Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the highest Shi’ite cleric in Iraq, urged parliament to begin work on forming a new government that has broad support. In other words, selecting a premier that would be acceptable to all of Iraq’s factions, which can’t be said of Maliki. Elections took place in April, but a new government was …
Continue reading “Unidentified Bodies Dumped Riverside Among 123 Killed Across Iraq”
"Successful diplomacy requires a measure of mutual accommodation," were the words of former NATO official Michael Stopford at the 31st US-Russia World Forum in Washington, DC this week. Shrilly denounced as "Putin apologists," the participants in the conference actually ran the gamut from outspoken Russia scholar Stephen F. Cohen to Leonid Gozman, leader of a …
Continue reading “US-Russia Forum Seeks Way Out of New Cold War”
President Obama’s announcement that the US is sending 300 "advisors" back to Iraq to stave off the rising Sunni insurgency was couched in assurances that "American forces will not be returning to combat in Iraq" – but who really believes that? A proven liar – "If you like your health insurance you can keep it" …
Continue reading “We’re Going Back to Iraq”
Originally posted at TomDispatch. As Iraq was unraveling last week and the possible outlines of the first jihadist state in modern history were coming into view, I remembered this nugget from the summer of 2002. At the time, journalist Ron Suskind had a meeting with “a senior advisor” to President George W. Bush (later identified …
Continue reading “Who Won Iraq?”
At least 151 people were killed in violence today. Also, at the very least 22 people were reported wounded, but so were “dozens” of militants.
This week the P5+1 and Iranian officials meet again to try to narrow differences over a comprehensive nuclear deal, which is to last for an as-yet unknown duration. Reaching an agreement will be a challenging task because Iran and P5+1 seem to disagree – among other things – about the enrichment capacity Iran should be …
Continue reading “What Is the Quality of Scientific Evidence Against Iran?”
"Labeiki ya Zaynab," chanted Iraqi Shia fighters as they swayed, dancing with their rifles before TV news cameras in Baghdad on June 13. They were apparently getting ready for a difficult fight ahead. For them, it seemed that a suitable war chant would be answering the call of Zaynab, the daughter of Imam Ali, the …
Continue reading “Sectarian Monster Reawakened: Redrawing the Map of Iraq, Again”
When talking of freewheeling domestic spying, it would behoove us to remember that it’s not just the National Security Agency (NSA) that needs reform and a tight leash. Hell, it’s not even just federal agencies who are disinterested in your Fourth Amendment rights. Like the war toys that move from the Pentagon down to myriad …
Continue reading “Your Local Police May Be Collecting Metadata”
At least 424 people were killed today and 19 more were wounded. All but nine of the fatalities were militants.
The "BS" in CBS is well-earned by this CBS News story speculating on the alleged near certainty of a terrorist attack launched by ISIS – the Islamist group now rampaging across Iraq – against the continental US. Headlined "Will ISIS Plan a 9/11-style Terror Plot Against the US?", it is filled with the opinions of …
Continue reading “Iraq: Will the Neocons Get Away With It Again?” 
