A leading human rights group released a report Monday documenting the proliferation of human rights abuses in Iraq since the United States invasion in 2003. Among the most egregious cases, the 102-page report by Human Rights Watch identifies women, journalists,...
Israeli Media ‘Fears’ the New Egypt
Over the past three weeks the Israeli media has been extremely interested in Egypt. During the climatic days of the unprecedented demonstrations, television news programs spent most of their airtime covering the protests, while the daily papers dedicated half the news...
Monday: 17 Iraqis Killed, 33 Wounded
The Five Eyes’ Daisy Chain
So the Five Eyes' daisy chain is alive and well. I encountered this at first hand with my own application under Canada's Access to Information Act (ATIA), submitted in December 2006 and documented elsewhere. In summary, after a hideous delay not countenanced by the...
Nationalism, Democracy, and the Arab Awakening
The revolutionary wave sweeping through the Middle East promises to topple sclerotic Arab regimes throughout the region, but there is a marked difference between, say, Egypt and Iran – and the difference is the nationalist factor. In Egypt, the people rose up...
The Genie Is Out of the Bottle
This is a story right out of 1,001 Nights. The genie escaped from the bottle, and no power on earth can put it back. When it happened in Tunisia, it could have been said: OK, an Arab country, but a minor one. It was always a bit more progressive than the others. Just...
Bahrain: Days of Rage, Decades of Oppression
"Bahrain has one of the most advanced medical systems in the Middle East, the best ICT sector in the region, and the fastest growing economy in the Arab world. "But despite all these accomplishments, the country seems to be missing just one little thing: a doctor who...
Sunday: 9 Iraqis Killed, 56 Wounded
Saturday: 5 Iraqis Killed, 18 Wounded
Libyan Fury Challenges Gadhafi
CAIRO - The movement for change sweeping across the Middle East has now rocked Libya. Thousands of people have taken to the streets across many cities to demand an end to the 41-year autocratic rule of maverick leader Muammar Al- Gadhafi. International human rights...