Month: March 2009

RAMALLAH – The critical wounding of a U.S. activist has highlighted the excessive use of force by Israeli forces. The activist, Tristan Anderson, 38, was shot in the head by Israeli soldiers during a protest against Israel’s separation barrier in the Palestinian West Bank last week. He remains in intensive care in Tel Hashomer Hospital … Continue reading “Israelis Using ‘Excessive’ Force Against Protesters”

JERUSALEM – Based on testimony from Israeli soldiers who took part in the recent war in Gaza, Israel is being confronted directly with the serious charge that permissive rules of engagement allowed for the killing of Palestinian civilians and widespread destruction of Palestinian property. The disclosures created a stir after first publication Thursday in a … Continue reading “Israeli Soldiers Expose Atrocities in Gaza”

Washington has been riveted for a few weeks by one of those inside-the-beltway political spectacles that usually doesn’t get much attention in the world press: Charles ("Chas") Freeman, a former US ambassador to Saudi Arabia and former deputy chief of mission in Beijing, was named last month as chairman of the National Intelligence Council (NIC). … Continue reading “The Pillorying of Charles Freeman and America’s Loss”

Updated at 7:10 p.m. EST, Mar. 19, 2009 At least 17 Iraqis were killed and three more were wounded in light attacks. Also, a third body was found in a mass grave that possibly dates to 1991. Meanwhile, the Arab League Secretary-General arrived in Iraq, just as Iraqi leaders warned of potential destabilization. Separately, Moqtada … Continue reading “Thursday: 17 Iraqis Killed, 3 Wounded”

In the aftermath of the Cold War and the "end of history" triumphalism, those who built the American Empire may be forgiven for believing the future of conflict would be in short, victorious wars like "Desert Storm"; that the U.S. was the "indispensable nation"; and any country in the world would instantly surrender at the … Continue reading “The Blood-Dimmed Tide”

A leaked Red Cross report, detailing chilling accounts of prisoner torture in "black sites" run by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, has underlined the need for an independent commission of inquiry into possible war crimes committed by senior officials during the presidency of George W. Bush, according to a statement by 25 prominent clergymen and … Continue reading “Red Cross Report Bolsters Case for Bush Inquiry”

CAIRO – Reconciliation talks between rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah in Cairo this week yielded an agreement to hold national elections early next year. The two sides, however, remain deadlocked over the proposed terms of a national unity government. "Talks are at a standstill on the issue of the government," a member of the … Continue reading “Palestinians Failing to Stitch the Split”

Little Ashimah Abu Sbieh’s life hangs by a thread – or more specifically, an electricity cable that runs from a noisy diesel-powered generator in the family’s backyard. Should the generator’s engine fail, she could die within minutes.   Ashimah suffers from a rare genetic condition that means her brain fails to tell her lungs to … Continue reading “Bedouin Baby’s Power Struggle With Israel”

Updated at 8:45 p.m. EST, Mar. 18, 2009 Iraq enjoyed another relatively peaceful day that was marred by the deaths of at least 12 Iraqis. Another 12 Iraqis were wounded. Two skulls were recovered from a suspected mass grave near Basra as well. Meanwhile, the Iraqi Journalists Right Defense Association (IJRDA) reported that 18 journalists … Continue reading “Wednesday: 12 Iraqis Killed, 12 Wounded”

Dr. Kazem Jalali, an influential conservative member of Iran’s parliament, the Majlis, and rapporteur of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, sees possibilities for a thaw with Washington, but he believes that many Arab states in the Gulf "see their interests in keeping the current state of continual conflict among the West, the U.S., … Continue reading “Iranian MP: Détente Unsettles Persian Gulf States”