The Democrats’
Daddy Warbucks

Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s husband, Richard Blum, could well be called the Democrats’ Daddy Warbucks. He’s scored bundles from war contracts. He has recently purchased a $16.5 million crib in San Francisco and along with his wife has handed hundreds of thousands of dollars over to fellow Democrats. Since the 2000 election cycle, Blum has contributed … Continue reading “The Democrats’
Daddy Warbucks”

Top US General Dismisses Grim Abuse Report

A senior U.S. military commander has branded as "propaganda" a new report from a major human rights group revealing that of the 98 detainees who have died in U.S. custody in Iraq and Afghanistan since August 2002, 34 are suspected or confirmed homicides. The group, Human Rights First (HRF), adds that another 11 cases suggest … Continue reading “Top US General Dismisses Grim Abuse Report”

Bush Seeks to Draw India, Pakistan Closer to US

U.S. President George W. Bush hopes his maiden tour of India and Pakistan this week will draw both South Asian giants more firmly into Washington’s orbit, as well as help restore his battered foreign policy image back home. Bush will spend three days in India, which U.S. policymakers increasingly depict as a long-term strategic counterweight … Continue reading “Bush Seeks to Draw India, Pakistan Closer to US”

Is the IOB DOA?

If you’re waiting for the Iranian oil bourse (IOB) – the proposed euro-based petroleum futures exchange in Tehran – to overthrow the global dollar-based economy, don’t hold your breath. Establishing a futures-trading mechanism to compete with the powerhouses of the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) and the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) for the oil trade is … Continue reading “Is the IOB DOA?”

A Way Out for Iran?

The Bush-Cheney Pentagon is reportedly putting finishing touches on a plan to preemptively nuke Iran for insisting on its inalienable right – guaranteed by (a) the Treaty on Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons, (b) the Statute of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and (c) their Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA – to enjoy the peaceful uses … Continue reading “A Way Out for Iran?”

Senator Feinstein’s War Profiteering

It happens all the time. If the antiwar movement takes on the Democrats for their bitter shortcomings, a few liberals are bound to criticize us for not hounding Bush instead. It doesn’t even have to be an election year to get the progressives fired up. They just don’t seem to get it. "How can you … Continue reading “Senator Feinstein’s War Profiteering”

Yemen: Behind the al-Qaeda ‘Jailbreak’

In Yemen, every government institution – the military, enforcement agencies, courts, detention centers, etc. – is under the strict control of the dictatorship. The prison from which the 23 al-Qaeda members escaped is known as the detention center for military intelligence, directly answerable to President Ali Abdullah Saleh. This is no Mickey Mouse jail. It … Continue reading “Yemen: Behind the al-Qaeda ‘Jailbreak’”

You Can Do Anything With a Bayonet Except Sit on It

On a cloudless day, the sky a brilliant, late-afternoon blue, my car winds its way up the Berkeley hills. Plum and pear trees in glorious whites and pinks burst into sight at each turn in the road. Beds of yellow flowers, trees hung with lemons, and the odd palm are surrounded by the green of … Continue reading “You Can Do Anything With a Bayonet Except Sit on It”