Month: December 2008

“Fears of new ethnic conflict in Bosnia,” declared the New York Times on December 13, in an article that may yet be one of the most curious cases of the dog that did not bark. Authored by Dan Bilefsky, what is supposed to be a news feature ends up being a somewhat subtle editorial promoting … Continue reading “There They Go Again”

Updated at 6:55 p.m. EST, Dec. 17, 2008At least 35 Iraqis were killed and 70 more were wounded during a bloody day that also saw a visit from British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. No Coalition deaths were reported. At the same time, the health of the journalist shoe-lobber remains in question as his brother presses … Continue reading “Wednesday: 35 Iraqis Killed, 70 Wounded”

TEHRAN – As Barack Obama’s national security team assesses the challenge of Iran’s role in the Middle East, it confronts a paradox: Iran is seen as having ambitions of regional hegemony, but it lacks the military power normally associated with such a role. That paradox is explained by the fact that Iran’s position in the … Continue reading “Iran’s Regional Power Rooted in Shia Ties”

Once again it’s the holidays, and once again some 180,000 U.S. soldiers (about 149,000 in Iraq and 31,000 in Afghanistan) won’t be home with their families and friends. This despite the fact that 70 percent of Americans want American troops withdrawn from Iraq. The reality, however, is that it will be at least another two … Continue reading “Not Home for the Holidays, Again”

The shoe-throwing Iraqi journalist, who is, by now, probably half beaten to death for the "crime" of paying back – in very small measure – George W. Bush for his crimes against the Iraqi people, is a folk hero to millions. And his admirers aren’t all Iraqis or other Arabs, not by a long shot. … Continue reading “Muntadar al-Zeidi: Hero, Martyr, Symbol of Resistance”

I must admit that, like most progressives and antiwar activists in the coalition that played a crucial role in the victory of President-elect Barack Obama, I have been greatly disappointed with his national security team (NST). Gone are all the hopeful signs of real change in the American foreign policy that we saw – as … Continue reading “The Mindset That Got Us Into War Is Alive and Well”

Updated at 8:34 p.m. EST, Dec. 16, 2008At least 19 Iraqis were killed and 50 more were wounded in the latest round of violence. No Coalition casualties were reported, but the Iraqi cabinet has drafted a law that will cover British troops remaining in Iraq. Meanwhile a shoe-lobber, who attacked President Bush, may have been … Continue reading “Tuesday: 19 Iraqis Killed, 50 Wounded”

BAQUBA – A nurse at Baquba General Hospital asked Ahmed Ali, who co-authored this report, for a bribe to look after his sick baby. It was hardly an exceptional demand. Patients around Iraq have begun commonly to speak of the need to bribe medical staff to get some form of care. "Nurses in Iraqi hospitals … Continue reading “Iraqi Hospitals Suffer From Corruption, Shortages”

TEHRAN – Would a negotiated agreement between Iran and the Barack Obama administration be feasible if Obama sent the right signals? The answer one gets from Iranian officials and think-tank analysts is, "Yes, but…" The Iranian national security establishment has long salivated over the prospect of an agreement with Washington. But there’s a big difference … Continue reading “Is a US-Iran Deal on the Middle East Possible?”

Once upon a time, Detroit was known as “the arsenal of Democracy” because the city’s big three automakers converted so quickly from turning out civilian vehicles to producing the tanks and trucks that “helped win World War II“(and then “lent their technology to aircraft and ship manufacturing” as well). Now, the same three companies are … Continue reading “Back to the Future With the Complex?”