Rummy on the Rocks

With the scandal over the abuse of prisoners in U.S. military custody in Iraq still growing, the administration of President George W. Bush appears to be shaken to its very core. While the immediate question is whether Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld could be sufficiently persuasive in Congressional testimony scheduled Friday to survive the fast-spreading calls … Continue reading “Rummy on the Rocks”

US Prison Labor: Another Cog in the War Machine

It’s Saturday morning, May 1, 2004, and women here at Pekin Federal Prison Camp who watched CNN news feel indignant about the way Iraqi prisoners have been treated by US military guards. "Did you see those pictures?" Ruth asked. What in the world is going on over there?" The news coverage they watched had photo-ops … Continue reading “US Prison Labor: Another Cog in the War Machine”

Bush Tightens Cuba Embargo

Six months before an election in which the state of Florida may again play a decisive role, U.S. President George W Bush on Thursday announced new measures to tighten the 44-year-old US embargo on Cuba and hasten what he called “democratic change” on the Caribbean island. Most of the measures, which were urged by an … Continue reading “Bush Tightens Cuba Embargo”

Iraq’s ‘Ali Baba’ Police

Along with an increase in temperatures here in Baghdad, there is an accompanying increase in tempers where the unfulfilled promises made by the U.S. to rebuild and rehabilitate Iraq are coming more into focus with each passing day. Daily life is a struggle for most Iraqis, and it isn’t helped by the brutal occupation or … Continue reading “Iraq’s ‘Ali Baba’ Police”

This War and Racism – Media Denial in Overdrive

Among the millions of words that have appeared in the U.S. press since late April about abuse and torture at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, one has been notably missing: Racism. Overall, when it comes to racial aspects, the news coverage is quite PC – as in Pentagon Correct. The outlook is “apple pie” … Continue reading “This War and Racism – Media Denial in Overdrive”

The S&M War

The pictures just keep coming at us: the latest batch of Iraqi humiliation photos appeared this [Thursday] morning in the Washington Post, along with a story revealing that the newspaper has come into possession of “more than 1,000” images, a mix of ordinary “travelogue” shots and depictions of Iraqis in various states of naked prostration. … Continue reading “The S&M War”

No Apology from Bush for Abusive Troops

The Administration, camera-shy over the last few days, was doing heavy-duty damage control Wednesday in Washington and Baghdad. US President George W. Bush went on Arab language satellite television stations on Wednesday to try to quench smoldering international anger in the wake of the public release of the Abu Ghraib prison torture photos. Al-Hurra satellite … Continue reading “No Apology from Bush for Abusive Troops”

Afghanistan Starting to Look Like Iraq

The growing instability in Afghanistan – a country under virtual military occupation by U.S. and other western forces – has been overshadowed by news of the escalating violence, torture and killings in U.S.-administered Iraq. But analysts who closely monitor the region say security in Afghanistan remains “tenuous” and “has shown no signs of improvement.” And … Continue reading “Afghanistan Starting to Look Like Iraq”