Month: January 2006

If U.S. President George W. Bush is looking for good news, he should be talking less about Iraq and more about Afghanistan, according to the latest survey results from that country. Despite grinding poverty, a widening divide between rich and poor, and the continued empowerment of regional warlords, more than four out of five Afghans … Continue reading “Afghan Survey Finds Broad Support for Govt”

With Isam Rashid BAGHDAD – The Association of Muslim Scholars, a Sunni organization that was created in the aftermath of the Iraq invasion, was again targeted by the United States military last Sunday. The raid on its mosque served only to alienate Sunnis further. The Association of Muslim Scholars, now considered the highest Sunni authority … Continue reading “Another Raid Brings Further Alienation”

The limits of U.S. presidential power emerged as a central issue in the Senate confirmation hearings for Samuel A. Alito to become a new associate justice on the Supreme Court – even as President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney continued to vigorously defend their use of secret electronic surveillance of U.S. citizens. … Continue reading “Bush Nominee Probed on Executive Powers”

Pat Robertson and 20 million American fundamentalists are not alone. The new president of Iran also believes that the end of the world is nigh and "believers" can help speed it up. His government has now allocated millions of dollars for the Jamkaran mosque to help believers prepare for the event. It is staffed by … Continue reading “Their Armageddonites,
and Ours”

With Isam Rashid BAGHDAD – More than 400 foreigners have been kidnapped in Iraq since the occupation began in March 2003. Many more Iraqis have been kidnapped, but it is the abduction of foreigners that makes news, and makes them particular targets. Last week, another American was kidnapped in Baghdad. Jill Carroll, a reporter for … Continue reading “Iraq Kidnappings Worse ‘Than Ever Before’”

Merry Christmas, EUFOR-Style In the Serbian Orthodox Church, which observes the Julian calendar, Christmas falls on Jan. 7. In occupied Kosovo, the Serb community of Mitrovica marked the holiday with a service in the ruins of a church sacked and destroyed by Albanians while under KFOR "protection." In Pristina, the remaining two dozen Serbs who … Continue reading “Our Friends, the Peacekeepers”

The snakepit of corruption that is Washington, D.C., is writhing and roiling these days with the news that super-lobbyist and Republican fundraiser Jack Abramoff has pleaded guilty to bribery, fraud, and other charges that could embroil Capitol Hill in the biggest corruption scandal in recent memory. As many as 60 members of Congress may be … Continue reading “Abramoff and the Israeli Connection”

One of the true scandals of media coverage of the war in Iraq has been the simple fact that you – relatively small numbers of you anyway – had to visit TomDispatch.com, or Juan Cole’s invaluable Informed Comment blog, or Antiwar.com, or other Internet sites to find out anything about the fierce (if limited) ongoing … Continue reading “A Formula for Slaughter”

With Arkan Hamed BAGHDAD – Many Iraqis see dismal days ahead in the face of rising violence and the decision by the U.S. government not to seek any further funds for reconstruction. "It is obvious that the situation is much worse than it used to be," retired army general Ahmed Abdul Aziz told IPS. "Can … Continue reading “‘Democracy’ Brings Bleak Days to Iraq”

Washington’s Middle East project received another blow last week after Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon suffered a severe stroke. It is unlikely that the former Israeli general will be able to return to active political life. This means that U.S. President George W. Bush and his aides will find it even more difficult to juggle … Continue reading “Sharon’s Stroke a Blow to Bush’s Mideast Spin”