Ambassador Richard Holbrooke While the US administration and the Congress have opted for continued military-centric strategy in Iraq for the next five months or so, it is the same old story in Afghanistan where NATO forces seem stuck endlessly without any diplomatic or political moves. What's the latest in Afghanistan? "NATO risks losing the war in Afghanistan because … [Read more...] about Afghanistan: ‘NATO Risks Losing The War,’ Holbrooke
Any Book Agents Out There?
UNC Law Professor Eric Muller has been detailing on his blog the fascinating story of his Great Uncle Leo. A German war hero in WWI, Leo was slaughtered by the Nazis in the Holocaust. Professor Muller decided to track down all the information he could about his uncle, and succeeded in reconstructing much of his life (as well as recovering the medals he won during World War I). … [Read more...] about Any Book Agents Out There?
Iraq: US Congress Vote, Presidential Veto & Deadlines
A frightening scenario is likely to emerge in the next five or six months if one goes by the Los Angeles Times report on the Iraq situation/strategy. However, some may point that a scary scenario has already been unfolding during the past four years! The LA Times says: "On the surface, there's not much suspense about what happens next in the battle between President Bush and … [Read more...] about Iraq: US Congress Vote, Presidential Veto & Deadlines
Don Imus’ Potential MSNBC Replacement Auditions
Progressive comedian-talk show host Stephanie Miller appears on MSNBC. Will it lead to a full-time gig? … [Read more...] about Don Imus’ Potential MSNBC Replacement Auditions
Bloody Basra
It's not what it used to be: "Once an island of relative tranquillity, Basra has suffered a dramatic turnaround in the last two years": Although the violence pales in comparison to Baghdad's, seven British soldiers have been killed in Basra in April, three in gunfire and four when a roadside bomb tore through their Warrior fighting vehicle. The deaths pushed Britain's … [Read more...] about Bloody Basra
Sarkozy’s Cynical Appeal to the Center
With Royal and Bayrou seeking common ground, and with Bayrou seeming to give his supporters a subtle cue to support Royal in next Sunday's second round of the French presidential election, Sarkozy is now himself trying to woo the center. At a rally in Paris yesterday, Sarkozy explicitly reached out to Bayrou's supporters. He reiterated the rightist views that form the core of … [Read more...] about Sarkozy’s Cynical Appeal to the Center
Democrats & Iraq: Trying To Decipher President Bush
(President Bush, right, meets with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is President of the European Council, center, and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Monday, April 30, 2007. AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) It is a sure sign of serious a health problem - probably schizophrenia - or a reflection of the … [Read more...] about Democrats & Iraq: Trying To Decipher President Bush
Situation Improving in Anbar
I had to read the name of the newspaper that published this article twice: yes it is the New York Times and it has a positive article up about Iraq. It seems that the violence in the Sunni province of Anbar (many Baathists there) has decreased dramatically since the start of the surge. Sunnis are now working with the US to push Al Qaeda out of Anbar province.Anbar Province, … [Read more...] about Situation Improving in Anbar
Sir Mark Tully: ‘India’s Unending Journey’
John Kenneth Galbraith, the distinguished economist, who was the US ambassador to India, once described the country as 'functioning anarchy'. Others have described India as 'functioning democracy'. One of the best known British journalists in India is Sir Mark Tully, who has made India his home. In an article in The Independent, he writes: "India is renowned for its … [Read more...] about Sir Mark Tully: ‘India’s Unending Journey’
Update: Prince Harry Is Headed to Iraq
The speculating is over, Harry Prince of Wales will be deployed to Iraq. More here. … [Read more...] about Update: Prince Harry Is Headed to Iraq
Beauty Pageant: Saudi Arabia Style
During my brief stint as a journalist with the Saudi Gazette at Riyadh in the late 1970s, my favourite question to the Saudis from different walks of life was: "What would you do if, suppose, your country runs out of oil?" The general refrain then was something like this: "We are not prisoners to our present lifestyle. God has been kind. If He wishes otherwise...we would … [Read more...] about Beauty Pageant: Saudi Arabia Style
Bush Photoshopped Into Baseball Card?
You may have heard about this, but if not it's worth a click. … [Read more...] about Bush Photoshopped Into Baseball Card?
Over 80 Free Men Held At Guantanamo Indefinitely
We kidnap them, "interrogate" them and then find out they did nothing wrong. But then their countries don't want them anymore. From the Wash Post:LONDON -- More than a fifth of the approximately 385 prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, have been cleared for release but may have to wait months or years for their freedom because U.S. officials are finding it increasingly … [Read more...] about Over 80 Free Men Held At Guantanamo Indefinitely
War On Drugs: Cocaine Purer, Cheaper
Yet another sign that we need some new ideas about how to address the issue of drugs in America. From the AP:(AP) Cocaine prices in the United States have dropped and the drug's purity increased, despite years of effort and nearly $5 billion spent by the U.S. government to combat Colombia's drug industry, the White House drug czar acknowledged in a letter to a key senator. … [Read more...] about War On Drugs: Cocaine Purer, Cheaper
Rice Says Bush Won’t Accept Benchmarks In Iraq War Funding Bill (UPDATED)
Over the past few days there have been some press reports that suggested that in the end the Bush administration and Congress will come up with some kind of compromise on Iraq war funding. These reports suggest a likely compromise would be no withdrawal timetable but some benchmarks that the Iraq government would be required to follow. But now Secretary of State Condoleezza … [Read more...] about Rice Says Bush Won’t Accept Benchmarks In Iraq War Funding Bill (UPDATED)
Turkey and Europe
Yaakov Kirschen, The Jerusalem Post, Dry Bones … [Read more...] about Turkey and Europe
Putting George Bush on the Couch
Tim F. posed an interesting question the other day: What the heck is wrong with George Bush? That question may be answered in the future when psycho-historians plumb the depths of a man whose personal flaws, combined with the myriad blunders of his hubristic neocon brain trust, resulted in a train wreck of a presidency. But it’s worth taking a crack at the question now … [Read more...] about Putting George Bush on the Couch
Gun Toting Europeans
Yes they do exist: Evening rush hour at the train station: men in suits, a woman carrying a cello, kids lugging snowboards. Markus Marschall, a university engineering student, walked through the bustle wearing an orange T-shirt, leather jacket and aviator sunglasses -- and a Sturmgewehr 90 automatic assault rifle slung over his shoulder. "It's perfectly normal," said … [Read more...] about Gun Toting Europeans
Iraq: US & Iran Opt For ‘Face-Saving’ Approach
(Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki) It is official. The US and Iranian top officials would meet this week to discuss Iraq and the ongoing violence there. The New York Times reports: "The government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran announced Sunday that it would attend a regional conference on Iraq later this week, setting the stage for the first … [Read more...] about Iraq: US & Iran Opt For ‘Face-Saving’ Approach
World Observes ‘Darfur Day’: What Next?
Celebrities including Elton John, Mick Jagger, Bob Geldof, George Clooney and Mia Farrow have appealed to the international community to do more to protect the civilians of Darfur, the province of Sudan where 200,000 have died in four years of war, and millions have lost their homes. This appeal comes from these celebrities to mark the fourth anniversary of the start of the … [Read more...] about World Observes ‘Darfur Day’: What Next?