How To Judge A Political Candidate
In a word: harshly, says Justin Raimondo
Month: June 2012
For Neocons, America is an Ideology
And to them it has no interests of its own, says Pat Buchanan
Iraq Speaker Threatens No Confidence Vote for Prime Minister
Speaker Osama al-Nujaifi re-iterated concerns that Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has not shared power in keeping with a 2010 agreement that allowed the premier to stay in office a second term. He called on Maliki to voluntarily step down but also warned the premier that lawmakers are prepared to continue their attempts to oust the premier by force. Meanwhile, at least three Iraqis were killed and four more were wounded in light violence.
Julian Assange’s Artful Dodge
Barring a CIA drone strike on the Ecuadorian embassy in London, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s sudden appeal for asylum there may spare him a prison stay in Sweden or possibly the United States. Assange’s freedom now depends largely on Ecuadorian President Rafael Vicente Correa Delgado, a new breed of independent-minded leader like Venezuelan President Hugo … Continue reading “Julian Assange’s Artful Dodge”
Terrorism Arithmetic
The most recent issue of the National Counter Terrorism Center’s annual Report on Terrorism [.pdf] came out last week, covering the year 2011. I would like to say that it is well worth a read, but actually it is quite tedious. For those who are interested, it is essentially a statistical and analytical breakdown of … Continue reading “Terrorism Arithmetic”
68 Iraqi Motorists Killed in Northern District in Last Three Months
At least 10 Iraqis were killed and 22 more were wounded in new violence, but police in the northern district of Daquq reported that 68 people have been killed there in the last three months. Meanwhile, Turkey conducted more air strikes on rebel targets in Iraq. Also, militants targeted the electrical infrastructure.
1812: The War Party’s First ‘Success’
The two-hundredth anniversary of the beginning of the War of 1812 is upon us, and I’m shocked and surprised the War Party hasn’t planned a celebration: after all, as Jefferson Morley points out in Salon, this was the first neocon war, i.e. an unnecessary war of choice. Perhaps the reason for this shameful lack of … Continue reading “1812: The War Party’s First ‘Success’”
The US Should Take Lessons From Mexico
In the United States, the image of Mexico is abysmal and largely wrong. The average American seems to believe that Mexico is a destitute, quasi-socialist nation with rampant drug violence that is sending waves of illegal immigrants to the United States. Although drug violence is a problem in Mexico — the country has had 34,000 … Continue reading “The US Should Take Lessons From Mexico”
Playing for Time on Iran
Recently, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta finally said it. The U.S. is “fighting a war” in the Pakistani tribal belt. Similarly, observers are starting to suggest that “war” is the right word for the American air and special operations campaign against al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in southern Yemen. (There have already been 23 U.S. … Continue reading “Playing for Time on Iran”
When Will We Attack Syria?
Plans, rumors, and war propaganda for attacking Syria and deposing Assad have been around for many months. This past week, however, it was reported that the Pentagon indeed has finalized plans to do just that. In my opinion, all the evidence to justify this attack is bogus. It is no more credible than the pretext … Continue reading “When Will We Attack Syria?”