6 November 2009

US Army major kills 12 at Fort Hood, Texas

By Bill Van Auken, 6 November 2009

A US Army major reportedly about to be deployed to war opened fire on fellow soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas Thursday, killing 12 and wounding 31 others.

Italian court convicts US agents in CIA rendition case

By Stefan Steinberg, 6 November 2009

In a landmark decision with global political repercussions, an Italian court has convicted in absentia 23 US agents for their role in the 2003 CIA kidnapping and rendition of an Italian citizen, Abu Omar.

The US government’s double standard on extradition: CIA agents vs. Roman Polanski

By David Walsh, 6 November 2009

The US government promises that it will not hand over to Italy convicted CIA agents, guilty of abetting torture, should that country request their extradition. It has adopted a different attitude toward filmmaker Roman Polanski.

Wall Street bonuses to rise by 40 percent

By Patrick Martin, 6 November 2009

The authors of the biggest financial catastrophe in world history—executives and traders at US investment and commercial banks—will see their year-end bonuses rise by an average of 40 percent compared to last year, according to a report issued Wednesday by Johnson Associates, a Wall Street-based compensation consulting firm.

Julian Moti case: Enormous sums paid by Australian police to alleged victim’s family

By Patrick O’Connor, 6 November 2009

Hearings over the past two days have been dominated by two key issues—Australian complicity with lawyer Julian Moti’s allegedly unlawful removal from the Solomons in December 2007, and the staggering amounts of money paid to members of the alleged victim’s family.

Australian Labor “left” bestows medal on General Petraeus

By Laura Tiernan, 6 November 2009

The photograph published in yesterday’s press of John Faulkner, the Defence Minister in the Australian Labor government, draping an honorary Order of Australia around the neck of General David Petraeus, speaks volumes.

Documents reveal SEC complicity in Madoff Ponzi scheme

By Andre Damon, 6 November 2009

Documents relating to the investigation of Bernard Madoff released last Friday by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) highlight the complicity of the US regulatory agencies in one of the biggest financial frauds in history.

Britain: Labour government sacks chief drugs adviser

By Paul Mitchell, 6 November 2009

Home Secretary Alan Johnson has sacked the government’s chief drugs adviser Professor David Nutt for speaking out against official cannabis drugs policy.

New in French

Les trotskystes européens commémorent le 70e anniversaire de la Deuxième Guerre mondiale
« C’était un carnage industrialisé à une échelle inimaginable »

Par Barbara Slaughter,6 novembre 2009

Le 11 octobre, les sections européennes du Comité international de la Quatrième Internationale (CIQI) ont tenu une réunion conjointe à Londres sur les enseignements à tirer de la Deuxième Guerre mondiale. Nous publions ci-dessous les réflexions de Barbara Slaughter, vétéran trotskyste et membre du Comité central du SEP (GB).

New in German

Proteste der Opelarbeiter in Deutschland gegen drohende Massenentlassungen

Von unseren Reportern, 6. November 2009

Mehrere Tausend Opel-Arbeiter beteiligten sich an Protesten gegen drohende Entlassungen und Werksschließungen. Die Betriebsräte und Gewerkschaft hatten dazu aufgerufen, um die Spuren ihrer eigenen Rolle beim gescheiterten Opel-Magna-Deal zu verwischen.

Deutsche Kanzlerin vor dem amerikanischen Kongress
Merkel sichert Unterstützung für Außenpolitik der Obama-Regierung zu

Von Stefan Steinberg, 6. November 2009

Die Rede von Kanzlerin Angela Merkel vor einer gemeinsamen Sitzung des amerikanischen Kongresses am Dienstag zeichnete sich durch ihre volle und uneingeschränkte Unterstützung für die Außenpolitik der Obama-Regierung aus. Sie markiert eine deutliche Wende der Außenpolitik neu gewählten deutschen Regierung.

20 Jahre Mauerfall
Die CDU feiert Kohl, Bush und Gorbatschow

Von Peter Schwarz, 6. November 2009

Den meisten Veranstaltungen und Publikationen, die den zwanzigsten Jahrestag des Mauerfalls begleiten, fehlt jede kritische oder auch nur nachdenkliche Bilanz.

20 Jahre Mauerfall
Der Bund Sozialistischer Arbeiter und das Ende der DDR - Teil 3

6. November 2009

Am 4. November 1989 fand in Ost-Berlin die größte Demonstration in der Geschichte der DDR statt. Der BSA vertrat als einzige politische Strömung ein Programm, das die Opposition gegen den Stalinismus mit einer internationalen sozialistischen Perspektive verband.

Ein ambitioniertes Verlagsprogramm
Der Mehring Verlag stellt seine neu gestaltete Website vor

Von Wolfgang Zimmermann, 6. November 2009

Der Arbeiterpresse Verlag hat vor kurzem in Mehring Verlag umfirmiert. Er startet mit einem großen Programm in das nächste Jahr.

Perspective

The political-financial scandals in France

6 November 2009

With the indictment of ex-President Jacques Chirac, investigations of France’s political-financial scandals have developed into a full-blown governmental crisis.

Earlier Perspectives »

This Week in History: November 2-9

India erupts in anti-Sikh violence in wake of Gandhi assassination

In the wake of the assassination of Indira Gandhi by two of her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984, pogroms targeting the religious minority kill 3,000 and leave tens of thousands more homeless. Most of the violence takes place in Delhi.

More »

Massive strike of US steelworkers ends

On November 7, 1959, the nationwide steel strike involving 500,000 workers comes to end on its 116th day after the US Supreme Court upholds by an eight-to-one margin President Eisenhower's invocation of the Taft-Hartley Act, which allows the US president to end strikes if he declares that they threaten a national emergency.

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Republicans routed in off-year elections

The Democratic Party increases sizable majorities in both houses of Congress in the 1934 off-year elections. The result indicates popular support for government intervention to create jobs in the midst of the Great Depression, policies associated with the “New Deal” reformist measures proposed by President Franklin Roosevelt.

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Germany’s US ambassador says war “improbable”

In an address to the Academy of American Political and Social Sciences in Philadelphia on November 6, 1909, Germany’s ambassador to the US attempts to reassure Washington that Germany’s rise to world power will not necessarily lead to war.

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Commentary

End the persecution of Sri Lankan Tamils

By Wije Dias, 6 November 2009

The plight of Tamils living in intolerable conditions in Sri Lanka has been brought into sharp relief by the tragic drowning of 12 Tamil asylum seekers attempting to reach Australia in a small vessel.

Workers Struggles

SEPTA strikersPhiladelphia transit worker killed as SEPTA strike enters third day

By a reporting team, 6 November 2009

A Philadelphia transit worker was struck and killed by a train Thursday morning as the strike by 5,000 SEPTA workers entered its third day. As the day ended, union officials met with Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell.

Video: Ford workers speak on contract rejection

Ford video

4 November 2009

The WSWS spoke to workers at the Ford Dearborn Truck plant in Michigan on the rejection of contract revisions backed by the company and the UAW.

Workers Struggles: Europe & Africa

6 November 2009

The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to contribute to this regular feature.

Arts Review

Music Review: The Monsters of Folk

By C.W. Rogers, 6 November 2009

The Monsters of Folk is a collaborative “supergroup” composed of Conner Oberst and multi-instrumentalist-producer Mike Mogis of Bright Eyes, Jim James of My Morning Jacket, and singer-songwriter M. Ward.

History

Twenty years since the fall of the Berlin Wall
Statement of the Bund Sozialistischer Arbeiter, October 18, 1989—Part 2
Overthrow the Stalinist bureaucracy!
Build workers’ councils in East Germany!Berlin 1989

6 November 2009

This statement by the Central Committee of the Bund Sozialistischer Arbeiter, the predecessor of the Partei für Soziale Gleichheit (Socialist Equality Party of Germany), was issued on October 18, 1989. Today we are posting the second of three parts of the statement. Part 1 was posted November 5.

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Videos and Images

Ford workers speak out against concessions contract
Ford workers speak out against concessions contract 50,000 line up for housing assistance in Detroit
50,000 line up for housing assistance in Detroit ISSE members speak on education cuts at rally
ISSE members speak on education cuts at rally Detroit residents speak on utility bills, social crisis
Detroit residents speak on utility bills, social crisis OU video
Michigan’s Oakland University faculty strike has student support Detroit teachers denounce pay cuts
Detroit teachers denounce pay cuts D'Art
Detroit city workers oppose concessions, layoffs Interviews at Los Angeles health care clinic
Interviews at Los Angeles health care clinic Workers continue Vestas occupation on Isle of Wight
Workers continue Vestas occupation on Isle of Wight A conversation with Windsor municipal workers
A conversation with Windsor municipal workers New York City workers speak against cuts in healthcare and social services
NYC workers speak against cuts in social services Flint vid
Flint, Michigan and the bankruptcy of General Motors MI auto vid
GM workers on bankruptcy and plant closings MI auto vid
Michigan auto workers and families speak on plant closures GM vid
GM workers speak out on concessions contract Protesting students and parents speak to the WSWS
Protesting students and parents speak to the WSWS Chrysler workers speak on concessions vote
Chrysler workers speak on concessions vote UK Visteon workers speak on occupation
UK Visteon workers speak on occupation GM and Chrysler workers oppose more concessions
GM and Chrysler workers oppose more concessions Chrysler workers oppose Obama auto plan
Chrysler workers oppose Obama auto plan
WSWS interviews G20 protesters in London Donovan
Pontiac residents speak on schools crisis Detroit jobs fair
Workers interviewed at Detroit jobs fair
Ford workers: “Now the fight is with our own union.” GM workers videoGM workers denounce concession demands Chrysler workers oppose cuts
Chrysler workers oppose pay cuts, concession demands London demonstration against Sri Lankan war
Over 100,000 demonstrate in London against Sri Lankan war Joanne
Funeral for Michigan man frozen following utility shut-off Montserrat
Exposing Franco's mass graves Bay City, Mich.: “Shutting somebody's electricity off in the dead of winter is criminal”
Bay City, Michigan residents speak on death from utility shut-off London protesters speak to the WSWS
WSWS interviews London protesters London demonstrators protest Israeli assault on Gaza
London demonstrators protest Israeli assault on Gaza Chrysler workers denounce pay cuts
Chrysler workers denounce pay cuts Griffiths and Walsh
The Writer and Revolution: A conversation with Trevor Griffiths

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