The Urge to Surge
Washington’s 30-Year High
Month: January 2011
Gimme More Magna Carta!
On this very Web site I wrote a thing in March 2008, titled “What Should NATO Do?” It ended by worrying that NATO’s Afghanistan policy was in danger of drifting into the hands of the Firepower People, which now seems realistic. Imagine my surprise to discover that, later in the same year, on Dec. 5, … Continue reading “Gimme More Magna Carta!”
Media as a Branch of Government
The toppling of Saddam’s statue as metaphor
Bereaved Israelis, Palestinians Unite Across Violent Borders
JERUSALEM – With Middle East peace talks at a standstill, a group of activists is taking matters into its own hands. The Parents’ Circle Families Forum, a group comprising Palestinians and Israelis who have lost family members in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, aims to build a bridge between the two fractured communities. “Waiting for our respective … Continue reading “Bereaved Israelis, Palestinians Unite Across Violent Borders”
Tuesday: 6 Iraqis Killed, 5 Wounded
At least six Iraqis were killed and five more were wounded in light violence. The only reports of attacks came from Baghdad and cities just north of the capital. Meanwhile, A Spanish court opened an investigation into possible crimes against humanity at Camp Ashraf, where thousands of Iranian exiles have established a home. Under its universal jurisdiction doctrine, Spain claims authority in foreign countries where crimes against humanity may have occurred.
WikiLeaks Highlights Drug War Mission Creep
DEA Creep-Creeping on the Planet’s Door
Obama Should Read WikiLeaks on Afghanistan
Perhaps President Barack Obama should give himself a waiver on the ban prohibiting U.S. government employees from downloading classified cables released by WikiLeaks, so he can get a better grasp on the futility of his Afghan War strategy. For instance, if Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has hidden from him Ambassador Karl Eikenberry’s cables from … Continue reading “Obama Should Read WikiLeaks on Afghanistan”
Monday: 2 US Soldiers, 13 Iraqis Killed; 32 Iraqis Wounded
The first two American deaths of 2011 occurred during combat in just one of several attacks on American targets in the last 24 hours. Although the circumstances of the attack were not revealed, their deaths coincided with several assassinations in the capital. One of today’s victims had survived a deadly siege at a Christian church last year. The only other reported attack resulting in casualties occurred just northeast of Baghdad in Baquba. Altogether, at least 13 Iraqis were killed and 32 more were wounded.
Predictions, 2011
As memories of 2010 evaporate like morning mist, and the reality of 2011 kicks in, I gaze into my crystal ball, looking for signs and portents of what is to come. Amid the swirling vapors and fleeting images that illuminate the innards of this awesome-yet-not-always-reliable device, intimations of the future are unveiled, tantalizing hints of … Continue reading “Predictions, 2011”
How Afghanistan Became a War for NATO
The official line of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), the NATO command in Afghanistan, is that the war against Afghan insurgents is vital to the security of all the countries providing troops there. In fact, however, NATO was given a central role in Afghanistan because of the influence of U.S. officials concerned with the … Continue reading “How Afghanistan Became a War for NATO”