Exclusively in the new print issue of CounterPunch
HOLLYWOOD AND THE CIA — Film historian Ed Rampell details Hollywood’s entangled relationship with the CIA and the Pentagon; HOUSES OF THE DEAD: Nancy Kurshan exposes the cruel human rights offenses taking place inside America’s vast gulag of Control Unit Prisons; BROTHERHOOD OF SUMMER:  David Macaray charts the history of the most powerful union in the US: the Baseball Players Association; TAR SANDS COME TO AMERICA: Steve Horn explains how the Keystone Pipeline debates have diverted  attention from Big Oil’s other plans to transport Alberta’s oil into the US. PLUS: Jeffrey St. Clair on CONSTITUTIONAL ENTROPY; Mike Whitney on HOW THE BANKS TARGETED BLACKS; Chris Floyd on THE RISE OF BRITAIN’S TEA PARTY; Kristin Kolb on THE NEEDLE AND THE DAMAGE DONE; Kim Nicolini on the FILMS OF WILLIAM FRIEDKIN; and Lee Ballinger on POETS VS. THE ONE PERCENT.
 

Straight Shooters

by STEW ALBERT

Thirteen Iraqis shot down dead protesting the US military occupation of a school.

"A good occupation," that’s what the Israelis said their west bank rule would be. When the territory returned to the Arab world its citizens would be good will ambassadors for Israel.

Their occupation turned hideous destroying in its different ways an Arab and a Jewish nation. Some Israelis then admitted, there are no good occupations.

Gun battles in Mosul. Kids throw rocks at soldiers. "How do we know they ain’t grenades?" Kids die just like in Palestine.

Some Iraqis firing weapons into the air "Happy Birthday Saddam!" Marines shoot straight into their heart.

Someday these killers will return home. And we will learn, there are no good occupations.

STEW ALBERT manages the Yippie Reading Room. He can be reached at: stewa@aol.com