How, one wonders, could President-elect Barack Obama possibly hope to implement his announced foreign policy goals when he's entrusted his enemies the Clntonites, and the Republicans to implement them? I've wondered that myself, but now the mystery is...
Iranian Analysts Urge Obama Not to Delay Action on Talks
TEHRAN - In light of the Iranian presidential election coming in mid-2009 and the US distaste for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President-elect Barack Obama is being advised to avoid any communication with Tehran until after Iranians vote next June. But Iranian political...
US Arms Deployed in Wars Around the Globe
Pundits these days warn of a Middle East arms race if Iran brings its alleged nuclear weapons program to fruition, while others fear that missile defense in Eastern Europe could spark escalation involving Russia. But despite all the fear in Washington, it turns out...
Pro-Govt Fighters, Under Attack by Taliban, ‘Betrayed’ by Kabul
PESHAWAR - The past two months has seen an upsurge in violence unleashed by Pakistani Taliban in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and the adjacent tribal areas bordering Afghanistan. The most recent was the brazen series of attacks on North Atlantic Treaty...
Friday: 1 British Soldier Killed
The only new casualty reported in Iraq was that of a British soldier who was killed in Basra yesterday. It is unlikely that all violence took a holiday for the Eid and today's prayer day. Meanwhile, Iraqi President Talabani arrived in Kirkuk for meetings on...
Iranian Leaders Debate Obama’s Policy Freedom
TEHRAN - Iranian national security officials and political leaders have been carrying out an internal debate over how much freedom President-elect Barack Obama will have to change US policy toward Iran, and those who have argued that he will not be able to do so have...
Thursday: 58 Iraqis Killed, 120 Wounded
Updated at 10:32 p.m. EST, Dec. 11, 2008Near Kirkuk, at least 58 Iraqis were killed and another 120 were wounded in the last hours of Eid observances. Although reporters have been observing the Eid, this blast was too significant to ignore. No other deaths Iraqi and...
An Outside Insider Probes the Iranian Psyche
While in New York this fall for the UN General Assembly, conservative Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad admitted to National Public Radio that he watches Western television: "Of course, I'm like the rest of the people. People like movies and shows."...
Millions for Defense
A reminder, in case you needed it, that it is not 1794 anymore: Vice Admiral William Gortney of the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet has advised merchant mariners that there's not much he or his Combined Task Force 150 can do about the aggressive operations of Somali pirates off...
The Pragmatism of
Ethnic Cleansing
Barack Obama's election victory has inspired a windfall of comment, most of it euphoric, with some grumbling from the political Right and the small quarters of the Left that remain unimpressed, so I am hesitant to contribute to the chatter. There is one element of...


