Month: September 2007

For months, we heard nothing but a constant refrain: wait for Petraeus! That’s what they told us, Republicans and Democrats alike. Rather than face the ire of their largely antiwar constituents, Congress demurred and waited for the military messiah to show up with his much-anticipated report – even though they all knew what he would … Continue reading “Petraeus: GOP Man on Horseback?”

There is an old Jewish story about a man who lives in a very small house with his wife, many children, no space, and very little money. So the man goes to his rabbi for advice: “Rabbi, you are so wise, and here I am living in a small house, with no light and little … Continue reading “The Surge Scam: Getting Rid of the Goat”

After every Republican presidential debate, viewers must ask: are the candidates crazy? Not Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.), who has proposed dropping a nuke on Mecca or Medina, but the others, who have tied themselves to the Bush administration’s disastrous Iraq policy. Only Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) has forthrightly criticized the administration. In the latest presidential … Continue reading “Are Republicans Crazy?”

Updated at 6:15 p.m. EDT, Sept. 13, 2007In today’s most significant event, an important Sunni tribe leader was assassinated in Ramadi along with several people in his retinue. Altogether, at least 41 Iraqis were killed and 20 more were wounded. No foreign military were reported killed. A highly influential, Sunni tribe alliance leader, Abdul Sattar … Continue reading “Thursday: 41 Iraqis Killed, 20 Wounded”

After two days of Congressional testimony by Washington’s top two officials in Iraq, prospects for a substantial withdrawal of US military forces there before the end of President George W. Bush’s tenure at the White House look as remote as ever. Bush himself is expected to take to the airwaves Thursday evening to endorse the … Continue reading “No Exit from Iraq Before Bush Leaves”

A religious delegation from Iran has canceled a scheduled visit to the United States this week after members of the group were denied visas by the State Department. The denial of the visa applications of four of the 14 delegation members was denounced by one of one of the trip’s sponsors, who suggested Washington’s move … Continue reading “US Denies Visas to Iranian Religious Leaders”

In sharp contrast to the lionization of Gen. David Petraeus by members of the US Congress during his testimony this week, Petraeus’ superior, Admiral William Fallon, chief of the Central Command (CENTCOM), derided Petraeus as a sycophant during their first meeting in Baghdad last March, according to Pentagon sources familiar with reports of the meeting. … Continue reading “Superior Derided Petraeus as Suck-Up, Opposed the Surge”

The following essay is adapted from Norman Solomon’s new book Made Love, Got War: Close Encounters with America’s Warfare State. When Martin Luther King Jr. publicly referred to "the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today – my own government," he had no way of knowing that his description would ring so true 40 … Continue reading “Here’s the Smell of the Blood Still”

Updated at 12:05 a.m. EDT, Sept. 13, 2007At least 53 Iraqis were killed and 21 were wounded in light violence today. A pair of heists in Baghdad netted $790,000 for criminals wearing police uniforms. Also, the DOD reported that two Marines were killed during combat operations in Anbar on Monday. In Baghdad, nine bodies were … Continue reading “Wednesday: 2 Marines, 53 Iraqis Killed; 21 Iraqis Wounded”

DUBAI – While Iran and the United States exchange aggressive statements, the Arab countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have been busy building trade relations with Tehran and charting an economic course with the potential of mending ties in a tough neighborhood. Following an official proposal by Iran, the GCC – which groups Bahrain, … Continue reading “Bridging the Shia-Sunni Divide With Free Trade”