Monthly Archives: June 2016

Legal action against CETA

German NGOs are taking legal action to invalidate the EU’s planned “Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement” (CETA) with Canada. Just like the “Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership” (TTIP), which is a planned similar agreement between the EU and USA, CETA is not acceptable because it is against the principle of equality before the law. Many, including the British Labour party, have realized that TTIP is bad. It is obvious that “free trade” is just a disguise. However, the Swedish trade union confederation “Landsorganisationen” (LO) buyes the lies about free trade and underestimates the dangers with these agreements. When LO today states that they welcome such negotiations, they are playing with fire in a game they or their members cannot win.

I, who am writing this blog post, work in a Swedish company that frequently buys products made in the USA and Canada. Therefore I can testify that import and export between these countries works very well as it is, without such new agreements. We also do exports. To simplify trade with other countries than USA and Canada would be much more helpful for us, for example regarding exportation from Sweden to Brazil, because that is where the difficult isses are.

Be aware that there is a risk that CETA passes more unnoticed and paves the way for TTIP and other similar bad deals. As we have earlier warned for, it is part of a pattern, selling out Europe.

Resignation letter to Obama

Dear Mr. President:

I hereby resign my commission as an Officer in the United States Army.

I resign because I refuse to support U.S. armed drone policy. The Executive Branch continues to claim the right to kill anyone, anywhere on earth, at any time, for secret reasons, based on secret evidence, in a secret process, undertaken by unidentified officials. I refuse to support this policy of unaccountable killing.

I resign because I refuse to support U.S. nuclear weapons policy. The Executive Branch continues to invest billions of dollars into nuclear weapons, which threaten the existence of humankind and the earth. I refuse to support this policy of terror and mutually assured destruction.

I resign because I refuse to support U.S. policy of preventive war, permanent military supremacy and global power projection. The Executive Branch continues to claim extra-constitutional authority and impunity from international law. I refuse to support this policy of imperial overstretch.

I resign because I refuse to serve as an empire chaplain. I cannot reconcile these policies with either my sworn duty to protect and defend America and our constitutional democracy or my covenantal commitment to the core principles of my religion faith. These principles include: justice, equity and compassion in human relations, a free and responsible search for truth, a commitment to the democratic process, and the inherent worth and dignity of every person.

Respectfully submitted,

Christopher John Antal

Read more about Reverend Chris Antal on Democracy Now.