Ed Notes Online: Iran Response: Are People Like Graham and O'Connel in Danger?

Saturday, January 4, 2020

Iran Response: Are People Like Graham and O'Connel in Danger?

I've read stories about Suleimani for years and was thus shocked that Trump would take out such a prominent target who was a fairly public figure and didn't seem to fear assassination from even the Israeli assassination machine. The NYT article below points out some of these issues -- that even Bush and Obama knew enough to realize that killing him was a Katy bar the door moment and took the gloves off all kinds of stuff in terms of the kinds of targets now up for grabs.

Will Iran attack American civilians? Certainly possible. But what if they target close Trump associates? There is no way to protect all of them. Imagine even Trump properties and children being targets now? Jeez, the devil is our of the can.

Iran doesn't have to go to war openly. And just when there was some push back in Iran to the government, Trump hands them an excuse.

I imagine Iran will actually have an atom bomb in the not too distant future. I.e. Would Trump assassinate a North Korean high level official? If Iran had the bomb they would be more protected.

Here are some stories on the situation.

Quotation of the Day: Pulling the Trigger on a Target Who Didn’t Hide

Jan. 4, 2020
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/04/todayspaper/quotation-of-the-day-pulling-the-trigger-on-a-target-who-didnt-hide.html

“Suleimani was treated like royalty, and was not particularly hard to find. Suleimani absolutely felt untouchable, particularly in Iraq.”

MARC POLYMEROPOULOS, a former senior C.I.A. operations officer, on the United States strike that killed Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, Iran’s top security and intelligence commander.

The killings of Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, the leader of Iran’s Quds Force, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, an Iraqi official, sent shock waves across the region.
The U.S. attacks raised fears that the shadow war in the region between America and Iran could suddenly escalate into a major conflict.

American Killing of Iranian Commander Rattles Markets and Capitol Hill

Oil prices surged and the stock market fell after the killing, as Democrats demanded more information about the strike.

Homeland Security said it saw “no specific, credible threat” from Iran, but warned of cyberattacks.

How Trump, in Minutes, Reached Risky Decision Predecessors Had Avoided

In ordering the attack, Mr. Trump challenged predictions it could lead to a wider war in the Middle East.

1376 comments

Shocked Iraq Reconsiders Relationship With U.S.

The killing of Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani could accelerate an Iranian objective: pushing the U.S. military out of Iraq.

Young people in America worry: Will there be a draft?

6 comments:

Anonymous said...: No doubt the move was quite a surprise to General Suleimani and his close friend Ayatollah Khamenei. Two days prior the Iranian leader (Ayatollah Khamenei) taunted Trump via Tweet as Newsweek (and all the other outlets) eagerly reported: "Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei Taunts Donald Trump Over Iraq Embassy Violence: 'You Can't Do Anything' " (https://www.newsweek.com/trump-iran-iraq-khamenei-protests-embassy-1479960)

I'd nominate that one as the dumbest tweets in human history.

Beyond that, the fact that the hitherto reluctant Trump pulled the trigger might clue the mullahs to the fact they are now playing with fire. Apparently Trump has Iran's operational oil fields in our bombsights should the mullahs continue their nonsense. Even they realize this.

Of course the Dems are faux frighty-scared - they can't possible admit Trump did the right thing at the right time.; Saturday, January 4, 2020 at 4:10:00 PM EST
Anonymous said...: The peculiar reaction of leading Democrats such as Warren and Buttigieg (both of whom should have particularly strong reasons for hating the Iranian regime - as a reminder to both of them the Iranian regime virtually enslaves and oppresses women and publicly executes gays) to the death of General Suleimani is particularly appalling. No wonder these phonies (Warren and Buttigieg) are being laughed at by thinking Americans and stand no chance in either a primary or general election.
The Democratic tactic of thinly disguising their inability to support anything Trump does via a fake veneer of concern for future Iranian unknowns is doomed to failure. It smacks of cowardice and appeasement.
One would imagine that - beyond the usual "Death to America" blah blah blah chants - Iranian leadership is well aware they themselves could be next. It is not Graham and McConnell who are worried...it is Iranian Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini and President Rouhani who are anxiously and wisely checking their windows for an incoming Tomahawk. They saw what happened to their very close pal.; Sunday, January 5, 2020 at 9:40:00 AM EST
ed notes online said...: Funny but a section of the left have not bought the standard Democratic line on Trump re: Nafta, Russiagate, Ukraine - where they feel a right wing coup was instigated by the bi-partisan war party.
Americans wouldn't have been getting killed if they didn't have military operations in all these countries. Bernie has been genuinely anti-war and is a reason Dems hate him. Trump had been coming of as less nuts than Bush - who should really have been impeached which many progressives called for. Suleimani and others have been state sponsoring these actions forever and we are included as perps. This assassination goes to a new level and it Iran doesn't respond they will look so weak so they must. Question is when and how. I think they won't do anything on American soil. But at the very least there will be an eye for an eye. This puts Trump into the camp of doing this for election reasons just like the Ukraine deal - and if you don't think he is capable of killing people for his own ends you are drinking a strong does of the Kool Aide.; Sunday, January 5, 2020 at 12:42:00 PM EST
Anonymous said...: You sound like Neville Chamberlain; Monday, January 6, 2020 at 12:10:00 PM EST
Anonymous said...: Iran's number one enemy is Israel, that is the reason for Hezzbolla in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza. Netanyahu was always trying to get a war going with Iran, with Americans doing the bleeding of course. Maybe Trump should do as the Dems want. Total withdrawal and let Israel and Iran fight an all out war.; Monday, January 6, 2020 at 2:37:00 PM EST
ed notes online said...: I'd bet on the ones who have nukes and we know who they are.; Monday, January 6, 2020 at 5:28:00 PM EST

"A Black Agenda Radio commentary by Glen Ford

What media call "philanthropy" for the public schools are actually seed monies to establish a private "market" in publicly-financed education - an enterprise worth trillions if successfully penetrated by corporate America. Cory Booker, one of the "New Black Leaders" financed by the filthy rich, is key to creating a "nationwide corporate-managed schools network paid for by public funds but run by private managers.

"Ed Reformers" want to cash in on public education and to control its content and outcome, not improve it. Provide great education? Baby boomers had as close as this country has ever gotten to it when we were growing up. The Ed Reform Movement has no interest in seeing such a well-educated, democratically astute population ever again.

http://blackagendareport.com/content/cory-booker-clear-and-present-threat-public-education

History of the UFT Pre-Weingarten Years

This award-winning series of articles by Jack Schierenbeck originally appeared in the New York Teacher in 1996 and 1997.

Naturally, from a certain point of view. But, despite certain biases, Schierenbeck, a great guy, was one of the best NY Teacher reporters so this is worth reading. Jack suffered a debilitating stroke many years ago (I used to get secret donations to ed notes from him through a 3rd source.)

This chapter looks interesting:

Class struggles: The UFT story, part 3

“The schism in the union over radical politics [is] a major reason for stalling the growth of a teacher union for decades.” Revolutionary politics and ideology take center stage, as the original Teachers Union becomes a battlefield, pitting leftist against leftist and splitting the union.

Clarence Taylor's "Reds at the Blackboard" focused on the old Teachers Union which disbanded in 1964 after suffering from anti-left attacks.

Of course for another view, check out the review at New Politics of the Kahlenberg Bio on Shanker by Vera Pavone and me: Albert Shanker: Ruthless Neocon

Effective Union Organizing

A video series put together by Jason Mann from the British Columbia Federation of Teachers about social media and how to use it for effective union organizing.

The first series was called New Media For Union Activists Roadmap and it's still available on-line at:
http://www.newmediabootcamp.ca/welcome/
I watched some of them and need to rewatch as they are loaded with information.

The second series started last week and it's called "Online Campaigning for Union Activists"

You can sign up for this free series at :
http://act.bcfed.ca/online-campaigning-for-union-activists/

You Don't Have A Choice - Join the Revolt

Ex-Harlem Success Teacher Comments on Eva the Diva

Ex-HSA Teacher has left a new comment on your post "Fear and Loathing at Evil's Harlem Success Empire ...":

I am a former Harlem Success teacher. Not many people who work/worked for her like her very much. I once made the comment that she is very nice when I first was hired. Two of her closest colleague responded immediately almost in unison, "Eve is not nice!" Over time I realized that there was a lot of political games going on. Another colleague once said to me that he was tired of "being part of a political campaign." Sending out 15,000 applications for only 400 seats in a school is reprehensible. The money that paid for those mass mailings could have paid the yearly salary of another teacher not to mention the heartache of all those parents who applied but did not get a spot. She does good work trying to give disadvantaged students a quality public school education but at a great cost to staff AND the school's educational budget! school budget.

Davis Guggenheim Compared to Riefenstahl

“Waiting for Superman" is the second most intellectually dishonest piece of documentary work I have seen. It is surpassed only by Leni Riefenstahl's "Triumph of the Will," the pro-Hitler propaganda classic, in that regard. Uses personal narratives of adorable children to create narrative suspense that overrides public policy discussion with pure emotion in unscrupulous attack on teachers and their unions, among others

Timothy Tyson
Professor of African American Studies and History
Duke University

How Teaching Experience Makes a Difference

Even as New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Michelle Rhee and others around the nation are arguing for experienced teachers to be laid off regardless of seniority, every single study shows teaching experience matters. In fact, the only two observable factors that have been found consistently to lead to higher student achievement are class size and teacher experience, so that it’s ironic that these same individuals are trying to undermine both.
- Leonie Haimson on Parents Across America web site

Full article with charts here.

Weingarten/Gates Foundation announce drone-driven teacher evaluation

According to a press release issued by the Gates Foundation, the AFT and the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, these three have entered a ground-breaking partnership to evaluate teachers utilizing the drone technology that has revolutionized warfare in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. A bird-size device floats up to 400 feet above a classroom and instantly beams live video of teachers in action to agents at desks at Teacher Quality Inspection Stations established by the AFT and the Thomas B. Fordham Institute.

When asked if the drones were authorized to drop bombs on teachers who exhibit inadequacy, Chester E. Finn, Jr., president of the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, replied, "Don't be ridiculous. Gates money puts other methods at our disposal."

Randi Weingarten, president of the 1.5-million-member American Federation of Teachers said the powerful union has signed on to the drone project...

More at Substance

The Real Reason Behind Push for Standardized Tests: It's All About the Adults

On standardized testing in our schools

A must read article about the standardized test industry.
Written by an insider who has worked as a test scorer, the article outlines a multinational industry based on an army of temporary workers paid by the piece at $0.30 to $0.70 per test, translated in the need to grade 40 tests per hour to make a $12 salary. The article goes on to show how the companies gauge the grading "results" based on the need to ensure new contracts to continue profiting off of our youth. The original article is from Monthly Review. Here it is on Schools Matter blog.

http://www.schoolsmatter.info/2010/12/on-growing-use-of-corporate-test.html

Parallels between America today and Germany in the 1920's and early 30's

"Resentment and obstruction are all the right wing in America have to peddle. Their policies are utterly discredited. Their ideology - even by its own standards - is a sham. They are so bereft of leaders, their de facto leader is a former drug addicted, thrice-divorced radio talk show host. That is literally the best they can muster. But they have built a national franchise inciting the downwardly mobile to blame the government, not the right, for their problems, exactly as Hitler did in the 1920s."

The US Is Facing a Weimar Moment

Published on Sunday, March 15, 2009 by CommonDreams.org

Chicago View of Unity/UFT on Charters

After many meetings and debates, the Chicago delegation succeeded in working with the New York United Federation of Teachers, Local 2 (UFT) to push the AFT to take stronger stands on charter school accountability and school closings — though many delegates from Chicago would have liked the language to have been even stronger.

Generally speaking, the New York delegation represented organizing charters as the best model for handling their role in reshaping unions, despite the fact that according to many reports few charter schools in New York have been organized as is the case in Chicago. This logic is the same touted by the Progressive Caucus of the AFT. The few that have been organized are a part of the UFT local though they have separate contracts negotiated with the help of UFT. The Chicago delegation reflection the mindset that allowing new charters to continue to proliferate while attempting to organize existing charters is an end game in which public schools and the union lose.

Jen Johnson, CTU, Local 1 in Substance

Ed Notes Greatest Hits: HSA Rally and Founding of GEM

SEE MY VIDEO ON HARLEM SUCCESS RALLY 2009:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEp7rg_L5JI

Angel Gonzalez and I attended that rally and used the footage to promote our conference on Mar. 28, 2009, which is where the concept of a group like GEM emerged. Until then we had basically been a committee of ICE working with the NYCORE high stakes testing group. The actions of Eva and crew helped spawn GEM. Mommie Dearest!!

I have more video somewhere. I was hoping to get Leni Riefenstahl to edit it but she died. We would have called it "Triumph of the Hedge Fund Operators."

Ed Notes Online

Ed Notes Extended