Month: September 2004

Kerry Echoes GOP Senators on Iraq War

In his sharpest attack on U.S. policy on Iraq to date, Democratic candidate Sen. John Kerry Monday accused President George W. Bush of having made “a series of catastrophic decisions” that has created a “crisis of historic proportions” both in Iraq and in the wider “war on terror.” Speaking at New York University, just blocks … Continue reading “Kerry Echoes GOP Senators on Iraq War”

Japan to Re-Launch Security Council Bid

UNITED NATIONS – Having been cold-shouldered by the international community for more than a decade over its claims for a permanent seat on the 15-member UN Security Council, Japan is expected to launch an aggressive campaign to re-ignite its long-standing demand for an expansion of the Organization’s most powerful political body. "The composition of the … Continue reading “Japan to Re-Launch Security Council Bid”

The New Cult of the Temple

The Security Service is haunted by a terrible fear: that another Israeli prime minister will be assassinated. The extreme right wing, which does not hide its admiration for Yigal Amir and his deed, harbors some who dream of a similar action. After all, if Amir succeeded in murdering the Oslo process, why shouldn’t another Amir … Continue reading “The New Cult of the Temple”

Indict the War Party

Iraq rapidly approaches meltdown, but President Pangloss isn’t worried: "Our strategy," boasted George W. Bush to the National Guard last Tuesday, "is succeeding." I keep asking myself what world are he and his advisors living in, momentarily forgetting about the post-9/11 tear in the space-time continuum that catapulted us all into Bizarro World, where up … Continue reading “Indict the War Party”

Incident on Haifa Street

Quotes of the week: “When the Americans fire back, they don’t hit the people who are attacking them, only the civilians,” said Osama Ali, a 24-year-old Iraqi who witnessed the attack [in Baghdad]. “This is why Iraqis hate the Americans so much. This is why we love the mujahedin.” (Dexter Filkins, “Raising the Pressure in … Continue reading “Incident on Haifa Street”

Memo to Feith and Wolfowitz: Don’t Blame the Fall Guy

I‘ve been hearing from friends who know this fellow at Defense – the one who’s being tried in the media for leaking secrets to AIPAC, an operation based in Washington that appears to be closely allied to a foreign government. According to published reports, Larry Franklin is the desk officer for Iran and allegedly gave … Continue reading “Memo to Feith and Wolfowitz: Don’t Blame the Fall Guy”

US to Get a Taste of Its Own Medicine in November Elections

A team of 20 independent democracy experts from 15 countries and five continents has arrived in the United States in order to observe this year’s presidential election campaign. The election monitors, who have been brought here by the San Francisco activist group Global Exchange, will be fanning out in the coming days initially to research … Continue reading “US to Get a Taste of Its Own Medicine in November Elections”

Does North Korea Have What Iraq Didn’t?

In his 2002 State of the Union Address, President Bush threw down the gauntlet before Iraq, North Korea and Iran. “States like these, and their terrorist allies, constitute an axis of evil, arming to threaten the peace of the world. “I will not wait on events, while dangers gather. I will not stand by, as … Continue reading “Does North Korea Have What Iraq Didn’t?”

India’s ‘PATRIOT Act’ Repealed

NEW DELHI – After snaring thousands of politicians, teenagers, politicians, journalists, members of minority communities but few terrorists, India, this week, repealed its "PATRIOT Act" introduced in response to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. A government statement said the cabinet headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had at a meeting Friday … Continue reading “India’s ‘PATRIOT Act’ Repealed”