Iraqi officials dare to call for independence from America
This is what you call a necessary attempt to assert sovereignty. One question; how many private contractors have been involved in this sordid process? The New York Times reveals an important American embarrassment and Iraqi assertion of independence: In the face of spiraling costs and Iraqi officials who say they never wanted it in the…
What do Egyptians think?
According to Pew: Opinions of the U.S. and President Obama continue to be overwhelmingly unfavorable. Even American financial assistance is viewed negatively: about six-in-ten Egyptians say both U.S. military and economic aid is having a detrimental impact on their country. Despite these decidedly negative attitudes, most Egyptians want their country’s relationship with the U.S. to…
One day soon Israel and its blind defenders will speak like De Klerk
Such an interview brings a sense of melancholy. F.W. de Klerk, the last leader of white South Africa, who joined with Nelson Mandela to bring an end to apartheid and shared a Nobel Peace Prize for their achievement, is interviewed on CNN at a summit of Nobel Laureates in Chicago. Here’s a man who realised…
Don’t worry, vulture capitalists will make money in Afghanistan for years to come
Long after most Western forces have left, private security firms will still be there turning a profit (via EU Observer): The EU’s external action service (EEAS) plans to spend up to €50 million on private security guards for its Afghanistan mission over the next four years. The EEAS unveiled the tender on Thursday (10 May),…
Step by step, private companies must be held accountable for torture
Positive news: Today, a federal appellate court dismissed the appeals of two private military contractors who had argued they were immune from litigation when they engage in torture.… The corporate defendants, CACI and L-3, have argued that they should receive the same protections as the United States government and that, therefore, any of their wartime…
The Blogging Revolution gets endorsement in Calcutta
The Indian edition of my book The Blogging Revolution was recently released. Here’s a just published review in The Telegraph from Calcutta: The Blogging Revolution: How the newest media is changing politics, business and culture in India, China, Iran, Syria, Egypt, Cuba and Saudi Arabia By Antony Loewenstein, Jaico, Rs 350 Antony Loewenstein’s book is…
Not every frightful terror story is really so frightful
Since 9/11, far too few journalists have questioned the avalanche of spin emerging from the White House and other official sources when it comes to so-called terror threats. This short story in the Guardian is necessary to challenge the narrative: While serious questions remain about the origins and source of the Yemeni “bomb plot”, a…
Killing all Muslims key idea of US military lesson
Seriously (via Wired): The U.S. military taught its future leaders that a “total war” against the world’s 1.4 billion Muslims would be necessary to protect America from Islamic terrorists, according to documents obtained by Danger Room. Among the options considered for that conflict: using the lessons of “Hiroshima” to wipe out whole cities at once,…