April 2011 - Page 3 of 10

Monday: 5 Iraqis Killed, 23 Wounded

At least five Iraqis were killed and 23 more were wounded in the latest violence. Also, an official at the Human Rights Ministry said that over 14,000 Iraqis have gone missing since 2003.

Syrian Tinderbox

As Europe headed toward the first world war, lining up rival blocs of states and massing armies on borders, the focus of their escalating rivalry was centered in the Balkans. Indeed, after the Great War, the word “balkanization” was coined to indicate a hopelessly divided region seething with sectarian and nationalist tensions, and the “Balkan … Continue reading

An Empire of Failed States

Imperial powers hedge their bets. The most striking recent example we have of this is in Egypt. While the Pentagon was pouring money into the Egyptian military (approximately $40 billion since 1979), it turns out—thank you, WikiLeaks!—that the U.S. government was shuttling far smaller amounts (millions, not billions) to various “American government-financed organizations” loosely connected … Continue reading

Sunday: 12 Iraqis Killed, 28 Wounded

State-run television broadcast Mass last night so that Iraq’s Christians could safely celebrate Easter at home today. Nevertheless, attacks left 12 dead and 28 wounded across the country. At the signing of a prisoner exchange agreement between Iraq and Iran, Justice Minister Hassan al-Shimari reminded those in attendance that the People’s Mujahedeen of Iran would … Continue reading

Arab Spring Stalls as U.S. Defers to Saudi ‘Counter-Revolution’

As the so-called Arab Spring enters its sixth month, it appears to have run into seriously wintry headwinds. While some observers in Washington have blamed Saudi Arabia and its neighboring Sunni-led sheikhdoms as a major source of the icy winds that are blasting through the Gulf, the growing contradictions between the U.S. and Western "values" … Continue reading

Saturday: 2 US Soldiers, 9 Iraqis Killed; 6 Iraqis Wounded

At least nine Iraqis were killed and six more were wounded in light violence. Two U.S. soldiers were killed during operations in southern Iraq as well. Although there were no large-scale attacks reported, a spate of shootings in the capital targeted government or security officials. Also, protests continued in at least two cities.

Libyan Choice: Starve or Run

CAIRO – Rights groups have condemned the indiscriminate attacks on residential areas in Misrata, that have worsened an already dire situation. Libya’s third-largest city Misrata has been a major battleground between pro and anti-Gadhafi forces to secure control over this major Western Libyan port, which not only connects Tripoli with Gadhafi’s home town Surt but … Continue reading

Month: April 2011