Transcripts For LINKTV Democracy Now 20170327

Americans have health care. Then did the keystone xl pipeline. I am pleased to announce the official a approval o of the president ial permits for the keystone xl pipeline. Amy we will speak to Bill Mckibben of 350. Org who helped organize a massive resistance against the project leading president obama to reject the keystone xl. He is involved with a major march on washington april 29. Then we look at the soaring number of civilians being killed in u. S. Airstrikes in iraq and syria, including over 200 civilians in a ststrike in the iraqi city of mosul in us all day in a single day. I came to the house to stay with my family, but the owner of the house t told me there were o place for me. More than one of people were inside. Half an hour later, the house wass hit in anan airststrike. Amy we will speak with chris of airwars. All that and more, coming up. Welcome to democracy now, democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. Obama cares a lot the land. That is what House Speaker paul ryan said after he pulled the bill. He pulled the legislation after it was clear he failed to muster enough votes for the builder pass. But President Trump and Vice President mike pence had heavily lobbied republican lawmakers had of the vote, but the soul is opposed by the entire Democratic Party as well as of the ultraconservative House Freedom caucus and some moderate repupublicans. This is all ryan speaking to reporters shortly after pulling the bill. I dont know what else to say other than obama care is a law the land and will remain locked the land until it is replaced. We did not have the votes to replace this, so we will be living with obamacacare for the foreseeable future. I dont know how long it will take us to replace this law. Amy while trump initially blamed democrats, he switched his focus develop republicans over the weekend. On sunday morning, he tweeted sunday morning was that tweet. On sunday, ted poe resigned from the Freedom Caucus in protest of the groups opposition to the republican healthcare plan. Let ago is repoporting that the push to pass the legislation was harmed in part the cousin trump, unlike Many Congress members, did not appear to know that much or care that much about the details of health care policy. Following his first legislative failure, trump warned that he is now going to let obamacarere exexplode. Preses. Trump for the last year and a half that the best thing we could do politically speaking. Sis let obamacare explode it is exploding right now. Problblems have e big almost all s states have big problems. Amy more on the republicans plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care act, as well as a pushsh among a number of progressives and others for single payer, after the headlines. The u. S. Backed Iraqi Militarys Ground Campaign to retake west mosul from isis has bebeen haltd as details emerged over the weekekend about u. S. Led coalitn airstrikes that killed more than 200 people it is believed in a single day. The u. S. Led coalition has omitted to launching the march 17 airstrikes that targeted a crowded section of mosul. At least one strike reportedly hit an explosive field truck, triggering a blast that destroyed nearby houses were hundreds of people were taking refuge amidst the citys heavy fighting. Of to 80 civilians, inclcluding women and chilildren, may hahave died in onee houseses basement alone. The march 17 strikes appear to be among the deadliest u. S. Airstrikes in the region since the u. S. Invasion of iraq in 2003. Over the weekend, witnesses told the guardian that some of their Family Members remain trapped under the rubble after days of u. S. Coalition airstrikes battered neighborhoods in and around west mosul. This is a Family Member of some of the civilians killed in the that strike. I came to the house to stay with my family, but the owner of the house told me there were no place for me. More than 100 people were inside. Half an hour later, the house was hit in an airstrike. There militants wereil snipers on the streets. Amy the journalistic project airwars reports as many as 1000 civilians have died in u. S. Led Coalition Airstrikes in iraq and syria in march alone. The high civilian death toll is leading many to question whether the us military has loosened the rules of engagement that seek to limit civilian casualties. The pentagon maintains the rules have not changed. Well have more on u. S. Led airstrikes, including the devastating strike in mosul later in the broadcast. The Washington Post reports james matattis is asking the trump adadministration to lt obama euro r restrictions so the u. S. Military can provide more support for the saudi led war in yemen. The u. S. Already authorizes weapons sales to saudi ararabia provide other assistance, including mid air refueling t to saudi warplanes for the onongoig bombining camampaign. On sunday, tenens of thousandsdf yemenis rallied in the streets of sydney s sanaa to proteset the w war. The fifth round of syria peace talks have begun in geneva. At least 16 civilians including women and chilled were killed by an airstrike on a market in the suburb of damascus on saturday. And d russia, as many a as 600 people were arrested amidst nationwide anticorruption demonstrations sunday. The tens of thousands s of protestersrs were demandnding te resignation of t the russian pre minister. Among those arrested was an anticorruption activist and reveal theleader who Prime Minister used a web of chcharities to conceal ththat he owns a a slew of l luxury real estatate, yachts, and in a tight an italian been your. Hundreds of protesters were arrested saturday in the neighboring country of belarus. The arrest came after thousands of peoeople defied a protest b n and poured into the streets of the capital minsk to denounce attacks on people who are unemployed. In the u. S. , ththe Washington Post reporting trump plans to unveil a new White House Office today that will be run by his soninlaw and Senior Adviser jared kushner. The post reports the White House Office of American Innovation will be staffed by former Business Executives who will be given wideranging authority to andhaul federal bureaucracy even privatize some of the governments functions. On sunday, kushner told the Washington Post the government should be run like a Great American company. Our hope is that we can achieve successes and efficiencies for our customerers, who a are the citizens. Democratic lawmakers havave introduced a new piece of legislation demanding the Trump Administration published visitor logs, not only for the white house, but also for the private resorts where trump conducts business, including his florida resort maralago. The legislation is known as the maralago act, which is in akron for the full title making access records available to lead American Government openness act. T. This p past weekend, trump spent time at the Trump National golf club in virginia marking the eighth straight we can the president has been time at trump branded p private propoperties. While trump was at the Trump National golf club in virginia saturday, his supporters held protrump rallies in cities across the country. In california, the rally descended into chaos and violence after some protrump demonstrators attacked antitrump counter protesters. A viral video shows a trump supporter swinging a flagpole at the head of an antitrump protester. The flag read trump make amamerica g great again. South Carolina Republican senator Lindsey Graham faced an audience of angry constituents at a town hall meeting on saturday. The audience repeatedly booed editor graham and at times chanted your last term. This is senator graham trying to defend his decision backing neil gorsuch. We just finished the hearing this week. Judge gorsuch was one of the finest people i think President Trump could have chosen. [boos] im going to enthusiastically support him. And d if the democrats try to filibuster him, they will be making a huge mistake. Amy the senate narrowly voted to dismantle internet privacy protections established under the Obama Administration. The measures were question why republican lawmakers and the vote l largely split across s py lilines. The bill, now heading to the house, will give Companies Like verizon, comcast, and at t more power to collect peoples data, including their internet browsing history, and to sell this information. More than 1000 jewish activist and their allies dissented on washington, d. C. , sunday to protest the annual policy conferenence heldd by aipac, the americican israel publicic affas committee. Vice president mike pence is a keynote speaker this year, which the conference opened only days after the Senate Confirmed trump spectrum say lawyer David Friedman to serve as the u. S. Ambassador to israel. Friedman is a backer of israels jewish only settlements in that houston and territories. Recently public u. N. Report accused the Israeli Government of imposing and a parttime regime Apartheid Regime on the palestinians. Susunday, someme of the young jh activists chained themselves to the doors of the Conference Center while others dropped banners from inside. This is dr. Cornell west speaking to activist outside the conference. We come from a very rich and deep prophetic position that goes back to a ms. And jeremiah, it goes back so we tell somome of our more conservative brothers and sisters on the inside that you do not represent the best of the andsh prophetic tradition were here to bear witness join amy in chile, hundreds of thousands of people poured into the streets nationwide to protest chiles privatized Pension System sunday. Protesters say the system benefits the rich while leaving the poor with a monthly pension below the minimum wage. Activists say as many as 2 Million People protested nationwide more than 10 of the countrys population. This is activist luis mesina. We hope in this large protests to express exactly what the majority viewpoint, we workers will not rest until this cursed system that can dance our parents and grand parents to miserable pensions is ended. In argentina, thousands of people took to the streets on to mark the anniversary of friday the 41st anniversary of the 1976 military coup that ousted president isabel peron. The coup ushered in a bloody u. S. Backed dictatorship under which as many as 30,000 people were disapappeared. During fridays nationwide demonstrations, Family Members carried signs with photos of their loved ones who are missing from this period. Inin colombia, the town of cajamarca has voted by a landslide to halt the plans for the south africanbased corporation Anglogold Ashanti to build a massive openpit goldmine. The website colombiareports says the vote marks the first time a colombian town has ever voted to ban minining in its territory. Y. Meanwhile, in central china, at least 11 people have died in two separate accidents at gold mines in henan province on friday. In south korea, prosecutors are seeking an arrest warrant for former President Park geunhye, who was removed from office earlier this month amid a Corruption Scandal that sparked massive nationwide protests. Prosecutors are seeking to arrest her on charges of bribery and abuse of power. In b britain, as many as 50,0000 people took to the streets on saturday to protest Brexit Britains plans to leave the european union. This is protester poppy somogy. To me it is especially important because i was too young to vote and i felt there were a lot of people my age it was not a majority vote. Are brother and sister. We come back from background of time during immigrants. Our grandfather join the uprising. Feel as a result of brexit and this increase in xenophobia. Amy theresa may has announced she will send the formal paperwork, known as article 50 letter, notifying the e. U. Of britains exit on wednesday. The paperwork will set off a twoyear negotiation about the terms of the exit. Back in the United States, at least one person died and at least 15 more were injured when gunfire erupted in a crowded nightclub early sunday morning in cincinnati, ohio. Police say more than one person was involved in the shooting at the cameo nightclub. Police said the incident appears to have stemmed from a dispute earlier in the day. And in mexico, journalists mark just through the streets of marched through the streets of mexico city saturday to protest the killing of 3 of their colleagues this month. This is mexican photographer luis baron. The motive for the protest is to condemn the killings of the journalists. Which means three colleagues have been killed in the last four months and others have been injured and authorities do nothing for of regrettable he, the an action in any state in the country in which journalists are injured or any freedom of expressision is undermined is plain nothing happens. Amy and those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. Juan and im juan gonzalez. Welcome to all of our listeners and viewers from around the country and around the world. We turn now to health care. Obama, House Republicans voted more than 50 times to repeal or rewind rewrite the afford about care act. On friday, the house could not muster the votes needed to pass its own healthcare law which some call trumpcare. Just minutes before the vote was scheduled, President Trump was House Speaker hall ryan to pull the legislation. The bill was opposed by every democrat as well as many members of the ultraconservative House Freedom caucus and some moderate republicans. The House Freedom caucus when a more drastic cuts to obamacare while the e moderate republicans what are concerned about the were concern about the fallout that would have left 24 million momore people uninsured will giving a major tax break to the rich will amy President Trump and Vice President mike pence heavily lobbied republican lawmakers at of the vote. The push from the white house did not work, leading to trumps first major legislative failure. House Speaker Paul Ryan spoke to reporters shortly after pulling the bill. What else to say other than obama care a law of the land and will remain locked the land until it is replaced. We did not have the votes to replace is law. We are going to be living with obamacare for the foreseeable future. I dont know how long it will take us to replace is law. Amy President Trump warned yoyu going to let obamacare e explod. Tomko thank you very much. We were very close. It was a very tight margin. We had no democrat s support. We had no votes from the democrats. They were nonot going to givivea single votee will stop it is vey difficult thing to do. I i have been saying for the lat year and a half that the best thing we can do politically speaking is let obamacare explode. It is exploding right now. Many states have big problems all most all states have big problems. Juan while trump initially blamed the democrats, he switched his focus to fellow republicans over the weekend. On sunday morning, he tweeted democrats are smiling in d. C. At the Freedom Caucus with the help of club for growth and heritage have saved planned parenthood and obamacare. A day earlier, he urged on twitter his twitter followers to watch judge jeanine on fofox new sasaturday night. Viewers would have heard this statatement, paul ryan n needs to step down as speaker of the house. The reason . He failed to d deliver the votos on hisis health care bill. The one trumpeted to repeal and replace obamacare. The one that he had seven years to work on. The one he hid under lock and key in the basement of congress. The one that h had to be p pullo prevent the embarrassment of not hahaving enough v votes t to pa. But this s bill did not just fafailed, it failed when republicans had the house, the senate, the white house. Amy that is judge Jeanine Pirro on fox news. While House Speaker paul ryan remains in that position, many observers say he has been politically damaged. Political reporting the push to pass the legislation was harmed in part because trump did not appear to know that much were care that much about the e detas of health cacare policy, unlike many commerce members who came to him with questions. Wall street journal reports the Trump Administration is ramping up effororts to weaken e afAffordable Care act by pusushg through rule changeses and issug new waivers. Senator Bernie Sanders has announced he will soon introduce a bill to create singlepayer health care. Several progressive groups are backing a single payer system, including the working families party, the Progressive Campaign change committee, credo, Social Security works, National Nurses united. Were joined now by Steffie Woolhandler a professor at , cunyhunter college and a primary care physician. She is a lecturer at harvard medical school. You never supported obamacare, but you were very critical of what was happenining in congres. Can you talk about what did take place and then what is being talked about now not in the corporate media. Almost no mention of singlepayer this weekend. But among progressive politicians and activists . Our group thinks we need to be moving forward from the Affordable Care act to singlepayer, and not backward through repeal of the republicans wanted. We thought it was a very big victory this week and to block the republican plan. We think it is from people showing up at the town hall meetings, pushing senators and congressmen in purple states and making it impossible for the republicans to do a straight repeal, which is what the Freedom Party wanted and they had been talking about for the last, you know, seven or eight years. This was a victory, but there is still a lot more fighting to go. We are very heartened to see senator sanders and other politicians endorsing the idea of singlepayer, certainly, within the medical community there is a tremendous amount of discussion and Media Coverage of the singlepayer idea. We think it is a great time to be putting that idea forward and moving to a medicare for all program. Juan when you say was a victory , as trump has said he is he said he would let obamacare both implode and explode at the same time. He is basically what could he do now in from an executive position to be able to further damage the ability of people to Access Health care . Unfortunately, theres a lot he can do to the regulatory process. You have to have regulatory underpinnings of a health law, and his secretary tom price the secretary of health and human services, is a staunch opponent of the aca who is been trying to destroy the Affordable Care act for years. Amy when trump had his press conference, if you can call it presente on friday, his moment, standing on one side of him was Vice President pence and the other side was price. Right. I think we will see the Affordable Care act have death by a thousand cuts. They will try to do everything they can from a regulatory standpoint, from a funding standpoint to undermine obamacare, we can it, believe it to death, if you will. Amy talk about how they can do that. Ththey are setn n that. Theyre saying that president obama set 2017 for the year two implode, but they say theyre just going to let it die. What does that mean and how would they accelerate that and how can they stop it . Theres lots of regulatory decisions you make about what youre going to insist Insurance Companies do. That is all in tom prices bailiwick right now. Waivers. Medicaid tom price is going to be doing that with a lot of his conservative state governments that have no interest in the Medicaid Program or in helping poor people. There is been a lot of juan on the waiver issue, that would in essence let them do what theyre wanting to do in the current bill, which is great sort of a black great situation for states on medicaid . Not quite the same as what theyre going to do in the bill, but it does allow them to do things like chargege medicaid enrollees premiums. These people are really, really poor. If you require them to pay premiums, some months theyre not going to build a pay and they will lose their health care. The other thing i want to remind you of, there is been tons of lawsuits against obamacare, which under the Obama Administration the Justice Department defended and thought against. But the trump Justice Department does not have to defend against those lawsuits. So these lawsuits to cut funding and to restrict, access to care that has failed to date, much more likely will succeed of the Justice Department is not fighting them. Only healthng to care system. I know he and bannon want to blame the democrats for the mess that the Healthcare System is going to be, but they own it. Theres a whole lot of problems with obama care like the 26 Million People who remain uninsured despite obamacare. Trump is not going to fix that. You will probably make it worse. Amy just to be clear on that come already over the next 10 years, 24 Million People were going to lose their health care under the republican plan. The you are talking about but you are talking about 26 million 24 Million People beyond what obama had insured nowm talking about right while obamacare is fully in place come or january 1, carefully a place, there are 26 million uninsured americans. That is not universal health care. 10 of the population with no health care. And that is why our Physicians Organization is sayining we need to move forward with singlepayer and ensure those people. Amy it is interesting t that oe of their biggest problems was the 55 to 65yearold lot. They under the republican plan, the cost of their insurance was going to escalate. Wouldnt have been interesting if that said, ok, we will lower medicare to 55 and that would have taken care of that. I want to turn to Congress Member peter welch, the democrat from vermont. His remarks earlier this month to the energy and d commerce committees markup of the American Health care act, the republican plan. Theres been a lot of discussion about the fact this bill just appeared yesterday and it was being hidden. Wasnt rereally being hidden frm democrats in america or was it being hidden from your Freedom Caucus . They say this bill is a phony repepeal of obamacare. You want to knknow something . They are right. There is a lot of plagiarism in this bill. The insurance reforms that all of you voted against, your now bragging you are keeping. The subsidies that you say are horrible, you have changed from a direct subsidy that actually provided meaningful access to health care to on the cheap tax credits that dont do the job, but that is an entitlement you say youre against. The mandate what you have done is impose the 30 penalty and the revenues dont go to the programsre but the Insurance Companies. What is going on here . Amy that is peter welch, vermont congressman, who together with senator Bernie Sanders of vermont, says they will both introduce legislation for singleepayer. If you could respond to what he said and then talk about what their plan is a north thoughts on it. The republican plan, which was defeated, was a meaner version of the Affordable Care act. Putrtunately, both of those the entrance industry in the center of the system. We need to get a private Insurance Industry out. Their overhead profits and the overhead they impose on doctors and hospitals are costing us 500 billion annually that we do not need to be spending. 500 billion annually that we could save through a singlepayer program, use that money to cover the 26 million americans who now have no coverage, and then to improve the coverage of insured americans who often have insurance they cannot afford to use because of the high copayments, high deductibles. The deductibles and copayments, that is a problem that predated obamacare. It obamacare failed to fix list of a singlepayer could eliminate that problem, as it has done in other countries. Juan how would you propose to get from here to there given the reality that the republicans have not give of an even larger base of support in congress, controlling all of the houses and now they will soon have a much more conservative Supreme Court . How would you propose to get from where we are to singlepayer . We have another election n in 21 months. We have another president ial election in less than four years. Things can change. We need to be thinking ahead. We have already seen a tremendous amount of change just from people getting out to town hall meetings, getting out on the streets, calling their congressmen. Who would have known a few months ago that the republicans would not be able to repeal obama care . They have not been able to do it largely because of pressure from the electorate on a purple state, senators, congressmen. People need to be out in the streets. They need to be contacting their congressman, demonstrating, educating, and preparing for the day when we really can get singlepayer, which may be sooner than you think. Amy we keep throwing around the world singlepayer. Washe sanders plan that discussed this weekend, to go right to this what would be the system in the United States . With nothing the sanders bill yet, but these sort of things congressmen and have been putting forth like just paysrs, everyone their taxes and everyone is automatically eligible for program like medicare only a would have no deductibles for covered services, no participation by the private healthInsurance Industry. Improved medicare, expanded to everyone, improved so does not have the kind of gaps in uncovered services that do exist in the current medicare program. We have been advocating that plan for a decade for decades. Piece of what legislation or with a legislation will look like that gets introduced in the next few days by welch and sanders, but longterm, we need amy what happens to the Insurance Companies . They would have no role in an efficient medicare for all program. Some of these Insurance Companies have overhead of 20 , meaning you give them one dollar in premiums and only . 80 ever goes to a doctor or hospital or drug company. 20 cents stays right there with the Insurance Company for the overhead and profit. You have to compare that to traditional medicare were the overhead is 2 to 3 . When you add up all of the administrative costs that Insurance Companies have, the administrative costs they impose on doctors like me and hospitals to try to send bills to multiple payers, were talking about potential savings of 400 billion to 500 billion annually. Variousd where do the stakeholders in ththe instry, for instance, ii know the hospitals were very much opposed to the current legislation republicans were pushing forward. But where were the doctors and hospitals in the pharmaceutical and these others stand in a battle over a medicare for all . Of thehe last battle republican bill, there were no doctors groups, no real doctors groups supporting the bill. Everyone opposed it. Certainly, nurursing groups and hospitals were opppposing it, t. In a battle for singlepayer, things b but lineup differentlyn the Insurance Industry in the pharmaceutical industry will be totally and completely opposed to singlepayer. For the insurance healthInsurance Industry, it is a life or death battle. We can expect them to use all of their lobbying clout to try to prevent it. Big pharma has not been happy in singlepayer because in singlepayer systems, there are forced to lower their prices. About half of what the u. S. People pay. A singlepayer system by lowering the pharmaceutical prices would save another 100 billion that we could use to cover people. Pharma is going to be opposed. The entrance industry, the most of us because it is life and death for them. Said thise priebus week and that democrats, bring your proposals to us now. Of civileing a kind war and the republican party. Will we see the same in the Democratic Party . I am doubtful about that. Certainly at this moment, the democrats as an Opposition Party tend to unify when they are actually running things, the divisions come out much more. Amy Bernie Sanders is part of the leadership. Are you saying the leadership might endorse a medicare for a proposal yet though what does a public should proposal mean . The way the leadership can be brought to endorse singlepayer is by us, the constituents. Calling them up, pressuring them and all the ways that we have sent we want singlepayer. That is what will bring the full democratic leadership around. Public option . Public option would be a small step that would ease some of the pain. It would mean when you are on the Exchange Buying things, one of your opoptions would be to py money and buy into medicare. Most americans do not get their care through the exchange. The public option really does not generate those massive administrative savings that we need in order to be able to afford health care for everyone. ,my dr. Steffie woolhandler thank you for joining us woolhandler, a professor at , cunyhunter college and a primary care physician. She is a lecturer at harvard medical school, and ththe cofounder of physicians for a National Health program. This is democracy now when we come back, we go to london to talk about what is happening right now in iraq will stop is it possible that the ,argest strike just occurred and airstrike in mosul, since the u. S. Invaded iraq in 2003 . Stay with us. [music break] amy this is d democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman with juan gonzalez. In our next segment, we go to president obamas approval of the residential of the permit for the keystone President Trumps approval for the keystone xl. But right now, we turn to iraq. Juan the u. S. Backed Iraqi Military Ground Campaign to retake west mosul from isis has been halted as the details emerged over the we can u. S. Led Coalition Airstrikes that are believed to have killed over 200 people in a sisingle day. U. S. Led coalition has admitted launching airstrikes on march 17 that targeted a crowded neighborhood in mosul. They are among the deadliest u. S. Airstrikes in the region since the us invasion of iraq in 2003. According to reports, one of these strikes hit an explosive filled truck, triggering a blast that destroyed nearby houses were hundreds of people were taking refuge among the citys heavy fighting. Of to 80 c civilians, including women and childrdren, may have basement one houses alone. This is a Family Member of some of the civilians killed in the strike. House to stayhe with my family, but the owner of the house told me there were no place for me. More than 100 people were inside. Half an hour later, the house was hit in an airstrike. There were neither snipers nor isil militants on the street. At least 15 people from the street that links to the alleyways have been killed. Amy this bombing is justst onef an onslaught of u. S. Led coalition airststrikes in iraq d syria that has killed as 1000 civilians in march alone. Another one of these strikes occurred last week in syria when a u. S. Reaper drone struck a gathering in the rebelheld village near aleppo, killing as many as 49 people. According to the syrian observatory for human rights, most of the dead were civilians who had gathered at a mosque to pray. The pentagon acknowledged carrying out strikes on this village but denied hitting a mosque. Pentagon officials said that the gathering was a meeting of al qaeda members. The death toll is leading many to question whether the u. S. Military has loosened the rules of engagement that seek to limit civilian casualties. The pentagon maintains the rules have not changed. For more, we go to london to speak to chris woods, founder of airwars which monitors civilian deaths from international strikes. Chris woods is also an awardwinning reporter and the author of sudden justice americas secret drone wars. Welcome to democracy now talk about what you understand happened on march 17 in iraq. This is a very complicated event will step in fact, the story is still changing today. We know that a devastating explosion or sequence of explosions took place in the new mosul area. And a minimum of 101 civilians died. Some that that in the immediate neighborhood at over 500. Were talking a really catastrophic event. In terms of responsibility, that is proving more challenging. The coalition, as you said, has said it did conduct an airstrike in the immediate vicinity on march 17. But what is complicating this is the Iraqi Military also appears to have conducted artillery strikes into that immediate area, and they may or may not ore been isis will be traps civil born truck bombs. It is a very conflicts event. With the coalition, we do not know which Coalition Partners were involved in the events. The United States must probably, bubut there were other nationsnn the coalition also bombing quite heavily at mosul at the moment. Amy and those countries are . Australia, the united kingdom, belgium, and france. All of them have said that mozilla is where most of their airstrikes are now taking place. A lot of people involved. The reality is that more than 100 civilians certainly are dead. The Washington Post saying this morning that have been speaking to Civil Defense in mosul and a minimum o of 101 bodies so far removed from the scene and perhaps many more bodies ther this is what leads to this reporte. A possibly one of the highest ever reported civilian casualty events that the coalition or the u. S. May have been involved in. Juan chris, the guardian is reporting that iraqi has suspended the mosul offensive after these attacks. What do you know about the accuracy of that report and what is the situation in terms of the response of the Iraqi Government . It was certainly reported that the campaign had there is little sign of it. The airstrikes have been going in heavily from not just the coalition, but also the iraqis. Two more n neighbors were cacapd by the Iraqi Ground Forces just yesterday from isis. There may have been a slowing down of the campaign, but really, i think the coalition, the iraq government is keen to capture west mosul as quickly as possible. Their gambling. The quicker they capture the city, the less overall risk of harm there is to civilians. They are paying a terrible price. According to one report last week at which appears to have come from a senior Iraqi Military official, 4000 civilians have died in the first month of fighting of west mosul. That is 1000 civilians being killed a week at a moment. Those are very high numbers. Unacceptable numbers in our view. Juan these casualties are fire higher far higher than in the last months of the Obama Administration. You get any sense this is as a result of changes in operation by u. S. Forces in this particular offensive, or is it just the fact theyre moving to a highly populated area . It is a really different good difficult one to untangle. The number of allegations and reported fidelitys are through the r roof fatalities are through the roof. We have more than 120 events so fafar in march will stop that is across iraqi in syria. More than 1200 civilians reported killed, alleged killed by coalition actions. Those are way up there with the levels of allegations we saw against russia last year when it was bombing across syriaia. These are very, very high levels of reported civilian casualties. Papart of that is s definitely o with west mosul and the u. N. Reported, the aid agencies reported, ngas ngos reported there would be civilian casualties because so many civilians were trapped in the city. Were seeing far too many go to west mosul. Were seeing many civilians being reported killed in Northern Syria as well. The assault on raqqa hasnt even begun yet yet were seeing 2, 3, 4 civilian casualty events around raqqa. Civilian deaths are way up with the coalition. What is still somewhat difficult to untangle is whether we would have seen that under obama. The strikes were rising, the deaths were rising steeply in the last months of obama. Trump has inherited obamas battle plan to some degree. Even so, were hearing from iraqi officials that it is easier to airstrikes now, particularly u. S. Strikes. The picture is confused. I think we need a straight answer from the pentagon, from the white house. Lifted restrictions . The iraqi civilians have a right to know that. Amy i want to ask yoyou about another recent harrowing attack involving the United States and its allies. In syria, a u. S. Reaper drone recently struck a gathering in the rebelheld village near aleppo. As many as 49 people died. According to the syrian observatory for human rights, most of the dead were civilians who had gathered at a mosque to pray. The pentagon acknowledged carrying out strikes on this village but denied hitting a mosque. They said the gathering was a meeting of al qaeda members. This is syrian ambulance driver munther abu amar. Fromi am an ambulance driver aleppos weststern province. Wewe came here after we were called, after an airstrikeke targeted thehe mosque while worshipers were inside. There are more than 30 martyrs and dozens o of injured people were transporteded to the hospital. There are so many people who are missing. Five or six m missing people. One of the martyrs was an elderly woman who lived close to the malall mosque. God help us. Amy can you tell us what you understand happened, chris . Ever report from the ground is in agreement that this was a mosque complex, that it looks likeke u. S. Was not aware thahaa new building being built near the old mosque was extension of that complex, and that hundreds of locals were gathered for a religious meeting when that unilateral u. S. Strike took place. This was not a coalitionon atta, it was the unilateral u. S. Argeted attack the kind we more usually see in pakistan or yemen or somalia. It is part of the shadow war that only america has been conducting against al qaedaa affiliates in syria. It gets very little publicity, but many of these strikes are taking place now. In the last weeks of obama, we saw quite a big job of the number of those reports jump of the number of those reports. Linda pickett amount of civilians killed and those as well. Were seeing for intelligence. There was a school reported targeted and destroyed just last week. The school was being used by externally displaced internally displaced families. There is still a great dispute about how many civilians died. At minimum, we think 35 civilians were killed and that even as well. This is poor intelligence. Any local what evan able to tell , displaceddps civilians, were living there. This is about the proxy force that america is using in syria today. Which are not from this area. Primarily kurdish forces. Strikes being conducted very quickly and the civilians on the ground in syria are paying a significant price. Ay chris, we just have minute left. Certainly, a huge amount of attention was paid to what happened in london with the killing of four people in an attack near the parliament. Theres a must almost no attention paid to this massive spike in casualties from the United States. In iraq in syria. You are right. There is an equivalent there. A few weeks ago, we were very critical of International Media for not covering the c civilian casualties in iraq, in syria. That is really changed now. Great work being done by international, regional media. Outstanding journalism. The disconnect is domestically will stop where the political voices being raised about this . There was a lot of anger from our politicians last year with aleppo and quite rightly so. Where are the raised voices here on behalf of syrians and iraqis who are dying as a result of our bombs . Amy chris woods, thank you for being with us, founder of airwars, a Nonprofit Group that monitors civilian deaths from International Airstrikes in syria anand iraq. Chris is an awardwinning reporter and the author of sudden justice americas secret drone wars. When we come back, President Trump authorizes a permit to restart the keystone xl pipeline to authorize it. We will get response from Bill Mckibben. Stay with us. [music break] amy this is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman with juan gonzalez. Juan the Trump Administration has approved a permit allowing transcanada to build the keystone xl pipeline, which would transport 830,000 barrels of crude Oil Every Day from albertas oil sands to refineries on the u. S. Gulf coast for export. Trump addressed reporters in the oval office on friday mornrning. Pres. Trump today, i am pleased to announce the official approval of the president ial permit for the keystone xl pipeline. Juan transcanadas keystone xl pipeline would cross the yellowstone river, as well as the ogallala aquifer, the largest freshwater aquifer in the United States. Republicans and the oil industry say the pipeline will create thousands of construction jobs and provide National Energy security. However, environmentalists and scientists have long warned about the devastating impact of further fossil fuel extraction on a rapidly warming planet. Trumps approval of the keystone xl pipeline is a reversal of the Obama Administrations decision to halt the project in late 2015 following massive, sustained resistance from environmental groups and Community Organizers. In response to trumps decision to greenlight the project, the group 350. Org tweeted u. S. State dept. May approve keystonexl, but this pipeline wont be built. People stopped it once will again. On friday, protesters gathered across from the Trump International hotel in new york city and outside the white house and washington, d. C. Amy the pipeline is not yet a done deal. The Company Transcanada still needs to secure funding, acquire local permits, and stave off potential legal challenges. Meanwhile, environmental groups and Community Organizers say theyre gearing up for a major showdown with the Trump Administration over its climate policy. Next month, protesters will gather in washington, d. C. , on march 29 for the peoples april 29 climate mobilization where they say they will push forward a vision of a clean energy economy. For more, we are joined by democracy now video skype by Bill Mckibben, cofounder of 350. Org. Bill, talk about this announcement that was made on friday. It seemed as if, bill, this was right at the time when trump was going down over health care, was thismely angry, and issued unrelated executive order around the pipeline permit. Yes, it was struggling between retuning to drive a big truck and losing on health care. Was, heresting thing signed his peeps this piece of paper and then turn transcanada looked abashed and said, we still have permits to get into the brassica, which is a great understatement. That a lot of work to do if this thing is ever going to get built. There are lots of people standing in their way. It really underscores how much as changed since this fight began. Six years ago, the worlds climimate scientists and others said this was a terrible idea. In the time since, the price of a solar panel has dropped in half and we have had the three hottest years in human history. The plan for the keystone pipeline, which was bad then, is preposterous now. Deal a good news is, the fight against keystone has gone on to spur thousands of other battles with other possible projects across the world. And some of those we are winning. Some of those we are losing. But every oil well, every coal mine, every coal port, every pipeline are all being fought. Juan as you say, the price of solar panels has dropped, but also the price of oil has plummeted as well, making it even lesess of a feasisible pros economically for those who are backing it. Im wondering if you could talk about the issue of the Oil Economics and also of the role of Prime Minister trudeau in canada on this issue . Absolutely. It is a really good question. The tar sands is not only a climate disaster, it is more and more and economic disaster. The price of oil has fallen so far that people have abandoned tens of billions of f dollars worth ofof plants for expansion. The trudeau government of in canada is sort o of operating in the shadow of the craziness of the Trump Administration. Trump is so crazy and evil, that everybody else looks somewhat normrmal and is in h his shadow. Trudeau is the perfect example. Trudeau is a perfect example in this case of why that is not true. He went down to houston a couple of weeks ago to speak to oil men. He had them on their featuring when he said no nation clip ofll, we have a that. I want to turn to Prime Minister trudeau speaking earlier this month. Said on the verery firstst tp to the oil patatch in 202012, no billionwouldd find 173 173 billion barrels of oil in the ground and just leave them there. Juanan youre talkiking. Go ahehead. That got a standing ovation from the oil guys. Since you were in paris for the climate talks, you remember it was Justin Trudeau in canada that pushed hardest to have the world said a goal of not. Ncreasing the temperature that 173 billion barrels of oil that he wantnts to dig up and bn represents 30 of the entire planets carbon budget that would get us to 1. 5 degrees. That is a country with one half of 1 of the planets population once to burn 3 30 of the plplas carbon bududget. Trudeau in trump in collaboration in the terse hands is a sick picture. That is why native and indigenousus peoples on both sis of the border, farmersrs and ranchers, why climate scientists and all the rest of us are coming together around this fight and some in the fights. Amy can you tell us how this fits into presidenent trumps larger plan involving the epa, e, ending Climate Research, said her and what the plans are for april 29 in washington . His whole plan is, what can we do to save the oil industry . The oil industry is in trouble because demand is beginning to disappear. Yesterday, at midday in california, more than half of the states electricity was being provided by renewables a new record. That is pretty amazing. We got to see the big adventure of electric cars. These things terrify t the will industry becauause it destroys demandnd. That is why the Trump Administration is getting rid of the mileage standards for cars, try to get rid of californias Clean Air Act exemptions, stopping Climate Research so no one will be noticing that we have less ice in wherever had in the arctic and antarctic. This is craziness. The only possible response to that craziness is a lot of people in the streets, just as tell ourcare, leaders we will not accept this to the past. At that is what april 29 will be about. Remember the big climate march in new york city. This is the d. C. Version. Theomes on the 100th day of president s administration. We have to make some noise. Amy Bill Mckibben, thank you for being with us. We will ask you to stay with us for a few minutes for a postshow, talking about what is happenining in places likeke peu and with the record weather events taking place throughout the world. Bill mckibben is cofounder ofof 350. Org. He is author of several books, including eaarth making a life on a tough new planet. That does a for our broadcast. Opening, a news fellow. You can go to democracynow. Org. Democracy now is looking for feedback from people who appreciate the closed captioning. Email your comments to outreach democracynow. Org or mail them to democracy now p. O. 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