Month: December 2014

The refugee crisis within Iraq only grows worse as 45 more are killed.

At least 52 people were killed and 14 were wounded across Iraq.

It’s strange how often football comes up in stories about World War I. Blood-poet Jessie Pope famously and obscenely compared the conflict to a game. And to many, the most memorable part about the Truce of Christmas,1914 was the football match played between British and German soldiers. For the centennial of this famous and cozy … Continue reading “Playing the Christmas Truce”

At least 170 were killed and 158 were wounded in recent violence, but several new mass graves have yet to be examined closely.

In terms of losses in human lives, 2014 has been a horrific year for Palestinians, surpassing the horrors of both 2008 and 2009, when an Israeli war against the Gaza Strip killed and wounded thousands. While some aspects of the conflict are stagnating between a corrupt, ineffectual Palestinian Authority (PA), and the criminality of Israeli … Continue reading “Five Reasons Why 2014 Was a Game-Changer in Palestine”

The Senate Select Intelligence Committee report on torture has revived debate worldwide about the United States’ use of torture in the aftermath of 9/11. Some have applauded the report – including organizations such as Human Rights Watch and the Center for Constitutional Rights, which have pushed for a full accounting of the use of methods … Continue reading “Latin America’s Lesson for the US: Prosecute the Torturers”

At least 228 were killed in Iraq. Twenty of the dead were found in an undated mass grave that must be several weeks old. Another 32 were wounded.

On December 10 – International Human Rights Day – Takeshi Onaga began his term as the new governor of Okinawa. Last month, the citizens of Okinawa delivered a landslide victory to Onaga, who ran on a platform opposing the construction of a new US Marine Corps base in northern Okinawa. Using the campaign slogan “All … Continue reading “Okinawa: The Small Island Trying To Block the US Military’s ‘Pivot to Asia’”

On the news talk shows, everyone is talking about torture – mostly defending the Bush’s administration’s hysterical actions after the 9/11 attacks. Granted, 9/11 was a searing experience for the general public, which wanted action in retaliation. However, it is the duty of wise political leaders to reason with the public to dampen the desire … Continue reading “Defending Torture Is Indefensible”

Among the 53 killed in Iraq was a Shi’ite cleric who was vehemently opposed to Kurdish territorial goals. Another 27 people were wounded.