Month: May 2007

Updated at 12:45 a.m. EDT, May 7, 2007At least 118 Iraqis were killed or found dead and 134 Iraqis were wounded in violent attacks today; the largest a bombing in Bagdad that killed dozens. Twelve U.S. servicemembers were also reported killed, nine of them died today. A British soldier was also killed. Today, six GIs … Continue reading “Sunday: 12 GIs, 1 Briton, 118 Iraqis Killed; 134 Iraqis Wounded”

TEHRAN, Iran As economic sanctions are applied to this country for its nuclear activities, hardliners in the government are getting strengthened and successfully demanding even harsher curbs on individual liberties. The sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council, at the behest of the United States and its allies, have done nothing to dampen Tehran’s … Continue reading “Sanctions Aggravate Iranian Rights Situation”

Updated at 11:50 p.m. EDT, May 5, 2007At least 81 Iraqis were killed or found dead today and another 61 were wounded during violence. The most significant attack took place in western Baghdad when a suicide bomber detonated his cargo among a group of police recruits. No foreign deaths were reported.In the capital, a suicide … Continue reading “Saturday: 81 Iraqis Killed, 61 Wounded”

With just over 18 months left in office, the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush appears once again to be moving in a more "realist" direction in its dealings with the rest of the world, including the Middle East. The most obvious sign came during this week’s regional meeting in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, … Continue reading “‘Realists’ Gain Bush’s Ear, to Cheney’s Chagrin”

The National Security Act of 1947 created the Office of the Director of Central Intelligence, making said DCI responsible for providing “timely, objective, independent of political considerations” intelligence, “based upon all sources available to the intelligence community” to the President, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staffs, and – “where appropriate” – Congressional Committees. … Continue reading “Tenet’s Failures”

The row over the removal of a statue of a Soviet soldier in Estonia is another bit of evidence why major powers should never ally themselves with small, powerless countries. By the second day, Estonian officials were calling for the European Union to consider the Russian response as an “attack on the EU.” It was, … Continue reading “Folly in the Baltics”

The death of Boris Yeltsin, who might be described as the first and apparently the last relatively democratic leader of Russia, makes one wonder whether Russia will ever have anything approaching decent governance. (I’m not sure there is any such thing as good government, but some governments are less bad than others.) When I called … Continue reading “Tragic Russia”

Updated at 12:45 a.m. EDT, May 5, 2007Violent activity was elevated for a Friday. At least 71 Iraqis were killed or found dead and 89 Iraqis were wounded. One foreign fighter identified as an al-Qaeda leader was killed as well. Also, the U.S. military today reported that five U.S. servicemembers were killed and 11 wounded … Continue reading “Friday: 6 GIs, 71 Iraqis Killed; 89 Iraqis Wounded”

All week, young toughs in Moscow have besieged the Estonian embassy to harass Ambassador Marina Kaljurand. Her bodyguards had to use a mace-like spray to drive back the thugs, who call Estonia a “fascist country.” Estonian diplomats and their families are being pulled out of Moscow and sent home. Relations between the countries are about … Continue reading “Dying for…Estonia?”

Twenty stark years ago, on May 17, 1987, a double act of Exocet missiles skimmed through the air and slammed into the American Perry-class frigate the USS Stark. The first Exocet antiship missile punched into the warship “at 600 miles per hour and exploded in the forward crew’s quarters.” The warhead failed to detonate but … Continue reading “Blaming and Bullying Iran Is Nothing New”