Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Steve Howell @stevehowell.bsky.social · 1d

The geo-political motive for US colonial control of Puerto Rico is coming to the fore again with Trump deploying F-35s there ready to attack Venezuela.

Great to have Professor Díaz-Quiñones's endorsement of my new book looking at the history.

More info here: www.steve-howell.com/cold-war-pue...

2

Steve Howell @stevehowell.bsky.social · 1d

NATO and Israel have been partners for 30 years.

Israel:
- has a permanent ambassador and an office at NATO HQ in Brussels,
- takes part in Operation Sea Guardian under NATO command,
- is armed by the leading NATO members.

The case against NATO, see: therestisbullshit.substack.com/p/nato-is-a-...

1 1

Steve Howell @stevehowell.bsky.social · 11d

Let me fix this for Shabana Mahmood:

"Large, repeated bombing can leave a trapped community feeling unsafe, intimidated and scared, especially when their homes have been reduced to rubble, they're being deprived of food, and they've already seen more than 65,000 of their neighbours killed."

1 3

Reposted by Steve Howell

Steve Howell @stevehowell.bsky.social · 12d

Israeli drones bombed two Global Sumud Flotilla vessels moored off Tunisia in September, causing fires. One of them was British-flagged.

Was UK intel asleep on the job? Or do we just turn a blind eye to drone strikes on our citizens when Israel does them?

More here: www.cbsnews.com/news/netanya...

5 8

Steve Howell @stevehowell.bsky.social · 12d

Israeli drones bombed two Global Sumud Flotilla vessels moored off Tunisia in September, causing fires. One of them was British-flagged.

Was UK intel asleep on the job? Or do we just turn a blind eye to drone strikes on our citizens when Israel does them?

More here: www.cbsnews.com/news/netanya...

5 8

Steve Howell @stevehowell.bsky.social · Sep 6

The assets of Farage's personal company doubled in one year.

Thorn In The Side, of which he's sole director, had assets of £2.61m on 31.5.24, including property and £1.71m in cash. Channelling income via a company saves him £1000s in tax. The Mirror says he's also sole owner of his £1m family home.

1

Steve Howell @stevehowell.bsky.social · Aug 21

When is a war crime not a war crime?

Answer: When the culprit is the United States and you are their apologist.

My latest post on Substack responding to Polly Toynbee's defence of the US obliteration of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

See: therestisbullshit.substack.com/p/when-is-a-...

1 3

Reposted by Steve Howell

Steve Howell @stevehowell.bsky.social · Aug 6

Only a rigged system could produce this much of a mismatch...

Public disapproval in the US of Israel's actions in Gaza hits a new high of 60%.

And yet, in the same week, US Senators defeated two Bernie Sanders motions to block some arms sales to Israel by 73 to 24 and 70 to 27.

2 2

Steve Howell @stevehowell.bsky.social · Aug 20

'History' that leaves out inconvenient facts isn't history - it's propaganda.

1

Steve Howell @stevehowell.bsky.social · Aug 19

Sally Rooney: "Activists who disrupt the flow of weapons to a genocidal regime may violate petty criminal statutes, but they uphold a far greater law and a more profound human imperative: to protect a people and culture from annihilation."

In full here: www.irishtimes.com/culture/book...

5 5

Steve Howell @stevehowell.bsky.social · Aug 9

While Rupert Lowe and his vigilantes target victims of the global refugee crisis, they say nothing about the West's wars that have caused it.

The effect of war on refugee flows is shown starkly by this official graphic.

Invading or aiding invasions by others (as now with Israel) are the problem.

1

Steve Howell @stevehowell.bsky.social · Aug 6

Only a rigged system could produce this much of a mismatch...

Public disapproval in the US of Israel's actions in Gaza hits a new high of 60%.

And yet, in the same week, US Senators defeated two Bernie Sanders motions to block some arms sales to Israel by 73 to 24 and 70 to 27.

2 2

Steve Howell @stevehowell.bsky.social · Aug 6

The US atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki - killing more than 200,000 civilians - was a barbaric, unjustifiable war crime.

As this plaque in the Hiroshima Peace Park explains, there were peace moves afoot - they just didn't suit the US's cold war agenda.

#Hiroshima_Atomic_Bomb_Day

1

Reposted by Steve Howell

labouroutlook.bsky.social @labouroutlook.bsky.social · Jul 27

The savings from cutting welfare benefits are nothing compared to what we would have saved by not participating in US-led forever wars.

‪@stevehowell.bsky.social on the government's military spending surge - despite its claims of a fiscal 'black hole'.
labouroutlook.org/20...

When is a black hole not a black hole?

Steve Howell looks at how the government is enthusiastically signing up to plans for increased military spending- despite its claims of a fiscal 'black hole'.

labouroutlook.org

2 4

Steve Howell @stevehowell.bsky.social · Jul 26

Blair introducing tuition fees was a classic false economy.

Instead of saving money, it transferred a lot of the cost of training doctors onto the NHS.

Doctors now need to be paid enough not only to live but also to repay £100k+ of debt.

No wonder they're striking!
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-6853...

Student loans: UK's highest debt revealed to be £231,000

BBC obtains

www.bbc.co.uk

Steve Howell @stevehowell.bsky.social · Jul 23

The Times reported on June 7 that Fiona Hill - a member of Starmer's Defence Review panel - had offered the UK to Trump as "an aircraft carrier." Now we learn we'll be carrying US nuclear weapons.

Hill's a Washington-based former Trump adviser. See: therestisbullshit.substack.com/p/when-is-a-...

1

Reposted by Steve Howell

Steve Howell @stevehowell.bsky.social · Jul 20

Starmer has committed the UK to increasing military spending to 5% of GDP by 2035.

In money terms, that will cost more than FIFTEEN times as much as the £5 billion he wanted to cut from disability benefits.

So why isn't it dubbed a black hole? See: therestisbullshit.substack.com/p/when-is-a-...

3 3

Steve Howell @stevehowell.bsky.social · Jul 20

Starmer has committed the UK to increasing military spending to 5% of GDP by 2035.

In money terms, that will cost more than FIFTEEN times as much as the £5 billion he wanted to cut from disability benefits.

So why isn't it dubbed a black hole? See: therestisbullshit.substack.com/p/when-is-a-...

3 3

Steve Howell @stevehowell.bsky.social · Jul 17

He's punished those he saw as the ringleaders as a shot across the bows of all the others. It's obviously connected.

1

Steve Howell @stevehowell.bsky.social · Jul 17

Two weeks ago: Starmer said "we've listened" on welfare cuts.

Now: Starmer has suspended the MPs he claimed to have listened to.

Bullying isn't listening, and it shows that it was only a pause, not a U turn - he's still intent on cutting welfare to pay for warfare.

1 1 3

Reposted by Steve Howell

madoc cairns @madoc.bsky.social · Jul 15

Police in Canterbury today informed a protestor that the phrase "Israel is committing genocide in Gaza" could be considered a declaration of support for Palestine Action and therefore a terrorism offence.

360 1.1K 2.5K

Reposted by Steve Howell

Steve Howell @stevehowell.bsky.social · Jul 14

No cash for special needs in schools - but plenty to prep for war with China.

This week, UK forces are taking part in the US-led Operation Talisman Sabre, along with France, Germany and Canada.

Involving 35,000 troops, it's "the most expansive military exercise ever conducted in Australia."

5 6

Steve Howell @stevehowell.bsky.social · Jul 14

No cash for special needs in schools - but plenty to prep for war with China.

This week, UK forces are taking part in the US-led Operation Talisman Sabre, along with France, Germany and Canada.

Involving 35,000 troops, it's "the most expansive military exercise ever conducted in Australia."

5 6

Reposted by Steve Howell

Mehdi Hasan @mehdirhasan.bsky.social · Jul 6

Insane that the British Foreign Secretary can meet with the former leader of Al Qaeda in Syria while, at home, on the same day, his government arrested 20 people on 'terrorism offenses' for supporting a non-violent pro-Palestine protest group.

The Guardian @theguardian.com · Jul 5

Britain re-establishing diplomatic relations with Syria, announces David Lammy

Foreign secretary says it is in UK’s ‘interests to support new government’ as in first visit by British minister for 14 years Britain is re-establishing diplomatic relations with Syria after the country’s years-long civil war, foreign minister David Lammy has announced during a visit to the capital Damascus. “There is renewed hope for the Syrian people,” Lammy said in a statement. “It is in our interests to support the new government to deliver their commitment to build a stable, more secure and prosperous future for all Syrians.” Continue reading...

www.theguardian.com

69 600 2.3K

Reposted by Steve Howell

Steve Howell @stevehowell.bsky.social · Jul 5

The Reverend Sue Parfitt, an 83-year-old retired Anglican priest from Bristol, was among 20 people arrested in London today "on suspicion" of supporting Palestine Action.

Am I allowed to say she's a hero, or is that banned too?

She's a hero. Please share if you agree.

33 78