Month: November 2006

Robert Gates is a poor choice for secretary of defense, but by now everyone should be accustomed to George W. Bush making poor choices. Gates was so notorious for politicizing intelligence so that it matched the policy decisions of the higher-ups that the first time he was nominated for CIA director, analysts still on active … Continue reading “Gates a Poor Choice”

Updated at 11:50 p.m. EST, Nov. 20, 2006 After a particularly gruesome Sunday, Monday brought the deaths of 146 Iraqis. Another 32 Iraqis were wounded in violent events throughout the country. Also, two American servicemembers were killed over the weekend and two Iraqi Shi’ite ministers plus several prominent educators were targets of attack as well. … Continue reading “Monday: 2 GIs, 146 Iraqis Killed; 32 Wounded”

As world attention is fixed on events in the Middle East, particularly the continuing meltdown of the American occupation in Iraq, another crisis brews. It is the coming showdown between the U.S. and Russia, centered in the former Soviet republic of Georgia. Relations between Russia and Georgia, never good, degenerated recently when members of Georgian … Continue reading “Conflict in the Caucasus”

“In the course of his [General Westmoreland’s] testimony, he made the statement that he did not want to command an army of mercenaries. I [Milton Friedman] stopped him and said, ‘General, would you rather command an army of slaves?’ He drew himself up and said, ‘I don’t like to hear our patriotic draftees referred to … Continue reading “Milton Friedman: A Tribute”

The Mugging of Murtha Damn bad news about your ailing fundraising! Real change in U.S./coalition policies seems as unlikely as ever. In my humble opinion, the only way change will happen is via the U.S. citizenry acting in enlightened self-interest and saving lots of lives and money by doing the inevitable (exit and fix it) … Continue reading “Backtalk November 20, 2006”

The Baker commission – or more accurately, the Geriatric Squad – is not likely to come up with a solution to the Iraq War. The commission consists of some old political types – two ex-secretaries of state, Jim Baker and Lawrence Eagleburger; two ex-senators, Chuck Robb and Alan Simpson; two ex-congressmen, Leon Panetta and Lee … Continue reading “The Geriatric Squad”

Updated at 11:29 p.m EST, Nov. 19, 2006 Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem arrived in Iraq to find that 182 Iraqis were killed or reported dead and 140 were wounded in separate incidents today. Prominent kidnapping attempts also continued, some successful. The U.S. military reported that one U.S. soldier had been killed in Baghdad. Also, … Continue reading “Sunday: 1 GI, 182 Iraqis Killed; 140 Iraqis Wounded”

Four of the U.S. soldiers on trial for the murder of a disabled Iraqi man have reached plea bargains with military prosecutors, drastically minimizing the time they will spend in jail. In June, the Pentagon announced that a group of Marines went to the home of the 52-year-old Iraqi, took him outside, shot him four … Continue reading “Military Plea Bargains Raise Questions of Justice”

with Ali Al-Fadhily BAGHDAD (IPS) – The recent kidnapping of scores of academics in Baghdad highlights the desperate situation of the educational system in occupied Iraq. Armed men wearing Iraqi police uniforms abducted as many as 150 academics from the Ministry of Higher Education on Tuesday. Alaa Makki, the head of the Parliament’s education committee … Continue reading “Iraqi Education Under Siege”

Updated at 10:55 p.m. EST, Nov. 18, 2001 Today in Iraq, 66 Iraqis were killed or found dead and another 50 were injured. Assassinations of local leaders are the note of the day, and a large-scale battle is being waged in Baquba. Coalition forces also reported killing 11 suspected al Qaeda members in separate events, … Continue reading “Saturday: 66 Iraqis Killed, 50 Injured”