Month: December 2014

At least 231 people were killed and 13 more were wounded, as U.S. forces have begun to train their first group of fresh Iraqi recruits.

The progression of the government’s case indicting North Korea for hacking Sony’s computer system – and revealing the petty ego-trips of Hollywood’s glitterrati – was succinctly summed up by computer security expert Jeffrey Carr in a pithy tweet: "NK did it 100% OK, NK did it w/ help OK, NK outsourced it OK, NK was … Continue reading “The Sony Hack Fraud”

The liberation of Duluiya has apparently left hundreds of militants dead, but this has yet to be independently confirmed. Meanwhile, the Islamic State militants are claiming to have downed a fighter plane in Diyala province. At least 437 were killed and 34 were wounded.

In the latest exaggerated media frenzy over a news story, the alleged North Korean hacking of Sony Pictures’ computers has been called "cyberterrorism" against "who we are" as a country." First, "terrorism" is word that should probably be retired from public usage, because no one, including academics, can agree on what it means. The term … Continue reading “Hysteria Over Sony Hacking Is Unwarranted”

“Never was there a greater need than now for all the religions to combine, to pull their wisdom and to give the benefit of that combined, huge repository of wisdom to international law and to the world.” The words are those of Christopher Weeramantry, former judge at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and its … Continue reading “Faiths United Against Nuclear Weapons”

At least 75 people were killed and 69 more were wounded. The most significant attack took place at a funeral just north of Baghdad.

In last year’s New Year’s column I contended that the Iranian nuclear issue is undoubtedly the most important question the United States would be facing in the coming year, and – for once – my prediction turned out to be largely correct. The ongoing negotiations, which began in January, were recently extended into 2015 – … Continue reading “2014: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”

One hundred years ago last week, on Christmas Eve, 1914, German and British soldiers emerged from the horrors of World War One trench warfare to greet each other, exchange food and gifts, and to wish each other a Merry Christmas. What we remember now as the “Christmas Truce” began with soldiers singing Christmas carols together … Continue reading “The Real Meaning of the 1914 Christmas Truce”

At least 292 people were killed today. Almost all of them were militants. More than six people were wounded.

Across Iraq, 31 people were killed and 33 were wounded.