Month: December 2003

On November 6th, George W. Bush announced that America, through it’s interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan was leading a "global democratic revolution". That he should have made such remarks on the eve of Leon Trotsky’s birthday – the architect of "global socialist revolution" – was of course just coincidence. However, the similarities between Trotsky’s idea … Continue reading “America’s Foreign Policy and the Sword of Empire”

While U.S. Treasury officials scour financial records worldwide to stop funds donated by wealthy Arabs from flowing to radical Islamist groups, a small group of U.S. citizens is trying to shut down a major source of funding for Jewish extremists in Israel and the occupied territories. Its target is a gambling casino located half a … Continue reading “Group Contests Casino Owned by Pro-Israel Extremists’ Backer”

Too many Americans seem to think that everything in politics is about being either for President Bush or against him. They are encouraged to do so by partisan propagandists. That’s wrong. That’s no different from people living in a dictatorship who have only one choice, to be either for the dictator or against him. We … Continue reading “Not About Bush”

Some members of the U.S. National Guard and Reserves are refusing to go overseas, despite the Pentagon’s plan to deploy even more of their ranks in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Army Reserve tries to give soldiers at least five years between overseas postings; some are being asked to leave home much more frequently. Hear NPR’s … Continue reading “Reservists Refusing Iraq Deployment”

Bush Versus Bush in 2004? A fraternal fracas brewing in Florida as proxies of the Governor and the President vie to succeed retiring Senator Bob Graham. Jeb backs Katherine Harris, but the White House [allegedly] demurs: “There’s no way the White House will let her run. There’s just no way the president’s going to stand … Continue reading “Pawns Amidst the Palms”

We’re supposed to believe that the President went to Iraq for Thanksgiving because he’s such a brave guy, and just because it was The Right Thing to Do. The growing legion of Bush-haters, who see the President’s every move as a calculated political ploy, frame his recent surprise trip as part of his reelection campaign, … Continue reading “Going AWOL”

The administration of US President George W. Bush is violating the spirit of its own export policy by approving the sale of tools to countries known to use them to torture detainees, according to a new report released here Tuesday by Amnesty International. In 2002, US exports of electroshock weapons and restraints that can be … Continue reading “US Exporting ‘Tools of Torture’”

Even as they enforce a ceasefire along the Kashmir border and make other peace overtures to each other, India and Pakistan continue to fight each other in multilateral forums. They famously indulged in a slugfest three months ago at the U. N. General Assembly. The latest instance of their mutual rivalry concerns Pakistan’s continued suspension … Continue reading “South Asia Spars Over Commonwealth Summit”

While electricity generation now exceeds pre-invasion levels, markets are plentiful, and virtually all school-aged children are back at their desks, the war for Iraqi "hearts and minds" remains very much up in the air, say independent analysts who have recently returned from that country. "This could go either way," Kenneth Pollack, a former Middle East … Continue reading “Experts Returning from Iraq Criticize US Tactics”

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