on behalf of its own interests. That number is up 6.1 percent from the previous year.

Looking at the different age groups shows younger people do not think America is anything special. In the 18-29-year age bracket, just 45.1 percent find America to be exceptional. Those who are 60 and over find America to be the most exceptional, at 75.2 percent.

The participants were asked how peace is best achieved and sustained by the US and were given the choice of four responses. The most popular response was "keeping a focus on domestic needs" which was chosen by 34.4 percent. The second most popular choice "establishing, encouraging, and reinforcing global economic integration" came in at 28.3 percent. Third was "promoting and defending democracy" which received 19 percent of the vote. The fourth and most hawkish sounding response "maintaining overwhelming strength" came in last with 18.3 percent.

Continue reading “New Poll Shows Americans Favor Non-Intervention”

One of the many negative consequences of the Russiagate craze was the rehabilitation of U.S. intelligence agencies in the eyes of Liberals and Democrats. A new poll from Fox News shows that they are the group that trusts the CIA and FBI the most, compared to Republicans and Independents.

According to the poll 73 percent of Democrats, 74 percent of Hillary Clinton voters and 74 percent of liberals have confidence in the CIA. When it comes to the FBI, the agency of their patron saint Robert Mueller, its 77 percent across the board.

NBC News did a poll in December 2016 that showed Democrats favored the CIA more than Republicans since they started asking that question in 2002. That was around the time the CIA decided the Russian government interfered in the 2016 election.

Continue reading “Democrats and Liberals Trust the CIA More Than Republicans”

Abby Martin and Mike Prysner of the Empire Files teamed up with Palestinian journalists on the ground in Gaza to produce Gaza Fights For Freedom. The documentary covers the Great March of Return protests at the Gaza border that have been going on since March 2018. Martin does an excellent job as the narrator and cuts through the propaganda the mainstream media has been selling on these protests.

The shocking footage shows undeniably that the Israeli Defense Force is guilty of war crimes. Martin goes over specific incidents of children, people with disabilities, journalists and medics all being shot by Israeli snipers.

The documentary is a must watch. The Israel-Palestine issue is reported so one-sided by all the mainstream outlets that voices like Martins and the Palestinians she works with need to be heard. Share this with as many people as you can. US-funded Israeli war crimes need to be exposed. The horrors of the occupation need to be exposed.

The documentary can be purchased or rented on Vimeo here.