|
|
|
The New Print Edition of CounterPunch, Only for Our Newsletter Subscribers! General Petraeus' Fake War
|
home / subscribe / donate / books / archives / search / links / feedback / events / faq
The New Print Edition of CounterPunch, Only for Our Newsletter Subscribers!
General Petraeus' Fake War
How the Press and Congress Eagerly Swallowed It
EXCLUSIVE to subscribers in our latest newsletter, Gareth Porter dissects two years’ worth of successful lying by Gen Petraeus and his propaganda team. Guess what? The FBI AND DOJ didn’t specially target Muhammad Ali. Those G-men were just following normal procedures! Alexander Cockburn reviews the latest effort to “revise” the Sixties. Dick Cheney “didn’t understand the legalities.” James Abourezk describes his efforts to close down the lethal liquor operators that prey on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Whatever happened to the class war? Read Serge Halimi and find out. Get your copy today by subscribing online or calling 1-800-840-3683 Contributions to CounterPunch are tax-deductible. Click here to make a donation. If you find our site useful please: Subscribe Now! CounterPunch books and gear make great presents.
|
Today's Stories July 4, 2008 Kathy Kelly July 3, 2008 Sharon Smith Andy Worthington Laura Carlsen Peter Morici Ramzi Kysia Martha Rosenberg Anne Landman Dave Zirin Kristin Bricker Website of the Day
July 2, 2008 Patrick Irelan Vijay Prashad Brian Cloughley Ralph Nader Robert Fantina Dave Lindorff Parvez Ahmed Robert Bryce Website of the Day July 1, 2008 Alexander Cockburn Mike Whitney Douglas Macgregor Steven Higgs Andy Worthington Binoy Kampmark Dave Lindorff Roger Burbach Richard W. Behan Gary Leupp Website of the Day June 30, 2008 Peter Lee Jeff Sommers David Macaray Martha Rosenberg David Price Alexandra Early June 28 / 29, 2008 Alexander Cockburn Jeffrey St. Clair Joan P. Mencher Nikolas Kozloff Jason Hribal Alan Maass Robert Fantina Bill Moyers / Mike Whitney Justin E. H. Smith Pham Binh David Yearsley Christopher Ketcham Jeremy R. Hammond Kathleen M. Barry Walter Brasch Brett Drugge Susie Day Website of the Day June 27, 2008 Franklin C. Spinney Jonathan Cook Brian Cloughley Saree Makdisi Liliana Segura Paul Krassner William S. Lind Candace Cohn Ron Jacobs Binoy Kampmark Website of the Day June 26, 2008 Patrick Cockburn Nikolas Kozloff William P. O'Connor Saul Landau Ashley Smith Dave Lindorff David Macaray Binoy Kampmark Matt Reichel Remi Kenazi Website of the Day
June 25, 2008 David H. Price Stephen Soldz Andy Worthington Marjorie Cohn Joanne Mariner Ralph Nader Robert Weissman Christopher Brauchli Suren Pillay Seth Sandronsky Website of the Day June 24, 2008 Ishmael Reed P. Sainath Nikolas Kozloff Gregory Kafoury Betty Shamieh Mike Whitney Andy Worthington Bill Christison Philippe Marlière Website of the Day June 23, 2008 Michael Hudson John Ross Peter Montague Ramzy Baroud Robert Fantina Robert Weitzel David Macaray Howard Lisnoff Richard Rhames Gail Dines Tim Matson June 21 / 22, 2008 Alexander Cockburn Jeffrey St. Clair Pam Martens Mike Whitney Chris Floyd Tim Wise Paul Craig Roberts Michael Winship Ron Jacobs Ramzy Baroud Alan Farago Michael Yates Dave Lindorff Bernard Chazelle Linda Mamoun Jo-Shing Yang Robert Jensen Website of the Weekend
June 20, 2008 Robert Oscar Lopez Paul Craig Roberts Bouthaina Shaaban Bill Quigley Moshe Adler Patrick Cockburn Andy Worthington Norman Solomon Martha Rosenberg June 19, 2008 Ralph Nader Chellis Glendinning Neve Gordon Dave Lindorff Sheldon Richman George Bisharat Jackie Corr Farzana Versey Website of the Day June 18, 2008 Nicole Colson Rev. William E. Alberts Vijay Prashad Parvez Ahmed Bob Moss Dave Lindorff David Wilson June 17, 2008 Conn Hallinan Wajahat Ali Marjorie Cohn Uri Avnery David Macaray Rannie Amiri Website of the Day June 16, 2008 Uri Avnery Corey D. B. Walker Howard Lisnoff Dennis Loo Paul Craig Roberts June 13 / 15, 2008 Douglas Valentine Alexander Cockburn Jeffrey St. Clair Peter Linebaugh Ishmael Reed Joe Bageant Harry Browne Andy Worthington Jeff Sharlet Binoy Kampmark Alan Farago Brian Cloughley Manuel Garcia, Jr. Reza Fiyouzat Patrick Bond / David Yearsley Niranjan Ramakrishnan Ronnie Cummins Dan Bacher Michael Dickinson Seth Sandronsky Poets' Basement Website of the Weekend June 12, 2008 Judith Levine Patrick Cockburn Saul Landau Christopher Brauchli Norman Solomon Helen Redmond Laura Carlsen Jeremy R. Hammond Anne Landman Website of the Day June 11, 2008 Paul Craig Roberts Ralph Nader Joshua Frank Clifton Ross Muhammad Idrees Ahmad Stephen Lendman Diane Farsetta Ron Jacobs Deborah Rich Hop Wechsler Website of the Day June 10, 2008 Alan Farago James G. Abourezk Saree Makdisi Malini Johar Schueller John Ross Wajahat Ali Peter Morici Jordan Flaherty Gary Macfarlane Joanne Mariner Website of the Day June 9, 2008 Uri Avnery Nikolas Kozloff Allan Nairn Dennis Loo Harry Browne C. Hand Peter Morici Kenneth Couesbouc Martha Rosenberg James L. Secor Website of the Day June 7 / 8, 2008 Alexander Cockburn Ishmael Reed Jeffrey St. Clair Nikolas Kozloff Dave Lindorff Robert Fantina Conn Hallinan Neve Gordon Tom Barry Patrick Irelan Tim Wise David Ker Thomson Joshua Frank David Yearsley James T. Phillips Joe Allen P. Sainath David Macaray B.R. Gowani Fred Gardner Peter Harley Michael Dickinson Jen Roesch Poets' Basement Website of the Day
June 6, 2008 Frank Barat Patrick Cockburn Gary Leupp James Abourezk Peter Morici Faheem Hussain Andy Worthington Ayesha Ijaz Khan Dave Lindorff Website of the Day June 5, 2008 Patrick Cockburn Sharon Smith Nikolas Kozloff Linn Washington, Jr. Omar Barghouti Scott Pellegrino John Walsh Dan Bacher DC Larson Robert Jensen Website of the Day June 4, 2008 Eric Walberg Gary Leupp Ralph Nader Dave Lindorff George Wuerthner Victor M. Rodriguez Remi Kanazi Stephane Luçon Farzana Versey Laray Polk Website of the Day June 3, 2008 Paul Craig Roberts / Mike Whitney Steve Early Manuel Otero George Bisharat Nikolas Kozloff Dan Bacher Website of the Day June 2, 2008 Uri Avnery Nikolas Kozloff Allan J. Lichtman Malini Johar Schueller Robert Weissman Peter Morici Manuel Garcia, Jr. John Ross Ahmad Al-Akhras Website of the Day May 31 / June 1, 2008 Alexander Cockburn Jeffrey St. Clair Gary Leupp Stan Cox Rannie Amiri P. Sainath Binoy Kampmark Robert Fantina Seth Sandronsky Corporate Crime Reporter Anthony DiMaggio Karl Grossman Matt Reichel Paul Myron Hillier Andy Worthington David Yearsley Daniel Cassidy Charles Thomson Gary Corseri Wajahat Ali Ron Jacobs Poets' Basement Website of the Day
May 30, 2008 Bassam Aramin Andrew Cockburn Saul Landau Nikolas Kozloff Robert Sandels Dave Lindorff Martha Rosenberg Harvey Wasserman Doug Giebel Shaun Harkin Website of the Day May 29, 2008 Jeffrey St. Clair Nikolas Kozloff Col. Dan Smith Karl Grossman William S. Lind Robert Weissman Dave Lindorff David Macaray Chris Genovali Laura Carlsen Website of the Day May 28, 2008 Wajahat Ali Ralph Nader Brian McKenna Corporate Crime Reporter Brian Cloughley Eric Walberg Michael Dickinson Ijaz Khan Website of the Day May 27, 2008 Alexander Cockburn Greg Kafoury Jean Bricmont Tim Wise Ricardo Alarcón Stephen Soldz Andy Worthington Alan Singer Richard Neville Susie Day May 26, 2008 Uri Avnery Bill Quigley Col. Dan Smith Cindy Sheehan Marjorie Cohn Fred Gardner Raymond J. Lawrence Harvey Wasserman Moncia Benderman David Rovics Website of the Day May 24 / 25, 2008 Alexander Cockburn Jeffrey St. Clair Barbara Rose Johnston Nikolas Kozloff Adriana Kojeve Robert Fantina Dave Lindorff David Yearsley Nelson P. Valdés Kathleen M. Barry John Ross Allison Kilkenny Fred Gardner Elizabeth Schulte Daniel Gross Christopher Brauchli Richard Rhames Daniel Cassidy Poets' Basement Website of the Weekend
May 23, 2008 Paul Craig Roberts Alan Farago Conn Hallinan Mark Engler George Wuerthner Kamran Matin Sandy Boyer / Robert Weitzel Cindy Sheehan Liaquat Ali Khan Website of the Day
May 22, 2008 Vijay Prashad Joanne Mariner Sharon Smith Jeff Birkenstein Brendan McQuade Peter Morici Niranjan Ramakrishnan Dave Zirin Ron Jacobs Stephen Lendman Website of the Day May 21, 2008 Jeffrey St. Clair Nikolas Kozloff Alan Farago Dave Lindorff David Model Eric Walberg Franklin Lamb Kenneth Couesbouc Website of the Day
May 20, 2008 Ralph Nader Uri Avnery Patrick Irelan Ray McGovern David Macaray Chris Genovali Ibrahim Fawal Christopher Ketcham Andy Worthington Martha Rosenberg Website of the Day May 19, 2008 Saul Landau Paul Craig Roberts Brian McKenna Patrick Cockburn B. R. Gowani Dr. Trudy Bond Cindy Sheehan John Mohawk Remi Kanazi Robert Day Website of the Day |
July 4, 2008 In the Footsteps of Evel Knievel Obama Heads Back to ButteBy JACKIE CORR As scheduled, Evel Knievel days will be coming back to town late in July. On top of that I hear the lad from Chicago who wants to live in the White House is on the way for our 109th straight July 4 parade. As you may know, Knievel is no longer with us and could it be possible Mr. Obama will ride the route in a big shiny Harley wearing one of those knockout red, white and blue daredevil outfits that Bob Knievel made so famous around the world. I have my doubts but if governor Brian Schweitzer shows up a la Evil Knievel, who here would be surprised? And when in Chicago, Knievel hung out at a joint called Chester's at 63rd & Archer. The Chicago Sun-Times visited Chester's after Knievel's death last winter and talked to Archie Greenaberg who said Knievel drank beer and Wild Turkey, "I asked him how he could drink that stuff." Knievel said. 'I'm a daredevil. What do you think I'm gonna drink? Pink squirrels?' " And so it was in this neighborhood bar in Chicago, where the famous Knievel would hold court and tell his stories, but never in a bragging sort of way according to Archie. Sometimes neighborhood kids would interrupt, and Knievel would send them off with an autographed picture or lead a group back to his motor home and trailer to show them his motorcycles and colorful jumpsuits and on some days deliver a talk on bicycle safety and the importance of wearing a helmet Then there are Democrats and Republicans in this so called "red state." Since statehood in 1889, there have been no Republicans in Butte. And even today you can go months or years without seeing a cowboy hat here. But FDR, Harry Truman, John and Bobby Kennedy have drawn big crowds. And it will do well to remember that Butte's most famous political speech came from Harry Truman in June of 1948. Truman's car was nearly swallowed by the men, women and children of that boisterous working class Butte of 1948. The street crowd up to old Eso Naranche stadium for the speech was estimated at 40,000 spirited people. Inside the stadium were another 18,000 supporters were waiting. Many of those on the street route then surrounded the stadium to cheer Truman on. And with Butte yelling "give em hell," Truman could say he was only telling the truth and the Republicans thought it was hell. See Jackie Corr: When Harry Truman Stopped in Butte http://www.counterpunch.org/corr03202004.html
So when the news came that Barack Obama was coming back to the old mining city a few hours ago - STANLY KETCHELL It is quiet now on the first block of East Galena. And in the quiet, Stanley Ketchell has reclaimed the block. And like East Galena Street, Stanley Ketchell has been dead for a long time. But in Butte, before there was a Knievel, there was a Ketchell. On a Saturday evening in 1910, a wire reached William Floto, sport's editor of the Butte Intermountain. In the next day's paper a simple box ran under his byline. "Stanley Ketchell is dead and not yet 24 years old. May God have mercy on his soul." In New York City, Ketchel's manager, Wilson Mizner. expressed shock to the big city's papers: "It's not him. The kid can't be dead. Start counting and he will get up."
But not all were surprised to hear of the gunning down of the 24 year old world champion, the self-proclaimed "toughest guy on the planet." In death, the Anaconda Standard, Montana's largest and most influential newspaper, noted Ketchell's many ties to the Butte underworld. "For a long time Stanley Ketchell hung around the bad lands making his living in as easy a fashion as he could, but always ready to fight. He lived by taking on other fighters at resorts in the rough part of town where a prize fight was an added attraction to the varieties and the liquor. At one point in his career in Butte, Ketchell was in danger of being run out of the city by the police for 'having no visible means of support.' In a few years, another Rocky Mountain mining camp fighter was making a name for himself in red-light mining towns far south of Butte. Out of Manassa, Colorado, hopeful followers were calling a new guy "another Ketchell." The new guy was fighting under the name of Jack Dempsey. For many years Dempsey ran a celebrated New York resturant where a picture of Ketchell was prominently displayed. In the 1930's and 40's, New York's celebrity writer, Daymon Runyon ("Guys and Dolls") noted "the memory of Stanley Ketchell prejudiced the judgment of anyone who was ever associated with him. They can never see any other fighter." And seventy years after Ketchell's death, in 1980, the World Boxing Hall of Fame named its first twelve members. Along with Ketchell were Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney, Henry Armstrong, Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Robinson, Rocky Marciano and Archie Moore. All but Ketchell had long ring careers, some spanning decades. But in death as in life, Stanley Ketchell's qualifications for admission were brief yet as spectacular as any firework show ever seen anywhere. His official record covered but seven years and only 26 of his 67 or so fights took place outside of Montana. Unsaid or unknown, was the fact that most of Ketchell's bouts took place in the Butte red-light district, at a quasi-brothel and hurdy gurdy house where the scanty costumes of the females earned it the nickname of "The Fairy Palace." To Mary MacLane up at Butte High School, the girls that worked these red-light theaters were known as "box rustlers" and this particular red-light nightspot contained a full stage and seating for a 1,000. Officially it was the Casino and it was located at 15 East Galena.
On September 2,1907, the 20 year old Ketchell won the middleweight title and was quick about it when he knocked out the respected Mike "Twin" Sullivan in San Francisco in the first round.. The San Francisco Chroncile described the win over Sullivan: "Ketchell swung a vicious left to the jaw.Then before he could whip over his right the Boston man dropped to the mat and lay there like 'a cod in a pot.' There were not six blows landed in a fight that lasted one minute and 18 seconds. Sullivan did not recover consciousness for several minutes. The referee Billy Roche mumbled "My goodness, he's dead." In 1909, Ketchell went to New York City to meet the bigger and highly regarded light-heavyweight champion, "Philadelphia Jack " O'Brien who had fought Jack Johnson to a draw the year before. By then, Ketchell was a fighter who could guarantee a big gate anywhere. With the inactive and evasive Tommy Burns ducking Jack Johnson, who in turn showed no interest in fighting Ketchell, Butte's red-light kid, with his boyish movie star good looks, was boxing's matinee idol. Along with the Detroit Tigers baseball player Ty Cobb, his was the most recognized name in American sport. Living up to his star billing, Ketchell stunned the crowd by knocking O’Brien out of the ring in the tenth where O'Brien would lay with his head resting in a resin box in his own corner. "Philadelphia Jack" was out for nearly five minutes. Finally six moths later, just south of San Francisoco in Colma, Ketchell finally caught up with Jack Johnson, who in Ketchell's eyes had been ducking him. Ketchell even had Johnson on the canvas the twelvth round before Johnson knocked him out in October of 1909. That was the last fight Stanley Ketchell ever lost. Edward "Gunboat " Smith, a top heavyweight contender of a later era told a story of his youthful experiences as a sparring partner for both Ketchell and Johnson at San Francisco before the bout. After the fight the two got together and Butte's Red-Light Kid gained a little revenge. "The same night they went down to Jim Crawfords, across the city line. He run a gambling hall down there, down at Colma. Johnson and Ketchell that night of the fight - they fought in the afternoon - that night they went down there and they were shooting craps and Stanley Ketchell took seven hundred dollars off big Jack Johnson in a crap game. Now you figure it!" And when Barack Obama arrives in Butte on Friday, the very first block of East Galena Street, once the heart and soul of the old Butte underworld, will be quiet and mostly deserted.. And if a person is so inclined, a good place as any to reflect on the fleeting nature of what we know as the world. And if the Ketchell story remains an improbable one - and it is - it because of, or despite the fact this ring legend was described as a heavy drinker, gambler and womanizer? And if that wasn't enough he smoked cigars and had a well know taste for opium, the old Butte vice. Even Hollywood couldn't have imagined such a story as Stanley Ketchell and a century later what better choice to represent Butte's Ragtime-Red-Light era then this most memorable ghost of East Galena Street. Not only that. Butte (Silver Bow County) has yet to vote for the Republican candidate for president in the 19th or 20th century and I see no reason to think it will be any different this November which will make it 30 defeats n a row for the hated Republicans. And anybody that knows anything knows that , at heart, Butte has always been closer to the "wobblies" then any Republican political party. Remember that next time you hear Montana is a "red state." Jackie Corr can be reached in Butte, Montana at jcorr@bigskyhsd.com
|
Now Available from CounterPunch Books!
Born Under a Bad Sky: Coming Soon! RED STATE REBELS:
Edited by  Buy End Times Now! CounterPunch Books of the Crossroads: HOW THE IRISH INVENTED SLANG By Daniel Cassidy AMERICAN BOOK AWARD!  Click Here to Buy! Click Here for Dates & Venues Michael Neumann's Devastating Rebuttal of Alan Dershowitz  Click Here to Buy! Saul Landau's Bush and Botox World with a Foreword by Gore Vidal |
