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.

Intel Council Warned Against Raids in Pakistan

The National Intelligence Council, the U.S. intelligence community’s focal point for estimating future developments, warned the George W. Bush administration last month that a decision to launch commando raids by U.S. troops against al-Qaeda-related targets in Pakistan’s Northwest Frontier region would carry a high risk of further destabilizing the Pakistani military and government, according to … Continue reading “Intel Council Warned Against Raids in Pakistan”

Why Iraqi ‘Client’ Blocked US Long-Term Presence

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki signaled last week that all U.S. troops – including those with non-combat functions – must be out of the country by the end of 2011 under the agreement he is negotiating with the George W. Bush administration. That pronouncement, along with other moves indicating that the Iraqi position was hardening … Continue reading “Why Iraqi ‘Client’ Blocked US Long-Term Presence”

Georgia War Rooted in US Self-Deceit on NATO

The U.S. policy of absorbing Georgia and Ukraine into NATO, which was enthusiastically embraced by Barack Obama and his running mate Joseph Biden, has undoubtedly been given a major boost by the Russian military operation in Georgia. In the new narrative of the Russia-Georgia war emerging from op-eds and cable news commentaries, Georgia is portrayed … Continue reading “Georgia War Rooted in US Self-Deceit on NATO”

Bush Covered Up Musharraf Ties With al-Qaeda, Khan

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf’s resignation Monday brings to an end an extraordinarily close relationship between Musharraf and the George W. Bush administration, in which Musharraf was lavished with political and economic benefits from the United States despite policies that were in sharp conflict with U.S. security interests. It is well known that Bush repeatedly praised … Continue reading “Bush Covered Up Musharraf Ties With al-Qaeda, Khan”

AP’s Iran-Trained Hit Squads Story: Iraq News Nadir?

In covering the story of Iran’s role in Iraq, far too many reporters have passed on blatant propaganda without the slightest effort to point out its inconsistency with documented facts, much less to try to uncover the truth. But a story by Pamela Hess of Associated Press distributed Aug. 15 sets a new standard for … Continue reading “AP’s Iran-Trained Hit Squads Story: Iraq News Nadir?”

US Officials Admit Worry over a ‘Difficult’ al-Maliki

U.S. officials privately admit being concerned that Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al- Maliki has become "overconfident" about his government’s ability to manage without US combat troops, according to an Iraq analyst who just returned from a trip to Iraq arranged by US commander General David Petraeus. Colin Kahl, a fellow at the Center for a … Continue reading “US Officials Admit Worry over a ‘Difficult’ al-Maliki”

How Tenet Betrayed the CIA on WMD in Iraq

Journalist Ron Suskind’s revelation that Saddam Hussein’s intelligence chief was a prewar intelligence source reporting to the British that Saddam had no weapons of mass destruction (WMD) adds yet another dimension to the systematic effort by then Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director George Tenet to quash any evidence – no matter how credible – that … Continue reading “How Tenet Betrayed the CIA on WMD in Iraq”

Bush Forced al-Maliki to Back Down on Pullout in 2006

Many official and unofficial proponents of a long-term US military presence in Iraq are dismissing Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s demand for a US timeline for withdrawal as political posturing, assuming that he will abandon it under pressure. But that demand was foreshadowed by an episode in June 2006 in which al-Maliki circulated a draft … Continue reading “Bush Forced al-Maliki to Back Down on Pullout in 2006”

Bush, US Military Pressure Iraqis on Withdrawal

Instead of moving toward accommodating the demand of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki for a timetable for US military withdrawal, the George W. Bush administration and the US military leadership are continuing to pressure their erstwhile client regime to bow to the US demand for a long-term military presence in the country. The emergence of … Continue reading “Bush, US Military Pressure Iraqis on Withdrawal”

Seismic Shift or Non-Decision by Bush on Iran?

The US decision to send the State Department’s third-ranking official to sit in on the meeting between European Union foreign affairs chief Javier Solana and Iran’s nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili Saturday has been hailed as a major diplomatic breakthrough, but it is too soon to pop the champagne cork. The caveats associated with decision and … Continue reading “Seismic Shift or Non-Decision by Bush on Iran?”