American Teacher Buried in Iraq During Peace Event
At least six Iraqis were killed and 14 more were wounded in new attacks as the family of an American teacher killed last week buried him on Iraqi soil.
Month: March 2012
Psychologists and Torture, Then and Now
History repeats itself, Marx famously warned, first as tragedy and then as farce. In the case of U.S. torture psychologists, the “tragedy” occurred half a century ago when CIA-funded psychological research on electroshock treatment, sensory deprivation, and the like found its way into the Agency’s counterintelligence interrogation manual. The 1963 KUBARK manual and its later … Continue reading “Psychologists and Torture, Then and Now”
Tell the Truth Already!
“Dismounted complex blast injuries” caused by improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Afghanistan are felling our soldiers and Marines so frequently today that men are routinely banking their sperm as another item on the checklist before they deploy for the war. They’re doing that because a dismounted complex blast injury — now being called the “new … Continue reading “Tell the Truth Already!”
Attack on Police Leaves Dozens Killed in Western Iraq
Uniformed gunmen staged a bold attack on police that left over two dozen personnel dead in Haditha. Overall, at least 37 Iraqis were killed and 15 more were wounded in this and other violence.
Weaponizing the Body Politic
When I covered the Occupy Wall Street protests last fall, I just couldn’t stay focused, despite the fact that people from across the country and around the world were traveling to that block-long half-acre park of granite walls and honey-locust trees in lower Manhattan to build a new mini-society. It boasted free housing, free food, … Continue reading “Weaponizing the Body Politic”
Obama’s Red Line
“We’ve got Israel’s back” – that is the message President Obama sent out ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the US for a crucial summit at the White House, and he did it in an interview granted to one of the leading pro-Israel voices in the media, Jeffrey Goldberg, former Israeli prison … Continue reading “Obama’s Red Line”
Iraq: Fearful Kurds Want Increased Peshmerga Protection
Fear continues to drive Kurdish Iraqis in multi-ethnic Diyala province to demand extra protection, preferably from Kurdish forces. Meanwhile, at least seven Iraqis were killed and 11 more were wounded in attacks across the country.
Will Bibi Have Barack Over a Barrel (of Oil)?
While Israeli leaders historically have enjoyed significant influence with their U.S. counterparts, Prime Minister Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu will likely arrive at the White House next week with a little extra boost in his efforts to get President Barack Obama to toughen his already hard line against Iran. Not only is that because the vaunted Israel … Continue reading “Will Bibi Have Barack Over a Barrel (of Oil)?”
Iraq To Tighten Syria Border in Bid To Stop Sunni Insurgents
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki repeated his desire to prevent weapons smuggling across the border into Syria. At least five Iraqis were killed and four more were wounded in new violence.
Who Was Behind the Delhi Bombing?
The magnet bomb that exploded on an Israeli Embassy diplomat’s car in Delhi on February 13 seemed on the surface to be consistent with an Iranian-sponsored action. It was carried out with same method by which Israel’s Iranian proxy, the Mujahedin-e Khalq, had assassinated an Iranian scientist in mid-January. It occurred on the anniversary of … Continue reading “Who Was Behind the Delhi Bombing?”