Month: September 2004

NEW DELHI – While India has thrown its hat into the United Nations Security Council ring, the process of actually gaining a permanent seat on the body – which has the power to introduce sanctions and authorize the use of force in conflicts – may prove to be a long drawn-out affair, according to experts. … Continue reading “India’s Security Council Bid a Long Haul”

Former president Jimmy Carter recently issued a gutsy call on the U.S. government to pull out of Iraq as soon as possible. While a distinct minority in Congress has voiced this sentiment, it’s refreshing to hear an ex-president say what almost no one else in the political mainstream dares say. Even many in the “antiwar” … Continue reading “Jimmy Carter Is Right”

Watching MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough reporting from West Palm Beach, Florida, yelling over the storm, and momentarily drowning out the hurricane winds – until his microphone connection was cut – gives new meaning to the word blowhard. Joe’s a typical right-wing blowhard in the Rush Limbaugh mold: except, unlike the oleaginous Rush, Joe looks the part: … Continue reading “Blowhards, Left and Right”

UNITED NATIONS – In his first address to world leaders gathered at UN headquarters, Iraq’s Interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi urged the wealthiest countries to forgive Iraq’s debts and described his nation’s future as a battle between the forces of democracy and extremism. "Our struggle is your struggle, our victory will be your victory. And … Continue reading “After Giving Boost to Bush, Allawi Heads to UN”

KILINOCHCHI, Sri Lanka – There are slim hopes that the Sri Lankan government and rebel Tamil Tigers will restart peace talks soon after four people, including a top renegade Tiger fighter, were shot dead in growing factional fighting in the country. The killings on Thursday came days after Norwegian special envoy Erik Solheim expressed his … Continue reading “Sri Lankans Fear Ceasefire’s End”

Isn’t it nice that come January there will be national elections in Iraq? After all those years living under the despotic rule of Saddam Hussein, the huddled Iraqi masses will be able to go to polling places and cast their secret ballots to choose their representatives in a national assembly? And the assembled representatives will … Continue reading “Rigging the Iraqi Elections”

While President Bush has thus far never said whether or not he would bring back the draft (Sen. John Kerry stated that he opposed a draft on Sept. 22, 2004 in West Palm Beach, Fla.), there are increasing rumors and speculation that it will be reinstated after the election, perhaps as soon as 2005. There … Continue reading “A Draft After the Elections?”

The unit knew it would soon be shipped to the front. Some soldiers responded by deserting. Others got drunk and fought. In response, officers locked the unit in its barracks, allowing the troops out only to drill, not even to smoke a cigarette, until it could be put on the transport that would take it … Continue reading “Destroying the National Guard”

The reason why Washington is having such a difficult time persuading others of its good faith and its good works in the “war on terror” was best illustrated Tuesday this week. While President George W. Bush told the UN General Assembly that the U.S. belief in “human dignity” – a phrase he used no less … Continue reading “Human Dignity, Crazy Mike, and Indian Country”

The Pentagon has just conducted war games, modeling a preemptive attack against the Iranian uranium-enrichment facility at Natanz – which is still several years from becoming operational – and the Russian nuclear power plant nearing completion at Bushehr. The result? Not only would the attack be ineffective, but it might well plunge the entire Persian … Continue reading “Iran’s Golden Offer”