Month: February 2014

At least 96 people were killed across Iraq today, while another 95 were wounded. The military broke its self-imposed truce in Falluja.

At least 53 people were killed and 65 more were wounded in today’s attacks and clashes. The town of Saniya, in northern Iraq, was briefly held by militants last night. Also, the Iraqi army has suspended operations in Falluja until Tuesday.

Last night, as I watched the television news, there were consecutive stories on massive street protests in Ukraine and Venezuela. They were all presented as democratic protests against undemocratic and unresponsive governments. Not one of the stories mentioned the not unimportant detail that, in each case, the violent street protests were targeting governments democratically elected … Continue reading “Try and Try Again: Obama’s Silent Coups”

Originally posted at TomDispatch. Here, at least, is a place to start: intelligence officials have weighed in with an estimate of just how many secret files National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden took with him when he headed for Hong Kong last June. Brace yourself: 1.7 million. At least they claim that as the number … Continue reading “Thug State U.S.A.”

The Barack Obama administration’s insistence that Iran discuss its ballistic missile program in the negotiations for a comprehensive nuclear agreement brings its position into line with that of Israel and senators who introduced legislation drafted by the pro-Israel lobby group AIPAC aimed at torpedoing the negotiations. But the history of the issue suggests that the … Continue reading “US Adopts Israeli Demand to Bring Iran’s Missiles Into Nuclear Talks”

At least 57 militants were killed today, but the number is likely higher. As it is the prayer day, reports may have been thinner than usual. There were clashes in Anbar but only one death was reported there. An Iraqi soldier and a child were wounded in attacks. Also, Iraqi troops have ended their weeklong assault on militants who took over the town of Suleiman Bek in Salah ad Din province.

Richard Engel of NBC, reporting from Maidan Square in Kiev, described what he witnessed as the Feb. 19 truce collapsed. Police began to back away from their positions in the square, said Engel. And the protesters attacked. Gunfire was exchanged and the death toll, believed to be in the dozens, is not known. In short, … Continue reading “Ukraine’s Crisis, Not Ours”

If one is to believe the folks calling themselves modern-day Vikings, the Norse apocalypse starts tomorrow. Ragnarok, the "Twilight of the Gods," was described in a 13th-century poem as the end of Asgard and a new beginning for the world. How has Hollywood not been all over this? Though the prospect of some divine apocalypse … Continue reading “Ukraine, Bosnia on Pyres of Empire”

In all the brouhaha over Edward Snowden’s exposure of the National Security Agency’s invasion of our home computers, we seem to have forgotten about a long-dormant threat that is now rearing its ugly little head: the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Created in 1934 by President Franklin Roosevelt to oversee our then nascent television and radio … Continue reading “The FCC Brings Chavismo to America”

At least 70 people were killed and 93 more were wounded today. The worst attack occurred in Mussayab. Meanwhile, the Iraqi government is now offering a bounty of $17,200 for every militant killed and $25,800 for each one captured.