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by Juan Cole
$22.45
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By Ron Kovic
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Iraqi-American rapper TIMZ responds to the war with this video, titled simply “Iraq.” The first verse is meant to be from the perspective of an Iraqi, the second from an American. Both have the intensity that has made the genre such an effective avenue for political and social commentary.
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kucinich.us
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Not everyone was celebrating the passage of the Iraq spending bill on Friday. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, told Truthdig it’s “a disaster for the American people.” The presidential candidate went on to explain his dissatisfaction with his party: “It’s the same kind of thinking that led us into Iraq— that we didn’t have any alternatives.”
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The former weapons inspector and military intelligence officer plumbs the depths of American ignorance and offers this history of Iraq, the Mideast and Islam. When so few of our politicians, and even fewer of the citizens who elect them, understand the forces at work in Baghdad and beyond, is it any wonder the occupation has been a disaster?
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Some 400,000 Israeli workers launched a general strike over unpaid wages that threatened to shut down the nation’s economy. Needless to say, this isn’t good news for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, whose popularity is down to 3 percent. Update: The eight-hour strike, which brought much of the country to a standstill, was called off after the labor union and the Finance Ministry came to a compromise.
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These are stories from Iraq, told by people who live there. It’s easy to forget that amid the carnage and chaos we read about, regular people are simply trying to live out their lives in peace.
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J.J. Goldberg, editor in chief of the venerable progressive Jewish daily the Forward, joins the podcast this week to talk about the complexity of Zionism, the misguided intentions of neoconservatism and why AIPAC isn’t quite as sinister as you might think. Above, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert with President Bush.
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J.J. Goldberg, editor-in-chief of the venerable progressive Jewish daily the Forward, joins the podcast this week to talk about the complexity of Zionism, the misguided intentions of neoconservatism and why AIPAC isn’t quite as sinister as you might think.
Posted on Mar 19, 2007
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thinkprogress.org
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It has now been four years since the United States invaded Iraq and, according to the latest CNN poll, only 30 percent of Americans are “proud” of the war—half the number recorded in 2003. Still—with thousands of Americans and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis killed; hundreds of billions of dollars spent, stolen and wasted; millions of refugees created; terrorist recruitment thriving and a civil war that threatens to engulf the region—we just have to ask: What could anyone possibly be proud of?
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worldsecuritynetwork.com
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Ban Ki-Moon said the United Nations is boosting its efforts to address a growing humanitarian crisis in Iraq. Speaking at a U.N. conference on Iraq’s economy, the secretary-general urged the 90 nations in attendance not to abandon the war-ravaged country. Update: Iraq unveils a five-year reconstruction plan.
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Israeli officials say they will not work with a newly formed Palestinian coalition, calling the power-sharing regime “a leap backward.” Despite a tentative pledge from Hamas to “respect” past agreements, Israel feels the new government does not meet the requirements set out by the so-called quartet of Western nations.
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rollingstone.com
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Rolling Stone gathered notables ranging from Zbigniew Brzezinski to Juan Cole to learn their takes on the future of Iraq. They agreed on one thing: The war is lost. Gen. Tony McPeak (ret.), formerly of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, put it this way: “Even if we had a million men to go in, it’s too late now.”
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smartstays.com
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Oil giant Halliburton has decided to move its headquarters to the United Arab Emirates in order to better exploit Mideast opportunities. The controversial company has had much success in the region, with no-bid contracts in Iraq helping it pull in $22.6 billion in global revenues in 2006.
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haaretz.com
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Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, while speaking with a commission investigating the Lebanon war, said he made the decision to invade four months before soldiers were abducted. Olmert testified that he agreed with a contingency plan to respond dramatically should Hezbollah take predictably aggressive action.
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Despite ramping up its verbal attacks on Iran and Syria, the U.S. will participate in a conference in Iraq next month that will include the two regional powers. A State Department spokesman said he would not “exclude any particular interaction” with the diplomatic foes.
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rtbf.be
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Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Condoleezza Rice concluded a highly vaunted two-hour meeting with no firm commitment other than an agreement to maintain communication. The elephant in the room was Abbas’ recently announced deal to share power with Hamas, an arrangement that prompted the U.S. and Israel to threaten a boycott.
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The U.S. and Israel have agreed not to recognize or support a new Palestinian unity government unless it first recognizes Israel. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will have to do some political tightrope-walking in the days ahead as he attempts to make peace with Hamas at home and improve relations with Israel and its allies abroad.
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ABC News
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During a contentious interview with Diane Sawyer, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that his country is “ready to cooperate” with regard to its nuclear program “within the framework of regulations.” He also called the Holocaust an “excuse” for the occupation of Palestinian land.
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chinadaily.com
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Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned Thursday that Iran would respond to an attack by striking against U.S. interests around the world. Iran’s supreme leader noted that President Bush is seen as reckless, but suggested “it is possible to bring this kind of person to wisdom.” That’s easy for him to say; we’ve been trying for a long time without any luck.
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asianews.it
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Four hundred thirty-three foreigners were arrested by Saudi Arabia’s religious police for attending a party that served alcohol and allowed men and women to dance together. So far, 20 have been sentenced to lashings and months of prison time. (Photo above involves a separate case.)
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Three former high-ranking U.S. military men have called on the Bush administration to pursue diplomacy with Iran, saying “an attack on Iran would have disastrous consequences,” a concern shared by a group of 22 physicists, including 12 Nobel laureates, which has asked Congress to restrict the president’s ability to use nuclear weapons against Tehran.
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sptimes.com
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The Iraqi government has invited Bush administration antagonists Iran and Syria to Baghdad for security talks, which might also include the Arab League and the United Nations. The United States has not received an invitation.
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nytimes.com
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Violence has erupted in Gaza after a three-day cease-fire between rivals Hamas and Fatah came to an explosive end. At least 10 people have been killed and 120 wounded since the latest round of fighting began on Thursday.
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news.bbc.co.uk
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Saudi Arabia and Iran have joined forces to mediate tensions in Lebanon in an odd turn of events that is sure to addle the Bush administration. While the U.S. strongly opposes Iran’s regional influence, Saudi Arabia is but the latest American ally to cozy up to Tehran in the interest of stability.
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globalsecurity.org
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Although the United States and Iran have a testy relationship at best, weaknesses in security protocol currently allow buyers for Tehran to procure valuable aircraft parts from the U.S. military. At least two Democrats in the Senate want to cut off the supply, which would make the Iranian air force effectively irreparable.
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This unusually powerful video highlights the efforts of the OneVoice Movement, a grass-roots organization that brings Israeli and Palestinian youths together to advocate for a peaceful resolution of the struggle between their peoples.
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news.bbc.co.uk
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The turmoil in Gaza continues unabated as the two main Palestinian factions clash. At least 22 deaths have occurred since Thursday. Despite pleas for restraint from throughout the Arab world, the fighting between Fatah and Hamas looks as though it could escalate, spreading to the West Bank.
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From Haaretz.com
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The office of the attorney general of Israel intends to charge President Moshe Katsav with rape and abuse of power. He will be allowed to present his case before charges are filed. Katsav has indicated he might resign if indicted.
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wikipedia.org
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Many in the Arab media who supported the toppling of Saddam Hussein—and sometimes braved death threats to do so—now feel betrayed by the incompetent policy that followed: “It’s a success story for al-Qaeda, a success story for autocratic Arab regimes that made democracy look ugly in their people’s eyes.”
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news.bbc.co.uk
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Although 3,200 additional troops have been deployed in Baghdad in an effort to assert control, violence continues to worsen. A double car bombing on Monday killed 88 people and injured 160. This does not bode well for a full-blown surge.
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A defiant Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Sunday that U.N. sanctions would have no effect on his nation’s nuclear policy or economy: “The [U.N.] resolution was born dead and even if they issue 10 more of such resolutions it will not affect Iran’s economy and policies.”
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By Joe Conason — Should the United States attack Iran, which side would the Iraqi government support? The answer to that simple question is far from clear, despite the thousands of lives and billions of dollars we have sacrificed to support the ruling coalition in Baghdad.
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from theepochtimes.com
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The United States will meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for a casual three-way chat aimed at reviving Bush’s failed “road map” to peace. A successful outcome seems unlikely, with Abbas and Olmert both suffering from political weakness and with the conspicuous absence of Hamas.
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The Iraqi parliament is expected to vote on a U.S.-crafted law that would open the nation’s oil industry to exploitive foreign control. If the bill passes, it would give foreign investors up to 75 percent of Iraq’s oil profits until costs are recouped, and then twice the industry standard after that. This law is a naked admission that the U.S. invaded Iraq, at least in part, for its oil.
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rotten.com
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The head of Fatah in Lebanon told a local newspaper that Hezbollah had prevented several of the group’s planned attacks along the Israeli border—in some cases going so far as to turn the militants over to Lebanese authorities.
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This “Saturday Night Live” parody of Middle Eastern children’s television nails the cultural disconnect at the heart of America’s adventure in Iraq. Don’t miss the brilliant satirical commercials in this episode of “Saddam and Osama.” (h/t: Iraq Slogger)
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nytimes.com
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Clashes between the two main Palestinian forces continued on Friday as Hamas accused Fatah of attempting to assassinate the Palestinian prime minister. Meanwhile, President Mahmoud Abbas, who recently said he may call for early elections in order to oust Hamas from the government, is close to revealing his plan for addressing the political standstill between the two groups.
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news.yahoo.com
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Hezbollah has threatened an escalation in its campaign against Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora unless he resigns. Hundreds of thousands of Hezbollah supporters took to the streets on Sunday, but Christian and Sunni leaders appear unlikely to bow to the pressure.
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npr.org
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Citing the collapse of unity talks, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has threatened to call for early elections less than a year after Hamas took control of parliament. A leading member of Hamas called the move “a clear coup against democracy.”
Posted on Dec 10, 2006
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Responding to the Iraq Study Group report on Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said talks with Syria were not possible, and that President Bush wasn’t interested in speaking to Damascus either: “I can only say that the opinions I heard from the president and from all senior administration staff on the Syrian issue are such that he did not see a feasibility in talks….”
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washingtonpost.com
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Separate trips by Bush, Cheney and Rice to the Middle East were meant to demonstrate the administration’s diplomatic prowess but backfired when the Americans met with Arab leaders who were panicked, distraught and vocal.
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guardian.co.uk
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Israel’s Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has offered to recognize an “independent and viable Palestinian state ... with full sovereignty and defined borders” in exchange for a new Palestinian government, the recognition of Israel, a renewed commitment to the “road map” and the release of a captured Israeli soldier. What, no free landings?
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huffingtonpost.com
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President Bush is set to travel to Jordan next week for a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. The event might be a bit uncomfortable for the pair, now that the Iraqi government has responded to the flirtations of Iran and Syria.
Posted on Nov 22, 2006
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AP Photo / Nasser Nasser
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By Chris Hedges — If we allow Israel to complete its massive $2-billion project to ring Palestinians in militarized, pod-like encampments in Gaza and the West Bank, we will condemn Israel and the Palestinians to endless cycles of violence that could ultimately doom the Jewish state.
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The Israeli army, frustrated over the ineffectiveness of sending “a plane worth $100 million against a suicidal terrorist,” is developing futuristic weapons, including a “bionic hornet” capable of photographing and assassinating a target. (h/t: Engadget)
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AP / Lee Marriner
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By Joshua Scheer — In a Truthdig interview, Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) reacts to Rep. John Murtha’s failed bid for House majority leader, and explains why cutting off funding for the Iraq war is the only way to truly protect American troops.
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Tony Blair has been busy, meeting with both Mahmoud Abbas and Ehud Olmert in recent days?all while fending off controversy at home over when he?ll step down. For their part, the Palestinian president and Israeli prime minister have agreed to meet with each other.
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