[haw-info] HAW Notes 10/18/16: Links to recent articles of interest

Links to Recent Articles of Interest

"Throwing in theTowel: What the Bankruptcy of White House Policy Means for the Israelis and Palestinians"

By Sandy Tolan, TomDispatch.com, posted October 18

"7 Things to Know about Mosul"

By Juan Cole, Informed Comment blog; posted October 18

Historical background; the author teaches history at the University of Michigan.

"New Evidence that US Allies Saudi Arabia and Qatar Are Funding ISIS"

By Andrew Cockburn, The Independent, posted October 16

Based on Wikileaks revelations

 

"Blowback forAmerican Sins in the Philippines"

By Steven Kinzer, Boston Globe, posted October 16

"Will the Gulf of Tonkin Fit into the Red Sea?"

By David Swanson, Let's Try Democracy blog, posted October 16

 

"An UrgentlyNecessary Briefing on Syria"

By Gary Leupp, CounterPunch, posted October 14

The author teaches history at Tufts University.

 

"Duterte's DeathSquads, and Ours"

By Charles Pierson, CounterPunch.org, posted October 5

 

"What We Talk About WhenWe Don't Want to Talk About Nuclear War: Donald and Hillary Take a No-First-Use Pledge on Relevant Information"

By Andrew J. Bacevich, TomDispatch.com, posted October 4, 2016

The author is a professor emeritus of history and international relations at Boston University.

 

"The USA in Iraq:Putting Out the Fire with Gasoline"

By William J. Astore, AntiWar.com, posted September 29

The author, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, taught history for fifteen years at military and civilian schools.

 

"Win, Lose, or Draw:U.S. Special Operations Command Details Dismal U.S. Military Record"

By Nick Turse, TomDispatch.com, posted September 27

Thanks to Steve Shapiro, Mim Jackson, and an anonymous reader for suggesting articles included in the above list. Suggestions can be sent to jimobrien48@gmail.com.

 

 

[haw-info] Two petitions to the Council of the AHA: please sign and circulate!

Dear members and friends of Historians Against the War,

 

After considerable consultation, HAW has decided to send the two attached petitions to the Council of the American Historical Association.  The first urges a condemnation of academic blacklists for those who raise issues regarding Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.  The second asks the Council to investigate the charges that academic freedom is widely violated in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.  

 

If you are a member of the AHA, we ask for your signature on either or both; please go to this Google Doc to sign:

 

https://goo.gl/forms/k7vrDCuZGl5a3DlD2

Further, we urge you to bring these petitions to the notice of colleagues who might sign either of them.  We plan to send them to the Council in mid-December, for consideration at their January meeting.

 

In solidarity, 

 

Van Gosse, for the Steering Committee of HAW

 

[Petition #1]


Dear members of the Council, 

 

We write as members of the association. We urge the Executive Council to make a statement along the lines of the following: "The AHA upholds the right of students and faculty to engage in nonviolent political action expressing diverse points of view on Israel/Palestine issues. We condemn all efforts at intimidation of those expressing such views. Specifically, we condemn the maintenance of blacklists, such as those on the anonymous "Canary Mission" website publicizing names, photographs, and contact information for hundreds of supporters of Palestinian rights, predominantly Arab American students."




 

[Petition #2]

Dear members of the Council,

We write as members of the Association.  Over the past several years, it has become evident some part of the membership believes there are credible charges of violations of academic freedom in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, while other members dispute these allegations.  In view of the close ties between the United States and Israel, including academic ties, we call on the Council to investigate these claims by whatever means are most effective, whether constituting a fact-finding committee, authorizing a delegation, or issuing an investigative report.  We note that other scholarly groups have taken similar steps; for instance, in August 2014, the Executive Board of the American Anthropological Association authorized a year-long Task Force on Engagement with Israel/Palestine, which issued a comprehensive report to their membership in October 2015.  We believe that rather than fostering division, AHA members would benefit from an equally thoughtful engagement by our own association.