Month: May 2008

As U.S. television networks continue their silence about their use of retired military officers to "sell" progress in Iraq, members of the U.S. House of Representatives are calling on the Defense Department inspector general to investigate the Pentagon-sponsored public relations effort. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, a Connecticut Democrat, and 40 others members of Congress want the … Continue reading “Lawmakers Seek Probe of ‘Media Generals’”

The first shots of what appears to be a renewed Lebanese civil war rang out three days ago as the U.S.-backed government cracked down on Hezbollah, the main opposition party, with a ban on the group’s private telecommunications network and the attempted ouster of an alleged sympathizer, Brig. Gen. Wafiq Shuqeir, as overseer of the … Continue reading “The Silenced Majority”

JERUSALEM – As Israel marks its 60th anniversary, Israelis are deeply pessimistic about the prospects of peace with their neighbors, with an overwhelming majority believing they will be at war again within the next five years. According to the April issue of Tel Aviv University’s monthly War and Peace Index [.pdf], 70 percent of the … Continue reading “Survey: Israelis Believe Another War Is Coming”

NEW DELHI – Faced with continuing domestic opposition to the United States-India nuclear cooperation deal, the Indian government has launched "one last push" to complete negotiations before the window of opportunity slams shut. But the chances of success for its latest bid appear to be no higher than they were some weeks ago. Going by … Continue reading “One Last Push for India-US Nuke Deal”

For decades most Americans weren’t aware that there was a Georgia other than the southern state. Today most Americans probably still aren’t aware that there is another Georgia. Yet U.S. officials are breathing fire at Russia for confronting the country of Georgia, a former Soviet Socialist Republic, which won its independence from the dissolving Soviet … Continue reading “Another Needless Confrontation”

Updated at 12:20 a.m. EDT, May 9, 2008At least 48 Iraqis were killed and 70 more were wounded in the latest violence. Clashes continue in Sadr City, while bombings killed and injured many in Baghdad. One British soldier was injured. Also, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, leader of the Iraqi branch of al-Qaeda, may have been captured … Continue reading “Thursday: 48 Iraqis Killed; 70 Wounded”

As human rights groups demanded the release of a report on a long-running investigation of the role of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the unlawful interrogations of detainees in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantánamo Bay, new torture claims were leveled at two U.S. military contractors by a former Abu Ghraib "ghost" detainee who was … Continue reading “Abuse Claims Mount Against Pentagon, Contractors”

Growing impatience in Congress over the enormous costs being racked up by the Iraq war, as well as the Pentagon’s belief that it needs more troops in Afghanistan to fight insurgents there, is putting the vaunted success of the George W. Bush administration’s "surge" strategy to the test. Although the House of Representatives appears poised … Continue reading “Pressure to Cut Costs, Troops Strains ‘Surge’”

BEIRUT – Al-Qaeda’s second-in-command, Ayman Zawahiri, announced in an audiotape broadcast April 21 that Islamic groups would play a pivotal role in the war against Jews, and encouraged militants to expel invading ‘Crusaders’ masquerading as peacekeepers, referring to UNIFIL troops deployed in South Lebanon. "There have been three attacks on UN troops in the south … Continue reading “Al-Qaeda on Slippery Base in Lebanon”

History in the Making “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” It’s a well-known dictum, attributed to Benjamin Franklin. He was only the publisher of the book in which it appeared; what he actually wrote, some time earlier, was “Sell not virtue to purchase … Continue reading “Franklin’s Choice”