Dangerous military escalation in the Middle East follows Trump dump of Iran agreement

IPAN (Independent & Peaceful Australia Network) Media Release
11th May, 2018

" President Trump’s cancellation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) agreement over nuclear weapons, signed in 2015 between Iran and other nations has already led, as expected, to further military escalation in the Middle East," Mr Nick Deane speaking on behalf of the Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN) said today.  “This is an extremely dangerous situation,” he continued.
 
IPAN joins other influential groups like the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) in condemning US President Trump’s announcement that the United States is withdrawing from the JCPOA.

Read more: Trump sabotages international peace agreement with Iran

A Personal Account

by Prof Tim Anderson

Featured image: A row of craters from exploded mines, left by DAESH throughout Palmyra. (Image credit: Prof. Tim Anderson)

Why support other peoples, especially during conflict? Some explanation seems necessary because wartime debates often degenerate into simplistic clichés, personal abuse and confusion. I am one of many who have been subject to this abuse. Even the sanity of the critics of war is attacked, in attempts to disqualify opposing voices. Confusion is sown through the extreme nature of war propaganda, and its invented pretexts.

Read more: War, Abuse and Other Peoples: Why Support Other Peoples, Especially during Conflict?

This article came from the CFMEU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=24&v=LM1XHxgZ8-A

In a major victory for Australian workers, charges against two CFMEU Victorian Construction officials were dramatically dropped at the Melbourne Magistrate’s Court this morning.

The CFMEU has welcomed the decision by the Director of Public Prosecutions to withdraw blackmail charges against Victorian Branch officials Shaun Reardon and John Setka.

Read more: Victory for workers over a conspiracy against unions, as charges dropped against CFMEU officials

by Dr. Binoy Kampmark

Featured image: Vice Adm. Harry Harris, Jr. (US Navy Photo)

It was cheered and embraced with enthusiasm bordering on self-praise: Admiral Harry B. Harris, Jr. of the Pacific Fleet would be making his way to Canberra to assume the post of US Ambassador.  Washington had supposedly appointed a big fish to monitor even smaller creatures in the Pacific.

But Harris was never going to take up a position vacant since 2016, instead finding himself making his way to a far more significant, and timely posting: Seoul.  The Australian press subsequently seethed and berated, appalled that their standing as sub-regional policemen had somehow gone unacknowledged. 

Read more: Without a US Ambassador: Australia Awaits