Category Archives: Reflections on Current Events

Stop U.S. Wars in the Middle East, Latin America and at Home

April 3, 2026Economics for Everyone, Events, Palestine, Reflections on Current Events, Talks, Videosactivism, imperialism, Palestine, Social Moveemnts, U.S. SocietyPeter Bohmer

Talk at No Kings Rally, March 28th, 2026

Video of my talk at this rally

Trumpism is conducting a war against the people of the U.S. and globally. It is an authoritarian, bullying playbook that violently oppresses and exploits and dehumanizes immigrants and poor people at home and abroad, takes resources from the global South, and demands total U.S. dominance. Let us connect these domestic and global attacks and build the power to stop them. I will focus on the global.

In each of the following cases, there is a continuity of a bipartisan project of US immoral and illegal intervention, and new more blatant and murderous aggression… Against US intervention

My Talk at Black History Month Celebration, Stafford Creek Correctional Institute, February 11, 2026

March 26, 2026Events, Reflections on Current Events, talks, TalksPeter Bohmer

My talk to incarcerated men and their families at a Black History Month celebration

by Peter Bohmer, February 11, 2026

This is the 100^th anniversary of Black History Month. It should be this month and every month of the year.

Thanks for inviting me. I am continually impressed by the intelligence, creativity and talents of the inmates here.

The U.S. is a racist capitalist society, a system where the great majority of the world’s people are exploited by the wealthy 1% who profit off their labor. This is the history of the United States and it is out in the open today with the Trump regime.

Some important reforms have been won through collective struggle by slaves and abolitionists, by the women’s movement, the labor and Civil Rights and Black Freedom struggle, the anti-Vietnam war movement, the Chicano movement, the anti-apartheid movement in support of the struggle in South Africa, among others…

Free All Political Prisoners

Global Day of Action, January 17, 2026, Olympia, WA

January 20, 2026Events, Latin America, Reflections on Current Events, talks, Talksactivism, political economy, Social Movements, VenezuelaPeter Bohmer

(speaking at rally before demonstration)

by Peter Bohmer, (text of my talk)

Good Afternoon, We need to Resist Trumpism’s Attacks Globally and at Home by All Means. Educate, Organize, Resist

II took 30 students to Venezuela for 10 weeks each tn 2009 and 2012 and met many groups there.

The underlying cause of the horrific US intervention in Venezuela is capitalism and resource imperialism. This drives the US to control their resources and coerce Global South countries into submission. Those that do not submit get attacked. The U.S. current attacks on Venezuela are sadly not the exception but the rule— Iran, 1953, Guatemala, 1954, Cuba, 1961, Vietnam in the 1960’s, Iraq, 2003 and many more.

Venezuela elected Hugo Chavez as President in 1999 and he challenged US dominance. He was reelected many times. He used its oil revenues to benefit its people. Poverty declined, incomes became more equal, the quality of life increased substantially. He formed alliances with other countries that challenged U.S. dominance and for a multipolar world. The US supported a coup against Hugo Chavez in 2002 that was defeated by people taking to the streets. The threat of Venezuela was the threat of a good example, one that combined people’s power and democracy and a socialist society.

Vice President Nicolas Maduro was elected president in fair elections after Chavez died in 2013; since then, in less fair elections, the last time in 2024. There have been growing economic problems in VZ beginning in 2014, The Initial cause was falling oil prices. There have been major US economic sanctions on VZ since 2017 and continued by Biden. They have been a major cause of their economic depression and hyperinflation although not the only cause…

(clink on link below for the entire talk)

Hands Off Venezuela

Trumponomics is Class War

October 31, 2025Economics for Everyone, From the Web, Reflections on Current Events, Talks, Writingsimmigration, Racial Justice, Repression, Trumpism, U.S. Economy, U.S. SocietyPeter Bohmer

by Peter Bohmer, Economics for Everyone, Talk, October 10, 2025, updated for ZNetwork, October 28 2025

Overall, The Trumpist economic agenda is to make even more unequal, the already obscene inequality of income and wealth. Domestically it is a continuation of Republican administration policies, although more extreme. This project is unstable with a real possibility of higher unemployment and higher prices in the coming period, a serious recession. I will conclude with what is to be done.

My focus will be “Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill”, the budget that Passed July 4th, three months ago, officially, OBBBA (one Big Beautiful Bill Act) and secondly, Trump’s tariff policy.

This horrific federal budget will lower taxes for the wealthy and further reduce social programs for working class and poor individuals and families and documented immigrants, with major cuts in health care programs and will substantially increase the spending for the military and on immigration detentions and deportations. … (see link)

Trumponomics is Dangerous to Your Health

Talk on Palestine and Boycotting Chevron

October 31, 2025Economics for Everyone, Events, Palestine, Reflections on Current Events, talks, TalksBDS, Palestine, South AfricaPeter Bohmer

by Peter Bohmer, member of Palestine Action of South Sound, October at the Center for Climate Action and Sustainability at The Evergreen State College, October 15, 2025

Palestine-IsraelhistoryceasefireOct2025

Conclusion: The US continues to arm Israel. The underlying illegal and immoral occupation of the West Bank, Gaza and E Jerusalem continue. Israel and the US have never been known to uphold agreements. Likely another major Israeli bombing and murderous attack will happen in the not-too-distant future especially if the global Palestine solidarity movement weakens. It’s imperative that the Palestine solidarity movement in general and BDS in particular continue, and that we continue to demand no sending of weapons to Israel. JOIN US. Thank you!

The Right to Migrate and the Right to Stay at Home

February 2, 2025Events, Real Utopia, Reflections on Current Events, talks, Talksactivism, political economy, Racial Justice, Social MovementsPeter Bohmer

by Peter Bohmer. February 1st,

ZNET Forum, Immigrant Solidarity with Avi Chomsky, Zafiro Patiño, me!

Immigrant Justice by Peter Bohmer

I will address how to build immigrant justice, including the right to migrate and right to stay at home while challenging and changing the strong anti-immigrant sentiments of ½ the population in the United States. This anti-immigrant ideology and agenda are a central part of the right-wing agenda, not only in the U.S. but much of Europe, Australia, Canada and in many countries in the global south such as Argentina, Mexico, Colombia and South Africa. It is acquiesced to by centrist parties such as the Democrats here, Macron in France and the Christian Democrats in Germany. An example at home is the horrific Laken Riley bill that was just signed into law by Trump, with the vote of 46 Democrats in the House and 12 Democrats in the Senate. This bill supports immediate detention by the Department of Homeland Security for undocumented immigrants being charged, not even convicted, for minor property crimes such as shoplifting and burglary. It empowers State Attorney Generals to sue federal government if an unauthorized immigrant has been charged with a crime in their state. The Democratic Party controlled Senate had opposed this bill in the last session. This is part of the fear mongering about immigrant crime, although a recent National Immigration of Justice study (nij.ojp.org) of Texas found undocumented immigrants were arrested at less than ½ the rate of U.S. born citizens…

Syria, Past, Present and Possibilities

December 20, 2024Events, Palestine, Reflections on Current Events, talks, Talks, WritingsMiddle East, political economyPeter Bohmer

Talk on Syria at Palestine Action of South Sound (PASS) Educational

by Peter Bohmer, peterbohmer@gmail.com

December 16, 2024 (slightly updated. December 24, 2024)

Syria talk.

In addition to the link above, the text follows!

In examining Syria today, it is important to begin with the needs, desires, concerns possibilities of the Syrian people, especially the popular classes, women and ethnic and religious groups that have been discriminated against, with the Syrian people as subject at the center of our understanding. Geopolitics matters; Syria’s role in the world and the Middle East is important and should not be disregarded but it should not be the main frame, not at the center of our analysis of recent events.

Brief outline of Syrian history!

1. French colonialism—Syria, part of Ottoman empire, became a French colony after WWI. French colony until end of WWII, independence movement. Syria won independence in 1946 when France withdrew.

2. Demographics—population, 22.5 million, before civil war: 6 million external refugees, majority in Turkey; 7 million are internally displaced.

Ethnicity-Arabs are by far the largest group, Kurds-10%; Turkmen-4%.

Religion—Sunni Muslim–74%

Shia Muslim—10-12 %, mainly Alawites. Assad family, most of Shia in Syria are Alawite

Christian—10%

Druze, 3%

Slightly over 50% of Syria is urban, 40% plus rural. Syria today is very poor country

Government –Ba’ath Party, Nationalist, called itself socialist; initially, mainly public owned industries, similar party in Iraq—although major split. Pan Arab. Ba’ath Party ruled Syria from 1963 until December 7, 2024. Assads, father and son, top down and military dominated but social programs, secular

More women’s rights than many countries in the Middle East,

1967 war—Israel seized Golan Heights,

Syria, Egypt and Jordan lost 1967 war to Israel. Besides Israel occupying West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, it also occupied 2/3 of Golan Heights. Israel annexed this part of Golan Heights in 1981 and occupied the rest after December 7^th, 2024. Israel has also announced it will double number of Jew settlers and indefinitely maintain an illegal military occupation there. Israel annexation of Golan Heights, recognized during 1^st Trump administration, U.S. only country to do so.

Assads, Hafez and Bashar

Hafez al-Assad, military leader and leader of Ba’ath Party seized power in 1971—increasingly centralized power under his authoritarian rule—Leaders of military, security increasingly Alawite, a branch of Shia Muslim. Move away from nationalization towards mixed economy. Improvements of standard of living, social programs in 1970’s and early 1990’s; but problem with growing enough food; growing food insecurity. Much higher income in Syria than today. Aligned with Soviet Union until its collapse.

Increasing opposition to Hafez al-Assad led government both by democratic and progressive groups and by Moslem Brotherhood. Assad government killed hundreds in Homs in 1981 who were anti dictatorship; and tens of thousands of civilians in Hama in 1982 in uprising there, led by Muslim Brotherhood. Increasing imprisonment, torture of all opposition. In 1991, Syria supported US and Kuwait in war against Iraq, the Gulf War. Hafez al-Assad died in 2000.

Followed by son, Bashar al-Assad, neo-liberal, cutback in social programs—increasingly brutal; allied with Russia, although worked with U.S. after 9/11/2001 in torturing people captured by US, extraordinary rendition. Nominally Ba’ath Party but like his dad increasingly one person rule.

6. 2011 mass protests in Syria, part of Arab Spring. Major and inspiring and popular uprising, non-violent in 2011, including direct democracy in many places—see the book Burning Country by Robin Yasmin-Khattab and Leila Al-Shami. Non-sectarian, inclusive of all ethnicities, religions. Call for end of dictatorship and for end of Assad regime.

Uprising met by torture and repression and mass imprisonment of youths as young as 13 by the Syrian State. Some similarities to popular uprising in Egypt. Bashar al-Assad reasserted control. Aimed to crush all opposition by murderous violence.

7. 2011-2012 murderous repression. In response, increasingly armed resistance, growing involvement of other countries—Turkey, UAE, Saudi Arabia in supporting armed rebellion and financing Jihadist groups. Assad government almost fell. Growth of Al Qaeda, and later ISIS in Syria.

Beginning 2013, increasing military involvement of Iran and especially Hezbollah in support of Bashar al-Assad and brutal attacks on all opposition, Jihadist, Islamist and secular. Assad government had lost legitimacy and control of a lot of territory even with the military support of Iran and Hezbollah.

2015—Russia began major bombing of Syria, major use of barrel bombs. Syrian military use of poison gas, ordered by al-Assad in opposition cities, (many not Jihadist led), many near Damascus.

Millions of Syrians fled Syria—as I already mentioned and even more internal refuges, many to Idlib, northwest Syria, that was controlled by Nusra Front that broke from Al Qaeda in 2016.

8. 2015-2024-Assad rule by force and terror, declining food availability.

Economic situation, Major continuing decline in output and income, destruction of infrastructure, major decline of oil production.

US and Russia collaborated in major attacks, mainly mass bombing in Syria on ISIS controlled areas in Syria, major fighting against ISIS by Kurdish led group, Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in alliance with U.S. They defeated ISIS. Rojava has been autonomous, uneasy agreement with Assad.

2017—I worked with Syrian refugees in Thessaloniki in northern Greece. They arrived by crossing the Aegean Sea from Turkey where they had migrated to. Many Syrians died en route. They hoped to eventually migrate to western Europe and each week for about 10 weeks in winter, 2017, I taught about a different country where they might emigrate to. My Syrian students were about ¾ Arab and ¼ Kurdish. Many had fled Syria for a combination of economic reasons and the war; others because of repression of the government, I remember in a class in Thessaloniki in January 2017, telling the Syrian refugees about solidarity in U.S. with Syrians and with other Muslim countries by protesters blocking Kennedy and SeaTac airports; some of the Syrians cried in their feelings of appreciation for those in the U.S. who took a stand against the Muslim ban.

Hundreds of thousands were killed in Syria between 2011 and 2024, the majority, civilians by the regime and its backers: disappearances, systematic torture and murder in prisons—worst and infamous, Sednaya in Damascus. Continual support of Assad government by Hezbollah, and Russia and Iran.

Many Palestinian refugees in Syria, about 450,000. Support by Assad regime for Gaza and Palestine in words but not in deeds. However, Syria has been an important conduit for military aid from Iran to Hezbollah which has been used in defending Lebanon and fighting Israel in solidarity with Gaza. This is unlikely to continue in the present.

Rojava, also called, Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), majority Kurdish, autonomous since 2012. Kurds are in Iran, Syria, Iraq and Turkey, a people without a country. Almost 5 million people live in Rojava. Governing group is political party, PYD (Democratic Union Party) with substantial local rule and power. The PYD is closely allied with PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party), Kurdish left political party in Turkey. In Rojava, support for women’s equality, cooperatives, for the most part, democratic, influenced by ideas of Murray Bookchin and Ocalan—imprisoned leader of PKK, ecosocialist Turkey wants to destroy Rojava and PYD. U.S. has supported Rojava against threat of full-scale Turkish invasion. U.S. has 2000 troops in and near Rojava, and works closely with Syrian Defense Force (SDF), the main military force of Rojava, training and arming them. SDF fought and fights ISIS effectively. YPJ (Women’s Protection Units) is women’s militia, YPG is People’s Protection Units, militia defending Rojava and connected to governing party the PYD. They all deserve critical support. Mainly inclusive of Syrian Arabs, and other groups in Syria such as Yazidis. Much support for Rojava in Olympia.

Present—Beginning in late November 2024, major offensive against Assad regime, first seizing of Aleppo, 2 million people, second biggest city in Syria, beautiful and old, and then Hama and Homs. Syrian military collapsed, stopped fighting and fled as did Bashar al-Assad from Damascus, December 7 or 8^th. Main group from north and leader of forces overthrowing Assad regime is HTS (Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham) led by Ahmed al-Shaara (previously Abu-Mohammad Julani). They have controlled Idlib Province since 2016—authoritarian and Islamist, Sunni, but claim to no longer discriminate against Shia Muslims, Christians and Kurds. Repression in Idlib under their rule but not on level of Assad. Taxed population heavily. HTS and al-Shaara on US and EU terrorist list. Some support from Turkey although not under Turkish control; unlikely support from U.S. and Israel until now. Let us not claim this unless real evidence.

Other main groups—Syrian National Army (SNA), used to be called Free Syrian Army—Turkish backed and armed—uneasy alliance with HTS. With Turkish support and involvement, they have been attacking Rojava and seized at least one city, Manbij. SNA is authoritarian, repressive against population. Also renewed Turkish attacks against Rojava, although Turkey agreed to a cease fire with U.S. on Tuesday, December 10, 2024.

More hopeful are groups, south of Damascus in Druze majority area such as Suwayda, and with local forces in Daraa—some links to popular uprising of 2011. Involved in liberation and fall of Damascus to anti-Assad forces on December 6-8, 2024

Concluding Comments!

Without the support of Russia and Russian military, and Iran, and Hezbollah fighters, the Assad regime quickly collapsed. Syrian military fled, little fighting. Shows how Assad regime had little legitimacy and ruled because of foreign support and force.

Since December 7, 2024, massive bombing by Israel, most since 1967 and 1973 wars with Israel. Some ongoing bombing by Israel on Syria before December 7, 2024, but not on this current scale. Israel has seized land, invasion of Golan Heights and murderous and daily bombing, mainly military targets throughout Syria—total violation of Syrian sovereignty. Israel says reason is fear of anti-Israel government, now or in future. Israel’s real reason io further dominance of the region. It is immoral and illegal. HTS has made statements against massive Israeli bombing. Let us strongly oppose Israel bombing and occupation of Syria as we continue to challenge Israeli murderous aggression against Lebanon, Iran, Yemen and the West Bank of Palestine and its genocidal war against Gaza.

Popular support for overthrow of Assad is overwhelming. I have been moved and cried reading about the opening of the prisons and the release of tens of thousands of political prisoners, like at Sednaya—many with signs of torture and emaciated but alive. This reminded me of survivors of concentration camps. Some of worst prisons in world. Celebrations in the streets in most of the country, less in Alawite areas where Assad still has support.

Russia has two military bases in Syria-not clear whether they will remain.

Rojava area dependent on US military for survival, 2000 U.S. troops. They are needed for Rojava to maintain autonomy against Turkish military invasion and growing SNA attacks. SDF (mainly Kurdish) are imprisoning 9000 ISIS prisoners and also 20,000 members of their families. ISIS still exists in Syria, mainly in NE Syria, near Rojava, which is near Syrian oilfields. This is part of reason for U.S. military presence—not clear whether U.S. military will continue to be there with Trump administration. It is a dangerous situation for Rojava and especially, Kurdish population in Syria.

Ahmed al-Shaara, the leader of HTS, has promised a civilian and inclusive government with elections. The UN has offered to send peacekeepers and support a government that supports women’s rights, religious and ethnic minorities and human rights. I support that. Likely outcome from the top is another authoritarian government with new enemies, bad for women, Alawites, Rojava, workers, Christians, students. HTS and al-Shaara claim they favor Islamic rule but say they are not Jihadist; that they are nationalists with no interests beyond Syria and will not favor Sunnis over other groups. We shall see! Turkey military is in Syria, and likely to play a major and imperialist role.

Danger of break up or partition of Syria into many areas, controlled by different repressive and authoritarian groups (although not authoritarian in Rojava) and continued mass poverty, Syria has experienced continued economic decline and lack of food, education, health care. Need for economic recovery and growth in a united Syria that is one country, although with autonomy in Rojava.

Hope for future of Syria is the mass outpouring in the streets all over the country, growth of civil society, of fundamental change from below. Growth of popular grass roots organization and movements and unions and new political parties remerging. Syrian history has been rich in these movements. There will be more of an opening than under the Assad dictatorships and hope that from the bottom up a democratic and progressive Syria will emerge. Not that likely but more possible than in the last 11 years. An opening right now.

A democratic and progressive Syria would be pro-Palestinian because Syrian people are, and likely to strongly support Gaza and the Palestinian struggle for self-determination.

Let us demand right of Syrian refugees to stay in Turkey, European Union, U.S., Canada and other countries.

Let us here in the U.S. act in solidarity with popular movements in Syria and against Turkish domination and intervention in Kurdish areas and all of Syria. Support economic and humanitarian aid to Syria through aid that is not conditional on neoliberal reforms or alliance with Turkey, the U.S. or the Gulf States, rather by the UN and non-neoliberal organization! Need for economic reconstruction including the infrastructure of Syria which has been largely destroyed by 13 years of war. Probably in short run best if US troops stay until Turkish threat is reduced and then withdrawal of all foreign troops, Turkish, U.S., Russian and other.

References: Burning Country by Robin Yasmin-Khattab and Leila Al-Shami, excellent on 2011.

See interviews of 1) Joseph Daher and 2) Gilbert Achar on New Politics website, Newpol.org

Mourn and Organize

November 22, 2024Reflections on Current Events, talks, Talks, Writingsactivism, electoral-politics, political economy, Repression, Social MovementsPeter Bohmer

by Peter Bohmer, November 22, 2024

https//znetwork.org/znetarticle/mourn-and-organize/

Trump’s victory is a serious loss for most people in the United States and globally. I disagreed before the election and now, that it didn’t matter who won the Presidential election. Let us mourn and grieve but not give up. Elections matter and this one certainly does but being political means building and gaining power, being active to further what you believe in, much more than voting or supporting a candidate.

I don’t know if any campaign would have caused a Kamala Harris victory. However, her pro-Israel, anti-Palestinian positions, her pro fracking and promoting more oil and gas production by the U.S., and especially her promotion of neoliberal economic policies and not promoting raising the minimum wage, or making unionizing easier or advocating for universal, quality and affordable health care for all was wrong morally and tactically (to win). ..(see link above)