Month: March 2018

At least six people were killed on the last day of March.

The “deal of the century” is a farce. We suspected that, of course, but, upon his return from Washington, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed in more detail why the long-anticipated plan of the administration of US President Donald Trump has no basis in reality. Netanyahu told his Cabinet that there are “no concrete details” … Continue reading “The Last ‘Peace Process’ Warrior: Abbas Hanging by a Thread”

Five policemen were reported killed at a fake checkpoint near Mosul.

Originally posted at TomDispatch. There’s been a lot of free-floating fear and horror in the media recently about the appointment as national security adviser of John Bolton, a man who’s been itching for war(s) since the 1990s. His approach to Iran and North Korea in particular (not quite nuke ’em!, but not that much short … Continue reading “Making Atrocities Great Again”

During a visit to Ohio to promote his infrastructure plan on March 29, US president Donald Trump dropped one of the bombshells that Americans have become accustomed to over the last year and a half: “We’ll be coming out of Syria, like, very soon …. Let the other people take care of it now.” If … Continue reading “Syria: Is Trump Finally Putting America First?”

President Trump’s Korean peace initiative is the most significant US diplomatic effort since the end of the cold war: if successful, it means the end of an era in northern Asia. The Koreans realize this; the Chinese realize this; it’s only the American punditocracy that just doesn’t get it. There are a few reasons why … Continue reading “Peace and the Intellectuals: Trump’s Korea Initiative vs. ‘The Blob’”

This article originally appeared at TruthDig. He knew war well—well enough to know he hated it. George McGovern was a senator from South Dakota, and he was a Democrat true liberals could admire. Though remembered as a staunch liberal and foreign policy dove, McGovern was no stranger to combat. He flew 35 missions as a … Continue reading “Where Have You Gone, George McGovern?”

With the last of the ISIS-held territory in Iraq recaptured, Iraqi officials are cheerfully proclaiming the war is over. Pentagon’s commanders, who recognize that this is the third “end of the Iraq war” in just 15 years, are trying to spin it as a new phase in the continuing war. It makes sense for them … Continue reading “Welcome to Iraq War 3½”

One of the most important US Senate votes in decades took place recently, and few people know it happened. On March 20, Senators voted on whether to stop US support for Saudi Arabia’s vicious war in Yemen by invoking the War Powers Act. More than 5,000 Yemenis have died and tens of thousands have been … Continue reading “Inside the US War in Yemen”

Australia admitted that it may have killed civilians during an airstrike last year.