Month: May 2008

Christians – the ancient self-designated heirs to the Jews – commemorate Christ’s tormented way to resurrection and redemption in the weeks leading to Easter. Zionists – the modern self-designated heirs to the Jews – have their Lent after Passover, commemorating what they construct as their via dolorosa leading to the “Jewish State." In the weeks … Continue reading “Israel at Sixty”

Updated at 9:12 p.m. EDT May 13, 2008Although a ceasefire was signed yesterday, attacks in Sadr City continued. At least 36 were killed and 73 were injured across the country. One American soldier was killed in an IED attack late today in Baghdad. The violence continues in Sadr City, where American forces and rogue Shi’ite … Continue reading “Tuesday: 1 US Soldier, 36 Iraqis Killed; 73 Iraqis Wounded”

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice pledged her administration’s support for the Lebanese government Friday in the aftermath of Hezbollah’s takeover of West Beirut, accusing the Iranian-backed group of "killing innocent civilians" in a bid to "protect their state-within-a-state." Three days of intense clashes between government and opposition supporters last week left at least 18 … Continue reading “Washington Rallies Behind Embattled Lebanese Government”

While this week’s trip by President George W. Bush to Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt was never conceived as a triumphant "victory lap" around the region, the swift rout of U.S.-backed forces by Lebanon’s Hezbollah Friday has provided yet another vivid illustration of the rapid decline in Washington’s influence in the Middle East during his … Continue reading “Bush Tour Diminished by Hezbollah Show of Force”

The basic democratic principle that "the will of the people should be the basis for the authority of government" is supported by overwhelming majorities throughout the world, according to a major new survey [.pdf] of more than 17,000 adults in 19 countries released Monday. Large majorities in most of those countries also believe that their … Continue reading “Survey: Gulf Between Democracy in Theory and Practice”

All my life, I’ve had distinctly minority positions on almost every issue. This started in high school. Whether the issue was Barry Goldwater (I found him intriguing, and he seemed far less corrupt than Lyndon Johnson), the rights of homosexuals (I was opposed to cops cracking down on them), or long hair in school (I … Continue reading “Is Peggy Noonan Turning Antiwar?”

Updated at 12:20 a.m. EDT, May 13, 2008Supporters of Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and members of the largest Shi’ite bloc in Parliament formally signed a cease-fire agreement that should end seven weeks of heavy attacks in Sadr City. Still, many residents are afraid of new sources of violence. At least 25 Iraqis were killed and … Continue reading “Monday: 1 US Soldier, 25 Iraqis Killed; 36 Iraqis Wounded”

It looks like the War Party is victorious, at least according to Philip Giraldi writing on The American Conservative blog: “There is considerable speculation and buzz in Washington today suggesting that the National Security Council has agreed in principle to proceed with plans to attack an Iranian al-Quds-run camp that is believed to be training … Continue reading “The Prime Directive”

Rather horribly, it seems, a former Guantánamo prisoner, Abdullah al-Ajmi, a Kuwaiti who was repatriated in November 2005 and who later married and had a child, blew himself up as a suicide bomber in Mosul, Iraq, last month. According to the U.S. military, Ajmi was one of three suicide bombers responsible for killing seven members … Continue reading “Ex-Gitmo Suicide Bomber Fuels Pentagon Propaganda”

From the administration that used the 9/11 tragedy to violently pursue an unrelated vendetta against Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, we get Round Two. After a cyclone devastated portions of Burma (which the despotic Burmese government has renamed Myanmar) and killed an estimated 100,000 people, instead of concentrating on providing relief, the Bush administration couldn’t resist scoring … Continue reading “Politicizing the Tragedy in Burma”