Wikileaks is publishing internal memos of the Stratfor security analysis firm. A few tidbits have emerged in these very early days, to wit: 1. Up to 12 Pakistani active-duty and retired officers from the Inter-Services Intelligence agency knew that Usama Bin Laden was in Abbottabad and were in regular contact with him. The Pakistani chief […]
Archives for February 2012
Israel – Iran Military Comparison
With all the hooplah about a possible Israeli attack on Iran (which I view as rather unlikely), it is worthwhile revisiting the issue of how weak and how much of a nothing the Iranian military is compared to powerhouse Israel. Statistics mostly 2011 from Global Firepower. Note that some comparisons are invidious, as with Israeli […]
Romney’s “Across the Board” Tax Cuts benefit the Super-Rich
In his acceptance speech for his primary victories in Arizona and Michigan, Mitt Romney repeated his pledges to cut taxes 20 percent “across the board” and to balance the Federal budget at the same time as creating jobs and promoting economic recovery. You don’t have to have had Economics 101 to know that Mitt Romney […]
Tomgram: Engelhardt and Turse, The End in Afghanistan?
You would have to be blind not to notice that the American effort in Afghanistan is heading into the tank…
Omar Khayyam (46)
Khayyam, why do you beat yourself up over your lapses? What’s the profit or loss in regret? Whoever hasn’t sinned can’t be forgiven. Forgiveness came for sinning– why drown in remorse? Translated by Juan Cole from Whinfield 46
Top Ten Differences Between Rick Santorum and JFK
Rick Santorum said Monday that when he first heard John F. Kennedy’s speech on religion and politics, it made him want to puke. Santorum misrepresented what Kennedy said, of course. Kennedy welcomed the participation of religious people in American public life. Santorum is a secret dominionist, desiring a takeover of the US by rightwing religion, […]
Fresh evidence of CIA civilian deaths in Pakistan revealed: Jones
Two new investigations confirm ongoing CIA civilian deaths in Pakistan.
Omar Khayyam (4)
Man of the cloth, do me a favor. Take a deep beath and do God’s work for us. We’re on the straight path, but you see crookedly. Go heal your eyes and leave us alone. Translated by Juan Cole from Whinfield 4
Qur’an-burning Protests Spread, Santorum calls Obama Weak for Apologizing
The protests in Afghanistan over the burning of old copies of the Qur’an, the Muslim holy book, by the US military at Bagram Base in Afghanistan, continued this weekend, with new violence. This volatile situation, in which US troops are being wounded or killed, explains Presidnt Obama’s apology for the mishandling of the Qur’an. In […]