Gareth Porter

Gareth Porter is an investigative historian and journalist specializing in U.S. national security policy. The paperback edition of his latest book, Perils of Dominance: Imbalance of Power and the Road to War in Vietnam, was published in 2006.

After bin Laden Hit, U.S. Aides Raise Dubious Hopes for Peace

Barack Obama and top administration officials have taken advantage of the killing of Osama bin Laden to establish a new narrative suggesting the event will pave the way for negotiations with the Taliban for peace in Afghanistan. That good news message, reported by Washington Post senior editor Rajiv Chandrasekaran Tuesday, suggested that the administration would … Continue reading “After bin Laden Hit, U.S. Aides Raise Dubious Hopes for Peace”

US Refusal of 2001 Taliban Offer Gave bin Laden a Free Pass

When George W. Bush rejected a Taliban offer to have Osama bin Laden tried by a moderate group of Islamic states in mid-October 2001, he gave up the only opportunity the United States would have to end bin Laden’s terrorist career for the next nine years.The al-Qaeda leader was able to escape into Pakistan a … Continue reading “US Refusal of 2001 Taliban Offer Gave bin Laden a Free Pass”

Why US and NATO Fed Detainees to Afghan Torture System

Starting in late 2005, U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan began turning detainees over to the Afghan National Directorate of Security (NDS), despite its well-known reputation for torture. Interviews with former U.S. and NATO diplomats and other evidence now available show that United States and other NATO governments become complicit in NDS torture of detainees … Continue reading “Why US and NATO Fed Detainees to Afghan Torture System”

The Obama-Gates Maneuver on Military Spending

Last week Barack Obama announced that he wants to cut $400 billion in military spending and said he would work Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and the Joint Chiefs on a “fundamental review” of U.S. “military missions, capabilities and our role in a changing world” before making a decision. Spokesman Geoff Morrell responded by hinting … Continue reading “The Obama-Gates Maneuver on Military Spending”

Pakistan Moves to Curb More Aggressive US Drone Strikes, Spying

The Pakistani military’s recent demands on the United States to curb drone strikes and reduce the number of U.S. spies operating in Pakistan, which have raised tensions between the two countries to a new high, were a response to U.S. military and intelligence programs that had gone well beyond what the Pakistanis had agreed to … Continue reading “Pakistan Moves to Curb More Aggressive US Drone Strikes, Spying”

Maliki’s Doubts Threaten Post-2011 Iraq Troop Presence

President Barack Obama has given his approval to a Pentagon plan to station U.S. combat troops in Iraq beyond 2011, provided that Iraqi Premier Nouri al-Maliki officially requests it, according to U.S. and Iraqi sources. But both U.S. and Iraqi officials acknowledge that Maliki may now be reluctant to make the official request. Maliki faces … Continue reading “Maliki’s Doubts Threaten Post-2011 Iraq Troop Presence”

Long-Term Afghan Presence Likely to Derail Peace Talks

The announcement by U.S. Deputy Undersecretary of Defense Michele Flournoy in congressional testimony March 15 that the United States would continue to carry out “counter-terrorism operations” from “joint bases” in Afghanistan well beyond 2014 signaled that President Barack Obama has given up the negotiating flexibility he would need to be able to reach a peace … Continue reading “Long-Term Afghan Presence Likely to Derail Peace Talks”

UN Reported Fraction of Afghan Civilian Deaths in US Raids 

WASHINGTON/KABUL – The number of civilians killed in U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF) raids last year was probably several times higher than the figure of 80 people cited in the U.N. report on civilian casualties in Afghanistan published last week, an IPS investigation has revealed. The report also failed to apply the same humanitarian law … Continue reading “UN Reported Fraction of Afghan Civilian Deaths in US Raids “

Residents of Razed Afghan Village Dispute US Case for Destruction 

KABUL/WASHINGTON – The commander of U.S.-NATO forces in southern Afghanistan, Maj. Gen. James Terry, asserted last month that the homes systematically destroyed by U.S. forces across three districts of Kandahar province as part of Operation Dragon Strike in October and November "were abandoned, empty and wired with ingenious arrays of bombs". But in interviews with … Continue reading “Residents of Razed Afghan Village Dispute US Case for Destruction “

Deferring to Petraeus, NIE Failed to Register Taliban Growth

Despite evidence that the Taliban insurgency had grown significantly in 2010, the U.S. intelligence community failed to revise its estimate for Taliban forces as part of a National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Afghanistan in December. That unusual decision was in deference to Gen. David Petraeus, commander of U.S.-NATO forces in Afghanistan, who did not want … Continue reading “Deferring to Petraeus, NIE Failed to Register Taliban Growth”