Palestine: Elections Without Democracy

During the 1970s, the apartheid government of South Africa sought to bolster its claims to legitimacy by allowing elections in the bantustans – the equivalent to today’s walled-in Palestinian communities in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The thought was that if people elected local officials, even to hold largely ceremonial offices, then the … Continue reading “Palestine: Elections Without Democracy”

Why Arab Leaders Love the Iraqi Election

CAIRO – Iraq’s main Sunni political movement, the Iraqi Islamic Party, has announced it will boycott U.S.-sponsored elections to be held Jan. 30. The head of the party, Mohsen Abdel Hamid, told reporters in Baghdad Monday his decision was motivated by the refusal of authorities to postpone elections for six months to ensure broader participation. … Continue reading “Why Arab Leaders Love the Iraqi Election”

We Must Leave Iraq

Why are American soldiers dying in Iraq? The rationale has shifted as the months turn into years. “Weapons of mass destruction” – Saddam’s nonexistent links to al-Qaeda – the Laurie Mylroie conspiracy theory that links Iraq to every ill under the sun, and then some, held in high esteem by the neocons: all had their … Continue reading “We Must Leave Iraq”

Bye, Bye Unipolar World

This time a year ago, U.S. forces had just pulled former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein from his “spider hole” near the Euphrates River, and top military commanders were trumpeting the crippling of the unanticipated deadly insurgency that bedeviled the U.S. occupation for months. The administration of President George W. Bush was also jubilant, stressing, somewhat … Continue reading “Bye, Bye Unipolar World”

The Neoconnerie’s Plan For Iran

There’s blood in the water and the neoconservatives in and around the administration are thrashing about like sharks. They’ve thrown Donald Rumsfeld over the side, and to many, their treachery is evidence that Rumsfeld can’t possibly be one of them, a neoconservative. The iconic Robert Novak has been particularly vocal in his attack on the … Continue reading “The Neoconnerie’s Plan For Iran”

Bin Laden Strikes Out

Osama bin Laden’s latest video was broadcast on al-Jazeera on Monday, in which he commanded Muslims to boycott the Jan. 30 elections in Iraq and expressed his approval of Jordanian terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Zarqawi had been a rival of bin Laden’s in Afghanistan, and had earlier declined to share resources with al-Qaeda. But in … Continue reading “Bin Laden Strikes Out”

Who’s in Charge of Russia Policy?

Are the neoconservatives and their neoliberal collaborators in the global crusade for democracy pushing America into confrontation and a second Cold War with Russia? So it would seem. Ex-CIA director James Woolsey threw out the word “fascist” on FOX News the other night in describing Putin’s Russia. Earlier, he was quoted as saying, “The … Continue reading “Who’s in Charge of Russia Policy?”

Dept. of Homeland Security Pushes More Secrecy

NEW YORK – The Bush administration appears set to maintain the secrecy that has characterized its workings since 2001. The latest evidence is a directive from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) instructing its employees and contractors to share sensitive but unclassified information only with those having a need to know it. All 180,000 department … Continue reading “Dept. of Homeland Security Pushes More Secrecy”