Month: September 2009

Stormy Times in Iraq as US Withdraws

Political violence in Iraq killed 456 Iraqis in August, the highest monthly death toll since July 2008. And with the U.S. showing no sign it plans to reverse the troop withdrawal that is now well underway, numerous struggles for power are shaping up inside Iraq. They involve both competing factions within the country and also, … Continue reading “Stormy Times in Iraq as US Withdraws”

Friday: 8 Iraqis Killed, 18 Wounded

Updated at 7:03 p.m. EDT, Sept. 4, 2009 At least eight Iraqis were killed and 18 more were wounded in the latest violence. Four of the dead were casualties from yesterday’s bombing in Mussayab. Meanwhile, Iraq ratcheted up its complaints against Syria and deployed troops to the border. Also, Serbia may replace several fighter jets sent there for service during the Saddam era but were instead stripped for parts.

Barack Obama to Cindy Sheehan: Get Lost

I spent but a short time with Cindy Sheehan as she carried her antiwar protest from an earlier time at Crawford, TX, to Martha’s Vineyard, vacation spot for Obama and many other Democrat Party elite.   As Cindy remarked, the real story was not that she was protesting Obama’s wars but that the "leadership" of the … Continue reading “Barack Obama to Cindy Sheehan: Get Lost”

Israelis Destroy Boats, and Lives

GAZA CITY – Until Monday, Omar and Khaled Al-Habil were the owners of a 20m fishing trawler staffed by five or six fishermen at a time, but employing around 18 in cycles. But that morning the vessel came under heavy Israeli navy machine-gun fire, and then shelling. The trawler caught fire. "It’s destroyed, completely destroyed," … Continue reading “Israelis Destroy Boats, and Lives”

Taliban’s Tank-Killing Bombs Came from US, Not Iran

In support of the official U.S. assertion that Iran is arming its sworn enemy, the Taliban, the head of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), Dennis Blair, has cited a statement by a Taliban commander last year attributing military success against NATO forces to Iranian military assistance. But the Taliban commander’s claim … Continue reading “Taliban’s Tank-Killing Bombs Came from US, Not Iran”

State Dept Condemns Honduran ‘Coup d’Etat,’ Curtails Aid

Frustrated by the continued intransigence of the Honduran regime that ousted President Manuel Zelaya, the U.S. State Department followed through Wednesday on threats to cut off aid to Honduras. "Restoration of the terminated assistance will be predicated upon a return to democratic, constitutional governance in Honduras," the State Department said in a statement. Calling Zelaya’s … Continue reading “State Dept Condemns Honduran ‘Coup d’Etat,’ Curtails Aid”

Who Are The Two Syrians Released From Guantánamo To Portugal?

On August 28, in the first indication that European countries are prepared to help the Obama administration fulfill its promise to close Guantánamo by accepting prisoners who have been cleared for release, but who cannot be repatriated because of fears that they will face torture on their return, the Portuguese interior ministry announced that two … Continue reading “Who Are The Two Syrians Released From Guantánamo To Portugal?”