At least two Iraqis were killed and 23 more were wounded in various attacks. A suspected Iranian suicide bomber was also killed. Meanwhile, Paris-based media watchdog Reporters Without Borders is criticizing Iraqi security forces for perpetrating unreported attacks on journalists. Also, the United States is proposing to sell Iraq $4.2 billion in weapons and aircraft.
With the resumption of settlement construction in the West Bank Monday, Israel’s powerful settler movement hopes that it has scuttled peace talks with the Palestinians. It would be misleading, however, to assume that the only major obstacle to the success of the negotiations is the right-wing political ideology the settler movement represents. Equally important are …
Continue reading “Israel’s Reasoning Against Peace”
Although David Petraeus, the top American commander in Afghanistan, recently peddled the notion that senior Taliban chieftains had made contact with senior Afghan government officials about the possibility of starting reconciliation talks, such talk of peace in our time is likely to be hype. By publicizing such contacts, Petraeus is cleverly implying, but not saying, …
Continue reading “The Taliban: Forced Into Negotiation While Winning?”
A splendid and courageous new book, Washington Rules: America’s Path to Permanent War, by Andrew J. Bacevich of Boston University (and for many years previously, the U.S. Army), describes with lucidity the degree to which the power of the American presidency over war and peace has been weakened in our day, and, in important respects, …
Continue reading “Are Obama’s Hands Tied?”
All Washington is atwitter: the grand old man of the Court Historians, Bob Woodward, has come out with yet another “book” – i.e. another long-winded press release on behalf of the Powers That Be – explaining, “reporting,” and rationalizing the war policies of the current regime. Oh, glory be! Drop everything and run to the …
Continue reading “Obama: ‘The Generals Made Me Do It!’”
At least three Iraqis were killed and 24 were wounded in mostly late evening attacks in and near Baghdad. Meanwhile, a U.S. servicemember is in custody for the deaths of two fellow soldiers last week. Also, Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari called on the United States to increase its role in helping Iraq form its new government.
Orwell, Kafka, They could see; That government Would soon watch me. For governments keen on muzzling and thwarting opposition, terrorism is a God-sent cover. A nation subject to terrorist attack can get away with deception, surveillance, secret arrests, harassment, entrapment, censorship, spying, stealing, and grievous infringements on travel. Nothing to it… you just cite national …
Continue reading “Sorry, You’re Under Surveillance”
SILWAN, Occupied East Jerusalem – Tension, the twisted carcasses of gutted vehicles, buses with smashed windows, smoldering dumpsters, streets riddled with rubber-coated steel bullets and empty cartridge cases, tear gas, and air thickened with black soot from burning tires marked the beginning of the fifth day of continuous rioting in East Jerusalem Monday. A Palestinian …
Continue reading “Riots Grip East Jerusalem”
Vlahos on getting ‘war crimes’ out in the open
Vlahos: lionizing soldiers won’t help them
Uber-journalist Bob Woodward is once again telling us exactly what we need to hear long after we needed to hear it. On Friday, Sept. 24, two days before its release, Woodward’s new book Obama’s Wars was Amazon’s number two best-selling book. It’s amazing how many people will line up to be among the first to …
Continue reading “All the King’s Bull Feather Merchants” 
