Robbing another’s prize

This is a debate to relish. Former head of the US Federal Reserve Alan Greenspan discusses world affairs with author and activist Naomi Klein: NAOMI KLEIN: Well, I’m just wondering if it troubles Mr. Greenspan at all that wars over resources in other countries are actually illegal. Mr. Greenspan has praised the rule of law,…

Mahmoud, lover of rights

In the faux outrage over the US visit of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad – and read here what a real Iranian dissident thinks of the Bush administration’s attempts to “liberate” his country and the intolerable human rights situation in his country -…  let’s not forget to examine the fringe. Over to you, boys: Natorei Karta…

Baiting the insurgents

Another ingenious idea of targeting insurgents in Iraq. A Pentagon group has encouraged some U.S. military snipers in Iraq to target suspected insurgents by scattering pieces of “bait,” such as detonation cords, plastic explosives and ammunition, and then killing Iraqis who pick up the items, according to military court documents. Of course, we can rest…

Please somebody, anybody, love Israel

Following my Crikey article last week discussing the inability of the Australian Jewish establishment to tolerate honest debate on Israel/Palestine – and yet condone every Israeli “security” policy against the Palestinians – a wonderfully delusional response appears in today’s Crikey: 16. There’s vibrant debate within the Jewish community By Assoc. Prof. Douglas Kirsner, chair of…

So much for Acrobat

A letter and petition regarding the head of Abode in Israel: Dear Sirs, We, users of Adobe’s products, wish to express our resentment and protest against the acts and statements of Mr. Reuven Agassi, chairman of Quicksoft Ltd., which officially represents Adobe in Israel. Mr. Agassi has recently stated in public that he will not…

No Iranian gays in the village

During Ahmadinejad’s talk at Columbia, he was asked about homosexuals in Iran. His (ludicrous) answer? “In Iran, we dont have homosexuals like in your country. We don’t have that in our country. In Iran, we do not have this phenomenon. I don’t know who’s told you we have it.”

The Times gets it in one (for a change)

Andrew Rosenthal, editorial page editor of The New York Times Free speech is one of the founding principles of our republic. How can we deny him [Ahmadinejad] the right to speak simply because we don’t like what he has to say, or what he has already said? Isn’t that one of the biggest things that…

The Islamic Republic touches down in NY, NY

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s visit to Columbia University was a fascinating insight into free speech in action (though one Haaretz commentator feared that Israel was the loser of his presentation, as if openly discussing Middle East issues…  threatens the poor, helpless Jewish state.) More on his talk here and here. The Zionist lobby worked itself…

Text and images ©2024 Antony Loewenstein. All rights reserved.

Site by Common