Survey: Obama Has Real Chance to Change Arab Opinion

President Barack Obama has a major opportunity to improve the mostly negative views about the United States in the Arab world but is likely to have only a short period of time to do so, according to a major new survey of public opinion [.pdf] in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, and the United … Continue reading “Survey: Obama Has Real Chance to Change Arab Opinion”

Pelosi’s Torture Stance Is Pure Partisanship

Somebody call me when Nancy Pelosi gets her story straight. So far, the House speaker’s explanation of what and when she knew about the Bush administration’s policy of torturing suspected terrorists is crookeder than Dick Cheney’s smile. Indeed, it has evolved from a straightforward avowal that, with apologies to Sgt. Schultz from Hogan’s Heroes, she … Continue reading “Pelosi’s Torture Stance Is Pure Partisanship”

Pipelineistan Goes Af-Pak

Back in March, Pepe Escobar, that itchy, edgy global reporter for one of my favorite online publications, Asia Times, began laying out the great, ongoing energy struggle across Eurasia, or what he likes to call Pipelineistan for its web of oil and natural gas pipelines. In his first report, he dealt with the embattled energy … Continue reading “Pipelineistan Goes Af-Pak”