Iraq Assembly off to a Faltering Start

BAGHDAD – More than 1,300 delegates from across Iraq gathered here Sunday to elect 100 members for the interim consultative assembly, but angry opponents disrupted the opening sessions and accused the government of undemocratic ways. Instead of debating topics on the agenda, much of the discussions turned into heated debates about fighting in Najaf, where … Continue reading “Iraq Assembly off to a Faltering Start”

Saddam, Chalabi, and Allawi Epitomize US Foreign Policy

It would be difficult to find a better example of the moral bankruptcy and hypocrisy of U.S. foreign policy — and why it has stirred so much anger, hatred, and terrorism against the United States — than the relationship of U.S. officials with Saddam Hussein, Ahmad Chalabi, and Iyad Allawi. Despite all the highfalutin rhetoric … Continue reading “Saddam, Chalabi, and Allawi Epitomize US Foreign Policy”

Watchdog Groups Oppose Federal Watch Lists

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has launched a campaign to oppose policies of the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) that require some 10,000 non-profit groups that raise money through the CFC program to check their employees against federal "watch list" of terrorist suspects. The campaign, which has already drawn 15 other non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including … Continue reading “Watchdog Groups Oppose Federal Watch Lists”

Bombers Turn to Butterflies Again

We saw butterflies turning into bombers. And we weren’t dreaming. At the time when the Woodstock festival became an instant media legend in mid-August 1969, melodic yearning for peace was up against the cold steel of American war machinery. The music and other creative energies that drew 400,000 people to an upstate New York farm … Continue reading “Bombers Turn to Butterflies Again”

Sharon’s Disengagement Not What It Seems

A disengagement divorced from peace negotiations can be very dangerous. Sharon’s people say that they don’t give a damn what will happen in the Gaza Strip after the Israeli withdrawal. They are pretending. Behind the scenes, the military and political leadership is planning the installation of a local warlord, who would rule the Strip under … Continue reading “Sharon’s Disengagement Not What It Seems”

Whose Loose Nuke Are You?

With the disintegration of the Warsaw Pact in 1989 – and the prospect of massive land battles in Central Europe ended – both the Soviet Union and the U.S. began to dismantle tens of thousands of tactical "battlefield" nukes. Two years later, with the Soviet Union about to come unglued, Russian officials came to "lobby" … Continue reading “Whose Loose Nuke Are You?”

In the UK, a ‘Terrifying’ Judgment on Suspected Terrorists

LONDON – After years of condemning torture in other countries, Britain could now be approving it as official policy. New questions have arisen for the government following a two-to-one ruling by a court of appeal that said the British government had the right to accept evidence obtained under torture – so long as the torture … Continue reading “In the UK, a ‘Terrifying’ Judgment on Suspected Terrorists”

Parsing the Libyan Myth

The battle for Najaf, at least at the military level, is inconclusive as I write, and the ultimate political implications will probably take weeks or months to sort out, though it is virtually certain that one result will be better recruiting prospects for militants, insurgents, jihadists and the like. The nomination of Porter Goss to … Continue reading “Parsing the Libyan Myth”

Insurgents Get Support of Homegrown Media

BAGHDAD – The latest round of fighting in Iraq is the first real test for the country’s new government after it took over from the U.S. and British-led occupation authority in the last days of June. The initial relative calm that greeted the handover has been slowly disintegrating across the country. The opposition against the … Continue reading “Insurgents Get Support of Homegrown Media”