On May 11, 1996, the CBS television program 60 Minutes made famous one of the more notorious statistics in the history of Iraqi-US relations. In an interview of then secretary of state Madeleine Albright, correspondent Lesley Stahl said, "We have heard that a half million children have died as a result of the sanctions [in Iraq]. That's more than died in Hiroshima."
The World Social Forum's greatest achievement in Nairobi was creating this space where over 70,000 people representing social movements from all over the world could gather and reflect on successes and strategize for the future. One key thing that came out was the formation of the Africa Water Network.
Many Guatemalans are rich in family and traditional culture. Yet under the soil lies something that's important to corporate interests. These corporations are willing to sweep aside all that is beautiful about Guatemala, to dig up the earth for a drop of oil or a piece of gold.
At a time when most independent media is focusing on the diverse scandals, crises and disasters in the United States, Toward Freedom remains one of the best progressive sources on international news and analysis. To keep going, we need your support. We have set an ambitious fundraising goal of $5,000 this spring. Here is an update on what we have been up to in the past year, and where we're headed.
"I want to use the word 'conspiracy,' but it isn't a conspiracy because it's not illegal. But there is an incredible array of tools and institutions set up in this country to keep us from understanding what's really going on in the world."
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