Month: January 2008

Since Bush’s own National Intelligence Estimate admitted that the Iranians had apparently called a halt back in 2003 to whatever it was our intelligence community had supposed might be a "nuclear weapons program," the Russians decided it was safe to deliver the Iranians the first load of low-enriched uranium fuel for the nuclear power plant … Continue reading “Another Iranian Act of Aggression”

CAIRO – Recent months have witnessed several notable political reorientations in the Middle East, involving Iran, the Gulf states, Egypt and Lebanon. Several experts say the changes reflect a shift in Washington’s regional strategy following recent US policy setbacks. “US policies in the region are either in retreat or undergoing reexamination,” Ayman Abelaziz Salaama, international … Continue reading “US Seen in Middle East Policy Retreat”

To understand the failure of the president’s trip to the Middle East, which is foreordained and doesn’t have to be completed in order to fail, take note of two words that the president will not utter: "occupied territories." Let’s review the situation from the standpoint of international law. The West Bank, Gaza, the Golan Heights, … Continue reading “Bush Fails Again”

Pundits responded to news of the retirement of Representative Tom Lantos (D-CA) at the end of his current term with platitudes and praise. They have focused primarily on his heroic role as a Holocaust survivor and member of the anti-Nazi resistance in his native Hungary as well as his leadership on human rights issues in … Continue reading “Lantos’ Tarnished Legacy”

The Bush administration has maintained a low profile over the last month, as waves of indignation over the destruction of CIA videotapes showing the torture of two "high value" detainees have lapped ever closer to the White House. In the last few weeks, as coverage of the presidential primaries has consumed the media, both President … Continue reading “Six Years Of Guantánamo: Enough Is Enough”

Updated at 1:15 a.m. EST, Jan. 12, 2008For the first time in living memory, snow fell in Baghdad this morning. The unusual precipitation was a welcome break and taken by many residents as an omen of peace this prayer day. Unfortunately, 31 Iraqis were still killed and another 11 were wounded in light attacks. No … Continue reading “Friday: 31 Iraqis Killed, 11 Wounded”

Exactly one year after US President George W. Bush announced that he would significantly increase the number of troops deployed to Iraq, the wisdom of his so-called "surge" strategy remains very much in dispute here. While even many Democrats, who have sought in vain to reverse the strategy since it was first announced, now concede … Continue reading “On Anniversary, Views of Surge Diverge”

Despite the official and media portrayal of the incident in the Strait of Hormuz early Monday morning as a serious threat to US ships from Iranian speedboats that nearly resulted in a "battle at sea," new information over the past three days suggests that the incident did not involve such a threat and that no … Continue reading “Official Version of Naval Incident Starts to Unravel”

Consider the ultimate gift in a homeland security country: the iTaser, a weapon with its own MP3 player and earphones that can deliver a 50,000 volt electrical charge while you catch your favorite tunes. This new Taser, on display at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, will be available, reports Richard Wray of the … Continue reading “Repress U: Build a Homeland Security Campus in Seven Steps”

The Iranians have released their own video of the alleged "confrontation" that occurred between three US warships and five Iranian speedboats in the Strait of Hormuz: The Pentagon’s narrative is very different. Coupled with a claim that the Iranians transmitted a radio message to the effect of "I am coming to you. You will explode … Continue reading “Iran, Again”