Month: June 2007

Who Lost Russia?

By 1988, Ronald Reagan, who had famously branded the Soviet Union “an evil empire,” was striding through Red Square arm-in-arm with Mikhail Gorbachev. Russians were pounding both men on the back. They had just signed the greatest arms-reduction agreement in history – eliminating all Soviet SS-20s targeted on Europe, in return for removal of the … Continue reading “Who Lost Russia?”

Anger Builds in Fallujah Over Security Crackdown

FALLUJAH – The city that was mostly destroyed by the U.S. military operation Phantom Fury in November 2004 has been under curfew for over two weeks, with no signs of relief. Located 45 mi. west of Baghdad, the city made headlines when four Blackwater USA security mercenaries were killed and their bodies horrifically mutilated on … Continue reading “Anger Builds in Fallujah Over Security Crackdown”

Survey: US Arab, Jewish Communities Share Peace Goals

Almost exactly 40 years after the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, the Arab and Jewish communities of the United States appear largely agreed on the general outlines of a final settlement and the importance of Washington playing a stronger role in bringing it about. Those are the main findings of a national survey [.pdf] of the two … Continue reading “Survey: US Arab, Jewish Communities Share Peace Goals”

Backtalk, June 5, 2007

Pakistan Is Going Down the Road of the Shah’s Iran Political commentators generally tend to misrepresent the position of Islamists in Pakistan. Being close to Pakistan and actively observing the current events it becomes quite obvious that despite the post-Sept. 11 events (i.e. the increased hatred for the United States), the MMA (mutahida majlis-e-amal, coalition … Continue reading “Backtalk, June 5, 2007”

Monday: 1 GI, 58 Iraqis Killed; 51 Iraqis Wounded

Updated at 12:50 a.m. EDT, June 5, 2007Violence was much lighter today. Only 58 Iraqis were reported killed and 51 were wounded in violent attacks. A British soldier was lightly injured during an attack on his armored vehicle in Basra. Also, the U.S. military announced a previously unreported death that occurred in May; an American … Continue reading “Monday: 1 GI, 58 Iraqis Killed; 51 Iraqis Wounded”

US Missile Defense
Splits Europe

BUDAPEST – U.S. President George W. Bush is visiting the Czech Republic and Poland this week as part of Washington’s ongoing diplomatic effort to convince the region’s leaders of the need for a missile-defense system in Eastern Europe – revealing a potential new division among European countries. The missile-defense system, allegedly intended to protect the … Continue reading “US Missile Defense
Splits Europe”

Has Libby Learned Nothing?

Former federal prosecutor Elizabeth de la Vega has been writing about the case of outed CIA agent Valerie Plame for this site since the summer of 2005. The story itself began back in July 2003 with a New York Times op-ed by Plame’s husband, former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, that called into question one of the … Continue reading “Has Libby Learned Nothing?”

Sunday: 15 GIs, 106 Iraqis Killed; 115 Iraqis Wounded

Updated at 12:20 a.m. EDT, June 4, 2007Fifteen American servicemembers were killed and at least 21 were wounded in separate attacks in Iraq over the weekend; dozens more were sickened by a chlorine gas explosion near Baquba.. At least 106 Iraqis also lost their lives and 115 more were wounded during violent activity. And, Turkey … Continue reading “Sunday: 15 GIs, 106 Iraqis Killed; 115 Iraqis Wounded”