News that a civilian appeals court in Bahrain upheld the harsh prison terms —including several life sentences — of 13 “Arab Spring” activists last week, drew rapid fire from the human rights community. Their “crimes” — organizing largely peaceful protests to demand social and economic reforms from the ruling monarchy in 2011 — had branded …
Continue reading “Bahrain? Never Heard of It”
What is Bibi Netanyahu up to? With all his warnings of Iran’s “nuclear capability,” of red lines being crossed, of “breakout,” of the international community failing in its duty, of an “existential threat” to Israel, what is the prime minister’s game? The answer is apparent. Bibi wants Iran’s nuclear program shut down, all enrichment ended, …
Continue reading “Has Obama Called Bibi’s Bluff?”
Disillusioned by wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S. public is becoming increasingly comfortable with a more modest and less militarized global role for the nation, according to the latest in a biennial series of major surveys. That attitude is particularly pronounced in the so-called Millennial Generation, citizens between the ages of 18 and 29, …
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At a press conference in Turkey, Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi spoke out against the death sentence that he claims was orchestrated against him. Meanwhile, at least 22 Iraqis were killed and 93 more were wounded in ongoing violence, which re-erupted yesterday. Also, Turkey claimed the deaths of 25 rebels in northern Iraq operations.
Nothing could be scarier than the thought that this duo — Benjamin Netanyahu and Ehud Barak — is in a position to start a war, the dimensions and outcome of which are incalculable. It’s scary not only because of their ideological fixations and mental outlook, but also because of the level of their intelligence. The …
Continue reading “The March of Folly”
No one believed the vote on the “God and Jerusalem” wording in the Democratic platform was conducted fairly or democratically: a two-thirds vote was required to restore the deleted words and that clearly — and audibly — didn’t happen. Neither the audience nor the news media was convinced by Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s ruling …
Continue reading “That Villaraigosa Moment”
Updated at 3:59 p.m. EDT, Sept. 9, 2012
The deaths of at least 107 Iraqis in seemingly coordinated attacks eclipsed the expected but still shocking news that Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi has been sentenced to death by a Baghdad criminal court. Another 484 Iraqis were wounded in the violence, which occurred even deep into southern Iraq where such bloodshed is rare. One attack took place at a French consulate in Nasariya.
The war in Syria spread briefly into Iraq, leaving one young Iraqi girl dead. Also, as happened yesterday, a series of bombs wounded a significant number of people. Overall, at least five Iraqis were killed and 49 more were wounded.
When Nobel Laureate Desmond Tutu said last week that the ex-leaders of the U.S. and U.K. should be made to “answer for their actions” in attacking Iraq on the basis of lies, Western savants and pundits greeted the remarks from the retired archbishop of South Africa with an all-too-familiar knowing, dismissive shrug. It was the …
Continue reading “Obama Ruling Shields Torturers”
In a stunning violation of its own rules, the wishes of the majority of delegates at its national convention, and positions taken by the United Nations and virtually every country in the world, the Democratic Party leadership pushed through an amendment to its platform early during its proceedings on Wednesday, with barely half the delegates …
Continue reading “Democratic Leaders Undermine Israeli-Palestinian Peace and Their Own Procedures” 
