Obama Doesn’t Plan to End the Iraq Occupation

The New York Times is reporting about an "apparent evolution" in president-elect Barack Obama’s thinking on Iraq, citing his recent statements about his plan to keep a "residual force" in the country and his pledge to "listen to the recommendations of my commanders" as Obama prepares to assume actual command of US forces. "At the … Continue reading “Obama Doesn’t Plan to End the Iraq Occupation”

Rest Easy, Bill Clinton: Milosevic Can’t Talk Anymore

Slobodan Milosevic is characterized in the obituaries as the "Butcher of the Balkans." If that is the story you want to read about, please go to almost any other media outlet and read it again and again. Some are now suggesting that death is Milosevic’s final revenge, that he "ended up cheating history" by dying … Continue reading “Rest Easy, Bill Clinton: Milosevic Can’t Talk Anymore”

Rest Easy, Bill Clinton: Milosevic Can’t Talk Anymore

Slobodan Milosevic is characterized in the obituaries as the "Butcher of the Balkans." If that is the story you want to read about, please go to almost any other media outlet and read it again and again. Some are now suggesting that death is Milosevic’s final revenge, that he "ended up cheating history" by dying … Continue reading “Rest Easy, Bill Clinton: Milosevic Can’t Talk Anymore”

CNN Blames the Photos,
Not the Torture

CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr should be given some kind of award for the most outrageously off-target reporting on the newly released photos and videos of U.S. torture and abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. In her numerous appearances during the morning news cycle on CNN after the images were first broadcast … Continue reading “CNN Blames the Photos,
Not the Torture”

The War on al-Jazeera

Nothing puts the lie to the Bush administration’s absurd claim that it invaded Iraq to spread democracy throughout the Middle East more decisively than its ceaseless attacks on al-Jazeera, the institution that has done more than any other to break the stranglehold over information previously held by authoritarian forces, whether monarchs, military strongmen, occupiers, or … Continue reading “The War on al-Jazeera”

Beyond That Memo: Bush Wanted al-Jazeera Gone

On Nov. 22, Britain’s Daily Mirror published a startling allegation: In an April 2004 White House meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, President Bush proposed bombing the Arab TV network al-Jazeera’s international headquarters in Qatar. The report was based on a memo stamped “Top Secret” that had been leaked by a Cabinet official in … Continue reading “Beyond That Memo: Bush Wanted al-Jazeera Gone”

This War Cannot Be Stopped By a Loyal Opposition

The refrain of the Democrats about being misled into supporting the invasion of Iraq has become really tired. And someone other than the White House smearmongers needs to say it: The Democrats cannot be allowed to use faulty intelligence as a crutch to hold up their unforgivable support for the Iraq invasion. What is DNC … Continue reading “This War Cannot Be Stopped By a Loyal Opposition”

Mr. Bush Goes to Tikrit (Sort of)

Just when you think that President Bush couldn’t out-Saddam Saddam any more, he goes and does something that proves you wrong. If any Iraqis caught the hilarious video conference Thursday between Bush at the White House and troops from the 42nd Infantry Division in Tikrit, it may have seemed like a high-tech version of a … Continue reading “Mr. Bush Goes to Tikrit (Sort of)”

Overkill: Feared Blackwater Mercenaries Deploy in New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS – Heavily armed paramilitary mercenaries from the Blackwater private security firm, infamous for their work in Iraq, are openly patrolling the streets of New Orleans. Some of the mercenaries say they have been “deputized” by the Louisiana governor; indeed some are wearing gold Louisiana state law enforcement badges on their chests and Blackwater … Continue reading “Overkill: Feared Blackwater Mercenaries Deploy in New Orleans”