Month: May 2009

Massacre Puts War Trauma in Spotlight

A U.S. soldier shot five of his colleagues dead at a base in Baghdad, Iraq, Monday. The Pentagon says at least two other people were hurt in the shootings, and the gunman is in custody. Details are still coming in, but the incident reportedly happened at a stress clinic where troops get help for personal … Continue reading “Massacre Puts War Trauma in Spotlight”

Americanada? No Thanks

“The way to get the Americans to trust the border is to give them confidence that both countries have the will and ability to protect it. “The security leg of this agreement, then, would include common rules for accepting refugees, joint inspection of containers leaving international destinations en route to either country, and an integrated … Continue reading “Americanada? No Thanks”

US Thaw With Syria Stalls

U.S. President Barack Obama issued a statement on May 8 calling for the renewal of sanctions on Syria, which were set to expire on Monday. The declaration came at the end of a busy week in which both high-level U.S. officials and the Iranian president visited the Syrian capital, Damascus. Though Syria has recently sought … Continue reading “US Thaw With Syria Stalls”

Congress Resists Guantánamo Releases

As lawmakers amped up the outcry against releasing Guantánamo "terrorists in our neighborhoods," France agreed to accept a "cleared" Guantánamo prisoner and human rights groups continued to press for release of 17 Chinese Uighurs the U.S. government has declared to be no threat to national security. The Democratic-led House Appropriations Committee last week passed a … Continue reading “Congress Resists Guantánamo Releases”

Monday: 6 US Soldiers, 14 Iraqis Killed; 18 Iraqis Wounded

Updated at 6:43 p.m. EDT, May 11, 2009 Six U.S. soldiers were killed in two alarming events today, one of them a mass murder by a fellow soldier. At least 14 Iraqis were killed and 18 more were wounded in other attacks. Meanwhile, Australia announced its Iraq mission will come to an end in July. Also, the U.S. demanded that Syria stop the flow of fighters through its borders, while Iran demanded that Iraq deal with Kurdish rebels near its border.

Hawks Divided: AfPak or Iran?

A potentially major clash appears to be developing between powerful factions inside and outside the U.S. government, pitting those who see the Afghanistan/Pakistan ("AfPak") theater as the greatest potential threat to U.S. national security against those who believe that the danger posed by a nuclear Iran must be given priority. The Iran hawks, concentrated within … Continue reading “Hawks Divided: AfPak or Iran?”