At least 17 Iraqis and an Egyptian resident were killed in the latest attacks, while 33 more were wounded. Although no new demonstrations reported today, last night Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani gave his support to protesters in a strongly worded statement castigating the government for negligence. Also, Parliament Speaker Osama al-Nujaifi reports that two investigative committees are being formed to track down almost $40 billion that has disappeared from the Development Fund for Iraq.
read moreThe Five Eyes’ Daisy Chain
So the Five Eyes' daisy chain is alive and well. I encountered this at first hand with my own application under Canada's Access to Information Act (ATIA), submitted in December 2006 and documented elsewhere. In summary, after a hideous delay not countenanced by the...
Nationalism, Democracy, and the Arab Awakening
The revolutionary wave sweeping through the Middle East promises to topple sclerotic Arab regimes throughout the region, but there is a marked difference between, say, Egypt and Iran – and the difference is the nationalist factor. In Egypt, the people rose up...
The Genie Is Out of the Bottle
This is a story right out of 1,001 Nights. The genie escaped from the bottle, and no power on earth can put it back. When it happened in Tunisia, it could have been said: OK, an Arab country, but a minor one. It was always a bit more progressive than the others. Just...
Bahrain: Days of Rage, Decades of Oppression
"Bahrain has one of the most advanced medical systems in the Middle East, the best ICT sector in the region, and the fastest growing economy in the Arab world. "But despite all these accomplishments, the country seems to be missing just one little thing: a doctor who...
Sunday: 9 Iraqis Killed, 56 Wounded
At least nine Iraqis were killed and 56 more were wounded in new and old violence. Some of the dead were wounded in Thursday’s deadly protests in Suleimanya, while the lion’s share of today’s wounded were injured in protests re-ignited by an attack on an independent television station in the same city last night.
read moreSaturday: 5 Iraqis Killed, 18 Wounded
At least five Iraqis were killed and 14 more were wounded in the latest violence. Demonstrations continue in Baghdad, Basra, and other locations, but today’s hotspot is again Suleimaniya, where demonstrations turned deadly on Thursday. Turmoil throughout the Arab region could halt plans for an Arab League summit scheduled for March. Iraq is looking forward to hosting the summit as evidence of improving conditions there.
read moreLibyan Fury Challenges Gadhafi
CAIRO - The movement for change sweeping across the Middle East has now rocked Libya. Thousands of people have taken to the streets across many cities to demand an end to the 41-year autocratic rule of maverick leader Muammar Al- Gadhafi. International human rights...
With Increased US Aid, Honduras Militarizes Anti-Drug Fight
TEGUCIGALPA - The United States appears to be strengthening its anti-drug strategy in Central America, whose focus in the case of Honduras will include military operations with troops from both countries, to begin in the jungle region of Mosquitia on the Atlantic...
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...
