Trump’s escalation against Venezuela is about more than oil, it is about regaining control over the ‘natural’ zone of influence of the United States at a moment where its hegemony is slipping, argues VIJAY PRASHAD
NEXT week, Trump is coming back to London for Nato’s 70th anniversary summit. He will no doubt take the opportunity to further promote his friend Boris Johnson — a case of foreign intervention in an election if ever there was one.
There are many reasons to oppose Trump, and his militarism, war-mongering and reckless addiction to nuclear weapons must feature pretty near the top of the list.
Looking back over his record in the White House it’s hard to believe that during his election campaign, Trump promised to put an end to pointless foreign wars and attacked spending on useless and massively expensive new military equipment.
Europe is acquiescing in Trump’s manoeuvrings — where Europe takes over the US forever war in Ukraine while Washington gets ready for a future fight with China. And it’s working people who will be left paying the price, says DIANE ABBOTT MP
In the first half of a two-part article, PETER MERTENS looks at how Nato’s €800 billion ‘Readiness 2030’ plan serves Washington’s pivot to the Pacific, forcing Europeans to dismantle social security and slash pensions to fund it



