Coalition of the Willing: Take 2

Here we (U.S.A.) go again.  Remember during Gulf War II, George W. Bush famously used the term Coalition of the Willing when it came to the invasion and occupation of Iraq?  According to W's administration, these 48 countries were essential partners in this illegal war.  However, countries like Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau and the Solomon Islands didn't (and still don't) have standing armies to help out in the war effort.  Now, Barack Obama has gathered his own Coalition of the Willing II, this time with the war directed at ISIL.  But what exactly are the new coalition members doing in this vague, new chapter in the War on Terror? [Click to Listen]

At the Forefront of Fracking

Anastasia Pantsios published a fantastic article at EcoWatch about Ohio's shameful role at the forefront of the fracking industry.  The article is based in part on the U.S. Government Accountability Office report, Drinking Water: Characterization of Injected Fluids Associated with Oil and Gas Production (also known as GAO-14-957R) that examined the fracking industry in seven states. The good news is that the report documents the horrific conditions now present in Ohio due to the booming fracking industry.  The bad news is that there is 0 chance that the politicians in Ohio will do anything about this issue.  Why is that?  Because the American Legislative Exchange Council has helped the oil and gas industry pass laws in Ohio that will need repealed before any action can be taken. One law in Ohio classified solution injected into the Earth as a 'trade secret', so no one knows exactly what is seeping into the groundwater.  [Click to Listen]