The Real Aim of Israel’s Bomb Iran Campaign

Reuel Marc Gerecht’s screed justifying an Israeli bombing attack on Iran coincides with the opening of the new Israel lobby campaign marked by the introduction of House Resolution 1553 expressing full support for such an Israeli attack. What is important to understand about this campaign is that the aim of Gerecht and of the right-wing … Continue reading “The Real Aim of Israel’s Bomb Iran Campaign”

Saturday: 15 Iraqis Killed, 39 Wounded

Updated at 9:12 p.m. EDT, July 31, 2010 An unconfirmed message purportedly from Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, who was Iraq’s military commander under Saddam, was released to the media. In it, the voice warned the government of attempting to root out Ba’ath loyalists. At least 15 Iraqis were killed and 39 more were wounded in attacks unrelated to the threatening message. Several of the attacks occurred yesterday but went unreported until today. Separately, an Italian anti-death penalty group reported that state executions rose in number last year.

Sanctions Give China an Advantage in Iran

LONDON — The European Union’s new sanctions against Iran appear to open a new space for eager Chinese companies to expand their investments in a country viewed as a rogue player by much of the western world. With China recently coming to light as Iran’s largest trade partner, some Chinese analysts predict a wealth of … Continue reading “Sanctions Give China an Advantage in Iran”

Poll: Pakistanis Dislike US, Taliban, and al-Qaeda

The recent WikiLeaks dump of war-related documents has brought little new to the debate over Washington’s ongoing military involvement in Afghanistan, but allegations that Pakistan’s intelligence services are aiding the Taliban has brought renewed attention to U.S. concerns over its reliance on Islamabad in battling Taliban and al-Qaeda forces in Afghanistan. New polling data released … Continue reading “Poll: Pakistanis Dislike US, Taliban, and al-Qaeda”

Long-Awaited Cluster Bomb Ban Enters Into Force

Thirty-eight countries will start observing the Convention on Cluster Munitions this Sunday, Aug. 1, after a rapid entry into force since the treaty was announced two years ago in Oslo. "This new instrument is a major advance for the global disarmament and humanitarian agendas, and will help us to counter the widespread insecurity and suffering … Continue reading “Long-Awaited Cluster Bomb Ban Enters Into Force”

Report: ‘Correlation’ Between US Aid and Colombian Army Killings

BOGOTÁ — "There are alarming links between increased reports of extrajudicial executions of civilians by the Colombian army and units that receive U.S. military financing," John Lindsay-Poland, lead author of a two-year study on the question, told IPS. Lindsay-Poland is Research and Advocacy Director for the U.S.-based Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR), which presented a new … Continue reading “Report: ‘Correlation’ Between US Aid and Colombian Army Killings”

Friday: 5 Iraqis Killed, 5 Wounded

At a gathering at the Imam Hussein mosque in Karbala Shi’ite cleric Ahmed al-Safi told thousands that the political impasse holding back the new government is causing considerable harm to Iraqis. Meanwhile, at least five Iraqis were killed and five more were wounded in light prayer day violence. Also, a British inquiry (Chilcot) may recall witnesses including Tony Blair, whose testimony in part contradicted that of other witnesses.

Why We Need WikiLeaks

The reaction to the Wikileaks exposure of US war crimes – and Afghan corruption – has been quite interesting: the President responded by averring that there’s nothing new here, that "the fact is these documents do not reveal any issues that have not already informed our public debate on Afghanistan," but the facts are quite … Continue reading “Why We Need WikiLeaks”