Gareth Porter

Gareth Porter is an investigative historian and journalist specializing in U.S. national security policy. The paperback edition of his latest book, Perils of Dominance: Imbalance of Power and the Road to War in Vietnam, was published in 2006.

Outgoing UN Nuclear Inspector Pushed Dubious Iran Nuclear Weapons Intel

Olli Heinonen, the Finnish nuclear engineer who resigned Thursday after five years as deputy director for safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), was the driving force in turning that agency into a mechanism to support U.N. Security Council sanctions against Iran. Heinonen was instrumental in making a collection of intelligence documents showing a … Continue reading “Outgoing UN Nuclear Inspector Pushed Dubious Iran Nuclear Weapons Intel”

Switch to Petraeus Betrays Afghan Policy Crisis

Despite President Barack Obama’s denial that his decision to fire Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal as commander in Afghanistan and replace him with Gen. David Petraeus signified any differences with McChrystal over war strategy, the decision obviously reflects a desire by Obama to find a way out of a deepening policy crisis in Afghanistan. Although the … Continue reading “Switch to Petraeus Betrays Afghan Policy Crisis”

McChrystal Faces ‘Iraq 2006 Moment’ in Afghanistan

Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal confronts the specter of a collapse of U.S. political support for the war in Afghanistan in coming months comparable to the one that occurred in the Iraq War in late 2006. On Thursday, McChrystal’s message that his strategy will weaken the Taliban in its heartland took its worst beating thus far, … Continue reading “McChrystal Faces ‘Iraq 2006 Moment’ in Afghanistan”

CIA Drone Operators Oppose Strikes as Helping al-Qaeda

Some CIA officers involved in the agency’s drone strikes program in Pakistan and elsewhere are privately expressing their opposition to the program within the agency, because it is helping al-Qaeda and its allies recruit, according to a retired military officer in contact with them. "Some of the CIA operators are concerned that, because of its … Continue reading “CIA Drone Operators Oppose Strikes as Helping al-Qaeda”

Fuel Swap Shakes Sanctions Draft, Prods US on New Iran Talks

Although the Barack Obama administration continued to dismiss the May 17 Iranian fuel swap agreement Friday, there are indications that Iran’s move has shaken the agreement among U.N. Security Council members on sanctions, and is bringing Russian diplomatic pressure on the United States to participate in new talks with Iran on the swap arrangement – … Continue reading “Fuel Swap Shakes Sanctions Draft, Prods US on New Iran Talks”

McChrystal Strategy Shifts to Raids – and Wali Karzai

Gen. Stanley McChrystal’s team once talked openly about the need to remove Ahmed Wali Karzai, Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s brother and the most powerful man in Kandahar, from power. Last October, as reports of Wali Karzai’s role in the opium trade were circulating, McChrystal’s intelligence chief Gen. Michael T. Flynn said, “If we are going … Continue reading “McChrystal Strategy Shifts to Raids – and Wali Karzai”

US Says Only Reason for Talks with Iran Is Enrichment Halt

The agreement on draft Security Council resolution sanctions against Iran has grabbed the headlines on the Barack Obama administration’s response to Iran’s nuclear swap proposal brokered by Turkey and Brazil. But the more consequential response is the acknowledgement by the U.S. State Department Monday that the administration is not willing to hold talks with Iran … Continue reading “US Says Only Reason for Talks with Iran Is Enrichment Halt”

Obama, Karzai Still Split on Peace Talks with Taliban

U.S. President Barack Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai sought to portray a united front on the issue of a political settlement with the Taliban in their joint press conference Wednesday. But their comments underlined the deep rift that divides Karzai and the United States over the issue. Karzai obtained Obama’s approval for the peace … Continue reading “Obama, Karzai Still Split on Peace Talks with Taliban”

Pentagon Doubts Grow on McChrystal War Plan

Although Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal’s plan for wresting the Afghan provinces of Helmand and Kandahar from the Taliban is still in its early stages of implementation, there are already signs that setbacks and obstacles it has encountered have raised serious doubts among top military officials in Washington about whether the plan is going to work. … Continue reading “Pentagon Doubts Grow on McChrystal War Plan”

Pentagon Map Shows Wide Taliban Zone in the South

The Pentagon was still trying to spin its report on the war in Afghanistan issued this week as holding out hope because the instability had leveled off, even as some news outlets were noting that it documents the continued expansion of Taliban capabilities and operations. The most significant revelation in the report, however, is that … Continue reading “Pentagon Map Shows Wide Taliban Zone in the South”