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For today, links to eight reports from Reuters, the Associated Press, Anadolu Agency, and Middle East Eye, and to commentary from ScheerPost and Consortium News; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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Hamas says it has not withdrawn from ceasefire talks after latest Israeli attacks. From Reuters.  CAIRO — Islamist group Hamas has not withdrawn from ceasefire talks after this weekend’s deadly Israeli attacks in Gaza, one of the group’s senior officials said today. The statement from Izzat El-Reshiq, a member of the political office of Hamas, also accused . . . READ MORE . . .

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U.S. is removing aid pier from Gaza coast again due to weather, officials say. From AP. The U.S.-built aid pier will be detached from Gaza’s coast for a second time due to rough seas, two U.S. officials said Friday, raising further questions about the viability of the sea route. Palestinians are facing . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for earlier report from AP.

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FROM JULY. 13  Israeli strike targets Hamas military commander and kills at least 90 in southern Gaza, by Mohamed Jahjouh | AP  KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip  — Israel said it targeted Hamas’ shadowy military commander in a massive strike Saturday in the crowded southern Gaza Strip that killed at least 90 people including children, according to local health officials. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE, HERE and HERE for reports from Reuters, Anadolu Agency, and Middle East Eye.

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FROM JULY 13  Gaza talks halted until Israel shows it’s serious about negotiations, say Egyptian sources. From Reuters. CAIRO — Gaza ceasefire talks have been halted after three days of intense negotiations failed to produce a viable outcome, two Egyptian security sources said on Saturday, blaming Israel for lacking a genuine intent to reach agreement. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 12  The old evil, by Chris Hedges | Original to ScheerPost  RAMALLAH, Occupied Palestine  It comes back in a rush, the stench of raw sewage, the groan of the diesel, sloth-like Israeli armored personnel carriers, the vans filled with broods of children, driven by . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 13  The corporate news media at work, by Jonathan Cook | Jonathan-Cook.net / Consortium News  When all we have to rely on in understanding our relationship to the news media is the media’s self-proclaimed assessment of its own role, maybe it is no surprise that most of us assume the West’s “free press” . . . READ MORE . . .

 

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For today, links to four reports from Agence France-Presse, the Kyiv Post, Tass, and the Kyiv Independent, and to commentary from Indian Punchline and Consortium News; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA link for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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FROM JULY 13  Russian oil depot on fire after Ukrainian drone attack – governor. From AFP. An oil depot caught fire Saturday in Russia’s Rostov region after a Ukrainian drone attack, according to its governor, Vasily Golubev, who said there were no casualties. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from the Kyiv Post. 

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Battlegroup West inflicts damage on eight brigades in 24 hours. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicted damage on eight brigades of the Ukrainian army, territorial defense and Azov (banned in Russia), with the enemy’s losses totaling up to 520 troops in 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry said today in a broader statement. READ MORE. . .

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Russia claims launch of 3-ton aerial glide bombs from Su-34 jets against Ukraine, by Elsa Court | The Kyiv Independent  Russia has started to use Su-34 jets to launch aerial glide bombs weighing 3,000 kilograms against Ukraine. the Russian Defense Ministry claimed today. It released footage that purported to show the aerial bomb, known as a FAB-3000 . . . READ MORE . . .

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India-Russia ties take a quantum leap in the flog of Ukraine war, by B.K Bhadrakumar | Indian Punchline  India-Russia relations “are blossoming  and getting stronger as time goes by” and their cooperation “represents a guarantee for the future of our people” — to borrow Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s words. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 13  The corporate news media at work, by Jonathan Cook | Jonathan-Cook.net / Consortium News  When all we have to rely on in understanding our relationship to the news media is the media’s self-proclaimed assessment of its own role, maybe it is no surprise that most of us assume the West’s “free press” . . . READ MORE . . .

 

For today, links to five reports from the Associated Press, Interfax-Ukraine, Tass, Anadolu Agency, and the Kyiv Independent; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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After embrace at NATO summit, Zelenskyy takes his case for U.S. military aid to governors, by Hannah Schoenbaum and Mead Gruver | AP  SALT LAKE CITY — Away from Washington, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sought to broaden support for U.S. military aid by telling state governors Friday that the world’s leaders should see for themselves the carnage wrought since Russia invaded his country more than two years ago. Zelenskyy’s plea at the . . . READ MORE . . .

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Zelensky to visit Great Britain, Ireland next week – media. From Interfax-Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to pay a visit to the UK next week, The Guardian reports. According to the ezine, Zelenskyy will also make his first visit to Ireland this morning when he touches down in Shannon airport, Co Clare, for a meeting with the Irish taoiseach, Simon Harris. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 13  Russia strikes Ukrainian military-industrial sites, air bases over week. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian forces delivered 39 strikes by precision weapons and attack unmanned aerial vehicles against Ukrainian military-industrial sites and air bases over the past week in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry said Friday in a broader statement. READ MORE . . .

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Chinese, Belarusian troops to begin live-fire in next phase of joint military drill. From Anadolu Agency. ANKARA — China’s People’s Liberation Army said today that a joint military drill with Belarusian troops will move forward to the next phase, which will include live-fire training exercises with various weapons as well as anti-terrorism operations. READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine and its soldiers weigh in on whether Biden should step aside, by Asami Terajima, Owen Racer and Oleg Sukhov | The Kyiv Independent  As calls mount for U.S. President Joe Biden to step aside in the upcoming presidential election among Democratic party allies in Washington, Ukrainian soldiers . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to five reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, Anadolu Agency, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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An Israeli attack on southern Gaza kills 71 people and said to target head of Hamas’s military wing, by Josef Federman | AP  JERUSALEM — An Israeli attack on the south of the Gaza Strip on Saturday killed 71 people and injured scores, the Health Ministry in Gaza said, while an Israeli official said it targeted Mohammed Deif, the head of Hamas’ military wing. READ MORE . . . Click HERE and HERE for reports from Reuters and Anadolu Agency.

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Hezbollah spokesperson says the group doesn’t want an all-out war in the region. Reported by Jane Arraf and Scott Simon | NPR  In an interview with NPR, a spokesman for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah said that it would stop its attacks on Israel if Hamas agrees to a ceasefire in the war in Gaza. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM JULY 12  Israel again orders thousands of people in Gaza City to evacuate. Reported by Hadeel Al-Shalchi and A Martínez | NPR  Many residents are ignoring the order as Israel renews military action in Gaza’s largest city. A local civil defense group said the neighborhood of Shujaiya is uninhabitable. Click HERE to listen and, maybe later, read.

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For today, links to nine reports from Reuters, Agence France-Presse, the Associated Press, Mondoweiss, Anadolu Agency, and Middle East Monitor, and to commentary from Mondoweiss and Middle East Eye; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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Israeli forces pull back after Gaza City offensive, leaving dozens of bodies, rescue service says, by Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Dawoud Abu Alkas | Reuters  CAIRO — Israeli forces retreated from some Gaza City districts overnight after a fierce, week-long military offensive, leaving dozens of dead and wrecked homes and roads in the Palestinian enclave’s biggest urban area, residents and rescue service said today. READ MORE . . . Click HERE and HERE for reports from AP and AFP.

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FROM JULY 11  ‘We have nothing’: Palestinians return to utter destruction in Gaza City after Israeli withdrawal. From AP. SHIJAIYAH, Gaza Strip — Palestinians returned to breathtaking scenes of destruction in the Gaza City district of Shijaiyah after Israeli troops withdrew, ending a two-week offensive there. Civil defense workers said Thursday that so far, they had found the bodies of 60 people in the rubble. Families . . . READ MORE . . .

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Gaza talks explore alternative to Israeli troops on Gaza-Egypt border, by Ahmed Mohamed Hassan and Maayan Lubell | Reuters  CAIRO — Israeli and Egyptian ceasefire negotiators are in talks about an electronic surveillance system along the border between Gaza and Egypt that could allow Israel to pull back its troops from the area if a ceasefire is agreed, according to two Egyptian sources and a third source familiar with the matter. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 11  Israeli army acknowledges Oct. 7 failures, including slow response and disorganization, by Josef Federman | AP  JERUSALEM — The Israeli military on Thursday acknowledged a string of errors in its response to the deadly Hamas attacks last Oct. 7, including slow response times and disorganization, as it released the results of its first investigation into failures during the assault that triggered the war in Gaza. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 10  Israel’s leading paper says its own army deliberately killed Israelis on Oct. 7. But in the U.S. media: silence, by James North | Mondoweiss / ScheerPost / Popular Resistance  Three days ago, Israel’s leading newspaper Haaretz, published the results of its thorough, comprehensive investigation into what actually happened when Hamas attacked on Oct. 7. So far, the U.S. mainstream media has not said a word . . . READ MORE . . .

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Türkiye will not approve attempts to cooperate with Israel within NATO: President Erdogan, by Diyar Guldogan | Anadolu Agency  WASHINGTON — “It is not possible for the Israeli administration, which has trampled on the fundamental values of our alliance, to continue its partnership relationship with NATO,” Turkish President Recep Erdogan said Thursday in Washington after the NATO leaders’ summit. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 11  Jordan reiterates support for Egypt demand for Israeli to withdraw from Rafah. From Middle East Monitor. Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and Expatriate Affairs, Ayman Al-Safadi, has reiterated the kingdom’s full support for Egypt’s demand for the Israeli occupation army to withdraw from the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing so that aid can flow into the besieged Gaza Strip. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 8  Why the Israeli army is expanding its invasion of Gaza City, by Tareq S. Hajjaj | Mondoweiss  The Israeli army’s invasion of Gaza City’s eastern Shuja’iyya neighborhood has entered its second week, and it is now spreading to other parts of the city. The entire city is being put under siege, with . . . READ MORE . . .

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The West’s false image of reality is collapsing, by Marco Carnelos | Middle East Eye  Dating back to tsarist Russia, the Potemkin village is a figure of speech for a representation of reality that is quite different from the truth. For years, western democracies built their own Potemkin village to. . . READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to seven reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, Agence France-Presse, Tass, the Moscow Times, and the Anadolu Agency, and to commentary from Substack; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA entry for this date, so far, is HERE.) —  MCM

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China tells NATO not to create chaos in Asia and rejects label of ‘enabler’ of Russia’s Ukraine war, by Ken Moritsugu | AP  BEIJING — China today accused NATO of seeking security at the expense of others and told the alliance not to bring the same “chaos” to Asia, a reflection of its determination to oppose strengthening ties between NATO members and Asian nations such as . . . READ MORE . . .

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NATO to back Ukraine as Biden faces growing pressure, by Andrea Shalal | Reuters  WASHINGTON — NATO leaders will end their summit today with a clear focus on backing Ukraine and countering what the allies say is the growing threat Russia poses to Europe, as U.S. President Joe Biden faces growing calls from members of his Democratic party to drop his re-election bid. READ MORE . . .

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Russia plans ‘response’ to contain ‘serous threat’ from NATO: Kremlin. From AFP. Russia is planning “response measures” to contain the “very serious threat” from NATO, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying today. He also said the Western military alliance was now “fully involved in the conflict over Ukraine”. READ MORE . . .

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Turkey’s Erdogan warns against NATO-Russia conflict.  From AFP. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said today that any possibility of a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO was “worrying”, the official Anadolu news agency reported. Erdogan’s comments came as NATO leaders huddled in Washington and Kremlin . . . READ MORE . . .

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NATO summit’s documents show that West stands against supporting peace — Kremlin. From Tass. MOSCOW — Documents signed at the recent NATO summit in the United States show that the West is not supporting a dialogue and the alliance itself is an instrument of confrontation, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today. READ MORE . . .

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Russia outlaws the Moscow Times as ‘undesirable’ organization. From the Moscow Times. Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office has labeled the Moscow Times as “undesirable,” a designation that bans Russians from working with or having links to the organization, with criminal prosecution for violations. The office also accused the newspaper of “publications containing unreliable socially significant information aimed at discrediting the activities” of the government regarding the war in Ukraine. READ MORE . . .

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New Zealand announces more sanctions on Russia, Iran over Ukraine war. From Anadolu Agency. ANKARA — New Zealand today announced further sanctions on Russia and Iran over the Ukraine war. Foreign Minister Winston Peters said New Zealand’s latest sanctions target . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 9  The foreign policy Biden is putting on the ballot, by Seymour M. Hersh | Substack  It is time to talk about the foreign policy elephants in the room in the current crisis over Joe Biden’s political future, which is also the immediate future of the fractious Democratic Party. READ MORE . . .

Here is a promotional notice from the Capitol Hill Citizen (there is no link to it); other articles and notices may be accessible by clicking on its name below. (GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Print newspapers — the new underground

By Russell Mokhiber | Capitol Hill Citizen

Two new print only newspapers have popped up in recent years.

One is County Highway, which covers flyover country.

The other is Capitol Hill Citizen, which covers the corporate corruption that has metastisized in the occupied territory known as Washington, D.C. – and what we, as citizens, can do about it.

And in case you missed it, the New York Times ran a story last month under the headline – “In a Digital Age, High-End Outdoors Magazines Are Thriving in Print –  Titles like Adventure Journal, Mountain Gazette, Summit Journal and Ori are aimed at ‘people who just don’t want to be on their phones anymore.'”

Print newspapers are becoming the new underground.

So, take a break from your screen and phone routine and get your copy of the print only Capitol Hill Citizen.

We running out of copies of the May/June 2024 issue of the Capitol Hill Citizen and we are not going to reprint.

So if you haven’t ordered your copy already, do so now.

If you have already ordered yours, consider another for a friend or family member.

When you get the paper, close your laptop, put away your phone and sit quietly for a few moments and relax and enjoy reading an old fashioned, beautiful newspaper.

Limited run.

Print only.

40 pages .

For a donation of $5 or more, we’ll send you via first class mail the May/June issue.(No subscription yet, still testing the waters.)

Get your copy now at capitolhillcitizen.com.

(For bulk orders, send me an email or give me a call and we’ll work it out.)

Onward to a more peaceful future.

Russell Mokhiber / Capitol Hill Citizen / 1209 National Press Building / Washington DC 20045 /  202.656.7660

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For today, links to ten reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, Tass, National Public Radio, and Agence France-Presse, and to pieces of commentary from Common Dreams and World BEYOND War, both via Consortium News; others are accessible by clicking on its initials below. (GAZA and MEDIA entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) —  MCM

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U.S. says Ukraine is on an ‘irreversible’ path to NATO membership. But only after war with Russia ends, by Ellen Knickmeyer | AP  WASHINGTON — Ukraine is on an “irreversible” path to NATO membership, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said today, advancing American assurances that the country will be allowed to join the Western military alliance but only after its war with Russia ends. A joint communique . . . READ MORE . . .

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Poland must prepare army for full-scale conflict, army chief says, by Karl Badohal | Reuters  WARSAW — Poland needs to prepare its soldiers for all-out conflict, its armed forces chief of staff said today, as the country boosts the number of troops on its border with Russia and Belarus. Poland’s relations with Russia and its ally Belarus . . . READ MORE . . .

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NATO sees no imminent military threat from Russia – Stoltenberg. From Tass. WASHINGTON — NATO does not see any imminent military threat from Russia at this moment, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said upon arrival to the Alliance’s summit in Washington. READ MORE . . .

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World leaders condemn Russia’s strike on Kyiv hospital as NATO takes up Ukraine. Reported by Ashley Westerman and Sacha Pfeiffer | NPR  Ukrainians want the world to know that Russia will stop at nothing in its campaign to take over Ukraine — even if it means hurting children. Russia launched strikes on a children’s hospital in Kyiv. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Russian strikes kill 3 in Ukraine. From AFP.  Russian strikes killed three people in southern Ukraine, including at the Black Sea port of Odesa, authorities said today. “The aggressor . . . READ MORE . . .

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At NATO summit Biden aims to reassure leaders the alliance with the U.S. is strong. Reported by Mara Liasson and Steve Inskeep | NPR  President Biden spoke to NATO leaders Tuesdays night, marking the alliance’s 75th anniversary. The speech came as questions continue to swirl about his reelection bid. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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What did NATO members take away from President Biden’s speech? Reported by Sacha Pfeiffer of NPR talks with Rachel Rizzo of the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center, about whether Biden’s speech reassured allies that the U.S. will continue to support Ukraine. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM JULY 9  Russia defense ministry says destroyed 38 Ukrainian drones. From AFP.  Russian forces destroyed 38 Ukrainian drones overnight in regions near the border, Moscow’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday.. “Air defense systems . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 9  As NATO summit kicks off in D.C., Nordic-Baltic states point to Ukraine. Reported by Mary Louise Kelly, Patrick Jarenwattananon and Megan Lim | NPR The NATO summit in Washington kicked off Tuesday morning. NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly sat down with the top diplomats from eight Nordic and Baltic nations for a discussion hosted by the Atlantic Council. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM JULY 9  Biden kicks off NATO summit with highly scrutinized speech. Reported by Asma Khalid and Mary Louise Kelly | NPR  President Biden kicks off a NATO summit with a speech. It will be scrutinized because of questions about whether he’s still up to the job. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM JULY 9  NATO alliance’s endgame appears to be nuclear war, by Chris Wright | Common Dreams / Consortium News  It is easily imaginable that nuclear war could break out between Russia (and perhaps China) and the West, yet politicians continue to escalate tensions, place hundreds of thousands of troops at “high readiness,” and attack military targets inside Russia, even while . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 6  75 years of NATO = 75 years of denial, by Sevim Dagdelen | World BEYOND War / Consortium News  Just in time for its 75th anniversary, NATO has dropped its mask. And the NATO summit beginning Tuesday in Washington is one particularly illuminating moment in this revelation.  The history of the Enlightenment . . . READ MORE . . .