Tag: Iraq

The Myth of a Shia-Sunni/Persian-Arab Confrontation

Is there a Shia crescent threatening the stability of western Asia and northern Africa? Is there a historically coded Arab-Persian enmity driving the international politics of the region? Does it date back centuries, and is it now viewed as a battle for regional supremacy? If we are to believe the media comments on the latest … Continue reading “The Myth of a Shia-Sunni/Persian-Arab Confrontation”

US Influence in Iraq on the Decline

SULAIMANIYA – Iraq’s much-awaited recent power-sharing deal signifies a shift of influence on Iraqi politics away from the U.S. and its regional allies to domestic Iraqi political actors, most notably the Kurds, and eastward to Iran. In a matter of days, Kurdish-initiated talks did what Washington and Tehran and their regional allies could not do … Continue reading “US Influence in Iraq on the Decline”

Formation of New Iraqi Govt Hailed – Tentatively – by US

After an agonizing eight-month delay, the first concrete steps toward the formation of a new coalition Iraqi government were greeted by senior U.S. officials here Thursday as a major advance in stabilizing the long-suffering nation. But independent analysts warned that the power-sharing deal apparently agreed Wednesday night and partially implemented Thursday remained fragile and that … Continue reading “Formation of New Iraqi Govt Hailed – Tentatively – by US”

Can W. Reinvent His Presidency?

As George W. Bush does a rash of media interviews to promote his new book, Decision Points, some people – even his nemesis, hip-hop star Kanye West – have begun to mute their criticisms of his presidency. This is nothing new; as time passes and old wounds heal, the nation’s impression of former presidents – … Continue reading “Can W. Reinvent His Presidency?”

Torture Orders Were Part of US Sectarian War Strategy

The revelation by WikiLeaks of a U.S. military order directing U.S. forces not to investigate cases of torture of detainees by Iraqis has been treated in news reports as yet another case of lack of concern by the U.S. military about detainee abuse. But the deeper significance of the order, which has been missed by … Continue reading “Torture Orders Were Part of US Sectarian War Strategy”

Handicapping the Global Midterms

You can’t turn on the TV news or pick up a paper these days without stumbling across the latest political poll and the pros explaining how to parse it, or some set of commentators, pundits, and reporters placing their bets on the midterm elections. The media, of course, loves a political horse race and, as … Continue reading “Handicapping the Global Midterms”

WikiLeaks Paints Grim Picture of Iraqi Civilian Casualties

Two revelations await the reader of the WikiLeaks section dealing with civilian deaths in the Iraq War: Iraqis are responsible for most of these deaths, and the number of total civilian casualties is substantially higher than has been previously reported. There were numerous gruesome but seemingly isolated events that caught the interest and attention of … Continue reading “WikiLeaks Paints Grim Picture of Iraqi Civilian Casualties”

Bull Feather Merchant Marines

The New York Times continues to serve as headquarters of the Pentagon’s bull feather merchant marines. The headline of an Oct. 20 Times piece by Carlotta Gall on the Kandahar offensive read “Coalition Forces Routing Taliban in Key Afghan Region.” Nothing in the text of the piece supported the conclusion that anything remotely like a … Continue reading “Bull Feather Merchant Marines”

Leaked Report, New Iraqi Alignment Reveal US War Failure

A newly released WikiLeaks document on Iraq and the new political alignment between Moqtada al-Sadr and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki both provide fresh evidence that Gen. David Petraeus’s war against Shi’ite militias in 2007-2008 was a futile exercise. The WikiLeaks document is an intelligence report identifying the Shi’ite commander who Petraeus said was the … Continue reading “Leaked Report, New Iraqi Alignment Reveal US War Failure”