There is a growing consensus among many notable political scientists and historians that America is at a perilous crossroads; Trump has chosen the road that leads to disastrous authoritarianism. The question is what it would take to stop Trump from destroying our democracy and replacing it with a dictatorship For nearly 250 years, despite its…
It is hard to imagine that there is not a single adult in Trump’s orbit to tell him that withdrawing from the many UN agencies that provide critical humanitarian services undermine rather than advance the US’ national interest and global standing Alon Ben-Meir · Trump's Assault on the UN is Self-Defeating There is no other…
The ceasefire agreement and the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners is only the first step on the long and treacherous road that could end the calamitous, decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In my recent article, “A Rare Alignment: The World Stands Ready, Are the Palestinians?” I tackled what the Palestinians must do to realize their…
The international community has rallied behind the Palestinians in support of their aspiration for statehood. The question is, will the Palestinians seize this rare opportunity and adopt a new strategy critical to realizing their national goal? I do not recall a period since the 1967 Six-Day War when the international community has expressed such overwhelming…
Today’s podcast guest is Michael Bedenbaugh, a political analyst and author, whose latest book, Reviving Our Republic: 95 Theses for the Future of America, argues the need for political renewal in the United States and presents recommendations for such reforms in a historical context. Mike’s diverse background includes five years of service in the US Navy, as well as previously serving as president and executive director of Preservation South Carolina, working to protect and preserve the state’s historic places.
In this episode, we discuss the ceding of congressional power to the president over the years, and how that power shift looks under Trump, the crisis of leadership in the United States, and the possibility of going, as Mike describes, back to the country’s foundational goal of neutrality.
Listen now; link in bio.
Full bio
American author and political thinker Mike Bedenbaugh is a respected voice in constitutional principles and American governance, historic preservation, and community development. Born with a reverence for history, he served as the former president and executive director of Preservation South Carolina, where he led numerous initiatives that demonstrated the economic and cultural value of historic preservation.
Mike’s diverse background includes five years of service in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS South Carolina, studies in international studies and history at the University of South Carolina and Columbia University, and leadership roles in both nonprofit and for-profit sectors. He has also served on his hometown’s city council while his efforts in community revitalization and historic preservation earned him the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian honor. As a member of Preservation Action in Washington, D.C., he continues to advocate for policies that strengthen local communities and honor America’s heritage.
Iran has once again moved to silence those who dare to speak. On November 3, authorities in Tehran arbitrarily arrested four researchers and writers who have consistently refused to surrender their voice to the state. They are now being held incommunicado, without lawyers, without contact with family, and without any information on their whereabouts, a clear case of enforced disappearance. This is not simply an attack on intellectuals; it is an attack on the courage of people who insist on telling the truth in a country where truth is punished. Those detained include Shirin Karimi, Parviz Sedaghat, Mohammad Maljoo, and Mahsa Asadollahnejad. Writer Heyman Rahimi was also raided and summoned. Iran must know by now that silencing the brave will not silence the truth.
#Iran #FreeSpeech
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk has condemned US military airstrikes on boats in the Caribbean and Pacific allegedly carrying illegal drugs, calling them “unacceptable” and a violation of international law. His office demanded an investigation into what it described as extrajudicial killings of people aboard these vessels. “These attacks and their mounting human cost are unacceptable. The US must halt such attacks,” said Ravina Shamdasani, a spokesperson for Türk’s office. Trump defended the strikes as part of his anti-drug campaign, but no policy can justify killing people at sea without due process. When justice is replaced by jungle law, human beings become easy prey.
#UnitedStates #DrugBoats #HumanRights
The civil war in Sudan is a moral and humanitarian outrage—a power squabble between two ruthless military leaders, neither of whom has the true interests of their country at heart, but each of whom is greedy for more power and wealth while civilians are paying an unfathomable price in death and destruction. The international community must come to its senses and make a concerted diplomatic effort to bring an end to this senseless carnage and indiscriminate killing, rape, and pillage. Such an effort may sound like wishful thinking, but how many more children must see their parents be murdered or sexually assaulted? How many more mothers must watch as their children are killed before their eyes? How many more women must be gang raped before being brutally killed by drug-fueled paramilitaries? How many more children must attempt to end their own lives to escape the horror of their existence?
Continue reading; link in bio.
#Sudan #CivilWar #HumanRights
Today’s podcast guest is Michael Bedenbaugh, a political analyst and author, whose latest book, Reviving Our Republic: 95 Theses for the Future of America, argues the need for political renewal in the United States and presents recommendations for such reforms in a historical context. Mike’s diverse background includes five years of service in the US Navy, as well as previously serving as president and executive director of Preservation South Carolina, working to protect and preserve the state’s historic places.
In this episode, we discuss the ceding of congressional power to the president over the years, and how that power shift looks under Trump, the crisis of leadership in the United States, and the possibility of going, as Mike describes, back to the country’s foundational goal of neutrality.
Listen now: soundcloud.com/alon-ben-meir/on-the-issues-episode-127-michael-bedenbaugh
Full bio
American author and political thinker Mike Bedenbaugh is a respected voice in constitutional principles and American governance, historic preservation, and community development. Born with a reverence for history, he served as the former president and executive director of Preservation South Carolina, where he led numerous initiatives that demonstrated the economic and cultural value of historic preservation.
Mike’s diverse background includes five years of service in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS South Carolina, studies in international studies and history at the University of South Carolina and Columbia University, and leadership roles in both nonprofit and for-profit sectors. He was CEO of Post No Bills, Inc., a product marketing firm that collaborated with corporate powerhouses like Phillip Morris USA, RCA Records, DreamWorks, Universal Pictures, and MGM. He has also served on his hometown’s city council while his efforts in community revitalization and historic preservation earned him the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian honor. As a member of Preservation Action in Washington, D.C., he continues to advocate for policies that strengthen local communities and honor America’s heritage.
A native of Prosperity, South Carolina, Michael remains deeply involved in his home state’s development while contributing to national discussions on governance and civic engagement. His work exemplifies the principle that understanding the past is crucial to shaping a better future. His book, Reviving Our Republic: 95 Theses for the Future of America, is an outcome of his lifelong passion for his community, state, and nation, and was inspired by America’s founding fathers and the principles that birthed a nation. Mike firmly believes the American South has had a profound impact on shaping the political culture of the USA, asserting that one cannot truly understand America without understanding South Carolina. His perspective as a descendant of twelve generations of white Southern landowners provides a grassroots understanding of the unique traditions that define Southern culture. He aims to share the real lived experience of the South, reflecting the complexity and richness of Southern history and its impact on the broader American story.
Driven by a mission to revitalize America’s founding ideals, Mike hosts the podcast Reviving Our Republic with Mike Bedenbaugh, where he explores the intersection of history, politics, and community development. His unique approach combines grassroots activism with a deep understanding of constitutional intent, offering fresh insights into modern political challenges within the United States.
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ISIS has not been defeated, and its cells are far from dismantled. Kurdish officials warn the group is regrouping and recruiting again, with attacks increasing ten-fold this year. Thousands of ISIS fighters remain in Kurdish-controlled prisons in north-east Syria, but the burden of guarding them falls almost entirely on the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). At the same time, Turkey, a NATO member, continues to attack Kurdish areas, forcing the SDF to divert fighters and resources away from guarding detention centers and resisting ISIS. This creates dangerous openings for ISIS to reorganize. The international community, especially NATO and the EU, cannot ignore this reality. If Turkey weakens Kurdish defenses while ISIS regroups, the cost will not only be borne in Syria, it will be a global security threat.
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They'll be moving to New York soon... Im sorry, New islamastan I mean.
Isis ist produkt from auropa and israel
Migrant children in France are often treated as adults because of flawed age checks. As a result, many cannot go to school, access healthcare, or receive basic protection. Instead, they are left homeless and forced to survive in degrading conditions. Appeals against these assessments take months or years. While more than half are eventually overturned, many children “age out” during the process, permanently losing their rights. Human Rights Watch has documented these abuses in Paris, Calais, Marseille, and at the French-Italian border, where children have even been deported illegally. As an EU member, France must act now to reform its laws and guarantee protection for migrant children. Europe cannot tolerate policies that abandon children to hunger and homelessness.
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The war in Sudan is a war without any redeeming qualities – there are no lofty ideals at stake, and neither side, if victorious, is likely to ensure the country a better or brighter future. But an end to the war would mean halting an ever-growing crisis, which is affecting millions of men, women, and children whose lives are beset with starvation and the daily threat of sexual violence, mutilation, and death. It is time for Western powers to act. Otherwise, their moral bankruptcy will be on full display, as conditions will continue to degenerate and ultimately devolve into an unimaginable living hell for tens of millions of innocent Sudanese. alonben-meir.com/writing/sudans-civil-war-ravages-the-core-of-our-humanity/
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