Month: October 2009

NIE Reveals Qom Facility Followed 2007 Bush Threats

The Barack Obama administration claims that construction of a second Iranian uranium enrichment facility at Qom began before Tehran’s decision to withdraw from a previous agreement to inform the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in advance of such construction. But the November 2007 U.S. intelligence estimate on Iran’s nuclear program tells a different story. The … Continue reading “NIE Reveals Qom Facility Followed 2007 Bush Threats”

Friday: 5 Iraqis Killed, 8 Wounded

Updated at 8:30 p.m. EDT, Oct. 23, 2009 As US envoy to the UN Susan Rice visited Baghdad to hold talks with Prime Minister Maliki about ending U.N. sanctions on Iraq, a United Nations spokesman separately said it was concerned that Iraqi refugees in Europe are being forcibly returned to a dangerous, war-torn country. The prayer day has so far been rather quiet. At least five Iraqis were killed and eight more were wounded. Meanwhile, a spokesman for Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani warned of chaos if January’s national elections are delayed.

US Govt Report Adds to Pressure for Sri Lanka War Crimes Probe

The U.S. State Department released a report Thursday detailing possible violations of the laws of war in Sri Lanka during the first half of 2009, adding to pressure for an independent, international investigation into alleged atrocities committed by government forces and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) separatists. "The government of Sri Lanka has said … Continue reading “US Govt Report Adds to Pressure for Sri Lanka War Crimes Probe”

The Shoe on the Other Foot

Last Sunday, Iran became a victim of terrorism when a bombing in Sistan-Baluchestan province killed 42 people, including six members of the elite Revolutionary Guards. The irony, of course, is that Iran is often accused of fomenting terrorism, because of its ties to Hezbollah. And in a not unexpected role reversal, the regime in Tehran … Continue reading “The Shoe on the Other Foot”