Following are some key points from a discussion with my friend Qusay (not his real name) in Damascus. He is a translator and university professor. The situation in Syria continues to evolve. See the X account of Tim Anderson @TimAnd2037 for videos showing ongoing...
Friends With (Geopolitical) Benefits: How Russia and North Korea Are Changing the Game
Recent reports suggest that North Korean (DPRK) troops may be assisting Russia in its war with Ukraine – a development that underscores their growing strategic partnership, formalized by a treaty pledging mutual military, economic, and cultural cooperation. This...
The World Owes Palestine This Much – Please Stop Censoring Palestinian Voices
Social media censorship is a global phenomenon, but the war on pro-Palestinian views on social media represents a different kind of censorship, with consequences that can only be described as dire. Long before the current devastating war on Gaza and the escalation of...
A Man, A (Bad) Plan, A Canal, Panama
In 1989, US forces invaded, conquered, and occupied Panama, replacing its pet dictator, Manuel Noriega with a new regime. Then-president George H.W. Bush’s justifications for the invasion included protecting US citizens in Panama and prosecuting the ill-conceived and...
OpenAI Is Using Its Technology To Kill
Earlier this month, the company that brings us ChatGPT announced its partnership with California-based weapons company, Anduril, to produce AI weapons. The OpenAI-Anduril system, which was tested in California at the end of November, permits the sharing of data...
Wishing for A Christmas Truce in Ukraine
On December 11, Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that, as one of the last things he would do at the end of his term as the European Union’s rotating president, he proposed a Christmas truce between Ukraine and Russia. "At the end of the Hungarian EU...
Will Backing Terrorists Backfire Again?
In 2011, when protests broke out in Syria, the Barack Obama administration exploited the unrest to launch a dirty war against President Bashar al-Assad. The result of that policy became clear earlier this month when Iraq War veteran Mohammad Abu al-Julani (he fought...
Iraq Weekly Roundup: 18 Killed
Israel to Annex the West Bank – Why Now? And What are the Likely Scenarios?
Israel is getting ready to annex the occupied Palestinian West Bank. The annexation will be a major step backward on the road to Palestinian freedom and will likely serve as a catalyst for a new Palestinian uprising. Though annexation has been on the Israeli agenda...
You’d Better Watch Out: The Surveillance State Is Making a List, and You’re on It
“He sees you when you’re sleeping He knows when you’re awake He knows when you’ve been bad or good So be good for goodness’ sake!” ~ “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” You’d better watch out – you’d better not pout – you’d better not cry – ‘cos I’m telling you why: this...


