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COUNTERCURRENTS NEWSLETTER POSTED IN ITS ENTIRETY DUE TO
SIGNIFICANT GLOBAL ISSUES!
Dear Friend,
As the United States and Iran move deeper into open confrontation, the danger of a wider regional war has become impossible to ignore. Our lead report examines the sixth consecutive night of U.S. strikes and the expanding conflict across the Gulf, while our coverage from Palestine documents the continuing human cost of a ceasefire that has failed to end daily killings in Gaza.
This issue also explores the deeper structures behind today's crises. We examine the history of U.S. imperial wars, the global debt system that constrains development, the humanitarian consequences of dismantling USAID, and the enduring promise of the United Nations. Alongside these analyses are stories of resistance and renewal: grassroots democracy in rural Rajasthan, reflections on human rights through Hansa Mehta and Emir Abd el-Kader, the struggles of Afghan refugees, and thoughtful essays on democracy, ecology, healthcare, political organisation and the natural world.
At a time when independent journalism is under increasing pressure, your support enables Countercurrents to continue publishing original voices that connect events to their wider historical, political and ecological contexts.
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US-IRAN CONFLICT
US-Iran War Escalates as Sixth Night of Strikes Expands Conflict Across the Gulf
by Countercurrents Collective
Six consecutive nights of US air strikes have pushed the war with Iran into a more dangerous phase, with attacks increasingly targeting transport and power infrastructure in southern Iran. Tehran has responded by launching missiles and drones at US bases and allied countries across the Gulf, widening the regional conflict. Reported casualties continue to rise as civilian infrastructure suffers extensive damage and tensions grow around the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy corridor. This report examines the latest military developments, the expanding geographic scope of the conflict, and the mounting risks of further regional escalation and humanitarian consequences.
PALESTINE
1,108 Killed Under a Ceasefire: Israel Makes Daily Killing Gaza’s New Status Quo
by Quds News Network
The article examines the human toll of the Gaza ceasefire that took effect on October 11, reporting more than 1,100 Palestinians killed and thousands wounded despite the agreement. It documents repeated strikes on police personnel, residential areas, and displaced families, alongside allegations that targeted killings have continued under claims of self-defence. Drawing on reports from Palestinian authorities, the United Nations, Israeli media, and other sources, the article argues that daily violence, restricted humanitarian access, and continuing military operations have become embedded within the ceasefire framework, raising serious questions about its implementation and its consequences for Gaza’s civilian population.
The Not-So-Secret Israeli Strategy: This is the Real Gaza Plan
by Dr Ramzy Baroud
Dr. Ramzy Baroud argues that Israel’s actions on the ground point to a long-term strategy of maintaining military control over Gaza despite ongoing diplomatic initiatives and proposed governance arrangements. The article examines why ceasefire frameworks, reconstruction plans, and international proposals have failed to translate into meaningful political transition or humanitarian relief. It contends that continued military operations, restrictions on aid, and the absence of a functioning Palestinian administration have deepened the crisis. Baroud concludes that only sustained, independent international action can help end the occupation, enable reconstruction, and create conditions for a durable political settlement in Gaza.
ZIONISM
Israel’s Crimes Against Humanity In The Americas
by Michael K Smith
Michael K. Smith examines Israel’s historical military and security relationships with governments and armed forces across Latin America, arguing that these links shaped counterinsurgency campaigns, authoritarian rule, and human rights abuses during the Cold War and beyond. The article traces alleged Israeli involvement in Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Colombia, and other countries, connecting these histories to contemporary security policies under leaders such as Nayib Bukele. It contends that methods first developed in Palestine were later exported to the Americas, influencing state violence, mass incarceration, and repression, while highlighting enduring debates over accountability, international solidarity, and the legacy of these conflicts.
COUNTER SOLUTIONS
People in Kherwara have an increasing ability to resolve problems with their unity and mobilisation
by Bharat Dogra
In more than 150 villages of Kherwara block in Rajasthan, sustained community mobilisation has strengthened local capacity to address everyday challenges and hold public institutions accountable. Through village committees and the Aravalli Lok Samiti Federation, residents coordinate seasonal planning, monitor corruption, improve access to welfare schemes, support water conservation, reduce wasteful social spending, and respond to trafficking and other urgent issues. The article examines how decades of grassroots organising, led with support from Seva Mandir, have built trust, collective responsibility, and practical problem-solving, offering an important example of democratic participation and community resilience in rural India.
IMPERIALISM
America’s Imperial Wars, Then and Now: From Korea to the Strait of Hormuz
by Tom Engelhardt
Tom Engelhardt traces a continuous line through U.S. military interventions from Korea and Vietnam to Afghanistan, Iraq, and the current confrontation with Iran. He argues that despite unmatched military spending and global reach, the United States has repeatedly failed to achieve lasting political victories through war. Placing the Strait of Hormuz crisis within this longer history of post-1945 conflicts, the article examines the costs of imperial power, the persistence of interventionist policies, and the wider geopolitical implications. It also reflects on how these experiences may be shaping the strategic choices of other major powers, particularly China today.
UNITED NATIONS
A Dream Deferred, But Still Alive
by Lawrence S Wittner
From Franklin D. Roosevelt’s vision of a postwar international order to the founding of the United Nations, the hope of replacing power politics with collective security has faced repeated setbacks. Lawrence S. Wittner examines the UN’s achievements in advancing human rights, decolonization, public health, and international cooperation, while assessing its limited success in preventing war amid the actions of major powers. The article also traces the role of peace movements, nuclear disarmament efforts, and renewed calls to strengthen the United Nations. It argues that despite decades of disappointment, the pursuit of a more peaceful international order continues.
DEBT
Debt Doesn’t Just Finance Development. It Shapes It.
by Utkarsh Mishra
Rising public debt is increasingly limiting, rather than supporting, development across much of the Global South. This article examines how high borrowing costs, unequal credit ratings and the legacy of structural adjustment have created a financial system that forces many developing countries to devote more resources to debt servicing than to health or education. Drawing on recent data from UNCTAD and other institutions, Utkarsh Mishra argues that sovereign debt is shaped by global power relations as much as economic fundamentals. The article explores how current financial rules deepen inequality and why reform of the international debt architecture has become an urgent necessity.
USAID
How Musk’s War on USAID became a Death Sentence for Millions
by Bhabani Shankar Nayak
How did the dismantling of USAID reshape humanitarian assistance across the world? Bhabani Shankar Nayak examines the consequences of the agency’s closure under the Department of Government Efficiency led by Elon Musk, drawing on estimates of rising deaths linked to the loss of aid-funded health and nutrition programmes. The article argues that these developments reflect broader priorities within U.S. economic and foreign policy, while placing them in the context of debates over capitalism, imperialism, welfare, and global inequality. It concludes by advancing socialism as the only viable alternative to a system that, the author contends, places profit above human life.
LIFE
Emir Abd el-Kader, or the Inverted Mirror of the Nineteenth Century: Laghouat 1852 – Damascus 1860
by Laala Bechetoula
Laala Bechetoula’s essay revisits the life of Emir Abd el-Kader through two defining moments of the nineteenth century: the French destruction of Laghouat in 1852 and Abd el-Kader’s protection of thousands of Christians during the Damascus violence of 1860. By placing these events side by side, the article examines the contradictions of colonialism, the meaning of civilization, and the ethical legacy of a leader remembered as both a resistance fighter and a humanitarian. It explores history through documented evidence, challenging familiar narratives while reflecting on justice, memory, and the enduring significance of Abd el-Kader’s example.
Hansa Mehta: A Champion of Human Rights
by Adv Dr Shalu Nigam
Hansa Mehta played a pivotal role in shaping modern human rights by ensuring that equality and dignity were reflected in both international law and India’s constitutional vision. This article by Adv. Dr. Shalu Nigam examines her contributions to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, her advocacy for gender-inclusive language, and her efforts to connect human rights with justice, accountability, and democratic values. It also highlights her enduring relevance in contemporary debates on equality, discrimination, and the protection of fundamental rights, restoring attention to a remarkable thinker and institution builder.
A Child’s Journey: From Kabul’s Dreams to Survival in Pakistan
by Mehrullah Rahmani
From a student in Kabul dreaming of becoming a doctor to a refugee struggling for food and work in Pakistan, Mehrullah Rahmani’s personal account traces the human cost of displacement after Afghanistan’s political upheaval in 2021. The article documents the loss of education, security, and childhood, while placing one family’s experience within the wider realities faced by Afghan refugees. Drawing on reports from UNHCR, IOM, UNICEF, and Human Rights Watch, it highlights the daily challenges of survival and the enduring need for dignity, protection, and the restoration of basic human rights for displaced families and children.
MARXISM/LENINISM
One Step Forward, Two Steps Backward: Lenin’s Blueprint for a Revolutionary Party
by Pon Chandran
Lenin’s "One Step Forward, Two Steps Backward" remains one of the most influential works on revolutionary organisation. This review by Pon Chandran examines the debates that shaped the split between the Bolsheviks and Mensheviks, focusing on party membership, democratic centralism, organisational discipline and the concept of the vanguard party. It also clarifies Lenin’s relationship with Karl Kautsky, noting that their famous ideological break came years after this work was published. The article offers readers a concise introduction to a text that continues to inform discussions on political organisation, strategy and socialist movements across the world.
SIR
Right to Vote: Do we have it?
by Dr Madabhushi Sridhar Acharyulu
This article examines the constitutional significance of the right to vote amid concerns over the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. It argues that while maintaining accurate voter lists is essential, transparency, due process and effective safeguards are equally vital to prevent the exclusion of eligible citizens. The article explores legal questions surrounding citizenship, electoral registration and the burden of proof, while highlighting the wider social consequences of disenfranchisement. It contends that protecting both electoral integrity and universal adult franchise remains central to preserving democratic legitimacy and constitutional equality in India.
NARENDRA MODI
Always Soliloquy, Never a Dialogue
by Varanasi Subrahmanyam
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s continued avoidance of unscripted press conferences has become a defining feature of his public communication, argues Varanasi Subrahmanyam. Drawing on recent exchanges involving Indian diplomats abroad, the article examines official explanations, contrasts them with the practices of earlier prime ministers, and explores the implications for press freedom and democratic accountability. It also looks at the rise of tightly managed media interactions, the marginalisation of independent journalism, and India’s declining standing on global press freedom indices. The essay argues that meaningful public dialogue requires openness to independent questioning and critical scrutiny.
HEALTH
Overdiagnosis Syndrome: India’s Silent Healthcare Epidemic
by Dr Kaushik Ghosh
Advances in medical technology have transformed healthcare, but they have also increased the risk of diagnosing conditions that may never cause illness or require treatment. This article examines the growing problem of overdiagnosis in India, where extensive screening, commercial health packages, and expanding diagnostic tools can lead to unnecessary tests, anxiety, treatment, and financial burden. It argues that better clinical judgment, evidence-based screening, and patient-centred decision-making are essential to prevent avoidable medicalisation while ensuring that healthcare resources remain focused on people with genuine illness. A timely analysis of an emerging public health challenge.
ENVIRONMENT
Is the Musi Riverfront Development Project an Ecological Rejuvenation or Real Estate Venture, wonders Musi Jan Andolan
by Ch Narendra
The Musi Jan Andolan has urged the State Level Expert Appraisal Committee to reject environmental clearance for the Musi Riverfront Development Project, arguing that it prioritizes roads, bridges and commercial infrastructure over ecological restoration. The movement points to major changes between the project’s original terms and the Environmental Impact Assessment, reduced green space, inadequate scientific studies, unexplained discrepancies in displacement figures, and the absence of a social impact assessment. It contends that the Musi River can be restored through improved sewerage and stormwater management without destroying riparian ecosystems or displacing thousands of working-class families and livelihoods.
On autumn asters, bumblebees find warmth at season’s end
by Brandon Keim
Autumn asters are more than seasonal wildflowers. Blooming after most other flowers have faded, they provide one of the last vital sources of nectar and pollen for bumblebees nearing the end of their lives. Drawing on scientific research into bee cognition, emotion and sleep, Brandon Keim reflects on how these late blossoms may offer warmth, familiarity and refuge during the insects’ final days. Blending natural history with careful observation, the article explores the relationship between flowers and pollinators while inviting readers to consider mortality, care and the quiet forms of compassion that exist throughout the living world and nature.
COCKROACH JANATA PARTY PROTEST
Why the Jantar Mantar Protest Failed to Become a People’s Movement
by Dr Anand Teltumbde
Why did the Jantar Mantar protest over examination scandals, unemployment and the future of millions of students fail to grow into a mass movement? Dr. Anand Teltumbde argues that the answer lies beyond one protest or one minister. He examines how structural crises, changing state power, weakening faith in democratic protest, and reliance on inherited forms of resistance have limited public mobilization. The article reflects on the declining effectiveness of Gandhian methods in contemporary politics and calls for new forms of collective action capable of meeting the realities of the present democratic landscape.
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