Gordon Soderberg's Page

Battle of the Bulge Anniversary & Debacle

This is the 65th anniversary of the start of the Battle of the Bulge. While most Americans who are aware of the battle learned of it through Hollywood movies that portrayed valiant U.S. resistance to the German Wehrmacht, the truth is far more embarrassing to the U.S. Supreme Commander. The battle was completely unnecessary, and [...]

“‘Nuff Said?” You Bet.

(Cross posted at @TAC) I know it is a tired trope, but it’s helpful to look at the ultimate success of Counterinsurgency, or the vaunted COIN doctrine dominating the popular ethos of the American military establishment, as a three-legged stool. As it is conceived, or at least projected for public consumption, in order for COIN to work [...]

End-of-Year Matching Funds

Tired of your tax money going to support wars in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, and who knows where next? When you give to Antiwar.com, your donation is tax-deductible in the U.S. If you make your donation by December 31, you can reduce your involuntary contribution to the Pentagon when you file next April 15. A generous benefactor has offered [...]

Only 12 House Members Vote Against Iran Sanctions

What happened to the “antiwar” members of Congress? Only 12 voted against new sanctions on Iran, 3 of them Republicans. 412 voted in favor. Here is the honor roll who voted against: Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) John Conyers (D-MI) John Duncan (R-TN) Jeff Flake (R-AZ) Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) Stephen Lynch (D-MA) Jim McDermott (D-WA) Gwen Moore (D-WI) Ron Paul (R-TX) Pete Stark [...]

Now (Robert) Kagan Pivots, Too

As predicted, Bob Kagan follows in Kristol’s wake. Afghanistan is so passé; it’s clearly time to focus on Iran. Check out the last paragraph in his column in Sunday’s Washington Post — specifically, the order in which the problems facing Obama are presented, and then the singling out of Iran: “It is only natural that President [...]

CBO: Senate Healthcare Bill $871 Billion, Cuts Deficit

Washington - The revised healthcare overhaul in the Senate would cut the federal deficit by $132 billion over 10 years, non-partisan budget analysts said on Saturday.

The Congressional Budget Office also said the bill as revised by Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid would have coverage costs of $871 billion over 10 years.

Both figures meet President Barack Obama's goal of cutting the deficit and having a total cost of about $900 billion over 10 years. The rosy report card could help the proposal gain support.

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Hopenhagen or Dopenhagen?

In the run-up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 15) in Copenhagen, an eclectic group made up primarily of corporations and media outlets put forward the notion of "Hopenhagen." The following is extracted from their mission statement:

"Hopenhagen is a movement, a moment and a chance at a new beginning. The hope that in Copenhagen this December we can build a better future for our planet and a more sustainable way of life."

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Treacherous Snow Storm Strikes East Coast

Washington - A treacherous, frightful wintry storm slammed the East Coast on Saturday and dumped more than a foot of snow in some areas, hampering travelers and shoppers on the weekend before Christmas.

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Reid Has 60 Votes Needed to Pass Health Care Reform Bill

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid unveiled a final compromise Saturday morning to the Senate health care bill that some progressive Democratic leaders, labor unions, and grassroots organizations said has been gutted of any meaningful consumer reforms and amounts to a bailout for the insurance industry.

The language in Reid’s 383-page "manager's amendment" includes further concessions over abortion that were made in order to win the support of Sen. Ben Nelson, (D-Nebraska), who had said he would not vote for the bill if it did not include tighter restrictions prohibiting the use of federal funds for abortion.

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Nelson Will Vote for Health Care Overhaul, Breaking Logjam

Washington - Sen. Ben Nelson, the last apparent obstacle to giving Democrats the votes they need to move forward with historic health care legislation, Saturday said he had agreed to compromises that would allow him to vote for the measure.

“I intend to vote for cloture (ending extended debate) and for health care reform,” the Nebraska Democrat said.

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Democracy Now! 2009-12-18 Friday

Headlines for December 18, 2009; As Copenhagen Summit Closes, Obama Maintains Widely Criticized US Position on Emissions Cuts, Climate Aid; Kenyan Voices Share Their Climate Message to President Obama, Son of Kenyan Father; Chief G-77 Negotiator Lumumba Stanislaus Di-Aping: US-Backed Proposals Mean Death for Millions of Africans; Democratic Lawmakers Defend US Stance at Copenhagen Climate Summit; "The Countries that Can Really Make a Difference Have Not Really Got Sensitive Enough to the Plight of the Poorest of the Poor" - IPCC Chair Pachauri; Environmental and Indigenous Activists Criticize Proposed Deal to Save Rainforests

Democracy Now! 2009-12-17 Thursday

Headlines for December 17, 2009; Bolivian President Evo Morales on Climate Debt, Capitalism, Why He Wants a Tribunal for Climate Justice and Much More; Voices from Small Island States: Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed, a Tuvaluan Delegate and a Youth Activist from the Solomon Islands ; EXCLUSIVE: Leaked Internal UNFCCC Document: Global Temperatures Will Rise by More than Two Degrees Celsius; "A Naked Form of Blackmail": Naomi Klein on Secretary of State Clinton's Proposal to Set Up $100 Billion Climate Aid Fund for Developing Countries

Democracy Now! 2009-12-16 Wednesday

Headlines for December 16, 2009; Climate Crackdown: UN Bars Friends of the Earth and Other Environmental Groups from Climate Talks; Police Pepper Spray, Arrest Protesters Marching on UN Climate Summit as Hundreds Inside Stage Walkout; NYT Reporter Andrew Revkin on the Climate Talks: There's an Epic Fight Over Words ; "If Bush Was in Kindergarten, Obama Is in First Grade" - Indian Environmentalist Sunita Narain on US Climate Policy; Bolivian President Evo Morales: "Shameful" for West to Spend Trillions on War and Only $10 Billion for Climate Change

Democracy Now! 2009-12-15 Tuesday

Headlines for December 15, 2009; The Climate Divide: Dispute Between Rich and Poor Nations Widens at UN Copenhagen Summit; Indigenous Peoples of Canada March on Canadian Embassy in Copenhagen to Protest Tar Sands; Cap & Trade: A Critical Look at Carbon Trading