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
THE Iraq War confirmed that Britain’s ruling establishment is utterly ruthless, dishonest and corrupt. There are also times when it can be divided.
Ruthless, because from “shock and awe” in March 2003 until their main withdrawal from Iraq in 2009, Britain’s armed forces helped obliterate targets across the country in a merciless display of military might.
This was the most extensive deployment of British troops (46,000) since WWII, bigger even than the wars in Malaya (1948-60), Korea (1950-53), Suez (1956), the Falklands (1982), the Gulf (1990-91) and Afghanistan (2001-21).
GUILLERMO THOMAS enjoys a survey of the current state of the CIA (aka Langley) from an expert and insider of sorts
ANDREW MURRAY looks back on the ignominious career of the former US vice-president, who died earlier this week
The US’s bid for regime change in the Islamic Republic has become more urgent as it seeks to encircle and contain a resurgent China, writes CARLOS MARTINEZ
SOLOMON HUGHES highlights a 1995 Sunday Times story about the disappearance of ‘defecting Iraqi nuclear scientist.’ Even though the story was debunked, it was widely repeated across the mainstream press, creating the false – and deadly – narrative of Iraqi WMD that eventually led to war



