Hollow Victory

By John Mearsheimer

According to the Republicans, the United States is once again at the crossroads of losing another critical war because of feckless Democrats. Only this time it's Afghanistan. Continue

Breaking the Australian Silence

By John Pilger

In a speech at the Sydney Opera House to mark his award of Australia's human rights prize, the Sydney Peace Prize, John Pilger describes the "unique features" of a political silence in Australia: how it affects the national life of his homeland and the way Australians see the world and are manipulated by great power "which speaks through an invisible government of propaganda". Continue

The Evil Empire

By Paul Craig Roberts

Obama’s credibility is shot. And so is Congress’s, assuming it ever had any. The US House of Representatives has just voted to show the entire world that the US House of Representatives is nothing but the servile, venal, puppet of the Israel Lobby. Continue

U.N. Affirms Israeli-Hamas War Crimes Report

By Thalif Deen

The report, which was favourably voted by the 47-member Human Rights Council in Geneva last month, received overwhelming support Thursday in the 192-member General Assembly. The vote was 114 in favour and 18 against, with 44 abstentions. The 18 countries that voted against the resolution included the United States, Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Israel. Continue

Goldstone and Gaza

By Jimmy Carter

Knowing of the ability of Israeli forces, often using U.S. weapons, to strike targets with pinpoint accuracy, it was difficult to understand or explain the destruction of hospitals, schools, prisons, United Nations facilities, small factories and repair shops, agricultural processing plants and almost 40,000 homes. Continue

The Real Intelligence Failure

By Philip Giraldi

United States intelligence agencies, most notably the CIA, have failed to appreciate that both the Cold War and the so-called Global War on Terror were fought in error against enemies that were deliberately distorted and magnified to create fear. Continue

Horror at Fort Hood Inspires Horribly Predictable Islamophobia

By John Nichols

Because a soldier identified as the gunman had a name that led to the presumption that he was Muslim, the incident inspired an all-too-predictable outbreak of Islamophobia. Continue

Can You Hear Us Now?

By David Michael Green

Where we go from here could be very, very ugly. The GOP right now is in the process of alienating and crushing every last scrap of moderately sensible politics from within its ranks. Continue

Credit Card Firms Hurry to Raise Rates

Some top 30% as new rules loom

By Megan Woolhouse

Credit card companies are rushing to increase interest rates to historic highs of more than 30 percent, cut credit limits, and add new fees, even for customers who pay their bills on time. Continue

Nine civilians, US occupation force soldier killed in Afghanistan: An overnight airstrike by international forces killed nine civilians, including three children, said villagers on Thursday. Afghan authorities said they had no reports of civilian deaths.

Three occupation force soldiers killed in Afghan attacks: Two US soldiers were among those who died in the attacks, which took place in the south of the country on Thursday, ISAF said, without giving details of the third victim.

Two NATO-Led Force Members Missing in Afghanistan: The Taliban later said they are holding the soldiers’ bodies, the British Broadcasting Corp. said, citing Reuters.

Taliban: 'We've Got Drowned Troops' Bodies': The claim comes as Nato revealed a manhunt was under way to find two Nato troops missing in western Afghanistan since Wednesday.

US Fed Up With Troops Dying to Prop Up Karzai: It seems that Hamid Karzai just can't be trusted on his own.

Rep. Eric Massa calls for a conclusion to the war in Afghanistan: On the 2950th day of the War in Afghanistan, Rep. Eric Massa went to the floor of the House of Representatives and called for an end.

Australia: No more troops, Faulkner tells US: Australia has made it clear to the US it is not in a position to increase troop or training commitments in Afghanistan if the Obama Administration decides to add to its troop levels in response to General Stanley McChrystal's report, the Defence Minister, John Faulkner, said in Washington.

Powerful Afghan Governor Challenges President: Defiant Former Warlord With Popular Backing and Armed Supporters Demands a Say for Karzai's Defeated Rival Abdullah

Afghan war 'controls immigration': Removing troops from Afghanistan would "significantly increase" the number of asylum seekers coming to the UK, the immigration minister has said.

Pakistan: Seven militants killed in fresh South Waziristan clashes: The Pakistani army has reached the strategically crucial Taliban stronghold of Makeen, Pakistani daily DawnNews reported on Friday. As battles continued across South Waziristan, the Pakistani army claimed to have killed seven militants in clashes around Ladha and Sararogha.

Pakistan: Two suspected suicide bombers killed in Mansehra: On a tip off, police was deployed at the entry point to Balakot, SHO Balakot police Khursheed Khan told DawnNews. When a suspected car entering the district was intercepted, the bombers present in it opened fire, Khan said.

Pakistan army 'storms Taliban town': The operation in South Waziristan, the main Taliban and al-Qaeda sanctuary in Pakistan, has sparked a wave of retaliatory attacks that have killed about 300 civilians and troops in the past month.

Mukhtar hints at military operation in N Waziristan: A military operation will also be conducted in North Waziristan after the completion of Operation Rah-e-Nijat, Defence Minister Ahmad Mukhtar said on Thursday.

Fort Hood shooting update: Suspect Nidal Hassan is alive, stable: Of course, the wingnuts -- led by Michelle Malkin and Pam Geller -- are going ape in their campaign to paint this as a terrorist attack by a Muslim jihadi.

Investigators seek motive for base massacre: An Army psychiatrist suspected of opening fire on fellow soldiers at Fort Hood cleaned out his apartment in the days before the rampage that left 13 people dead, a neighbor said Friday.

Counter-terror plans will be revised to reflect Fort Hood and Afghan attacks: A soldier turning on his comrades at Fort Hood, an Afghan policeman killing the British soldiers who trained him - two uncannily similar events in two days, but incidents which, across the Western world, security authorities have been planning for and dreading.

Religious outrage over Iraqi MP expenses: Religious outrage over Iraqi MP expenses: Iraq's presidential council, which normally rubber stamps legislation, earlier this week said it twice opposed moves by MPs to secure the perks but had been powerless to stop the law from passing at its third reading.

Deputy FM: Israel threat to attack Iran is not bluff: Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon has said that Israel is not bluffing in its threats to take military action against Iran's contentious nuclear program, in remarks broadcast Friday on Sky News.

Manufacturing Consent For Attack On Iran: Iran tested advanced nuclear warhead design – secret report: : Watchdog fears Tehran has key component to put bombs in missiles

IAEA: We found 'nothing to worry about' at secret Iran nuke site: Mohammed ElBaradei also told the New York Times that he was examining possible compromises to unblock a draft nuclear cooperation deal between Iran and three major powers that has floundered over Iranian objections.

Iran cleric: IAEA obligated to supply Iran nuclear fuel: The United Nations nuclear watchdog is legally obliged to provide Iran with nuclear fuel for its research reactor without setting any conditions, a "hardline" Iranian cleric told worshippers on Friday.

Lieberman satisfied with UN vote on Goldstone war crimes report: "On the whole, we are satisfied with the fact that 18 countries, which are a moral majority, supported Israel's stance and 44 abstained and did not vote with the automatic majority," he said.

Report: U.S. stopped Israel from attacking ship: Hezbollah has vehemently denied any link to the weapons and denounced "Israeli piracy" in international waters.

Supporters urge Abbas to run again: "I have told our brethren in the PLO [Palestine Liberation Organisation] ... that I have no desire to run in the forthcoming election," he said in a speech broadcast live from his headquarters in Ramallah on Thursday.

Zelaya: Power-sharing deal dead: : Honduras's deposed president says that a US-brokered agreement has failed to end the country's political crisis. Manuel Zelaya made the announcement on Friday after a deadline for forming a unity government passed.

U.S. Unemployment Rate Hits 10.2%, Highest in 26 Years: “The guy on the street is going to ask, ‘What recovery?’ ” said Stuart G. Hoffman, chief economist at the PNC Financial Services Group in Pittsburgh. “The job market is still in reverse.”

Obama signs bill to extend unemployment benefits: It doesn’t help people who will run out of benefits in 2010 – though Congress is expected to come back and pass legislation this year that extends that eligibility window into next year.

Fannie Mae seeks $15B more in government aid after 3Q loss: The government-controlled company continued to see a dramatic surge of borrowers fall behind as the unemployment rate climbs. At the end of last month, about 4.7% of Fannie Mae's borrowers had missed at least three payments. That's nearly triple last year's level.

November 05, 2009

Former UK Ambassador: CIA Sent People to be ‘Raped with Broken Bottles’

By Daniel Tencer

The CIA relied on intelligence based on torture in prisons in Uzbekistan, a place where widespread torture practices include raping suspects with broken bottles and boiling them alive, says a former British ambassador to the central Asian country. Continue

EXCLUSIVE: Convicted CIA Spy Says "We Broke the Law"

By MATTHEW COLE, AVNI PATEL, and BRIAN ROSS

Sabrina deSousa Says U.S. "Betrayed" Her and Others Found Guilty in Kidnapping of Muslim Cleric in Italy. Continue

America's New Crusader Castles

By Simon Tisdall

Across the Middle East, the US is building heavily fortified embassies which cut off diplomats and create hostilities. Continue

Truth, Human Dignity and the Goldstone Report

How Your Representative Voted

By Congressman Dennis Kucinich

“Today we journey from Operation Cast Lead to Operation Cast Doubt. Almost as serious as committing war crimes is covering up war crimes, pretending that war crimes were never committed and did not exist. Continue

Bipartisan Attack on International Humanitarian Law

By Stephen Zunes

Since this report documented apparent war crimes by a key U.S. ally, however, Congress has taken the unprecedented action of passing a resolution condemning it. Perhaps most ominously, the resolution also endorses Israel's right to attack Syria and Iran on the grounds that they are "state sponsors of terrorism." Continue

Pornographic Past vs Murderous Present

By Gilad Atzmon

“Why would any writer make up stories about the Holocaust?” Continue

Zionism’s Version of History

This is a must watch - By Norman Finkelstein

The reason why Finkelstein is vilified by Jewish supporters of Israel right or wrong can be simply stated. In his writing and public speaking, as in his doctoral thesis, he is committed to exposing books which present Zionism’s version of history. They are, he writes and says, part of a “monumental hoax”, “fraud” and “nonsense”. Continue

Shut Down This Murderous Racket

Change We Need and Crave

By Matt Reichel

Al Capone is awake in his grave in awe at the criminal racket promulgated by the health care industry: a murderous multi-billion dollar industry that keeps the world’s Superpower in the sociological Stone Age. Continue

At least 40 killed as Saudi jets bomb Yemen: : Saudi officials as saying that the air force had attacked fighters who had seized a border area, killing about 40 Houthis.

Iran Arabic channel taken off air: Al-Alam's coverage of the war in Yemen including statements from the rebels accusing Saudi Arabia of involvement may also have angered Riyadh, analysts say

33 killed in Pakistan's tribal area operation: At least 28" militants" were killed and five others apprehended during ongoing military operations in Pakistan's South Waziristan tribal area in the last 24 hours, an army statement said Thursday.

US Kills 4 In Pakistan: : According to sources, the identity of the injured and killed persons has yet to be ascertained but the wounded men have been rushed to hospital for treatment, the private channel GEO News reported.

More than dozen civilians, one US occupation force soldier killed in Afghanistan: In the southern province of Helmand, villagers brought the bodies of nine civilians to Lashkargah, the capital, claiming they had been killed by a mortar round from occupation forces.

Afghanistan: Children among 9 civilians killed by occupation forces: : Artillery and mortar shelling by the NATO-led international troops killed nine civilians including three children in southern Afghanistan, locals said, quoted by Afghan news agency Pajhwok on Thursday.

British occupation force soldier killed by explosion in Afghanistan: The serviceman, who has not yet been named, was killed in an explosion near Sangin in central Helmand province this morning. His family have been informed.

UN to evacuate staff in Afghanistan: About 600 non-essential workers to be moved temporarily while safer housing is found

Karzai 'corrupt' but 'our guy', French FM tells NYT: “Karzai is corrupt, O.K.,” Mr. Kouchner said, but corruption is endemic in Afghanistan and “he is our guy,” despite being weakened by the recent election marked by fraud. “We have to legitimize him”

US 'spending money to reach Taliban': Washington is ready to spend a huge sum of money to start talks with the Taliban in Afghanistan, a former Pakistani lawmaker says.

Iraq: Two US occupation force soldiers killed in separate incidents: Two American soldiers have been killed in Iraq in separate incidents, the US army said on Thursday. Both soldiers died on Wednesday

Iraq Misses Deadline on Election Law: Iraqi lawmakers failed Thursday to pass an election law, heightening uncertainty over whether next year's parliamentary polls will be delayed.

ElBaradei warns against any Israeli attack on Iran: ElBaradei said he was convinced the Iranians were prepared at one point to stop their enrichment program but that the previous US administration and the European powers missed an opportunity to end the standoff by imposing conditions on Iran that were "impossible to accept".

U.S. dodges UN debate on Goldstone Gaza war crimes report: The United States on Wednesday openly eschewed a United Nations General Assembly debate on a resolution that would call on Israel and the Palestinians to investigate charges of war crimes during the Gaza war detailed in the Goldstone Commission's report.

Israel and Gaza Deserve Better than a Misguided Resolution : Congressman Brian Baird : What will it say about this Congress and our country if we so readily seek to block "any further consideration" of a human rights investigation produced by one of the most respected jurists in the world today: - In my judgment, far from meriting the obstruction called for in H.Res. 867, the Goldstone report is without question worthy of further investigation.

Gideon Levy: The IDF is pushing the media - and Israel - into a war dance: Every few weeks you have to sow fear, every few months you need to make threats, and once every year or two you have to have another little war.

Abbas 'not to seek re-election': Mahmoud Abbas, who heads the Fatah faction in the West Bank, will give a speech later on Thursday explaining his decision not to run.

Palestinian aides: Abbas will not seek re-election: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Thursday he will not seek re-election in a January ballot because of the lack of progress in peace talks with Israel, Palestinian officials said.

UN report finds no evidence of arms smuggling to Lebanon: In the report, Ban wrote that the Lebanese government had not informed the UN of a single incident of weapons smuggling to its territory, whether by land, sea or air.

Honduras de facto leader 'to quit': The panel overseeing a deal to end the four month political crisis in Honduras has said that Roberto Micheletti, the country's interim president, will stand down although it has not given details as to when.

Deal or no deal in Honduras: But the ink was barely dry on the accord when leaders of the coup regime indicated that they had no intention of honouring it. Some of them clearly saw the agreement as just another delaying tactic

The Real Winner in Honduras: The United States?: The US also likely secures another puppet in the region who will be opposed to the progressive social, economic and political reforms being articulated and demanded by the country’s social movements.

November 04, 2009

Italian Court Sentences 23 CIA Agents Over Rendition Flight

By Richard Owen in Rome

The Americans were all tried in absentia, but the verdicts were nevertheless hailed by human rights campaigners as an important victory that could open the way to further prosecutions. Two lower-ranking agents of the Italian military agency SISMI were sentenced to three years each. Continue

A Court Decision that Reflects What Type of Country the U.S. is

By Glenn Greenwald

Even when government officials purposely subject an innocent person to brutal torture, they enjoy full immunity. Continue

Who Are The Six Uighurs Released From Guantánamo To Palau?

By Andy Worthington

I have written at length about the plight of Guantánamo’s Uighurs, innocent men caught up in the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001, who were mostly seized and sold to U.S. forces by Pakistani villagers after fleeing a settlement in Afghanistan’s Tora Bora mountains where they had been living a Spartan live for several months, free from Chinese oppression. Continue

America is Performing its Familiar Role of Propping Up a Dictator

By Robert Fisk

After Disneyworld elections, they are on the Karzai-government side against the Pashtun villagers of southern Afghanistan among whom the Taliban live. Where is the next My Lai? Journalists should avoid predictions. In this case I will not. Our Western mission in Afghanistan is going to end in utter disaster. Continue

President Obama's Deep Love Of Peace?

By William Blum

Question: How many countries do you have to be at war with to be disqualified from receiving the Nobel Peace Prize? Continue

Zionism's Jewish Enemy

Alan Hart Interviews Professor Ilan Pappe

Like all Israelis, Ilan Pappe was brought up, conditioned, to believe Zionism’s version of the history of the making and sustaining of the Arab-Israeli conflict. It wasn’t until he went to England to continue his academic studies that he had access to documentation which enabled him to understand that Zionism’s version is a propaganda lie. Continue

Plan Colombia: Cashing in on the Drug War Failure

Video Documentary - Narrated By Ed Asner

Plan Colombia: Cashing in on the Drug War Failure documents what many believe to be dangerous hypocrisy on the part of the American government. Continue

Thirty "militants" killed in South Waziristan street battles: A senior military official told AFP the army had ‘taken’ the strategic town of Sararogha in the third week of fighting, while 30 insurgents were reported killed in the last 24 hours.

Pakistan: Refugee camp raided, 2 children die in police firing: Pakistani security forces Tuesday raided an Afghan refugee camp near the northwestern city of Peshawar and killed two children when they opened fire on the refugees, a refugee said.

Eyewitness: Fleeing Waziristan's war: Life became very tough in the last few months in my home town of Jandola.The army sealed off the entire tribal agency [district] for more than three months and there were constant artillery shellings and bombings by Cobra helicopters and F-16 fighter jets.

5 British Occupation Force Troops Killed By Afghan Cop, Says UK Military: An Afghan policeman opened fire on British soldiers in the volatile southern province of Helmand, killing five before fleeing, British and Afghan authorities said Wednesday

Taliban takes blame for five British soldiers' deaths in Afghanistan: The Taliban claimed responsibility today for the killing of five British soldiers by a rogue Afghan policeman.

Afghan police infiltrated by Taliban ‘at every level’: Afghanistan’s police are poorly trained, plagued by drug addiction and infiltrated by the Taliban “at every level”, a former British soldier has claimed.

Abdullah: Karzai's re-election as Afghan leader 'illegal': Three days after pulling out of a run-off against the incumbent, Abdullah said a subsequent decision by the Independent Election Commission (IEC) to hand Karzai another five years in power had no basis in law and underlined its bias.

Hamid Karzai reaches out to 'Taliban brothers' in Afghanistan : During his speech, Mr Karzai said: "Afghanistan has been defamed by corruption. Our government has been defamed by corruption." He said his regime would "strive, by any means possible," to eradicate it, but failed to spell out detailed proposals.

MP: US Base in Afghanistan Established to Collect Intelligence on Iran: The mission of the US base in Afghanistan is collecting intelligence and running espionage operations against Iran, Russia and China, a senior Afghan lawmaker said Wednesday.

Three killed in Iraq's violence: Three people were killed, including a senior police officer and his wife, and nine others wounded in bomb and gunfire attacks near Baghdad and the volatile province of Diyala on Wednesday, police said.

Senior Iraqi policeman killed by bomb outside his door: Explosions in and around Baghdad on Wednesday also wounded 20 people.

U.S. Occupation Force Troops in Iraq, Afghanistan Get Bibles on a Stick: The image of a disturbed troop, all crazied-up in battle, marching along with a gun and the story of the bible ringing in his ears and wreaking biblical vengeance is a pretty uncomfortable one.

Saudi soldier killed in Yemen border fighting: A clash between Saudi forces and Yemeni rebels left one Saudi and one rebel dead, the two sides said on Wednesday, as Yemen's five-year-old insurgency spilled over the frontier for the first time.

More than 360 dead as toll rises in Israeli siege on Gaza: The number of Palestinians who have died as a result of the Israeli siege on Gaza has passed 360, a statement released by the health ministry of the deposed Palestinian government in Gaza has said.

Israel's Worst Enemies Are Those Who Support its Policies: Chomsky: It was not possible to carry out the military occupation this required and at the same time maintain elementary moral values. “The worst enemies of Israel were those supporting it. What they were in fact supporting was its moral degeneration and ultimate destruction,” said Chomsky.

House of Representatives Condemn Israeli War Crimes Report: "This resolution is blatantly biased and it damages U.S. credibility," said Democratic Representative Betty McCollum

Jews to Israel: Stop villifying Goldstone:l "When it comes to Israel, hard-core censorship and intimidation by those claiming to speak in the name of the Jewish people have been the order of the day," the letter said regarding Israel's response to the Goldstone report findings.

United Nations Begins Debate on Gaza War Crimes Inquiry: The resolution’s calls for investigation are nonbinding, and no meaningful action is likely in the Security Council because the United States, which has opposed the report’s findings, has veto power on the panel.

Israel's UN ambassador: Goldstone report was born of hate, executed in sin: Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Gabriela Shalev, spoke at the opening of a UN General Assembly debate on a report accusing Israel of having committed war crimes in Gaza, saying that the report was "born of hatred and executed in sin."

Jewish "Settlers" Squatters Force Way Into East Jerusalem Home, Evict Arab Family (PHOTOS): Jewish settlers squatters forced their way into a disputed house in east Jerusalem on Tuesday, using hired guards to evict an elderly Palestinian woman and tossing the other residents' belongings into the rain-swept yard.

Britain: Israeli settlements are 'illegal' and 'obstacle' to peace: "Settlements are illegal in our view and an obstacle" that impedes efforts which seek to work out a final settlement between the Israelis and Palestinians.

About time!: Erekat: Palestinian state may have to be abandoned: Chief Palestinian negotiator expresses concern over continued expansion of Jewish settlements, says goal of independent state will not be fulfilled if US does not interfere

Manufacturing Consent For Attack On Iran : Yadlin: Qom facility has 'no possible civilian use': The recently-revealed Iranian nuclear facility in the Shi'ite holy city of Qom has "no possible civilian use," Military Intelligence chief Maj.-Gen. Amos Yadlin said Tuesday, directly contradicting statements made by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in September.

Manufacturing Consent For Attack On Gaza: Hamas Rocket 'Could Hit Tel Aviv From Gaza': Hamas has test-fired a new rocket capable of hitting Tel Aviv from the Gaza Strip, according to Israeli military intelligence.

Hamas denies owning long-range rockets: The Islamist Hamas movement denied Wednesday that it has test-fired a long-range rocket capable of striking deep into Israel, saying the claim, made by the head of Israeli military intelligence, was 'propaganda.'

Hamas says ready to confront possible Israeli operation in Gaza: Islamic Hamas movement on Wednesday said its fighters are ready to confront Israeli troops in the Gaza Strip if Israel carried out its threats to attack.

Israel says commandos intercept arms shipment: The pre-dawn seizure near Cyprus was a rare interception of a suspected arms shipment by Israel, which has long accused Iran of arming its enemies. Israel offered no evidence to support its claim that the weapons came from Iran and were meant for Hezbollah.

Iran, Syria reject Israeli claims over arms cargo: Contrary to Israeli claims, "the ship was not carrying Iranian-made weaponry for Syria or Lebanon," but was in fact carrying Syrian-made items for consumption in Iran.

Protests flare in Iran's capital as demonstrators, security forces clash: Large areas of Tehran are in chaos as troops fire tear gas and beat antigovernment protesters on the 30th anniversary of the U.S. Embassy's seizure. Demonstrations erupt in other cities as well.

Italian court sentences 23 CIA agents over kidnap flight: An Italian court sentenced 23 former CIA agents to up to eight years in prison today for their role in the abduction of an Egyptian terrorist suspect in the first trial over “extraordinary renditions”.

2 Killed: Venezuela blocks Colombia border: Venezuela blocks border with Colombia after two Venezuelan soldiers were shot dead in an attack the Chavez government claims was carried out by Colombian paramilitary groups.

Zelaya seeks US clarity on return: Honduras' deposed president has sent a letter to the US secretary of state asking why US officials have said that they will recognise forthcoming Honduran elections even if he is not reinstated beforehand.

Suspect surrenders, puts hands on squad car — then gets Tased in neck: Video: Rolando Ruiz's lawyer released dashcam video of an April 30 incident in which Ruiz can be seen with his hands on the hood of a car when a police officer approaches him and Tases him in the neck.

Inequality: The Root Source of Sickness in America: The United States spends more on health care than any other industrial nation, yet it has the highest infant death rates and the lowest life expectancy.

Fannie, Freddie Single-Family Home Delinquencies Continue to Rise: Fannie Mae said the delinquency rate on loans in its single-family guarantee business rose 0.28 percentage points to 4.45 percent in August, the latest month Fannie has data for, well above 1.57 percent in August 2008.

Delinquencies in credit cards may lead to more defaults: According to Fitch Ratings, the number of credit cards that were 60 days or more late increased to 4.22 percent in October after seeing a drop the month before.

November 03, 2009

Karzai Was Hellbent On Victory. Afghans Will Pay The Price

By Peter Galbraith

The declaration of victory caps weeks of farce and failure, especially for the UN. Continue

A War That Can’t Be Won

Starts with candy, ends in napalm

By Serge Halimi

The French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner still hopes to “win hearts and minds with a bullet-proof vest” (2) and McChrystal assures the world that “the American goal in Afghanistan must not be primarily to hunt down and kill Taliban insurgents but to protect the population” Continue

Opium, Rape and the American Way

By Chris Hedges

The warlords we champion in Afghanistan are as venal, as opposed to the rights of women and basic democratic freedoms, and as heavily involved in opium trafficking as the Taliban. The moral lines we draw between us and our adversaries are fictional. Continue

US Used "False Pretext" to Invade Iraq in 2003, ElBaradei Says

By DPA

Outgoing UN nuclear watchdog chief Mohamed ElBaradei criticized the United States on Monday for using a 'false pretext' to invade Iraq, costing 'the lives of possibly hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians.' Continue

Return to the Middle Ages

By Bouthaina Shaaban

History will condemn those who remain silent towards these crimes and will remember and thank only those who defend Palestinian children and the right of the Palestinian people to live in dignity, freedom, security and safety on their national soil. Continue

Israel's Right To Exist?

By Alan Hart

Zionism, Israel was given its birth certificate and thus legitimacy by the UN Partition Resolution of 29 November 1947. This is propaganda nonsense.Continue

Banks and Bombs
Report Slams Bank Links to Clusterbomb Production

By Olesya Dmitracova

Leading banks have funded arms manufacturers, whose products include cluster bombs, to the tune of $5 billion in the past two years, despite an international accord to ban such weapons, a study said Thursday. Continue

When Is It Legitimate For The Oppressed To Take Up Arms?

By Arundhati Roy

Roy is against the development of nuclear weapons without regard to the lives of the poor, and the refusal to grant Kashmir independence. She has called the US-led war in Afghanistan "another act of terror against the people of the world" and considers US-style capitalism to be the cause of much of the world's instability. Continue

Minsky to Bernanke: "Size Matters!"

By Mike Whitney

Now that the economy is no longer on steroids, the financial system needs to be downsized. Continue

21 "militants" killed in Pakistan's S Waziristan operation: In last 24 hours, 21 militants have been killed during the Pakistani security forces operation in the country's tribal area of South Waziristan, according to an army press release Tuesday.

7 Taliban militants killed by Afghan troops: Afghan troops backed by NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) forces have killed seven Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan's northern Kunduz province, an official said Tuesday.

Headlines Continued

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