What could possibly go wrong (and since when is Saudi Arabia, that US-backed apartheid state in the Middle East, a believer in democracy?). Foreign Policy reports: Saudi Arabia, having largely abandoned hope that the United States will spearhead international efforts to topple the Assad regime, is embarking on a major new effort to train Syrian…
Showing all posts tagged Barack Obama
The Wounds of Waziristan documentary
A new film on US drones by the… Pakistani-American journalist Madiha Tahir:
Taking note of unhealthy revolving door between State Department and making $
In October I investigated for the Guardian the worrying business moves by Kurt Campbell, former senior official in the Obama administration and now running a for profit consultancy business. I’m pleased that the US website Muckety (“Mapping connections of the rich, famous and influential”) has noticed and equally displayed concerns over Campbell’s record. Take a…
Former Australian Prime Minister Gillard jokes about NSA spying
Revelations about NSA mass spying on virtually every citizen around the world, including key allies of the US, is causing justifiable outrage… globally. Former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, speaking in the US, shows the kind of subservience to Washington that is all too common in our political and media class. We’re a client state and…
Amnesty asks US: how do you justify killing a grandmother by drone?
The role of US drones post 9/11 is shrouded in secrecy. It’s beyond time to challenge the legality, morality and effectiveness of the practice. My good friend Mustafa Qadri, Pakistan researcher for Amnesty, has just written a report on drones and it’s been causing waves globally (see him on CNN). He is interviewed by Democracy…
Max Blumenthal talks about his new book "Goliath" on Israel/Palestine
American journalist Max Blumenthal has been reporting on the Middle East, the far-right, racists and weirdos for years. He’s a gem, and a friend. His latest book, Goliath: Life and Loathing in Greater Israel, has been released (I’ve just received a copy). Here he is speaking to Abby Martin on RT:
US mass surveillance in the Pacific
Here’s my weekly Guardian column published today: What if China was beating the US at its own super-power game in the Pacific and we didn’t even notice? While Washington distracts itself with… shutdown shenanigans… and failed attempts to control the situation in the Middle East, president Obama’s “pivot to Asia”… looks increasingly shaky. Beijing is… quietly filling the gap,…
The Wire interview on failed US-backed Middle East talks
The media is once again filled with Middle East “experts” pontificating about the prospects of Obama-led “peace talks” in the Middle East between Israel and Palestine. There’s zero chance of a just outcome. The occupation deepens by the day. I was interviewed by the current affairs show The Wire to discuss the reality on the…
Seymour Hersh; journalism isn't propaganda
Far too many reporters see themselves as extensions of power instead of checks on it. One of the finest journalists in the world, Seymour Hersh, unloads on this trend. I couldn’t have put it better myself (via Guardian): Seymour Hersh has got some extreme ideas on how to fix journalism – close down the news…
Jeremy Scahill gives background to Somalia's Al-Shabab
The horrific attack on the Westgate shopping centre in Nairobi continues to generate headlines around the world. But what’s the background to the attacks, who are Somalia’s Al-Shabab terror group and what’s been the position of US and Kenyan intervention in the region? Jeremy Scahill, author of the recent book Dirty Wars, tells Democracy Now!…