As George W. Bush prepares to be sworn in for his second term as U.S. president, a strong majority of the world's people are concerned his tenure is likely to produce more setbacks to the cause of world peace and security, according to a major international poll...
For UK Troops, Abuse Only Happens if Photographed
LONDON - The court martial of three British soldiers for abuse of Iraqi prisoners has established that a soldier is only as bad as the photographs of the abuse that get taken. Three British soldiers face court martial over abuse of Iraqi prisoners. Which means only...
Bush: Unfazed … or Unhinged?
"Mr. Bush said there was no need to hold any of his officials accountable for mistakes or misjudgments in prewar planning or managing the aftermath The [Washington Post] asked Mr. Bush why no one had been held responsible for wrong information about weapons of...
Welcome to Kurdistan
ARBIL - My journey back to Iraq began, as most trips to the north of the country do, at the airport in Diyarbakkir, the largest Kurdish majority city in Turkey. From there it's a four-hour taxi ride to the border, provided you don't get stopped by the Turkish army,...
Dying for Sycophants
In her confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, "Condi" Rice personified the Bush administration's delusion-based "war against terror." Whenever a senator's question penetrated to the harsh reality, Condi waffled and...
Addressing the Persuadable Middle
When a U.S. Marine company used downtown Toledo for "urban warfare" training Jan. 7-8, it provided an opportunity for activists to think and act beyond normal limits. With barely a week's notice, an article in the local paper announced that a weapons company...
Another Car Bomb … This Must Be Democracy
The thundering blast rocks me awake at 7:05 a.m. The first thing my eyes see are the curtains of my room flowing in, as if a strong wind is blowing into my room. "Holy sh*t, they hit the embassy," I think to myself, the blast was so close. I leave my windows...
What Is Wrong With Torture
Recently, I wrote once again about the spread of torture as a way of life in the Bush administration's offshore imperium. I offered my version of a national "self-portrait" for the New Year ("American Gothic") and considered the latest torture news, now practically...
Iraq Election Worries Neighbors
CAIRO - Iraq's neighbors have begun to worry seriously about its national election scheduled for Jan. 30. Almost every day, a regional leader speaks out in favor of the vote because the alternative could be worse. High-ranking officials from Egypt, Jordan, and the...
The Threat of Peace
After Arafat As Oscar Wilde once said, there are only two tragedies in life: one is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it. Israel is now facing the latter tragedy. For years on end, we knew what we wanted: we wanted Arafat dead. Not that we just sat...


