Month: September 2013

The violence tapered off today, at least around Baghdad. Today’s attacks focused, instead, on Mosul. At least 24 people were killed in them, and another 23 were wounded.

A Note to My Readers September 18, 2013 I apologize to my readers for the absence of a column today: I’m a bit under the weather. Indeed, that’s all I have the strength to give by way of an explanation. See you on Friday!Anyone who thinks the US regime change operation in Syria is finished … Continue reading “Obama’s Contras: The Syrian ‘Rebels’”

Updated at 4:35 p.m. EDT, Sept. 16, 2013 The start of the workweek began with a series of bombings across Baghdad and the Shi’ite south. At least 90 people were killed and 227 more were wounded. Shootings and bombing also took place throughout the country, but most of the casualties occurred south of the capital.

While much of the foreign policy elite here sees the tide of public opposition to US air strikes against Syria that swept over Washington during the past two weeks as evidence of a growing isolationism, veteran pollsters and other analysts say other factors were more relevant. A variety of surveys have shown that the public … Continue reading “U.S. Public-Elite Disconnect Emerges Over Syria”

Members of the Shabak ethnic minority group were killed in two separate incidents in northern Iraq. Across the country at least 46 Iraqis were killed and 67 more were wounded.

Bombers returned to Diyala province where they attacked mosques in the Adhaim and Qara Tapa areas. More bombings and clashes took place elsewhere. At least 57 were killed and 78 more were wounded.

Looked at one way at least, the president’s Syrian war proposal – itself an ever shifting target – couldn’t be more brain-dead. The idea that one country, on its own, has the right to missile and bomb another to resolve the question of a chemical attack and war crime should, on the face of it, … Continue reading “What If Congress Says No on Syria?”

The Washington know-it-alls are all atwitter over Vladimir Putin’s New York Times op ed: their outrage is the best endorsement. All the Very Serious People are up in arms over the "hypocrisy" of the Russian leader for taking the US to task for rushing to war in Syria. It was the timing that rankled them: … Continue reading “Putin the Peacemaker”

“It was a damn near-run thing,” said the Duke of Wellington. The Iron Duke was speaking of Waterloo. And for the United States, it was a damn near-run thing that we are not now in a major war – with an enraged Arab and Muslim world viewing sickening videos of dead and dying Syrian women … Continue reading “Congress Must Recapture Its Lost War Powers”

Pre-election violence occurred in Iraqi Kurdistan took attention away from the usual violence across the rest of Iraq. At least 18 Iraqis were killed and 45 more were wounded.