Syria, Giuliani, and Other News.

The breaking news today is how 2 Giuliani Ukraine associates have been arrested. They are accused of campaign finance corruption charges. Their names are Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman. The U.S. attorney Geoffrey Berman said that they gave a $325,000 donation (which is a violation of the law). This leads to more scrutiny of Giuliani. Giuliani associates were given a bond of $1 million each. This is about 2 men being accused of criminal violations of the law. These people could be a flight risk. They could leave the country immediately after being released on bond. According to the Wall Street Journal, Rudy Giuliani had lunch with the two men hours before they tried to flee the country (and go into Frankfurt, Germany). That is why they were arrested very quickly. People want to know the conversation among Giuliani and Parnas plus Fruman. The 2 people are charged with donating $325,000 to a Trump Super PAC. They are linked to trying to find dirt on Joe Biden. Both men were booked at Alexandria, Virginia. Trump has denied knowing both men, but he has connections to Giuliani. Also, Trump is photographed with the men. This new scandal is vastly different from the Mueller investigation in that with the Ukraine scandal , we have transcripts, whistleblowers' testimonies being confirmed, and now 2 men being arrested for corrupt actions. Now, Democrats have subpoenaed Rudy Giuliani's associates for documents. The stonewalling by the Trump administration in dealing with the impeachment inquiry is very telling.


Freedom is a worldwide phenomenon. Today, people worldwide are protesting and fighting for justice in Brazil, Ecuador, Haiti, Iraq, France, and in America. In Ecuador, there is a strike and the IMF austerity plan that the people of Ecuador are opposing in large numbers. The Moreno government austerity program is opposed so much that the government had left its capital. The streets of Quito are filled with police, protesters, and curfews. There is a massive indigenous community in Ecuador too. The elimination of fuel subsidies have caused a widespread protests. The protests in Haiti is part of a worldwide struggle for justice. Not to many people know that Haiti has been a victim of imperialism not only by France and other European nations. It has been a victim of U.S. imperialism too. From 1915 to 1934, the U.S. Marines occupied Haiti. This was when the U.S. supported many right wing regimes in Haiti. Papa Doc and Jean Claude Duvalier were dictatorships and traitors to black people. We know that Jean Betrand Aristide was democratically elected and overthrown twice by U.S. backed coups. IMF neo-liberal economic restructuring programs have harmed Haiti. People want fuel, infrastructure, an end to poverty, and stopping the decline of the Haitian currency. The movement for freedom is also found in Algeria and Sudan. These stories represent how linked we are as human beings, and that we will overcome in the end.


There are tons of news going on. One major news is the foreign policy crisis in Syria. Turkish forces has invaded Syria. They want to establish a buffer zone in northern Syria while pushing out the Kurdish population, which has lived in the region for thousands of years. The Turkish offensive is large. Many Democrats and Republicans have criticized Trump for not supporting the Kurdish dominated SDF or the Syrian Democratic Forces (which are filed with Kurdish people). The Turkish forces have allied with many Sunni Arabic and Turkmen militias to target areas in Tal Abyad and Ras al Ain which are found east of the Euphrates River. Turkish military units are fighting the Kurdish YPG militia too. Civilian causalities exist in Turkey and in Syria. Many people are fleeing northern Syria as it is now a dangerous war zone. Turkey wants to forcibly send Syrian refugees (who live in Turkey) to go into a buffer zone in northern Syria. Erdogan and Trump had an October 6, 2019 phone call. After that call, Trump announced that he would withdrawal troops from Syria. There are over 1,000 American troops still in Syria. The only long term solution is a long term political solution where Sunnis, Shias, Turkish people, Kurdish, and others sit down and establish a common approach in solving their problems (with international assistance and support).


There are currently widespread, vicious wildfires in California. The California utility company PG&E have cut millions of people in Northern California off from electricity. In their minds, this can stop the fire, but it will only hurt innocent people trying to survive. This is why capitalism is not omnipotent. These forced blackouts exist for over 2 million people and businesses across 34 counties. Most people harmed by this policy are the poor, working class, and middle class. For years, many people have criticized Pacific Gas and Electric for its responses to wildfires. Wildfires exist across Los Angeles, and thousands are ordered to leave right now. Dozens of homes in Los Angeles are burned. In Northern California, many elderly people struggle for air. Many of their medical devices are cut off because of the forced blackouts. Now, this has been going on for years. We have the rise of finance capital using globalization as a means to permit government to allow deregulation for the maximization of profits at the expense of many people's lives. An update of infrastructure and the elimination of economic exploitation are needed in the world.

Trump's rally at Minneapolis was an example of him promoting appeals to authoritarianism. His speech was in downtown Minneapolis. He said that he bringing troops home to use them for something else. Trump criticized Ilhan Omar and Mayor Jacob Frey of Minneapolis. Trump once again slandered socialism without understanding what socialism is. Eric Trump led a chant in wanting to lock Biden and his won up. Many cops praised Trump with pro-Trump T-shirts. It is no secret that many white supremacists and far right extremists are in the police. Many of them have been caught spewing racist and sexist comments in social media. Trump blamed Democrats, the media, and other institutions without looking at mirror. He is a liar by saying that Omar is a American hating socialist. She doesn't hate America, and she isn't socialists. He used the racist language that Somali refugees in Minneapolis means that people shouldn't vote for Democrats. It is ironic that socialistic ideals are more popular among young people today than a generation ago. That is why the oligarchy hates socialism among other reasons. We must protect democratic rights, immigrant rights, the rights of black people, and the rights of all oppressed people.


By Timothy