The new Iraqi cabinet met for the first time today to begin working on the challenges facing Iraq. Iraqis, however, are wary of this new government and some believe that incompetent people were given cabinet posts as political favors. In light violence, at least three Iraqis and a Syrian man were killed, while four others were wounded.
read moreObama Out of Okinawa
In a momentous about-face, Japan has revamped her defense strategy to address Chinese threats to Japan's southern islands rather than Russian threats to Japan's northernmost islands. The change comes as tensions between North and South Korea have caused Prime Minister...
A Radical Solution for the War in Afghanistan
If actions speak louder than words, the U.S. military this week seemed to confirm the pessimistic findings of the National Intelligence Estimates (NIEs) on the war in Afghanistan and Pakistan, which it had pooh-poohed only last week. The military assessment emphasized...
Tuesday: 2 Iraqis Killed, 6 Wounded
The new government headed by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was sworn in today. News of the breakthrough overshadowed if not dampened reports of violence. At least two Iraqis were killed and six others were wounded in light violence. In the United Kingdom meanwhile, over 200 Iraqis have lost their bid in a British court for a public inquiry into allegations that British soldiers abused them while in detention in Iraq.
read moreThoughts at the White House Fence
“Show me your company, and I'll tell you who you are,” my grandmother would often say with a light Irish lilt but a heavy emphasis, an admonition about taking care in choosing what company you keep. On Thursday, I could sense her smiling down through the snow as I...
Israel Demolishing Talks
ISSAWEYA, Occupied East Jerusalem - More and more Palestinians are paying the price for deadlocked talks over Israel's continued settlement-building in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Muhammad Robin Alyyan, 27, from the volatile Issaweya suburb of East Jerusalem,...
Richard Holbrooke and the Clinton Curse
Monday: 2 Iraqis, 4 Libyans Killed; 12 Iraqis Wounded
Last minute bickering from the Sadrist bloc has delayed voting for the new cabinet for at least one day, but attacks continued without debate. At least two Iraqis were killed and 12 more were wounded, while security forces killed four Libyans accused of planning Christmas Day attacks. Also, Amnesty International has called on Iraq to protect its Christian population.
read moreRacism, Rabbinical and Otherwise
As part of Israel's orgy of racism and fascism since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formed his far-Right coalition almost two years ago, dozens of Israeli racist rabbis (RR) have signed an edict forbidding Jews in “the Land of Israel” from selling or renting...
The Great Fear
Moments of imperial and economic decline – according to a recent poll, 65 percent of Americans now believe this country to be “in a state of decline” – can also be periods of cultishness, even of madness incarnate. Such a mood now seems to be spreading through the...
