Wednesday: 24 Iraqis, 7 Iranians Wounded

At least 24 Iraqis were wounded in the latest violence. No deaths were reported today, but one attack also left seven Iranians injured. Meanwhile, a Dutchman of Iraqi decent, who was found guilty of planning attacks against U.S. soldiers, had his jail sentence cut short in the Netherlands.

Pipelineistan’s New Silk Road

  Back before e-mail, a world traveler who wanted to keep in touch and couldn’t just pop into the nearest Internet café might drop you a series of postcards from one exotic locale after another. Pepe Escobar, that edgy, peripatetic globe-trotting reporter for one of my favorite on-line publications, Asia Times, has been doing just … Continue reading “Pipelineistan’s New Silk Road”

US Jews Increasingly Hawkish on Iran, Skeptical of Obama

U.S. Jews, who, next to African Americans, have constituted the minority most supportive of Barack Obama, are growing more skeptical of his performance and increasingly hawkish on Iran, according to a new poll released Tuesday by the American Jewish Committee (AJC). The survey of 800 self-identified Jewish Americans, the latest in an annual series that … Continue reading “US Jews Increasingly Hawkish on Iran, Skeptical of Obama”

Obama Imposes New Iran Sanctions as War Chorus Rises

Amid new calls for Washington to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities if its diplomatic efforts at curbing Tehran’s uranium-enrichment program fail, the United States Wednesday imposed unilateral sanctions against eight senior Iranian officials whom it accused of committing "sustained and severe violations of human rights." Announced at a joint press appearance by Secretary of State Hillary … Continue reading “Obama Imposes New Iran Sanctions as War Chorus Rises”

Where Eagles Double-Dog Dare

We’re getting ready to sell $60 billion worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia, largely in the form of F-15 Eagle fighter jets. In other news, we’re getting ready to sell all of our old elephant guns to the Eskimos. The Eskimos will probably get more use out of the elephant guns than the Saudis will … Continue reading “Where Eagles Double-Dog Dare”

Weapons Bizarre

A number of seemingly random news items caught my attention this relatively uneventful weekend, but by the time we get to the end of this column a pattern is bound to emerge: Hypocrisy Watch: Christopher Hitchens, the professional warmonger turned professional atheist, is demanding the Catholic Church be “held accountable” for the crimes of pederastic … Continue reading “Weapons Bizarre”