Sri Lanka’s Neoliberal Nightmare

By Asad Ismi With the collapse of its economy in June, the situation is dire in Sri Lanka. According to the World Food Programme (WFP), Sri Lanka faces a “serious food crisis,” with 6.3 million people—close to 30% of the 22 million population—being food insecure. Food inflation has reached a record-high of 90%, making staples […]

Mass Anti-Neoliberal Protests in Turkey Brutally Repressed: Uprisings Sparked by Soaring Poverty, Inequality, Tyranny

By Asad Ismi Trees sparked the recent widespread civil uprising in Turkey – the biggest such public protest in the history of the Turkish Republic since its formation in 1923. It started on May 27 after a small group of peaceful demonstrators gathered in Istanbul’s Gezi Park in an effort to save its 600 trees […]

U.S. and China’s Rivalry Over Africa’s Riches Intensifies: China Gains African Goods With Loans, the U.S. With Guns

By Asad Ismi In my report on France’s invasion of Mali published in the March issue of The Monitor, I wrote that, “According to U.K. journalist John Pilger, ‘A full-scale invasion of Africa is under way. The United States is deploying troops in 35 African countries, beginning with Libya, Sudan, Algeria, and Niger. The invasion […]

Invasion of Mali is a Resource Grab, Not a War on Terrorists–U.S. Leads Western Powers’ Plunder of Africa

By Asad Ismi France invaded the West African nation of Mali on January 11, with 4,000 troops, jet fighters, and attack helicopters — supposedly to drive out Islamic fundamentalists identified as Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), who Paris claims were well on their way to taking over the country. These fundamentalists, however, based in […]