Charles Fromm

Charles Fromm writes for Inter Press Service.

Leaked Video of Shooting Spurs Calls for New Probe

Journalist advocacy groups called for the reopening of an investigation into the 2007 killing of a Reuters photographer and his driver after the WikiLeaks Web site released classified video footage on Monday of a 2007 helicopter attack in Baghdad which killed 12 people. "This footage is deeply disturbing," said Joel Simon, executive director of the … Continue reading “Leaked Video of Shooting Spurs Calls for New Probe”

Report: US Should Accept Islamist Authority in Somalia

The United States should accept an "Islamist authority" in Somalia as part of a "constructive disengagement" strategy for the war-torn country, according to a new report released here by the influential Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) on Wednesday. The 39-page report urges the U.S. to recognize that "Islamist authority" even if it includes al-Shabaab, or … Continue reading “Report: US Should Accept Islamist Authority in Somalia”

US Seeks to Resume Training of Controversial Indonesian Military Unit

The administration of President Barack Obama hopes to resume U.S. training of an elite Indonesian military unit whose members have been convicted of gross human rights abuses in East Timor and elsewhere in the sprawling archipelago. The leadership of Indonesia’s controversial special forces division — the Komando Pasukan Khusus, or Kopassus — has been in … Continue reading “US Seeks to Resume Training of Controversial Indonesian Military Unit”

US Starts Syria Normalization Process in Earnest 

After months of delay, the administration of President Barack Obama is taking major steps engage the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as part of a broader regional strategy designed in major part to isolate Iran, escalate the fight against al-Qaeda and other radical Sunni groups, and encourage peace talks with Israel. Wednesday’s meeting in … Continue reading “US Starts Syria Normalization Process in Earnest “

Iraqi Govt Expels Former Blackwater Contractors

The Iraqi government has ordered hundreds of private security contractors who previously worked for Blackwater Worldwide or its subsidiaries to leave the country within seven days or risk arrest for visa violations, Iraq’s interior minister said Wednesday. The order applies to roughly 250 security contractors who worked for Blackwater, now known as Xe Services, in … Continue reading “Iraqi Govt Expels Former Blackwater Contractors”