Month: August 2009

Afghanistan Mission Essential, Translators Expendable

Basir "Steve" Ahmed was returning from a bomb-clearing mission in Khogyani district in northeastern Afghanistan when a suicide bomber blew up an explosive-filled vehicle nearby. The blast flipped the military armored truck Ahmed was riding in three or four times, and filled it with smoke. The Afghan translator had been accompanying the 927th Engineer Company … Continue reading “Afghanistan Mission Essential, Translators Expendable”

Suddenly, It’s Advantage Fatah, and a Solution

JERUSALEM — Has the just-ended Fatah party convention, concluded in a cavalcade of personnel change, affected the prospects for a two-state solution that might finally resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? Even more than the dramatic shift of power from the old guard of politicians who had returned from exile to the middle-aged generation that grew up … Continue reading “Suddenly, It’s Advantage Fatah, and a Solution”

The Latest Tale From the ‘War on Terror’ Dark Side

PARIS — Little mainstream comment seems to have appeared on the latest revelations of incompetence and sadistic fantasy that have been published this week about the ways in which the American nation lost its honor and international reputation because of the Bush administration’s infatuation with torture. Or with, as Vice President Richard Cheney has put … Continue reading “The Latest Tale From the ‘War on Terror’ Dark Side”

Thursday: 30 Iraqis Killed, 56 Wounded

Updated at 6:44 p.m. EDT, Aug. 13, 2009 Almost two years after a massive attack in Sinjar, another suicide bombing left over three-dozen new casualties today. At least 30 Iraqis were killed and 56 more were wounded in that and other attacks. Meanwhile, Iraqi authorities announced the start of a trial for five Iraqi presidential guards accused of bank robbery.

Under Pressure from Hawks, Obama Glares at Iran

In the face of mounting pressure from hawks in Washington and the continued threat of military action from Israel, the Barack Obama Administration has been taking a harder line in its latest pronouncements about Iran. Recent media reports have suggested that the administration is leaning toward an end-of-September deadline for Tehran to respond to U.S. … Continue reading “Under Pressure from Hawks, Obama Glares at Iran”