AntiWar
Growing Elite Opposition to Military Option Against Iran
Like the imminent prospect of one’s hanging, to paraphrase the 18th century British essayist Dr. (Samuel) Johnson, the suddenly looming possibility of war can concentrate the mind wonderfully. If that aphorism didn’t apply in the run-up to the U.S. invasion of Iraq 10 years ago, it appears to be the case now for key sectors [...]
Categories: Politics, World News
Dozens Killed in Baghdad Funeral Attack
A dramatic suicide bombing at a funeral in Baghdad took the lion's share of casualties today. However, across the country, gunmen were able to kill several security personnel. At least 40 Iraqis were killed and 67 more were wounded overall.
Categories: Politics, World News
Top Shi’ite Cleric Asks Iraqiya Party To Return to Parliament; 31 Iraqis Killed in New Attacks
Although there were no massive bombings in Iraq today, insurgents were still able to kill at least 31 Iraqis in new violence. Another 36 people were wounded. The most significant attack occurred south of the capital where bombs killed 10 family members at an intelligence officer's home. Meanwhile, one of Iraq's top clerics asked the Iraqiya party to return to parliament.
Categories: Politics, World News
US Probe of Border Attack Hardened Pakistani Suspicions
The Pakistani military leadership’s response to the U.S. report on its helicopter attack on two Pakistani border posts Nov. 26 assailed the credibility of the investigation by Air Force Brig. Gen. Steven Clark and expressed doubt that the attack could have been “accidental.” The long-expected rejoinder, made public Monday, charged that 28 of its soldiers [...]
Categories: Politics, World News
US, Israel Agree: Iran Not Building Nukes
Has Iran decided to build a nuclear bomb? That would seem to be the central question in the current bellicose debate over whether the world should simply cripple Iran’s economy and inflict severe pain on its civilian population or launch a preemptive war to destroy its nuclear capability while possibly achieving “regime change.” And if [...]
Categories: Politics, World News
No Muss, No Fuss, No More Habeas Corpus
Lest there be any confusion about where Mitt Romney stands currently on the domestic police-state issue, know this: he likes it. Romney cheered the controversial indefinite detention portion of the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) during the Jan. 16 Fox News debate in Myrtle Beach, S.C. “Yes, I would have,” said Romney when asked [...]
Categories: Politics, World News
Avoiding a ‘Dumb War’ With Iran
The media and the punditry have been deliberately misrepresenting facts to persuade the people of the United States to start another war, not unlike in the lead-up to the Iraq fiasco. Since 9/11, hard-liners in the United States have depicted one Muslim country after another as major threats to U.S. security. They have justified attacks [...]
Categories: Politics, World News
Nine Dead Across Iraq
At least nine Iraqis were killed and six more were wounded in light violence, only a day after significant bloodshed was seen across Iraq. The worst of the violence took place in the northern cities of Mosul and Kirkuk.
Categories: Politics, World News
Democratization: Indigenous Beats Imported
Despite George W. Bush’s and Barack Obama’s efforts to topple foreign dictators and use military power to forcefully impose democracy from without, democracy usually works better if it bubbles up from below by popular desire. In Iraq, even before U.S. forces had withdrawn, Shi’ite President Nouri al-Maliki was taking the country back toward dictatorship. Now [...]
Categories: Politics, World News
Israeli Assassinations and American Presidents
On Jan. 13 the Atlanta Jewish Times featured a column by its owner-publisher suggesting that Israel might someday need to “order a hit” on the president of the United States. In the column, publisher Andrew Adler describes a scenario in which Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu would need to “give the go-ahead for U.S.-based Mossad agents [...]
Categories: Politics, World News
Confessions of a Recovering Weapons Addict
The 21st century hasn’t exactly been America’s greatest moment. Still, there remain winners, along with all the losers you might care to mention. If, in fact, you were to sum up the first decade-plus of the next “American Century” in manufacturing terms, you might say that — Steve Jobs aside — this country has mainly [...]
Categories: Politics, World News
Adelson, Gingrich, and the Selling of America
If you want to know what’s wrong with our campaign finance laws – and our political system in a more general sense – look at the way Sheldon Adelson is buying the Republican nomination for his sock puppet, Newt Gingrich. Right now, the anonymous donors to a political action committee, or PAC, can buy ads [...]
Categories: Politics, World News
Iraq Attacks: 34 Killed, 109 Wounded
A series of bombs targeting Shi'ite neighborhoods in Baghdad left behind dozens of casualties. However, there was an unusually large number of smaller attacks across the country as well. This often happens when there is a significant attack or attacks in the capital, as overseas attention is focused back on Iraq. Overall, at least 34 Iraqis were killed and 109 more were wounded in thes violence.
Categories: Politics, World News
Jack Murtha and the Ghosts of Haditha
Nearly two years ago on Feb. 8, 2010, Rep. Jack Murtha, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, who was also a Marine Corps Vietnam Veteran, died of complications from gall bladder surgery. In what is probably a first in modern Congressional history, his untimely death was greeted ghoulishly in certain unseemly sectors with cheers and jeers. Rep. [...]
Categories: Politics, World News
Avoiding a Catastrophic War With Iran
Pray cooler heads will guide America in the dialogue and decision-making over Iran’s position in the world. Iran does not have nuclear weapons, and there is no certain evidence that such a program is under way. Certainly Iran has the right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and the interests of world peace demand [...]
Categories: Politics, World News
Stop Internet Censorship
Listen to Rep. Ron Paul deliver this address. Although Congress was back in session for scarcely more than a day last week, private citizens across the country managed to cause an uproar felt across Capitol Hill. The uproar took the form of hundreds of thousands of phone calls to both senators and representatives, urging them [...]
Categories: Politics, World News
Hashemi: If Maliki Resigns, I Will Go To Baghdad Court
Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi has offered to return to Baghdad to appear before a judiciary there, but only if Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki resigns his post first. Meanwhile, at least 10 Iraqis were killed and 15 more were wounded in new attacks.
Categories: Politics, World News
Israel Needs Blockbusters
“Israel has no foreign policy, only a domestic policy,” Henry Kissinger once remarked. This has probably been more or less true of every country since the advent of democracy. Yet in Israel, this seems even truer. (Ironically, it could almost be said that the United States has no foreign policy, only an Israeli domestic policy.) [...]
Categories: Politics, World News
