Major Operation Launched near Fallujah; 83 Killed in Iraq

Defense Minister Khaled al-Obeidi said many Islamic State militants are trying to sneak out of Mosul with their families. Parliament passed a bill officially banning the Ba’ath Party. At least 83 people were killed and 21 were wounded: Two people were killed and eight were wounded when a bomb exploded in Mahmoudiya. Gunmen in Qara … Continue reading “Major Operation Launched near Fallujah; 83 Killed in Iraq”

Wild Turkey With H-Bombs: Failed Coup Heightens Calls for Denuclearization

An explosive cocktail of political instability mixed with 90 U.S. H-bombs raises the specter of accidental or suicidal nuclear detonation in or near Turkey. This risk was brought into sharp relief by the attempted military coup there in mid-July. In June, I warned that the Pentagon’s 180 thermonuclear B61 gravity bombs deployed across Europe – … Continue reading “Wild Turkey With H-Bombs: Failed Coup Heightens Calls for Denuclearization”

Farewell to Yarmouk: A Palestinian Refugee’s Journey from Izmir to Greece

Based on interviews with Palestinian refugees from Syria. The refugee camp of Yarmouk was ever present in his being, pulling him in and out of an abyss of persistent fears that urged him to never return. But what was this refugee without Yarmouk, his first haven, his last earth? How could any other spot in … Continue reading “Farewell to Yarmouk: A Palestinian Refugee’s Journey from Izmir to Greece”

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin: Potential Partners – Not Allies or Even Friends

Reporters and pundits covering the presidential campaign of Donald Trump have been torn between two conflicting narratives: The first is that Trump is a reckless amateur and, as president with his finger on the nuclear button, he would bring the world to the brink of catastrophe. The second is that Trump is a cat’s paw … Continue reading “Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin: Potential Partners – Not Allies or Even Friends”