Month: September 2008

You can definitely count me among those who are skeptical of the official cover story that Bruce Ivins, who committed suicide recently as the FBI seemed to be closing in on him, was solely responsible for the series of anthrax attacks on people in Congress and the media in September-October 2001. What is missed in … Continue reading “Mass Destruction or
Mass Distraction?”

Updated at 7:02 p.m. EDT, Sept. 7, 2008At least 20 Iraqis were killed or found dead and 26 more were wounded in the latest reports. Hundreds more are ill in what may be a new cholera epidemic. Meanwhile, Baghdad suffered a number of small bomb attacks, and an accidental gas leak sickened several dozen in … Continue reading “Sunday: 20 Iraqis Killed, 26 Wounded”

Updated at 6:21 p.m. EDT, Sept. 6, 2008A number of bomb attacks occurred in Iraq today, the most significant one in Tal Afar. Overall, at least 25 Iraqis were killed and 60 more were wounded. No Coalition deaths were reported. Also, the U.N. representative in Iraq met with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani and stressed the … Continue reading “Saturday: 25 Iraqis Killed, 60 Wounded”

Few people have thought as much about the morality of the US occupation of Iraq than Joshua Casteel, a former US Army interrogator who served at Abu Ghraib prison in the wake of the detainee abuse scandal there. Once a cadet at the US Military Academy at West Point and raised in an evangelical Christian … Continue reading “Revelations of an Abu Ghraib Interrogator”

As if the outgoing administration of U.S. President George W. Bush didn’t already have enough on its plate, the question of whether and how to rearm Georgia in the aftermath of its thrashing last month by Russia is moving steadily up its increasingly crowded foreign policy agenda. Moscow has already signaled any move to provide … Continue reading “White House Still Cautious on Georgia”

In her "I’m just a hockey mom" speech at the Republican National Convention, Sarah Palin – who has rapidly rocketed from an unknown, recently-minted governor of Alaska to Republican Vice Presidential candidate – questioned, with a straight face, whether Barack Obama has had enough experience and accomplishments to be president. Republican pundits piled on, saying … Continue reading “Judgment Is More Important Than Experience”

While the Republicans were nominating Sarah Palin – who reportedly believes the Bush-Cheney war of aggression against Iraq was inevitable, part of "God’s plan" – French President Nicolas Sarkozy was in Damascus, warning the "leaders of Syria, Turkey and Qatar" that an Israeli attack on Iran also appears to be inevitable. In comments broadcast on … Continue reading “Sarkozy: Israeli Attack Inevitable”

I grew up in Iran and immigrated to US to avoid living in a theocracy. Lately though, the trajectory of US politics is something to worry about, not only to me, but also to many others in my predicament. Wednesday night at the Republican convention was an especially poignant moment. I was watching Sarah Palin … Continue reading “Where Have I Seen Sarah Palin Before?”

Updated at 7:05 p.m. EDT, Sept. 5, 2008It is the prayer day, so the number of reported casualties is lower than normal. At least seven Iraqis were killed, including a defense ministry advisor, and 17 more people were wounded. One American soldier died in a non-combat incident. Meanwhile, the fates of an Iranian refugee camp … Continue reading “Friday: 1 US Soldier, 7 Iraqis Killed; 17 Iraqis Wounded”

An apparent raid into Pakistani territory by US forces stationed in Afghanistan has prompted angry denunciations from Pakistani officials and renewed questions about the future of the war against the Taliban in the region. The raid, which took place Wednesday morning in the turbulent Waziristan region, may have killed as many as 20 civilians, according … Continue reading “Raid May Herald More Confrontational Policy”