Month: July 2007

Updated at 11:02 p.m EDT, July 9, 2007In a significant development, tens of thousands of Turkish soldiers are believed to be at the Iraqi border waiting for permission to enter Iraq on a security mission. Violence elsewhere has been elevated since late Friday and continues elevated into today. At least 94 Iraqis have been killed … Continue reading “Monday: 94 Iraqis Killed, 95 Wounded”

While Americans were celebrating their independence from the British Empire with displays of fireworks and other patriotic observances, another anniversary was pointedly not being observed, or even much noted, in Israel: on that day in 1976, a daring raid by Israeli commandos freed the hostages of Air France flight 139, held by PFLP terrorists and … Continue reading “Unholy Alliance”

Not since the resurrection of Jesus Christ has there been such a miracle: a dead body buried in a cave has come to life again. The "Jordanian Option" gave up its ghost almost 20 years ago. Even before that, it never was very healthy. But in 1988, some time after the outbreak of the first … Continue reading “An Israeli Love Story”

Caught Red-Handed: Media Backtracks on Iran’s ‘Threat’ I have been shocked to see some, including Rep. Dennis Kucinich, latch onto the myth that Iran’s president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, never called for Israel to be “wiped off the map.” Iran’s own news agency reports that Ahmadinejad publicly called for the State of Israel to be “wiped off … Continue reading “Backtalk, July 9, 2007”

Updated at 12:30 a.m. EDT, July 9, 2007The weekend death toll in Iraq climbed to 342, an alarming figure even for the war-ravaged country. One of the largest bombings–if not the largest bombing–since the U.S. invasion took place in a small village in northern Iraq on Saturday. At least 150 were killed and about 20 … Continue reading “Sunday: 1 GI, 1 Briton, 105 Iraqis Killed; 59 Iraqis Wounded”

Updated at 12:28 a.m. EST, July 8, 2007At least 237 Iraqis were killed and 316 more were wounded during the latest round of attacks, which included a major bombing south of the northern town of Tuz Khormato. Also, seven GIs were killed and two were wounded, while two British soldiers were killed and three more … Continue reading “Saturday: 237 Iraqis, 7 GIs, 2 Britons Killed; 316 Iraqis Wounded”

CAIRO – Doubts are being raised now over the landslide victory of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) of President Hosni Mubarak in midterm elections for the Shura Council last month. NDP spokesmen attributed the results to “good electoral planning,” but opposition figures and rights groups say election to the consultative chamber of parliament was … Continue reading “Mubarak Party Faces
Fraud Allegations”

UNITED NATIONS – Despite a massive boost in its peacekeeping force in Lebanon – from about 2,200 in July last year to some 13,700 last week – the United Nations has little good news to report regarding the politically troubled country. "I am deeply concerned that Lebanon remains in the midst of a debilitating political … Continue reading “Lebanon Crisis Persists Despite Beefed-Up Peacekeeping”

SAN FRANCISCO – Cody Miranda joined the U.S. Marine Corps when he was 17 years old. He loved the military and hoped to spend his entire career in the service. Miranda has served more than 16 years in the Marine Corps. Over the years, he’s been deployed to the Middle East six times, including stints … Continue reading “Troubled Soldier Gets Demoted, Not Treated”

On the day that Scooter Libby’s prison sentence was lifted by President Bush, Mordechai Vanunu was sentenced to prison, again, in Israel. In both cases, the underlying offense was the same: speaking to journalists. In each case, the nominal charges were otherwise. For Libby, it was lying under oath about the circumstances, thereby obstructing justice. … Continue reading “Libby and Vanunu”