Thursday: 11 Iraqis Killed, 52 Wounded
The latest violence left 11 Iraqis dead and 52 more wounded. Also, at least 20 attacks on Iraq’s power grid are not only a costly annoyance but they also underscore the fragile sense of security. Meanwhile, the Pentagon is re-evaluating the effectiveness of counter-insurgency efforts, even as the U.S. observes the return of Sadrist power in the south.
Many Voices Singing One Song
US Urged to Probe Alleged ‘Second Prison’ at Bagram
Pressure is mounting on the U.S. government to investigate reports that inmates from the notorious prison at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan have been moved to a second separate facility -- known as the Tor Jail, which translates as "black jail" -- where they...
Obama: Say Yes to Afghan Peace Talks
Court: Govt Can’t Shut Down Charities Without Warrant
In a major decision overturning a George W. Bush-era policy that has been continued by the administration of President Barack Obama, a federal court ruled that the U.S. Treasury Department cannot freeze a charity's assets without a warrant, and must also give access...
Is Israel Sliding Towards a Police State?
RAMALLAH -- Israeli nuclear whistle-blower Mordechai Vanunu has been sentenced to another three months imprisonment for allegedly refusing to perform community service in West Jerusalem. Vanunu, a former employee at Israel's secret Dimona nuclear facility in the Negev...
Wednesday: 19 Iraqis Killed, 68 Wounded
Updated at 6:22 p.m. EDT, May 12, 2010
Casualties ticked back up again after a brief respite. At least 19 Iraqis were killed and another 68 were wounded in the latest violence. Meanwhile, many Iraqis, including security personnel, suspect that politicians mired in a power struggle are behind some of the recent attacks. Also, the De-Ba’athification committee issued conflicting statements on whether its election work is over.
read moreThe World Is Kagan’s Battlefield
The nomination of Elena Kagan has opened up a public debate on her qualifications, her public record (or lack of it), and even her sexual orientation. I will deal with none of these here. Normally, this space would not be concerned with the merits of a particular...
Feting a Fetid War
To smooth over the stormy relationship with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, President Barack Obama is throwing out the red carpet in Washington, D.C., for Karzai and his entourage. Vice President Joe Biden, who in the past has erupted in open hostility toward Karzai,...
