Reese Erlich

Militant protests continue in the oil rich city of Basra despite a harsh government crackdown. Thousands of Iraqis are demanding jobs, restoration of basic utility services and an end to government corruption. The protests quickly spread to other southern Iraqi cities and Baghdad. Iraq has faced major electricity shortages since the 2003 US invasion. In … Continue reading “What 15 Years of US Occupation Has Produced: Angry Iraqis”

President Donald Trump is back on the stump, trumpeting his alleged triumphs since the 2016 election. Somehow, he never mentions Afghanistan. For years, Trump has denounced endless foreign wars, including Afghanistan. For example, he tweeted in 2012 that Afghanistan is “a complete waste. Time to come home!” Once in power, however, Trump filled top adviser … Continue reading “Afghanistan Has Become Trump’s ‘Failed Narco State’”

Russian bombs rained down on towns of southern Syria as an estimated 320,000 civilians fled for their lives. Over the past several weeks tens of thousands walked to the Jordanian and Israeli borders hoping to escape the onslaught. Rula Amin, a spokesperson for the UN refugee agency UNHCR, based in Jordan, told me the displaced … Continue reading “Netanyahu, Putin, and Trump – Jockeying for Power in Syria”

Police wearing Darth Vader helmets and carrying shotguns mounted with tear gas launchers lined up ready for battle. Fifty yards away, tens of thousands students and workers placed iron bars and Molotov cocktails on the street preparing for battle. At the appointed hour both sides charged, with police clubbing and firing tear gas barrages. It … Continue reading “A Deal With North Korea: Don’t Blow It This Time”

On my most recent reporting trip to Gaza, I stayed with a family living just a short walk from the Israeli border. At dusk we watched a beautiful sunset over the Mediterranean and could forget the ongoing conflict for just a few minutes. Living conditions for the family have gotten much worse since my visit. … Continue reading “Why Young People Are Protesting in Gaza”

President Donald Trump announced that the US is pulling out of the Iran nuclear accord – and Iranians are really pissed. Thousands of Iranians demonstrated in Tehran chanting “Death to America.” Thousands more attended Friday prayers in Tehran to hear hardline leaders denounce Trump’s actions. Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, an influential Friday prayer leader in Tehran, … Continue reading “What Will Iran Do Now?”

Actress Natalie Portman, a strong supporter of Israel, has come under vicious attack for criticizing that country’s leadership. She now joins the club of scholars, journalists, and political leaders who are vilified by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or his right-wing cohorts. Portman was born in Jerusalem, and although her family left Israel when she was … Continue reading “Natalie Portman Boycotts Israeli Prize; Right Wing Goes Ballistic”

In 1998, al Qaeda killed 224 people when it attacked U.S. embassies in east Africa. In retaliation, President Bill Clinton ordered a missile strike against what he described as an al Qaeda nerve gas factory in Sudan. For years, he insisted that the attack had dealt a tough blow against terrorists. Turns out the chemical … Continue reading “The Truth Behind the Bombardment of Syria”

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”

Welcome to the latest Washington crisis. The American people are supposed to be petrified at the threat posed by Russian spies who hack our emails, buy ads on Facebook and impersonate Americans in chat rooms. The evil Ruskies have the audacity to use phony websites to divide us over issues of racism and immigration – … Continue reading “The Russians Aren’t the Only Election Hackers”