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Archives: November 2008
India: Please Don’t Go Down the Bush- Cheney Road
Many Indians have called the attacks in Mumbai "India's 9/11." As an American who lived in India, I can feel that country's anguish over these horrific and indiscriminate acts of terror.Most Indian…Aljazeera English on the Aftermath of the Mumbai Attacks
Aljazeera English interviews victims of the Mumbai attacks in hospital, several of them Muslims.Aljazeera English also reports on the reaction in Pakistan to the Mumbai events, both on the part of Foreign…Aljazeera English on the Aftermath of the Mumbai Attacks
Aljazeera English interviews victims of the Mumbai attacks in hospital, several of them Muslims.Aljazeera English also reports on the reaction in Pakistan to the Mumbai events, both on the part of Foreign…12 Killed in Mosque Bombing; Controversy Rages over Security Pact
A suicide bomber detonated his payload outside a mosque in the largely Shiite town of Musayyib on Friday, killing 12 and wounding 23. Musayyib is in Babil province, and the US turned…12 Killed in Mosque Bombing; Controversy Rages over Security Pact
A suicide bomber detonated his payload outside a mosque in the largely Shiite town of Musayyib on Friday, killing 12 and wounding 23. Musayyib is in Babil province, and the US turned…Mumbai Attacks and Indian Economy
Aljazeera English reports on the potential economic impact of the Mumbai attacks.I don't think there are long-term economic implications of the attack as long as Mumbai authorities put in basic security in…Mumbai Attacks and Indian Economy
Aljazeera English reports on the potential economic impact of the Mumbai attacks.I don't think there are long-term economic implications of the attack as long as Mumbai authorities put in basic security in…Passage of Security Pact Strengthens al-Maliki; Provides Obama with Strong Partner in Withdrawal
Al-Hayat reports in Arabic that 149 MPs out of 198 in attendance voted for the security pact, including the three major blocs, the (Shiite) United Iraqi Alliance, the Kurdistan Alliance, and the…Passage of Security Pact Strengthens al-Maliki; Provides Obama with Strong Partner in Withdrawal
Al-Hayat reports in Arabic that 149 MPs out of 198 in attendance voted for the security pact, including the three major blocs, the (Shiite) United Iraqi Alliance, the Kurdistan Alliance, and the…Iranian Radio Says Referendum Will Arm Iraqi Officials Against US ‘Pressures’
The USG Open Source Center translates a radio broadcast from The Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran praising the passage of the Security Agreement between Iraq and the US by the…Iranian Radio Says Referendum Will Arm Iraqi Officials Against US ‘Pressures’
The USG Open Source Center translates a radio broadcast from The Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran praising the passage of the Security Agreement between Iraq and the US by the…Security Agreement is Passed by the Iraqi Parliament
Reuters reports that the Iraqi parliament passed the US-Iraqi security agreement, which stipulates that all US troops will be out of Iraq by 2011. of 275 members of parliament, 198 attended and…Security Agreement is Passed by the Iraqi Parliament
Reuters reports that the Iraqi parliament passed the US-Iraqi security agreement, which stipulates that all US troops will be out of Iraq by 2011. of 275 members of parliament, 198 attended and…Obama Condemns Mumbai Attacks; Bloggers Finger Lashkar-e Tayiba; Pakistan Pledges Support
The terrorist attacks that have left some 100 persons dead and 250 wounded in Mumbai (Bombay), India, caused President-Elect Barack Obama to express his support for the people of India. The Press…Obama Condemns Mumbai Attacks; Bloggers Finger Lashkar-e Tayiba; Pakistan Pledges Support
The terrorist attacks that have left some 100 persons dead and 250 wounded in Mumbai (Bombay), India, caused President-Elect Barack Obama to express his support for the people of India. The Press…Voting on Security Agreement Postponed
The Iraqi parliament did not take up with security agreement on Wednesday, delaying the vote until at least Thursday. The ruling clique is negotiating with the largest Sunni Arab coalition, the Iraqi…Voting on Security Agreement Postponed
The Iraqi parliament did not take up with security agreement on Wednesday, delaying the vote until at least Thursday. The ruling clique is negotiating with the largest Sunni Arab coalition, the Iraqi…Queen Rania’s Top Ten List
Queen Rania of Jordan has for some time had her own channel on youtube and has done a number of broadcasts attempting to clarify the reality of Islam, to present a modernist…Terrorist atttacks in Mumbai
Coordinated attacks have been launched in Mumbai (Bombay) on tourist hotels and sites, leaving over a dozen dead. Some of the attacks were with machine guns, others with bombs. Two of the…2 GIs Killed, 2 Wounded; Bush Has own Interpretation of Security Agreement; 2/3s of Iraqis below the Poverty Line
A US soldier and a Marine were shot to death and two Marines were wounded in the northern Iraqi province of Ninevah on Tuesday, and the same attack killed 3 civilians. At…Afghans fear Lack of Food Aid; Resent Corruption; Pakistan Abolishes Civilian Wing of ISI
Aljazeera English reports on Afghan fears that foreign aid won't reach them: Pervasive corruption is also deeply angering the AFghan public. Meanwhile, the Pakistan chief of staff, Ashfaq Kiyani, has abolished the…20 Killed in Baghdad Bombings; Al-Maliki New Strong Man?
Three bombings in Baghdad on Monday left some 20 persons dead and many others injured. One bomb targeted a mini-bus with female Iraqi government employees on it. A woman suicide bomber detonated…Obama: More Aid, Troops for Afghanistan; Stewart: Don’t Put in More Troops
President-Elect Barack Obama talked to Afghan President Hamid Karzai by telephone on Saturday. Late that day, Karzai's office issued a statement about the conversation: ' "Obama said America will increase its commitment…Wertheim: There is Racism and There is Racism II
Anne-Ruth Wertheim writes in a guest op-ed for IC: After I wrote my article “There is Racism and There is Racism’’, I received quite a few often very emotional reactions. At the…Bush and Rant on Red Sea Piracy
Piracy by Somali pirates in the Red Sea region threatens to reduce world trade through the Suez Canal by about a third, and could raise petroleum prices again if the smaller oil…SOFA Vote Set for Wednesday;
The Iraqi parliament has postponed its vote on the proposed US-Iraq security pact from Monday to Wednesday. MPs had complained that there were not given enough time to study its provisions. It…Wertheim: There is Racism and There is Racism-I
A new kind of racism is gradually emerging in the Netherlands. Not the classical contempt for others, but a cultural racism of distrust and fear. In an ad in de Volkskrant, a…Sevilla: Survivor Corps Supports Returning Troops and their Families!
Dani Sevilla writes in a guest op-ed for IC:Within the United States there are over one and a half million service members that have served in military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.…Thousands Demonstrate Against US Security Pact; MPs Said to Receive Death Threats
McClatchy reports that tens of thousands of protesters came out against the US-Iraqi security agreement on Friday, mainly Shiites of the Sadr Movement. Parliamentarians who favor the pact, such as Hadi al-Amiri…Afghanistan: Green Energy?
The US is helping put wind turbines into the Panjshir Valley to help Afghanistan with alternative energy. Aljazeera English asks if it is really working, and who would benefit:Iran: Seven Faces of a Civilization
Check out the video: Iran, Seven Faces of a Civilization. 'Beyond the gate of time lies a civilization with seven thousand years of celebrated heritage.A cradle of civilization a tolerant world empire…Iran: Seven Faces of a Civilization
Check out the video: Iran, Seven Faces of a Civilization. 'Beyond the gate of time lies a civilization with seven thousand years of celebrated heritage.A cradle of civilization a tolerant world empire…Dubai: Party on, Dude
Even though Dubai's boom has turned to bust, the emirate known for its gaudy exuberance, which comedian Jon Stewart once called 'what happens when Saudi Arabia and Las Vegas have a baby,'…35 Wounded in Mosul Car Bombing; Sistani Upbraids MPs; Al-Maliki Threatens to Resign
The Iraq War is still hot in the northern city of Mosul (pop. 1.7 mn.) , where 10-12 car bombs still are detonated every day. On Thursday, McClatchy reports, "A suicide car…Joint Experts’ Statement on Iran
Below is a statement on Iran that I and others are hoping will be adopted in Washington as a way forward. Any of my readers who has a way of getting this…Zawahiri: Obama is the anti-Malcolm X
Ayman al-Zawahiri attacked Barack Obama in a video released on the internet on Tuesday. Fox News reprinted the whole transcript here. I'm a little bit confused by this step, since I thought…Parliament Session on Security Agreement Interrupted by Altercation
Al-Zaman reports in Arabic that the Iraq parliament's Committee on Security and Defense voted in favor of the Iraqi-US security agreement. That committee is headed by Hadi al-Amiri, the leader of the…Security Agreement Requires all US Troops Out of Iraq by 2011; Blocs in Parliament Maneuver to Defeat It
McClatchy has published an English translation of the draft security agreement between the Iraqi government and the Bush administration.Leila Fadel of McClatchy's reads the agreement as calling for all US troops to…Ghoul’s Glossary: Vice President
Vice President: n. Political chief in charge of committing vice. The official can fulfill his public duties by committing a wide range of sins or crimes, including murder and treason (see Burr,…Is al-Maliki Creating a Personal Militia in Iraq?
The USG Open Source Center translates an article from the Kurdish press complaining that Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has been busily creating his own tribally based private militias, called 'Isnad,' and is…Bakshi: Is No News Really Good News?: On the road to peace between Israel and Palestine
Gitanjali Bakshi writes in a guest op-ed for IC:After months of slow but substantive progress, recent developments in Occupied Palestine, Israel and the U.S. have been largely unproductive. If we continue along…Daily Beast
Check out the terrific new politics and news site The Daily Beast.Iran’s Sudden Support for Iraq-US Security Pact
Omid Memarian explains Iran's turnaround on the Iraqi-US security agreement, which it was rejecting only last month: 'Obama's victory disarms leaders such as Ahmadinejad, who for decades have used inefficient American foreign…Somali Pirates Take Saudi Tanker
Somali pirates have hijacked a Saudi oil super-tanker off the coast of Kenya and are steering it toward a Somali port. SomaliaRiyadhIs Obama Wise to Make getting Usamah bin Laden so Central to his Public Policies?
My column at Salon.com is out:"Should Obama chase Osama?On Sunday the president-elect told "60 Minutes" he wants to capture or kill bin Laden. Is he setting himself up for failure?"I argue that…New Regional Struggle between Iran & al-Qaeda?
Some observers are speculating that the abduction of an Iranian diplomat in Peshawar, northern Pakistan, may signal a new conflict between Iran and al-Qaeda or the Taliban.In the growing diplomatic tiff between…New Regional Struggle between Iran & al-Qaeda?
Some observers are speculating that the abduction of an Iranian diplomat in Peshawar, northern Pakistan, may signal a new conflict between Iran and al-Qaeda or the Taliban.In the growing diplomatic tiff between…Taliban: Obama same as Bush
A Taliban suicide bomber detonated his payload at the entrance of a government building in Dand near Qandahar, killing 2 policemen and a civilian. Aljazeera English reports on Taliban activities near Qandahar…Taliban: Obama same as Bush
A Taliban suicide bomber detonated his payload at the entrance of a government building in Dand near Qandahar, killing 2 policemen and a civilian. Aljazeera English reports on Taliban activities near Qandahar…Iraqis View Security Agreement as having a Flexible Timetable
Al-Zaman reports in Arabic that the Iraqi cabinet approved the security agreement between the Bush administration and the Iraqi government. It will now go to the Iraqi parliament, where it will be…Iraqis View Security Agreement as having a Flexible Timetable
Al-Zaman reports in Arabic that the Iraqi cabinet approved the security agreement between the Bush administration and the Iraqi government. It will now go to the Iraqi parliament, where it will be…Obama ‘Commander-in-Chief’ on Fox?
Since Bush was elevated by the Supreme Court in 2000, we've heard Fox Cable News (a failed conspiracy of media billionaire Rupert Murdoch to move the US public to the far right)…Obama ‘Commander-in-Chief’ on Fox?
Since Bush was elevated by the Supreme Court in 2000, we've heard Fox Cable News (a failed conspiracy of media billionaire Rupert Murdoch to move the US public to the far right)…Afghan article says US Bin-Ladin hunt phoney
The USG Open Source Center translates an article from the Persian Afghan press alleging that French troops were at one point close to capturing Usamah Bin Ladin in Afghanistan, but that American…Afghan article says US Bin-Ladin hunt phoney
The USG Open Source Center translates an article from the Persian Afghan press alleging that French troops were at one point close to capturing Usamah Bin Ladin in Afghanistan, but that American…A Quantum of Anti-Imperialism
The reviews of director Marc Forster's "Quantum of Solace" have complained about the film's hectic pace (reminiscent of Doug Liman's and Paul Greengrass's Bourne thrillers), about the humorlessness of Daniel Craig's Bond,…A Quantum of Anti-Imperialism
The reviews of director Marc Forster's "Quantum of Solace" have complained about the film's hectic pace (reminiscent of Doug Liman's and Paul Greengrass's Bourne thrillers), about the humorlessness of Daniel Craig's Bond,…Obama on Economic Crisis
President-Elect Obama addresses the nation on the economic crisisThe thing that worries me most is that Bush is still making policy. It should be remembered that the banks failed and produced a…Obama on Economic Crisis
President-Elect Obama addresses the nation on the economic crisisThe thing that worries me most is that Bush is still making policy. It should be remembered that the banks failed and produced a…Transfer $5000 and Bush Likes to Watch
Maybe this is the reason the Bush administration illegally spied on Elliot Spitzer's bank transfers despite lack of any evidence he was doing anything wrong?Emanuel Apologizes to Arab-Americans; Israel Blocks Food, Fuel for Gaza
Prospective White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel called Rose Oakar, the executive director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, to apologize for remarks of his father, Benjamin Emanuel. The elder Emanuel had…Al-Maliki Backs Security Pact; Muqtada Calls for ‘Universal Demonstration’, Threatens Guerrilla Strikes; Sistani Warns he May Intervene;
McClatchy reports that Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has decided to back the draft security agreement between Iraq and the Bush administration. The LAT stresses what al-Maliki did not get from the…Al-Maliki Backs Security Pact; Muqtada Calls for ‘Universal Demonstration’, Threatens Guerrilla Strikes; Sistani Warns he May Intervene;
McClatchy reports that Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has decided to back the draft security agreement between Iraq and the Bush administration. The LAT stresses what al-Maliki did not get from the…
Dubai Goes Bust; Is there a Silver Lining?
IHT reports on the way the economic slowdown is affecting Dubai (which unlike other members of the United Arab Emirates does not have much petroleum). Some citizens of the emirate see the…
How Now Brown Cloud
"Atmospheric brown clouds" stretch from Dubai to Shanghai; they reduce crop yields by blocking sunlight,and contribute to extreme weather that also hurts agriculture. The polluted clouds come from burning fossil fuels. USA…Schneider on Obama and Afghanistan: Bombings in Jalalabad, Qandahar, Kill 27, wound 109; Acid Thrown in Schoolgirls Faces
A suicide car bomber hit a US convoy near the eastern Pushtun city of Jalalabad, killing one US soldier and at least 20 civilians and wounding 67 other persons. Earlier, another suicide…Obama Faces Major Challenge in Afghanistan/ Pakistan
Karen DeYoung of the Washington Post reports that Obama is considering a regional approach to the Afghanistan war that would extend to negotiating with Iran and with "reconcilable" elements of the Taliban.Certainly,…Abnormality Besieges Palestinians
The UN warns that it is running out of food to distribute in Gaza, putting the civilian population there at severe risk, as a direct result of an Israeli food blockade.A food…Standing up for Max Cleland on Veteran’s Day
More on Veterans Day:Someone alerted me to the good work that Survivor Corps is doing for Vets.And, This letter from Iraq Veteran Paul Hackett came to me in the mail on Veterans…
Glantz: Veterans Day, 2008 : Tasks for the Obama Administration
Aaron Glantz writes in a guest op-ed for IC:On Veterans Day, we as a nation pause to honor those who have served their country. Problem is the Bush Administration doesn’t want us…31 Killed by Triple Bombing in Baghdad; Questions about Funding for Iraqi Intelligence
3 bombings in the largely Shiite neighborhood of Kasrah in mostly Sunni Adhamiya on Monday, killing 31 and wounding 71. There are lots of reasons for such an attack, but it is…US Documents on Iran Nukes Forged?
I'm shocked, shocked that allegations are emerging at the International Atomic Energy Agency that US-supplied "documents" from a laptop acquired in 2004 indicating a secret Iranian weapons program were probably forgeries.The IAEA…Al-Maliki to Parliament on Security Agreement: ‘Take it or Leave it’; Provincial Elections Jan. 31; 10 Killed, Dozens Wounded in Attacks
Guerrilla attacks killed 10 persons and wounded dozens on Sunday. Al-Hayat reports in Arabic that the al-Maliki government will in coming months show the draft security agreement it has negotiated with the…Emanuel in 2002: Details of US and Israeli Interests Differ
Prospective Obama White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel has taken a lot of heat in the Middle East and in the left blogosphere because there are fears that he will push…No More Monsters on T.V.
Democrats.com has taken up my call from last week for the television networks to avoid inviting commentary from politicians who are criminals of various sorts. (I hear the snickers; yes, there would…US Military Admits it Killed 37 Civilians
The US military has admitted to having killed 37 civilians during an air raid on militants at Shah Wali Kot in Afghanistan last week.Afghan President Hamid Karzai has called on Barack Obama…Brother Sun
Implementing solar power in the greater Mediterranean, with the Sahara generating Germany's energy, may contribute to Middle East peace.6000 Muslim Clerics Endorse Fatwa against terrorism
Some 6,000 Muslim clerics from around India have endorsed a formal legal ruling or fatwa condemning terrorism. There have been many such endorsements, as I pointed out in 2005 in response to…Palin Attacks Provoked Assassination Plots on Obamas
Unnamed Secret Service field officers have revealed to the press that Sarah Palin's attacks on President-Elect Obama provoked numerous white supremecist assassination plots against him:'The Republican vice presidential candidate attracted criticism for…Ramadi Bombings Kill 8; Shiite Clerics Condemn Draft Security Agreement
Two suicide bombers struck at a village near Ramadi in al-Anbar Province on Saturday, killing 8 and wounding 27.Al-Zaman reports in Arabic that officials in charge of "Operation Impose Law and Order"…Obama and Iran
President-elect Barack Obama said Friday that "Iran's development of a nuclear weapon, I believe is unacceptable. . . Iran's support of terrorist organizations, I think is something that has to cease."What I…Rather on the Broken US News Industry
Dan Rather blames the decline of television news in the US on media consolidation and the corporate bottom line. Rather prescribes greater courage on the part of journalists, but that seems to…Can Obama Get out of Iraq in 16 Months? Bombings Shake Baghdad
The daily bombings in Baghdad that appear to signal a resurgence of the guerrilla movement continued on Thursday, with three bombings in the capital killing 5 persons and wounding dozens. Time asks…Monsters on Television
Paul Krugman, among my favorite political commentators, has spoken forthrightly of how during the past few years we have had "monsters" in office, naming Tom Delay, Karl Rove and Dick Cheney. He…Karzai: President Obama, Stop this Bombing
Afghan President Hamid Karzai called on president-elect Barack Obama to reverse the increasing US and NATO dependence on air strikes to combat anti-government guerrillas. The call came in the wake of reports…Pakistan on Obama: Hope and Trepidation
Pakistan's president, Asaf Ali Zardari, and its prime minister Sayyid Raza Yusuf Gilani, gave a warm welcome to Barack Obama as US president. They recently maneuvered military dictator Pervez Musharraf out of…Celebrating in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arborites celebrated Obama's victory into the wee hours on Nov. 4-5.Natalie Portman on Wars
Padme Amidala makes a statement.The Ordinariness of Revolution
Nabil Al-Tikriti writes in a guest op-ed for IC:All day they came. And came. On this overcast Tuesday wave after wave of “real Americans” quietly queued up in determination to rattle the…
Wouldn’t It Be Nice?
Wouldn't it be nice if Jack, Martin, Bobby, Cesar and Patsy could have been around to see it?"Everybody with Obama" in Middle East; Afghanistan, Iraq Challenges to Confront new President
Mark MacKinnon writes that everybody in the Middle East is with Obama: 'There's yearning across the Middle East - at least outside of Israel and Iraqi Kurdistan - for a new face…The Ghoul’s Glossary: the 2008 Election
Alaska: The only one of the 50 states where secessionists are considered American patriots rather than traitors.Catholic working class: Synonym for "feminist."Communist: 1. A believer in a graduated income tax ("Communists" include…Bombings Target Police, Kill 10; Minorities Awarded Seats in Provincial Councils
A series of bombings in Baghdad and Baquba on Monday killed 10 persons and wounded over 30, including 10 policemen. The powerful blast in Baquba destroyed 22 automobiles. The NYT spoke of…