Month: May 2009

Bibi and Israel at Dead End

If there are no peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians for an independent Palestinian state, war next year is inevitable. So King Abdullah II of Jordan has told the London Times: “If we delay our peace negotiations, then there is going to be another conflict between Arabs or Muslims and Israel in the next … Continue reading “Bibi and Israel at Dead End”

Despite Smiles, Obama, Netanyahu Seem Far Apart

While reaffirming the "special relationship" between their two countries, U.S. President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared unable to bridge major differences in their approaches to Iran and Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts following their White House meeting Monday. While Obama said he may be prepared to impose additional sanctions against Iran early next … Continue reading “Despite Smiles, Obama, Netanyahu Seem Far Apart”

Monday: 5 Iraqis Killed, 14 Wounded

Updated at 7:17 p.m. EDT, May 18, 2009 At least five Iraqis were killed and 14 more were wounded in the latest attacks. A man the Iraqi government claims is a top leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq gave a detailed interview to security officials on his alleged operations. Also, Iraq’s Federal Court selected January 30 as the date for the next general elections. These will be the first national elections since late 2005. Meanwhile, a leading politician in Diyala was arrested.

Sunday: 20 Iraqis Killed, 21 Wounded

Updated at 7:28 p.m. EDT, May 17, 2009 At least 20 Iraqis were killed and 21 more were wounded in today’s reported attacks. No Coalition deaths were reported. Despite the shrinking number of attacks, Iraqis still worry if violence will explode after U.S. troops leave Iraqi cities. Meanwhile, security forces continue to arrests dozens of Iraqis in operations around the country. Although there is a need to control violent gunmen, some of those captured in these operations could simply be the victims of harassment.

Obama Thug Squad Brutalizing Prisoners at Gitmo

As the Obama administration continues to fight the release of some 2,000 photos that graphically document U.S. military abuse of prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan, an ongoing Spanish investigation is adding harrowing details to the ever-emerging portrait of the torture inside and outside Guantánamo. Among them: "blows to [the] testicles;" "detention underground in total darkness … Continue reading “Obama Thug Squad Brutalizing Prisoners at Gitmo”

Saturday: 1 US Soldier, 22 Iraqis Killed; 31 Iraqis Wounded; Hundreds of Kurdish Bodies in Mass Graves

Updated at 12:10 p.m. EDT. May 17, 2009 A spate of new attacks has left at least 22 Iraqis dead and another 31 wounded. More mass graves containing hundreds of bodies were discovered in Najaf province. Also, a security guard working for a group of Japanese businesspeople was injured during a shooting in Anbar province. Meanwhile, a U.S. soldier was killed today in southern Iraq, possibly Najaf. There are also reports from Mosul that a U.S. helicopter has been shot down.

Lobbies Gear Up Ahead of Bibi-Barack Meet

In the months since U.S. President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have taken office, there has been lots of noise made about the relationship between the two men and their respective countries. But all that has just been speculation, fueled by subtle back-and-forth exchanges in the media by key figures in both … Continue reading “Lobbies Gear Up Ahead of Bibi-Barack Meet”