Annual Review of 2019: The State of the Empire at the End of a Decade

This year marks the end of the second decade of the 21^st-century, and as we enter the third decade one prediction seems to be warranted: the 2020s will see the most marked and unambiguous signs of the final decline of the US empire, with multipolarity rising to its greatest height yet. This will not be the same thing as the end of capitalism, especially as state-capitalism appears to be renewed as the dominant form of economic and political development worldwide. In order to stave off or stall the US’ inevitable decline, the US will do everything in its power (as it is already doing). “Human rights” in particular will be further weaponized as a strategic instrument of competition, much like Britain—which had built its wealth on top of heaps of slave labour—when it mobilized internationally against the slave trade once slavery had lost its economic value to the British empire, yet as it continued to be relied upon by competing powers. “Climate emergency” will likewise be the reason for imposing a range of protectionist measures in order to diminish the competitiveness of commodities produced by rising/competing powers, and as a tool of destabilization and regime change against oil-powered states that oppose US-led Western dominance. Triumphalist talk about globalization will give way to the realization that the state which benefited the most from the post-Cold War period was China; as we see China’s Belt and Road Initiative spread globally our primary debates will focus on whether or not this is a new era of imperial globalization, or globalized neo-colonialism, or something substantively different. It would not be alarmist to suggest that the 2020s may be the most decisive and perhaps most dangerous decade the world will witness since the early 1930s.

As this decade ends, let us also remember some of the giants who died during this period. The list includes:

• Muammar Gaddafi (died in 2011)
• Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías (died in 2013)
• Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (died in 2013)
• Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (died in 2016)
• Robert Mugabe (died in 2019)

This annual review traces some of these momentous changes as they began to take a clearer shape throughout 2019. Unfortunately, this will be the last time that we produce such a detailed end of year review on Zero Anthropology. For example, three research trips to the Caribbean in 2019 significantly ate into the coverage that follows below, with less time available to cover international developments. The next annual review will be in the form of a single essay, and with few if any links to resources for further reading. Nonetheless, these reviews could be invaluable resources to researchers seeking to trace the multiple trajectories of US imperial practice, under Trump and his predecessors, just as they have proven to be useful for our own writing.

Before we proceed, here is a list of the top 5 articles, in terms of those most read that were published on ZA in 2019:

1. “Girls, Groupies, and Grim Reapers: The Religious Politics of Mass Response”;
2. “On Duty for the CIA: German Nazis and Italian Fascists”
3. “A Desperate Empire Crashes in Venezuela”;
4. “The Kursk Disaster: Facts Sunk Beneath Waves of Drama”;
5. “The WikiLeaks Case: Democracy Dies in Empire”.

Also here is our Top 10 List of all other articles published online this year:

1. “The U.S. footprint in Bolivia’s incipient colour revolution,” Bruno Sgarzini, MR online, September 5.
2. “The Manufacturing of Greta Thunberg – For Consent: The Political Economy of the Non-Profit Industrial Complex [ACT I],” Cory Morningstar, The Wrong Kind of Green, January 17.
3. “Astroturfing the way for the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” News from Nowhere, April 1.
4. “What Should We Learn from 40 Years of U.S. Intervention in the Middle East?” Alireza Ahmadi, The National Interest, January 14.
5. “What’s at Stake in Venezuela?” Greg Grandin, London Review of Books, February 8.
6. “Inside the Neoliberal Laboratory Preparing for the Theft of Venezuela’s Economy,” Justin Podur, Venezuelanalysis.com, February 20.
7. “Losing Momentum: A Warning from the Fracturing British Left,” Leontios Xenophilos, American Affairs, Volume III, Number 1 (Spring 2019): 161–71.
8. “Noam Chomsky and the Compatible Left, Part I,” Popaganda, March 4.
9. “Mueller’s report, finding no Russia collusion or conspiracy, is a major indictment of US media,” Danielle Ryan, RT.com, March 25.
10. “America’s Generals Have Learned Nothing From Our Failed Wars,” William Astore, The Nation, March 19.

The ZA “award” for protesters of the decade has to go to France’s

Yellow Vests.

The The ZA “award” for the movie of the year, and arguably the commercial entertainment movie of the decade must without a doubt go to:

JOKER (2019).

(The Big Short [2015] would have to be a very close second.)

And now, our end-of-year review presented month by month:

JANUARY

The Key Points:

• Trump reiterates desire for a second summit with Kim Jong-un of North Korea. Later on the month it is confirmed that a second meeting between Kim and Trump would occur in late February.
• Jair Bolsonaro is sworn in as Brazil’s new president, vows to work with the US in destabilizing Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua. His inauguration receives a sparse number of foreign delegations.
• Falls in the stock markets seemed to reflect more the dwindling fortunes of China and the EU than the US: the US posted a massive employment and wage surge.
• Trump’s own national security team appears to contradict his Syria withdrawal plans, which themselves undergo new twists, delays, and apparent reversals.
• NATO: a report claimed that Trump repeatedly expressed a desire to have the US withdraw from NATO.
• In an address to the nation from the Oval Office, President Trump laid out his case for characterizing the situation at the southern border as a crisis.
• China and the US hold three days of trade talks—no particularly important result is publicized.
• Mike Pompeo in Cairo attempts to rebuke Obama a decade later—the speech is widely ignored or mocked. Pompeo also tries to build an anti-Iran alliance.
• Russia and the US fail to achieve agreement on preserving the INF Treaty.
• Brexit: The UK Parliament, by 432 votes to 202, defeats Prime Minister’s Theresa May’s Brexit deal negotiated with the EU. On the other hand, May’s government survived a no-confidence vote, despite the defeat of the negotiated Brexit plan.
• Yellow Vest protests enter their third month, and Emmanuel Macron calls for a “big debate,” only some of the outcomes are predetermined (i.e., no repeal of his most unpopular policies).
• Coup logic at home: The FBI is further exposed as trying to foment a coup against the Trump presidency, pursuing conspiratorial allegations that Trump is a Russian agent. The US government reaches a legislative standstill, with escalating rounds of retaliation between the White House and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
• Coup logic abroad: The US further intervenes in Venezuela’s domestic politics by deciding who it will recognize as President—and it’s not the person elected by Venezuelans to be President. Trump also implies that military intervention is a possibility.

Published on ZA in January:

1. “Trump’s Coup in Venezuela,” January 24.
2. “Ghost Exchange: Complexity, Velocity, and Risk,” January 29.

Recommended Articles for January:

1. “Time to Get Out of Afghanistan,” Robert D. Kaplan, The New York Times, January 1.
2. “How the US Spent Billions to Change the Outcome of Elections Around the World: A Review,” Danny Haiphong, Black Agenda Report, January 2.
3. “Political correctness and the rise of the right,” Jeff Sparrow, MR Online, January 2.
4. “‘The Resistance’ & the Gilets Jaunes,” Max Parry, Off Guardian, January 3.
5. “Pro-war ‘Trump circus’: Veteran reporter quits NBC with biting critique of corporate newsroom,” RT, January 3.
6. “NBC News contributor William Arkin quits, accuses network of being ‘defender of Washington and the system’,” Joseph A. Wulfsohn, Fox News, January 3.
7. “Donald Trump’s Nationalist Moment,” W. James Antle III, The American Conservative, January 3.
8. “Trump’s Syria withdrawal is a chance for peace,” Jeffrey D. Sachs, Asia Times, January 3.
9. “Mass Psychosis and the Church of Humanitarian Interventionism,” David Penner, Mint Press News, January 4.
10. “Nicaragua and the Corruption, Cooptation of Human Rights,” Stephen Sefton, Wrong Kind of Green, January 5.
11. “On Syria, Trump is right to ignore failed foreign policy elites who embroiled us in Iraq,” Saritha Prabhu, USA Today, January 6.
12. “‘President against his people’: Salvini openly backs Yellow Vest protesters, lashing out at Macron,” RT, January 7 + “‘Sweep your own door’: French minister bashes Italian politicians for Yellow Vest support,” RT, January 8.
13. “In Western media, publishing fake news about Russia is a good career move… with no consequences,” Bryan MacDonald, RT, January 8.
14. “There is No Military Victory in Afghanistan,” Gil Barndollar, The National Interest, January 7.
15. “Chomsky’s Unearned Prestige,” Eric Zuesse, Off Guardian, January 10.
16. “The War on Populism,” C.J. Hopkins, Consent Factory, January 10.
17. “God help us, Trump is right about something,” Lucian K. Truscott IV, Salon, January 10.
18. “NYT Reveals FBI Retaliated Against Trump For Comey Firing,” Mollie Hemingway, The Federalist, January 14.
19. “What Trump’s Syrian withdrawal really reveals,” Stephen Cohen, RT, January 13.
20. “FBI Russia investigation was always about Trump,” Andrew McCarthy, Fox News, January 13.
21. “The Media’s Trump-Russia Death Spasms,” Julie Kelly, American Greatness, January 14.
22. “What Should We Learn from 40 Years of U.S. Intervention in the Middle East?” Alireza Ahmadi, The National Interest, January 14.
23. “The yellow vests are at the vanguard of a politically incorrect uprising,” Gavin Mortimer, The Spectator, January 14.
24. “The FBI’s Investigation of Trump as a ‘National Security Threat’ is Itself a Serious Danger. But J. Edgar Hoover Pioneered the Tactic,” Glenn Greenwald, The Intercept, January 14.
25. “Disagreeing With Conventional D.C. Wisdom Isn’t A Crime,” David Harsanyi, The Federalist, January 15.
26. “Second-Round Stakes Higher for Trump and Kim,” Patrick Lawrence, Consortium News, January 24.
27. “Intervening Against Venezuela’s Strongman, Trump Belies ‘America First’,” Peter Baker and Edward Wong, The New York Times, January 24.
28. “‘It’s none of our business!’ Ron Paul denounces American ‘hypocrisy’ in backing Venezuelan coup,” RT.com, January 25.
29. “CUPE Statement on the situation in Venezuela,” Canadian Union of Public Employees, January 25.
30. “Venezuela Is Not Trump’s ‘First’ Intervention”, Daniel Larison, The American Conservative, January 25.
31. “Pence Pledged U.S. Backing Before Venezuela Opposition Leader’s Move,” Jessica Donati and Vivian Salama, Wall Street Journal, January 25.
32. “U.S. Faces Tough Choices as It Weighs Next Moves on Venezuela”, Deb Riechmann & Matthew Lee, Real Clear Politics, January 25.
33. “Imperialism’s Direct Intervention in Venezuela”, Farooque Chowdhury, Venezuelanalysis.com, January 25.
34. “Is a Foreign Military Intervention in Venezuela Imminent?” James Jordan, Venezuelanalysis.com, January 25.
35. “Venezuela crisis: Former UN rapporteur says US sanctions are killing citizens,” Michael Selby-Green, The Independent, January 27.
36. “Venezuela: Call It What It Is—a Coup,” George Cicariello-Maher, The Nation, January 28.
37. “Canada Is Complicit in Venezuela’s US-Backed Coup D’état,” Yves Engler, Venezuelanalysis.com, January 28.
38. “Venezuela Will Not Be an Easy Win for Donald Trump,” Betty Purcell, The Irish Times, January 29.
39. “It’s all about the money: US defense of democracy is a pretext for seizing control of resources,” Ken Livingstone, RT.com, January 29.
40. “Mystery of the Venezuelan gold: Bank of England is independent of UK govt – but not of foreign govt,” George Galloway, RT.com, January 29.
41. “The Making of Juan Guaidó: How the US Regime Change Laboratory Created Venezuela’s Coup Leader,” Dan Cohen and Max Blumenthal, Grayzone Project, January 29.
42. “‘US pawn that can be discarded any time’– Max Blumenthal on ‘president’ Guaido,” RT.com, January 30.
43. “Why I strongly oppose U.S. military intervention in Venezuela,” Ro Khanna, The Washington Post, January 30.
44. “Je suis Guaido? Economist endorses Venezuela coup leader with Facebook profile change,” RT.com, January 31.

FEBRUARY

The Key Points:

• On Venezuela, US Vice-President Mike Pence publicly declared, “Maduro must go”.
• Democrat Ilhan Omar grilled Elliot Abrams, Trump’s envoy on Venezuela, exposing him as an apologist for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.
• Trump gives a speech on Venezuela at Florida International University on February 18, making it clear that if the Venezuelan military does not engage in a coup, and allow the US to orchestrate “humanitarian intervention,” then the options will more narrowly focus on US military intervention.
• February 23, a major test for the contending sides around regime change in Venezuela, produces failure for the US-backed opposition and a resounding victory for Maduro’s government. Defeated in its effort to force US “humanitarian aid” into Venezuela, the US announces new sanctions, while the self-declared “president” (Juán Guaidó) flees to Colombia. Richard Branson’s “live aid” style concert is a flop, with barely 10% of the expected number of people showing up, and no major international acts performing.
• Donald Trump and then John Bolton openly threaten Nicaragua with regime change too.
• US media assailed Democrat Tulsi Gabbard, who announced the start of her campaign for the Democratic presidential candidacy. Gabbard distinguished herself as a critic of the Washington foreign policy establishment, and was duly demonized. Gabbard was also the target of “fake news” produced by NBC, which engaged in outright fraud in order to smear her as a Russian puppet.
• Gabbard was not slow to cave in to the mainstream media’s imperialist agenda: in agreement with the propaganda of bellicose neocons and liberal imperialists on The View, Gabbard said Bashar al-Assad was a “brutal dictator” who had likely used chemical weapons against Syrians.
• While not recognizing Guaidó as “president” of Venezuela, Bernie Sanders (who announced his candidacy for the Democratic presidential campaign this month) still supports the forcible intrusion of US “humanitarian aid” into Venezuela, siding with Trump’s foreign policy of undermining the legitimate government.
• During his “State of the Union” speech, Trump promised both an exit from Syria and Afghanistan, while creating new conflict in Venezuela. In the same speech, he seemingly linked the fight against socialism at home, with the effort to defeat socialism in Venezuela. He also announced plans to meet with North Korea’s Kim Jong-un in Vietnam on February 27 and 28. As the summit approached, even in the final hours before the two leaders meeting, US media were saturated with the usual tiresome back-and-forth about whether Trump would concede too much, what was the real goal, was Trump going it alone, etc.
• After surrendering in a legislative deal with the Democrats on immigration, Trump declares a “national emergency” with the aim of building a wall on the southern border, delivering the news in a speech that was as unenthusiastic as it was unconvincing.
• February 27–28: February ended with a big bang. (1) The Kim-Trump summit in Hanoi came to an abrupt and early end, with Trump walking out. He claimed that the North Koreans wanted sanctions lifted in their entirety, in return for partial denuclearization. They claimed that they requested only some sanctions to be ended. The prospects for a third meeting were dim, and few could even speculate about what came next. This was a major foreign policy failure for Donald Trump, who had openly fantasized about developing North Korea and winning a Nobel peace prize. (2) In Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was at the centre of a scandal involving his attempts to pervert the course of justice by pressuring the Attorney General, Jody Wilson-Raybould, into manipulating the case against major Liberal donor, SNC-Lavalin. The opposition, citing Trudeau’s lack of legitimate authority to govern, called for his resignation and invited the RCMP to investigate. Trudeau, who had advocated for the “rule of law” and a “rules-based international order,” was the source of a major violation of the law, ironically just weeks after calling for Venezuela’s president to resign. (3) Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, was formally indicted on corruption charges, just 40 days before elections. (4) Explosive testimony to Congress by Trump’s former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, suggested that Trump had violated campaign finance regulations and was guilty of fraud. The testimony took place on the same day as Trump’s first day of meetings with Kim Jong-un.

Published on ZA in February:

1. “Against Intervention in Venezuela: The Case of the Caribbean Community,” February 6.
2. “What are the Prospects for a US War with China?” February 9.
3. “A War for Oil: The US Economic War on Venezuela,” February 12.
4. “Fiction Plus Coercion Makes Reality: The Illegitimacy of the US-led Coup in Venezuela,” February 14.
5. “Venezuela: The Next Move and the Final Word,” February 17.
6. “Fake Humanitarianism Fails its Big Test in Venezuela,” February 24.

Recommended Articles for February:

1. “Venezuela’s Slow Coup Continues,” George Ciccariello-Maher, Al Jazeera, February 1.
2. “CIA in Venezuela: 7 Rules for Regime Change,” Jefferson Morley, Salon, February 1.
3. “Canada’s Left Party Blinks at US-led Coup in Venezuela,” Yves Engler, Venezuelanalysis.com, February 2.
4. “As she enters White House race, demonization of ‘Kremlin’s crush’ Tulsi Gabbard goes full tilt,” Igor Ogorodnev, RT.com, February 3.
5. “NBC News, to Claim Russia Supports Tulsi Gabbard, Relies on Firm Just Caught Fabricating Russia Data for the Democratic Party,” Glenn Greenwald, The Intercept, February 3.
6. “The Lima Group: International Outlaws,” Christopher Black, NEO: New Eastern Outlook, February 4.
7. “‘Neocon warmongers’: NBC slammed for drawing on dodgy Russiagate org in Gabbard smear,” RT.com, February 4.
8. “Canada’s Ugly Role in the US-led Coup in Venezuela,” Yves Engler, Canadian Dimension, February 4.
9. “International Observers to Venezuela’s Election Pen Letter to the EU,” Venezuela Solidarity Campaign, Canadian Dimension, February 4.
10. “‘Stop Trump’s insane actions!’ Venezuela’s Maduro talks to RT about avoiding war,” RT.com, February 5.
11. “Dissecting the jingoistic media coverage of the Venezuela crisis,” Danielle Ryan, RT.com, February 5.
12. “It’s time to let go of America’s 18-year Afghan war,” Aaron David Miller, Steven Simon, and Richard Sokolsky, CNN, February 5.
13. “Trump’s 2019 State of the Union was an ode to an imaginary America,” Zack Beauchamp, Vox, February 5.
14. “Venezuela: Coup d’Etat or Constitutional Transition?” Lucas Koerner, VA editorial board, Venezuelanalysis.com, February 6.
15. “Better dead than red! Congress bonds over shared hatred for socialism at Trump’s SOTU,” RT.com, February 6.
16. “Who do you trust more? NBC journalist’s stab at RT backfires spectacularly,” RT.com, February 7.
17. “What’s at Stake in Venezuela?” Greg Grandin, London Review of Books, February 8.
18. “The Planned Plunder Behind Canada’s Support of the Coup,” Yves Engler, Venezuelanalysis.com, February 9.
19. “Venezuela Defines the Future of the Region,” Claudio Katz, Canadian Dimension, February 10.
20. “Regime Change ‘Made in the U.S.A’,” Steve Ellner, Venezuelanalysis.com, February 10.
21. “America’s Effort to Isolate Iran Will Backfire,” Trita Parsi, The National Interest, February 12.
22. “Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro interview: Full transcript,” Orla Guerin, BBC News, February 12.
23. “Venezuela Receives 933 Tons of Medical Aid From Allies Abroad,” TeleSur English, February 14.
24. “US-led anti-Iran circus in Warsaw unravels as farce,” Finian Cunningham, RT.com, February 14.
25. “The U.S. Will Regret Interfering in Venezuela,” Daniel Larison, The American Conservative, February 15.
26. “How Much of Venezuela’s Crisis is Really Maduro’s Fault?” Steve Ellner, Consortium News, February 15.
27. “This Trump performance is why people talk about the 25th Amendment,” Dana Milbank, The Washington Post, February 15.
28. “How to screw up an emergency declaration in 10 easy steps,” Jennifer Rubin, The Washington Post, February 17.
29. “Trump policies unite allies against him at European security forum,” Reuters, February 17.
30. “An off-key Pence sings from the Trump hymnal to a stony European reception,” Anne Appelbaum, The Washington Post, February 17.
31. “Why Trump and his team want to wipe out the EU,” Natalie Nougayrède, The Guardian, February 18.
32. “Protecting Americans Simply Doesn’t Require U.S. Troops In Syria,” Daniel DePetris, The Federalist, February 18.
33. “Trump’s Irresponsible Venezuela Speech,” Daniel Larison, The American Conservative, February 18.
34. “‘Progressive’ Trudeau Government Attacks Venezuela,” John Clarke, Canadian Dimension, February 18.
35. “Statement: Halt the Imperialist Military Adventure Against Venezuela,” Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Canadian Dimension, February 18.
36. “The Trump-Trudeau Venezuelan ‘Lima Group’ Policy and Its Nemesis,” Arnold August, Venezuelanalysis.com, February 18.
37. “Is Venezuela Canada’s Modern Day El Dorado?” Nino Pagliccia, Venezuelanalysis.com, February 18.
38. “Venezuela’s Foreign Minister on the ‘Failed’ Coup and Building a New Non-Aligned Movement,” Anya Parampil, Grayzone Project, February 19.
39. “US Media Ignore – and Applaud – Economic War on Venezuela,” Greg Shupak, Venezuelanalysis.com, February 19.
40. “‘Facebook is a private company!’ shout people in favor of censoring political content,” Danielle Ryan, RT.com, February 19.
41. “4 ways India is putting its own interests before Washington’s,” RT.com, February 19.
42. “The Fantasies of Regime Changers,” Daniel Larison, The American Conservative, February 19.
43. “‘Nothing to do with aid or democracy’: Roger Waters slams ‘humanitarian’ concert for Venezuela,” RT.com, February 20.
44. “First Venezuela, now Nicaragua? Bolton says Ortega’s days ‘numbered’ & people ‘will soon be free’,” RT.com, February 20.
45. “Inside the Neoliberal Laboratory Preparing for the Theft of Venezuela’s Economy,” Justin Podur, Venezuelanalysis.com, February 20.
46. “Is Trudeau’s Venezuela policy the Monroe Doctrine reborn?” Yves Engler, Canadian Dimension, February 20.
47. “Caving under MSM pressure? Tulsi Gabbard interview on The View has some supporters fuming,” RT.com, February 21.
48. “Burning Aid: An Interventionist Deception on Colombia-Venezuela Bridge?” Max Blumenthal, Grayzone Project, February 24.
49. “Why Peace With North Korea Makes Sense Even Without Disarmament,” Henri Féron, The National Interest, February 25.
50. “Debunking Four Mistruths About Venezuela’s Humanitarian Aid Showdown,” Venezuelanalysis.com, February 27.
51. “CARICOM Reiterates Support for Peaceful Resolution in Venezuela,” TeleSur English, Venezuelanalysis.com, February 27.
52. “Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s defiant interview with Tom Llamas: TRANSCRIPT,” ABC News, February 27.
53. “The art of no deal: Why can’t Washington reach agreements with…anyone?” RT.com, February 28.
54. “Here’s why US-North Korea talks will continue to fail,” Darius Shahtahmasebi, RT.com, February 28.
55. “Genocide survivors demand violent coup master Elliott Abrams’ removal from Holocaust museum board,” RT.com, February 28.
56. “Surprise! ‘Progressive hero’ Justin Trudeau is a fraud and a hypocrite,” Danille Ryan, RT.com, February 28.
57. “How Amnesty International is Reinforcing Trump’s Regime-Change Propaganda Against Venezuela,” Joe Emersberger, Venezuelanalysis.com, February 28.
58. “North Korea disputes Trump’s account of summit breakdown,” Associated Press, February 28.

MARCH

The Key Points:

• Elliot Abrams, Trump’s head of regime change in Venezuela, seems to withdraw from suggesting any US invasion is likely in the foreseeable future (i.e., during elections in the US), during a State Department press briefing.
• Venezuela relocated the European headquarters of the state oil company, PDVSA, out of the EU and moved to Moscow, to avoid any illegal seizures of its international assets by EU agencies.
• A massive power outage causes blackouts across Venezuela lasting for more than a week; while power is restored, the US is suspected of conducting a cyber-attack that impeded efforts to recover.
• The US is ordered to withdraw all remaining diplomatic staff from Venezuela, which it does, only to pretend that it was an action which the US initiated.
• US provocations fail to elicit the desired response from Venezuela—Juán Guaidó returns to Venezuela (reportedly ordered to do so by Pence), and is not arrested. Two months after Trump launched what he was told would be a “24 hour operation” to unseat President Maduro, the Venezuelan government remains in power.
• Venezuelan authorities arrest Juán Guaidó’s chief aide, on charges of plotting terrorism, as they uncovered a weapons cache. The US response with additional sanctions, this time on Venezuela’s development bank.
• Kim Jong-un placed blame for the failure of the Hanoi summit directly on Trump and the US; news reports indicate the resumption of North Korean weapons development and the rebuilding of missile test sites that had been partially destroyed.
• The US makes it clear that it’s position on North Korea is that North Korea surrender everything—full and immediate “denuclearization”—before any US sanctions will be removed. This “all or nothing” approach is what led to the failure of the Hanoi summit, and it also means that the North Koreans would have no real reason to indulge Trump in his phony, dishonest “diplomacy”.
• Trump seemingly reverses course on unspecified “additional sanctions” on North Korea—unclear if he meant new ones announced a day before, or new ones under consideration. Trump claims to have done so because he personally likes Kim Jong-un.
• North Korea withdraws staff from its liaison office in South Korea, since the South showed no intention of displeasing the demands of its US patron by bucking the sanctions regime.
• A report emerges that Trump, under the guidance of John Bolton, in fact presented the “Libya model” to North Korean leaders in Hanoi, leading to the collapse of all talks then and thereafter.
• Russiagate conspiracy theory finally received a lethal blow: towards the end of the month, the Mueller report is submitted to the US Dept. of Justice, without any recommendations for any further indictments—adding to no indictments of anyone on any “Russia collusion” or “obstruction of justice” charges, which were stock opposition accusations against Trump. Trump’s domestic opposition is left reeling.
• In a move that both validated acquisition of foreign territory by force—thus directly contradicting the UN Charter’s protection of the territorial integrity of states—while also undermining any lingering hopes that the US might one day play a role in Middle East peace efforts, Trump recognizes Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights. Syria has not relinquished its claim, nor has the UN approved of Israel’s actions.
• At the end of the month, Trump threatens to completely shut down the US border with Mexico, as a “response” to an alleged “surge” of migrants from Central America. In addition, Trump cancelled all US foreign aid to Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras in “retaliation” for the surge of refugees: all three have been nations in which the US has intervened heavily for decades, establishing the foundations for the extreme poverty and inequality underpinning the current situation.

Published on ZA in March:

1. “The Kursk Disaster: Facts Sunk Beneath Waves of Drama,” March 5.
2. “Regime Change Reality Checks: Lessons from Hanoi, Caracas, and Beyond,” March 7.
3. “Americans Can Do Two Things at the Same Time,” March 13.
4. “CARICOM Confronts the Big House: Trump Attempts to Split the Caribbean over Venezuela,” March 25.
5. “On Duty for the CIA: German Nazis and Italian Fascists,” March 29.
6. “US-manufactured Crisis in Venezuela: Creating a ‘Need’ for Intervention,” March 31.

Recommended Articles for March:

1. “The US Tried to Isolate Venezuela. It has Only Isolated Itself,” Alan MacLeod, Venezuelanalysis.com, March 1.
2. “Trump’s Other ‘National Emergency’: Sanctions That Kill Venezuelans,” Mark Weisbrot, Venezuelanalysis.com, March 1.
3. “Cuba snubs Trump’s anti-socialist crusade with massive constitution vote,” Pablo Vivanco, RT.com, March 1.
4. “Trump overstated Kim’s demand on sanctions, State Department says,” NBC News, March 1.
5. “Noam Chomsky and the Compatible Left, Part I,” Popaganda, March 4.
6. “Noam Chomsky and the Compatible Left, Part II,” Popaganda, March 5.
7. “‘Weaksauce’: State Department tries ordering media how to cover Venezuela,” Nebojsa Malic, RT.com, March 6.
8. “Lashing out at media over Venezuela, Rubio accuses CNN of ‘Russian collusion’,” RT.com, March 6.
9. “Noam Chomsky and the Compatible Left, Part III,” Popaganda, March 6.
10. “Another Failed Coup in Venezuela?” George Ciccariello-Maher, In These Times, March 7.
11. “Senior State Department Official On North Korea,” US Department of State, March 7.
12. “Failure at Hanoi Has Taught the Administration Nothing,” Daniel Larison, The American Conservative, March 7.
13. “Noam Chomsky and the Compatible Left, Part IV,” Popaganda, March 7.
14. “Did Trump and Bolton Sabotage a North Korea Deal?” Harry J. Kazianis, The American Conservative, March 8.
15. “Bolton’s Impossible Demands for North Korea,” Daniel Larison, The American Conservative, March 10.
16. “NYT’s Exposé on the Lies About Burning Aid Trucks in Venezuela Shows How U.S. Government and Media Spread Pro-War Propaganda,” Glenn Greenwald, The Intercept, March 10.
17. “Footage Contradicts U.S. Claim That Nicolás Maduro Burned Aid Convoy,” Christoph Koettl, Deborah Acosta, Drew Jordan and Anjali Singhvi, The New York Times, March 10.
18. “A deal for Trump: Take North Korea’s offer and build upon it,” Christopher Hill, The Hill, March 10.
19. “Ending U.S. Risk Exposure in Korea,” Ted Galen Carpenter, Real Clear World, March 10.
20. “If Trump blows up NAFTA, he’ll blow up his reelection,” Editorial Board, The Washington Post, March 10.
21. “Our Venezuela Policy: Tossing a Drowning Man an Anchor,” Daniel Larison, The American Conservative, March 10.
22. “Trump Aside, What’s the U.S. Role in NATO?” Barry R. Posen, The New York Times, March 10.
23. “White House Spread False Story About Venezuela Burning Aid Trucks to Win Support for War,” Venezuelanalysis.com, March 11.
24. “The Making of the Fox News White House,” Jane Mayer, The New Yorker, March 11.
25. “Maximalism Is the Death of Diplomacy,” Daniel Larison, The American Conservative, March 11.
26. “US Media Erase Years of Chavismo’s Gains,” Gregory Shupak, Venezuelanalysis.com, March 11.
27. “Iran upstages the US in Iraq,” Elijah J. Magnier, March 12.
28. “A new, dark picture of America’s future,” Larry Kummer, Fabius Maximus, March 13.
29. “Rouhani’s visit to Iraq is a slap in the face to Trump,” Darius Shahtahmasebi, RT.com, March 14.
30. “Will Trudeau follow Washington’s lead on Cuba?” Pablo Vivanco, RT.com, March 14.
31. “Media is complicit in manufacturing cons