Month: January 2004

Norwegian Link to Iraq Suicide Attacks Probed

Investigations into several suicide bombings in Iraq now centre on a man held in detention in Norway. Mullah Krekar, founder of the radical Kurdish Islamist group Ansar-al-Islam was ordered held in custody by an appeals court in Oslo last week. The refugee-turned-guerrilla leader from Jordan will remain behind bars another four weeks pending further investigation. … Continue reading “Norwegian Link to Iraq Suicide Attacks Probed”

Bush’s New Middle East

If only the gathering discontent over Iraq could be tidily relegated to the “against us” corner of the world; if only allies could be shocked and awed into consenting to U.S. policies; if only democracy could be established by the point of a gun, then President Bush could declare his preemptive war doctrine a triumph. … Continue reading “Bush’s New Middle East”

Israel Versus Free Speech

When Israel’s ambassador to Sweden vandalized a work of art that he found offensive on exhibition at Sweden’s Museum of National Antiquities, Zvi Mazel did the world a service: he opened our eyes to Israel’s descent into barbarism. Just as Israeli tanks bulldoze entire blocks of Palestinian homes, so her ambassador seeks to bulldoze the … Continue reading “Israel Versus Free Speech”

Bush Pushes Plan to Permit Internet Surveillance

The Bush administration is pushing to ratify an international convention that civil libertarians say would pose serious threats to privacy rights at home and abroad. After delaying for about two years, U.S. President George W. Bush recently asked the U.S. Senate to ratify the Council of Europe Cybercrime Convention, a global agreement apparently created to … Continue reading “Bush Pushes Plan to Permit Internet Surveillance”

New Effort Launched for Guantanamo Detainees

Ruhel Ahmed probably does not know yet, but one of the strongest initiatives yet on behalf of him and other Guantanamo Bay detainees was launched in London Tuesday. The families of Guantanamo Bay prisoners in Britain, France and other European countries came together with their lawyers, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other human … Continue reading “New Effort Launched for Guantanamo Detainees”

Iraq: A Military Critique

It seems likely that the Iraq war, aside from a few phrases about our brave men and women in uniform fighting for freedom and perhaps a mention of Saddam’s capture, will not figure too heavily in tonight’s State of the Union address. Even though Howard Dean, the most prominent war critic among the Democratic contenders, … Continue reading “Iraq: A Military Critique”

UN May Side With Iraqis Over US on Early Elections

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan agreed Monday to send a team of experts to Baghdad to assess the feasibility of holding direct elections in Iraq this year, an idea the United States has already rejected as impracticable. ”The issue now is whether the technical, political or security conditions exist for general direct elections to take place … Continue reading “UN May Side With Iraqis Over US on Early Elections”

In the Mideast, TV, Internet Spur Change but Losses Stalk Newsroom

Satellite television and the Internet have spurred Middle East media operations to become more critical and investigative but financial losses could catch up with some of the pioneers of this change, say regional media experts. “The Arab media have changed a lot in the past 10-15 years,” says Hala Ghanem, a former information ministry official … Continue reading “In the Mideast, TV, Internet Spur Change but Losses Stalk Newsroom”