The life and times of Osama Bin Laden post 9/11 remains shrouded in mystery. During my recent visit to Pakistan, I spent time with Shaukat Qadir, a retired Pakistani Army Brigadier, who personally investigated the story behind Bin Laden’s killing last year. This lead story in the Guardian by Jason Bourke adds more details to…
Showing all posts in June 2019
Long past time to retire Zionism
Gideon Levy in Haaretz writes a provocative essay that proves how Zionism has become a word and ideology that largely represents occupation and exclusion: Zionism is already 115 years old; it should have retired long ago. If on Independence Day we’re concerned about the future of a state approaching retirement age (presuming it’s a man,…
“Gender trumps everything” in Middle East
I don’t agree with all the points made here by Mona Eltahawy about gender repression in the Muslim world but it’s an important discussion:
Serco is determined to do one thing worldwide; turn a massive profit
If more evidence was needed of the global menace that is British multinational Serco (via Salon): On April 4, Barbara Harms’ boss forced her to attend a meeting about why she shouldn’t join a union. The two-hour, on-the-clock meeting was run by Michael Penn, a professional anti-union consultant. Harms says Penn told workers that “you’re…
What standing in solidarity with Palestine means on day to day basis
Step by step, BDS grows: Palestine human rights campaigners today welcomed news that the UK’s fifth biggest food retailer, The Co-operative Group, will “no longer engage with any supplier of produce known to be sourcing from the Israeli settlements”. The Co-op’s decision, notified to campaigners in a statement, will immediately impact four suppliers, Agrexco, Arava…
Role of Taliban central in Afghanistan (whether the West likes it or not)
Intriguing interview in The Daily Beast that highlights the internal struggles within a movement that has beaten the US and its allies in Afghanistan: Not so long ago,… Agha Jan Motasim… was one of the most important men in the Afghan Taliban. That was before he was sacked as head of the ruling Quetta Shura’s political committee—and…
Former Israeli intelligence head slams Netanyahu et al
This is a pretty remarkable set of comments by a former senior member of the Israeli elite. No commentary required: Former Shin Bet chief Yuval Diskin expressed harsh criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Friday in a meeting with residents of the city of Kfar Sava, saying the pair…
“Israel appears enclosed in a bizarre egocentric bubble”
Doron Rosenblum writes in Haaretz: In the eyes of foreign observers, or people with more critical vision, Israel already looks different: perhaps like an impatient and hysterical military man with a skullcap on his head from an army of occupation, who is threatening or threatened, it is not clear which, and is prepared to land…