|
|
Will It Be the
Last or a Lost Weekend?
|
home / subscribe / donate / tower / books / archives / search / links / feedback / events / faq
Will It Be the Last or a Lost Weekend?
The Final Two Days of Our Annual Fundraising Appeal
We're nearly there. Many CounterPunchers have responded generously. BUT WE NEED MORE OF YOU. If we don't meet our goal of $70,000 by Sunday we'll have to cut back on everything we do. Our continued existence depends on YOUR support.We get thousands of emails from you each day. Hundreds of thousands of you visit this website every week. If each page view cost a dollar we'd be flush. But the website is free, and we need YOU to help us keep it going. Unlike many other outfits, we only ask for your support once a year. But when we ask, WE MEAN IT, BECAUSE WE NEED IT.
Please, use our secure server make a tax-deductible donation to CounterPunch today or purchase a subscription and a gift sub for someone or one of our award winning books (or a crate of books!) as holiday presents. (We won't call you to shake you down or sell your name to any lists--even Dick Cheney's.)
To contribute by phone you can call Becky or Deva toll free at: 1-800-840-3683
Alex, Jeffrey, Becky, Alya and Deva
CounterPunch
PO Box 228, Petrolia, CA 95558
|
November 24 / 25, 2007 Robert
Fisk Rannie
Amiri Daniel
Gross Mike
Whitney Marjorie
Cohn Website
of the Day
Gary
Leupp Laura
Carlsen David
Macaray Andy
Worthington Clifton
Ross Seth
Sandronsky Dan
Bacher William
A. Cook Website
of the Day
November 22, 2007 Alan
Farago Greg
Moses Dave
Lindorff Mike
Ely Omar
Azfar
November 21, 2007 Vijay
Prashad Martha
Rosenberg Manuel
Garcia, Jr. John
Ross Brian
McKenna Stephen
Soldz Monica
Benderman Ben
Terrall Website
of the Day
November 20, 2007 Oren
Ben-Dor Wajahat
Ali Alan
Farago Marjorie
Cohn Ralph
Nader Andy
Worthington Sara
Olson Dave
Lindorff Paul
Krassner Website
of the Day November 19, 2007 Winslow
T. Wheeler China
Hand Allan
Nairn Uri
Avnery David
Macaray Dave
Lindorff Bill
Quigley Ron
Jacobs Sunsara
Taylor Binoy
Kampmark Heather
Gray Website
of the Day
November 17 / 18, 2007 P.
Sainath David
Rosen Mike
Whitney George
Wuerthner Brenda
Norrell George
Ciccariello-Maher Karim
Makdisi Marie
Trigona Valerio
Volpi Fred
Gardner Robert
Fantina Mike
Ferner Missy
Comley Beattie Kenneth
Couesbouc Patrick
O'Hayer Poets'
Basement
November 16, 2007 Cockburn
/ St. Clair Dave
Zirin Gary
D. Barnett Alan
Farago Dave
Lindorff Russell
Mokhiber Robert
Ovetz Brenda
Norrell David
Swanson Peter
Letheby Website
of the Day
November 15, 2007 Cockburn
/ St. Clair Adolfo
Gilly Peter
Bohmer Andy
Worthington Gray
/ Derks Liaquat
Ali Khan Dave
Lindorff Christopher
Brauchli Anthony
Papa Martha
Rosenberg Ben
Terrall Website
of the Day
Cockburn
/ St. Clair James
Petras Al
Giordano Paul
Craig Roberts Andy
Worthington Stephen
Lendman Fatima
Bhutto Martin
Smith Jeff
Leys Website
of the Day November 13, 2007 Alexander
Cockburn Jeffrey
St. Clair Robert
Bryce David
Macaray Mike
Whitney Ralph
Nader Nikolas
Kozloff Jordan
Flaherty B.
R. Gowani Website
of the Day
November 12, 2007 Vicente
Navarro Ben
Brown Omar
K. Sadia
Abbas Farzana
Versey Richard
W. Behan Paul
Krassner Cindy
Sheehan Peter
Stone Brown Dave
Lindorff Website
of the Day
November 10 / 11, 2007 Alain
Gresh Mike
Whitney Ron
Jacobs Jeffrey
St. Clair Alan
Farago Binoy
Kampmark Robert
Fantina Fred
Gardner Ayesha
Ijaz Khan Nicola
Nasser Philip
Rizk Michael
Dickinson Joel
S. Hirschhorn Paul
Krassner Wadner
Pierre /
November 9, 2007 Patrick
Cockburn Mohammed
Hanif John
Ross Mike
Whitney Tom
Barry Corporate
Crime Reporter Badruddin
Khan David
Macaray Martha
Rosenberg Website
of the Day
November 8, 2007 Kathleen
& Bill Christison William
Loren Katz Mike
Whitney Sheldon
Richman Liaquat
Ali Khan Marc
Gardner Jackie
Corr Brenda
Norrell Dave
Lindorff China
Hand Sen.
Russ Feingold Website
of the Day
November 7, 2007 Paul
Craig Roberts Russell
Mokhiber Vijay
Prashad Niranjan
Ramakrishnan Alan
Farago David
Macaray Nikolas
Kozloff Charlotte
Laws Daniel
White William
Cook Website
of the Day
November 6, 2007 Mike
Whitney Ralph
Nader Andy
Worthington Pam
Martens Liaquat
Ali Khan William
Schroder Stephen
Lendman William
Blum Former
US Intelligence Officers
November 5, 2007 Alexander
Cockburn Russell
Mokhiber David
Macaray Gary
Leupp Dave
Lindorff Ludwig
Watzal Patrick
Cockburn Peter
Stone Brown Michael
Simmons Website
of the Day
November 3 / 4, 2007 Tariq
Ali David
Price Jeffrey
St. Clair Alan
Farago Paul
Krassner Rannie
Amiri P.
Sainath Ayesha
Ijaza Khan Robert
Fantina Seth
Sandronsky Ron
Jacobs Ramzy
Baroud Heather
Gray
November 2, 2007 Dr.
Mary Pipher Saul
Landau Andy
Worthington Sharon
Smith Gary
Leupp Gregory
Harms Christopher
Brauchli Peter
Morici Dave
Lindorff David
Penner Website
of the Day
November 1, 2007 Paul
Craig Roberts Patrick
Cockburn Dave
Lindorff Jonathan
Feldman Mike
Ferner William
S. Lind Diana
Johnstone Jacob
Hornberger A..K.
Gupta Lyuba
Zarsky / Felice
Pace Website
of the Day
October 31, 2007 Bill
Quigley Rev.
William E. Alberts Ray
McGovern Eric
Walberg V.
G. Smith Luis
J. Rodriguez Sheldon
Richman Walter
Brasch Website
of the Day
David
Price M.
Shahid Alam Andy
Worthington Patrick
Cockburn Anthony
Papa Floyd
Rudmin Sherwood
Ross Website
of the Day
October 29, 2007 Lisa
Hajjar Joe
DeRaymond Patrick
Cockburn Isabella
Kenfield / Fred
Gardner Farzana
Versey Stephen
Fleischman Marcelle
Cendrars Eamonn
McCann Martha
Rosenberg Website
of the Day
October 27 / 28, 2007 Alexander
Cockburn Jeffrey
St. Clair James
Bovard Ralph
Nader M.
Reza Pirbhai Robert
Sandels Jacob
G. Hornberger Missy
Beattie John
Ross Robert
Fantina Ron
Jacobs Ali
Moayedian David
Michael Green Poets
Basement Website
of the Day
October 26, 2007 Brian
Cloughley Saul
Landau Ahmad
Al-Akras Franklin
Lamb Mike
Whitney Dave
Lindorff Alan
Farago Yifat
Susskind Website
of the Day
Jeffrey
St. Clair / Manuel
Garcia, Jr. Paul
Craig Roberts Col.
Dan Smith Alan
Farago Chris
Kutalik Brian
McKinlay Cindy
Sheehan Website
of the Day
October 24, 2007 Natalie
Washington-Weik Andy
Worthington Michael
Birmingham Corporate
Crime Reporter Tariq
Ali Farzana
Versey Dave
Zirin James
Murren Todd
Chretien Martha
Rosenberg Website
of the Day
October 23, 2007 Ralph
Nader Lawrence
R. Velvel Vijay
Prashad Bonnie
Bricker / Dave
Lindorff Mike
Whitney Farzana
Versey Stanley
Heller / Marcelle
Cendrars Regan
Boychuk Website
of the Day
October 22, 2007 Ishmael
Reed Marjorie
Cohn Rannie
Amiri Diane
Farsetta Todd
Alan Price Robert
Jensen Stephen
Lendman Jemima
Khan Sunsara
Taylor Binoy
Kampmark Website
of the Day
October 20 / 21, 2007 Alexander
Cockburn Tariq
Ali Jeffrey
St. Clair Andy
Worthington Mike
Whitney Daniel
Wolff David
Rosen Saul
Landau Ron
Jacobs Robert
Fantina David
Heleniak Joe
Allen Prairie
Miller Poets'
Basement Website
of the Weekend
October 19, 2007 John
Ross Sheldon
Rampton Rahul
Mahajan Devra
Davis Christopher
Brauchli Wadner
Pierre Bill
Quigley Website
of the Day
October 18, 2007 Saree
Makdisi Meg
Dwyer Alevtina
Rea Norman
Solomon Kristoffer
Larsson Harvey
Wasserman Website
of the Day
October 17, 2007 Steve
Niva Andy
Worthington Alan
Farago Russell
Mokhiber Sharon
Smith Mike
Whitney Robert
Fantina Chris
Irwin Website
of the Day October 16, 2007 Peter
Linebaugh Paul
Findley Robert
Bryce Uri
Avnery Paul
Craig Roberts Ray
McGovern Norman
Solomon Martha
Rosenberg William
S. Lind Joel
S. Hirschborn Website
of the Day
Subscribe Online
|
Weekend
Edition He Tackled the Big Issues of Our TimeNorman Mailer will not R.I.P.By SAUL LANDAU As a teenager, I learned to appreciate fiction by reading The Naked and the Dead. High school teachers force fed us The Odyssey and The Iliad and other "classics," but Mailer gave teenage boys thirsty for sex and violence (vicariously, of course) a reason to read. In the 1960s, Mailer turned anti-war activist and reporter. Not all his books succeeded in achieving the literary excellence he demanded, but he retained his courage and determination to express ideas about subjects most writers avoid. In his personal life he often behaved like an immature, publicity-seeking asshole, picking fights and causes without thought. In that sense he also represented a large stain and strain of American life. His death at 84 represents a loss of a national treasure. The obituaries on Norman Mailer offer little or no space to his literary contribution that offers unique insight into the Cold War. Harlot's Ghost explored the U.S.-Soviet clash as no historian or sociologist dared -- or had the capacity to probe. By using Herrick "Harry"
Hubbard, a CIA officer, as his protagonist who somehow finds
himself present at CIA designed coups, failed invasions (Bay
of Pigs) and other Cold War milestones, Mailer explores the real
life acting company that Mailer, through fiction, showed the ridiculous world of the Ivy League preachers and professors, the sons and daughters of old wealth, who wrote the script for the supposed clash of Mammoth Powers. The United States has not had a rival since England. It created the Soviet Union as a super power in order to play the most exciting game in all of history, one that became downright frightening in 1949 when the Soviets achieved nuclear weapons. The Soviets possessed nothing but those weapons to challenge U.S. power. They never developed a viable economy; nor did they achieve the ability to export a competitive culture -- a la Hollywood and Madison Avenue. Imagine, Soviets programming TV and radio stations and trying to offer fare equal to 24/7 shopping, flesh almighty and bang bang bang! Mailer begins his novel in the early 1980s. He picks up from F. Scott Fitzgerald in describing the wealthy and irresponsible WASPs in New England, a man with a solid reputation, a pedigreed wife (at home) and an equally aristocratic, but much hotter mistress -- his cousin no less. Harry's godfather and guru, Harlot, has apparently blown himself away -- like some real CIA bigwigs did. In this case, the dead man represented counterintelligence. But, like several CIA hotshots, he may have been a KGB mole. Indeed, his death might also fall into the realm of cloak and daggerdom. Harry's wife, Kittredge, once Harlot's femme fatale, has been bonking Harry's CIA pal and sometimes foe, Dix Butler. Dix adores criminal behavior and will commit almost any bizarre act to make money -- including assassinate his wife. Mailer's characters covering walk in and out of episodes that cover decades of personal and national misalliances and betrayals. At each turn, the reader finds the leaders of U.S. "intelligence" to lack any ideological foundation except to their own capricious pleasures. The top CIA dogs in the book helped create the myth of Soviet power while politicians and media flaks sold their bullshit to the public. Mailer explores major CIA fiascos carried out in the name of advancing freedom or gathering advantages in the Cold War: In the 1950s, they dug the Berlin Tunnel under KGB headquarters only to discover they had fallen into a KGB trap; they launched the invasion of Cuba after convincing themselves Cuba would fall like Guatemalan President Arbenz did in 1954 in a similar "invasion." The inventors of these plans really don't care about consequences -- then or now. Mailer also explores assassination plots -- and the bizarre set of assassins the Agency chose -- to kill Castro. We meet the top dogs, like Allen Dulles and the psychopathic planners of hits, like, E. Howard Hunt. The history of the CIA is after all the abbreviated nuts and bolts of Cold War history. The characters playing the lead roles are seriously disturbed. A CIA psychologist plays with deadly drugs and studies the psychic processes by which covert ops adapt to multiple identities -- all this nonsense in the name of defending freedom. The WASPS who lead the adventurous game know the Soviets pose no threat. When Harry, the eager young CIA op discovers that the Soviets never adjusted their railroad gauges to coincide with those of Eastern Europe, thus making impossible a notion of supplying troops invading Western Europe, his superior tells him not to report that information. If the public should get wise that the CIA and its political and media cohorts had invented the "Soviet threat" to attack the West, the Cold War would end -- and with it the grand adventure. The mass media never reported this "little fact." Imagine pubic reaction to a report that the supposed Soviet attack plan against the West required supplies for its armies to stop at the Eastern Europe borders, get unloaded onto trucks and then reloaded onto different trains! Hardly a scenario for lightning surprise attack! The gurus of Mailer's great game are Protestant ministers, literature professors, rock climbing addicts and practitioners of sexual perversity -- much like the old European aristocracy for whom old fashioned sex had become a yawn. Mailer had previously reported on the Vietnam War, spoken at anti-war demonstrations and wrote an allegorical novel (Why Are We In Vietnam?) using a group of Texans hunting grizzly bears in Alaska as his metaphor for U.S. engagement in Southeast Asia. Americans hunt whatever happens to be around, the novel suggests. Vietnam presented the leading hunters (Presidents) with a chance to seek a new kind of prey. And they use technology to achieve their success: helicopters to help them find and destroy the bears. Yet, there is a trace of admiration, even longing in Mailer's often comic descriptions of the super macho characters. This short but pugnacious Jewish intellectual wanted to be a tough guy, and when he tried to be one at cocktail parties or luncheons, he invariably made a fool of himself. And his behavior found its way into the media. His bad boy image, however, didn't stop Mailer from expressing his insights into the real tough guys, the killers who didn't seem to possess a soul, who could not be explained by poverty or parental abuse. Such a character, Gary Gilmore, became central in The Executioner's Song, where Mailer paints an original picture of what Joan Didion called "that vast emptiness at the center of the Western experience, a nihilism antithetical not only to literature but to most other forms of human endeavor, a dread so close to zero that human voices fadeout, trail off, like skywriting." (New York Times, October 7, 1979) Mailer writes a painful sketch of Gary Gilmore, the murderer. He offers a detailed sociological fact sheet on Mormon passivity in the face of a killer in their midst. He analyzes and explains the absurdities of the police and legal system before a person gets executed. Mailer tackled the big issues: war, corruption, hypocrisy at the highest levels. He also loved publicity and the art of coining the perfect phrase. He was homophobic and misogynistic. Indeed, Mailer never learned to portray women in a realistic dimension. He clearly didn't understand them; not a comment on his six wives. Mailer understood American duplicity, the fog of religious-based freedom rhetoric that covers the most devious political behavior. He also understood the banality that marries heroism in war. In The Naked and The Dead the six remaining platoon members share a mission. A Jew, some non Jews and a few anti-Semites, some learned and some ignorant, all share the same horrid conditions on a Pacific island. This is Mailer's American democracy, the bonding of mismatches in battlefield conditions. Equally American is the troops killing Japanese POWs and stealing souvenirs from enemy corpses. They worry about their wives screwing other guys while feeling a little uneasy about screwing other women. Then, they discover their mission -- which killed more than half of them -- meant absolutely nothing in winning the war. He could have been writing about almost any war. Saul Landau writes a regular column for CounterPunch and progresoweekly.com. His new Counterpunch Press book is A BUSH AND BOTOX WORLD. His new film, WE DON'T PLAY GOLF HERE (on globalization in Mexico) won the VIDEOFEST 2007 Award for best activist video. The event was held in October at the Roxie Theater. The film is available through roundworldproductions@gmail.com
Contains the Explosive Investigation That Rocked the Pentagon! General Petraeus's Counterinsurgency Manual Anthropologist DAVID PRICE exposes how the fabled Counterinsurgency Manual contains a chapter filled with "borrowed" quotations. Price reveals the crucial role in the debacle played by anthropologist Montgomery McFate. The University of Chicago Press is badly compromised. And much more. Get your copy today by subscribing online or calling 1-800-840-3683 Remember contributions to CounterPunch are tax-deductible. Click here to make a donation. If you find our site useful please: Subscribe Now 
|
How the Press Led the US into War  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  Click Here to Order! How They Made a Killing on the War on Terrorism            The Occupation by Patrick Cockburn     Humanitarian Imperialism By Jean Bricmont                CITY BEAUTIFUL By Tennessee Reed       Bruce Springsteen On Tour By Dave Marsh                   |
