EC Assgn- Phyllis Bennis PDF

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Extra Credit Assgn. Phyllis Bennis Political Urgency Phyllis Bennis, writer, activist, and political commentator described a case of political urgency for families affected by wars the United States started. As a result of such wars, there are millions of people who are forced to become refugees, many of them children. The refugee camps are filled with “human rights horrors.” The condition that they are in is very inhumane; limited food and water, unclean, and unsafe. Ultimately, these children are sold off to be married because their families cannot afford to keep them. And sadly, women and others are trafficked. Bennis discussed many issues including the fact that the U.S. sells weapons to Saudi Arabia. This she says facilitates the issues in Yemen. Expectedly, the U.S. largely ignores the plight of Yemen. When Saudi Arabia decided to block aid deliverances to Yemen, the U.S. was silent regarding the humanitarian crisis they faced. Instead, Trump praised the fact that the U.S. was selling weapons to Saudi Arabia. Bennis goes on to discuss Ilhan Omar, asserting that she is not in fact anti-Semitic. She asserts that the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is a real problem. Bennis argues that real anti-Semitisms exist, and false claims against Omar undermines the seriousness of the issue. She believes Omar is targeted because she is young, Black, African, veiled, Muslim and a woman. Omar suggests that lawmakers show support for Israel due to the financial support that AIPAC offers. It is said that Trump’s provocative decision to change the location of the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem was a result of lobbying by AIPAC. Additionally, the group was said to have been appealing to the Obama administration to abandon the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which president Trump have since done. This Bennis states, sets the tone for an Iran vs US war. Bennis also discussed the Green New Deal. She refers to it as climate justice and asserts that it will create new jobs for people that will lose their jobs, for example, those in the coal and oil industry. The deal can be paid for by slashing the military defense budget, which is at $700 billion. She asserts that a quarter of the defense budget, $175 billion, can do a lot of good elsewhere. For example, we can offer clean water globally for approximately $10 billion. Lastly, the issues in Gaza were discussed. Israel have established a more than a decade long blockade in Gaza. People within the area can neither enter nor exit their territory. Israel controls the water supply to the area, and 97% of the water that gets in is not fit to drink. Electricity is only available between 2-4 hours daily. This Bennis says, has shredded the Palestinian economy. In summation, Bennis talk sheds light on the fact that the truth of and reason for war is ugly. Human and civil decencies are disregarded. The United States stance is not to do what is moral or right, but to do what is profitable. The U.S. align with countries that can grant the most economic benefits and disregard the others. The country continues to expand its military; significant spending on weapons, creating more military bases and larger bases. The actions of the US government are in fact reminiscent of the age of Neo Imperialism....