Robert Fantina

Robert Fantina is an author and peace activist. His writing has appeared on Mondoweiss, Counterpunch and other sites. He authored Empire, Racism and Genocide: A History of U.S. Foreign Policy and Essays on Palestine.

How US Foreign Policy Creates Shithole Countries

A new collection of essays, edited by former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, clearly shows that it is the U.S. that is largely responsible for the poverty and suffering in these very nations.

Robert Fantina
By Robert Fantina
A U.S. army soldier from Blackfoot Company, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment interrogates a Iraqis during an operation in the village of Walush in Diyala province, Iraq, Dec. 9, 2007. Marko Drobnjakovic | AP

In two years, the world has become accustomed to being shocked by the words and actions of United States President Donald Trump. In January of this year, he again showed his lack of diplomacy, tack and common decency, when he referred to many poorer countries as “sh*ithole countries”, asking, “Why do we want all these people from sh*thole countries

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CNN: Blaming the Palestinian Victim

It has been some time since this writer has seen such a blatantly one-sided, biased article about Palestinian’s struggles on a ‘mainstream’ news site.

Robert Fantina
By Robert Fantina
Palestinian medics evacuate a wounded colleague during clashes with Israeli troops along Gaza's border with Israel, east of Khan Younis, Friday, April 6, 2018. Palestinians torched piles of tires near Gaza's border with Israel on Friday, sending huge plumes of black smoke into the air and drawing Israeli fire that killed one man in the second large protest in the volatile area in a week. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

As Palestinians continue to struggle under the heavy, deadly hand of U.S.-sponsored Israeli oppression, the world’s governments mainly ignore them. This is business as usual for most governments, including U.S. officials, many of whom are ‘PEP’ – Progressive Except for Palestine. March 30 is Land Day in Palestine, a day commemorated annually to

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Canadian MPs Take Lobby-Sponsored Trips to Israel

These trips are not designed to assist Canada’s elected representatives better understand the issues facing the Middle East; they are merely gifts to government officials, and sometimes to their families, to create both a pro-Israel bias and feeling of indebtedness on the part of the officials.

Robert Fantina
By Robert Fantina
Israel Canada

It is no secret to anyone that in the United States, the people are governed by powerful lobby groups. The strength of the National Rifle Association (NRA) is so great that government officials are able to overlook the shooting deaths of countless innocent children, as young as 5 years old, along with their teachers in their own classrooms. The

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Socialist Presidential Candidate Gloria La Riva: ‘We Live Under The Dictatorship Of Big Capital’

‘Real power is in the hands of the banks, monopoly corporations, and the military-industrial complex,’ the Party for Socialism and Liberation’s presidential candidate says. ‘Fundamental change requires taking that power out of their hands and putting it in the hands of the people.’

Robert Fantina
By Robert Fantina

SAN FRANCISCO --- The two major parties have nominated deeply unpopular candidates, and third-party candidates are drawing nearly unprecedented amounts of attention this election season. Gary Johnson, the former governor of New Mexico who is running on the Libertarian ticket, and Green Party nominee Dr. Jill Stein are leading the pack of

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Israel Lines Its Pockets With Palestinian Aid — And The US Helps Israel Keep It That Way

Complicity with Israel’s occupation and corruption in Mr. Abbas’ PA play into another major roadblock on Palestine’s path to recovery: International funds meant for reconstruction efforts in Gaza and other forms of humanitarian aid are routinely diluted by Israel.

Robert Fantina
By Robert Fantina
A Palestinian boy looks from his family's destroyed house at workers rebuild a house which was destroyed during the last summer's Israeli bombardment of Gaza City on Thursday, July 23, 2015.

KITCHENER, Ontario --- (Analysis) From severely limited water supplies to a blockade on even the most basic supplies, Israel’s continued illegal occupation of Palestine has destroyed even the most basic infrastructure Palestinians need to survive, forcing residents of Gaza and the West Bank to struggle through a humanitarian disaster. This was

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US Pads Defense Industry Profits By Arming Both Sides In Conflict

Why risk being on the losing end of a conflict, when you can hedge your bets and maximize profits by supplying both sides?

Robert Fantina
By Robert Fantina
ISIS militants stand with a captured American Humvee, given to the Iraqi Army and captured by ISIS, June 19, 2014. (AP Photo)

KITCHENER, Ontario --- (Analysis) The United States has long billed itself as “the land of the free and the home of the brave.” This fairytale receives credence within the country’s own borders, as its lemming-like citizens place hand on heart, look at the waving flag, and wipe tears from their eyes. Yet a good story doesn’t often play quite as

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Counting Down To Israel’s Next ‘Mowing Of The Lawn’ In Palestine

Of course, no one can adequately predict Israel’s next move. But if history gives us any indication, it’s more than likely that Israel’s going to be drumming up some vague pretext soon that will allow it to use Gaza like a weapons testing facility.

Robert Fantina
By Robert Fantina
a Palestinian girl walks next to destroyed houses, in the Shijaiyah neighborhood of Gaza City

KITCHENER, Ontario --- (Analysis) Every two years or so, Israel decides that it’s time to once more test out its weaponry, provided by the United States, on Palestine. It invents some vague pretext and levels the Gaza Strip, a process Israeli politicians have referred to as a periodic “mowing of the lawn.” Indeed, the grass in any lawn will grow

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