Month: February 2007

Updated at 10:25 p.m. EST, Feb. 5, 2007 Increased violence continues across Iraq ahead of a U.S.-Iraqi security crackdown. At least 83 Iraqis were killed or found dead today and another 136 were wounded. Also two GIs and a British soldier were killed in separate incidents. An American soldier died in Baghdad from wounds received … Continue reading “Monday: 83 Iraqis, 2 GIs, 1 Briton Killed; 136 Iraqis Wounded”

Having destroyed the Iraqi state, and murdered some 600,000 Iraqis in the process, the War Party is now denying all responsibility for the subsequent civil war threatening to plunge the nation into a maelstrom of sectarian violence. Hard to believe, I know, but here‘s Charles Krauthammer – always in the avant-garde of neocon-dom – blaming … Continue reading “Neocons to Iraq: Screw You”

Recently I ran into a colleague from the Naval Postgraduate School, where I teach, and got into an interesting conversation. It highlighted the differences between how I think of the world and how many pro-U.S. government people, and pro-government people in general, think of the world. That’s why I’m sharing it with you. I’m not … Continue reading “Should We Judge Government?”

The Crime of the Century We can easily analyze (1) the deceptions in Bush’s Iraq policy, (2) the generally subservient response of the Democrats in Congress as they try to determine how little pressure they can put on the president … and (3) the insane promotion of the invasion of Iran (the ships are all … Continue reading “Backtalk, February 5, 2007”

Updated at 12:41 a.m. EST, Feb. 5, 2007 A day after a large bombing attack killed or injured hundreds in Baghdad, smaller bombings continued to plaque the capital. Throughout the country, 115 Iraqis were killed or found dead and another 127 were injured in various attacks. The U.S. military reported that one soldier was killed … Continue reading “Sunday: 115 Iraqis, 1 GI Killed; 127 Iraqis Wounded”

Updated at 2:10 a.m. EST, Feb. 4, 2007 At least 210 Iraqis were killed or found dead today and another 418 wounded, mostly in a series of bombing in the capital and Kirkuk. Also, five American soldiers died in separate incidents. The U.S. military reported on the deaths of three more American servicemembers. Two U.S. … Continue reading “Saturday: 210 Iraqis, 5 GIs Killed; 418 Iraqis Wounded”

A long-awaited study [.pdf] by the U.S. intelligence community released here Friday concludes there is little, if any, light at the end of tunnel in Iraq. The report, which comes on the eve of an unprecedented Senate debate on President George W. Bush’s plan to add at least 21,500 more troops to the 140,000 U.S. … Continue reading “No Light at Tunnel’s End”

We can expect a weak, non-mandatory, strictly advisory resolution from the Senate next week declaring open dismay at President Bush’s latest bit of strategery in Iraq. This could be an important first step – depending on whether other significant steps follow – but even the Wall Street Journal recognizes that it is a bit of … Continue reading “Cart Before the Horse”

ARBIL – Growing confrontation between Iraqi Kurds and neighboring Turkey presents a new threat to a fragile calm in the north. Tensions have run high between Iraqi Kurds and Turkey since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, but they were further exacerbated last month when Turkish Prime Minister Recep Teyyip Erdogan threatened to send … Continue reading “Turkey Could Emerge as a New Threat in Iraq”

It’s axiomatic, based on history, that no nation can maintain an empire abroad and a democracy at home. We are now about to pay for our empire, and the price is American freedom. This is the message of a new book by Chalmers Johnson, a historian. His latest book is titled Nemesis and is the … Continue reading “Congress’ Two Choices”