Presidential Posturing Isn’t Getting the U.S. Anywhere

William Pfaff / Truthdig Jan 13, 2010 President Barack Obama is said to feel he is in trouble politically because his enemies in Congress and among the Washington journalists who decide what the "mood" of Washington is on any given day say he is not tough enough.President Obama is said to feel he is in trouble because his enemies in Congress and among Washington journalists say he is not tough enough. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Grand Jury Indicts Abdulmutallab

Staff / Truthdig Jan 7, 2010 Well, that was fast: A U.S. grand jury indicted Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, he of the explosive unmentionables on Northwest Flight 253, on six counts Wednesday. Charges against the 23-year-old Nigerian included attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and attempted murder. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

U.S. Halts Transfer of Gitmo Prisoners to Yemen

Staff / Truthdig Jan 6, 2010 Perhaps unsurprisingly, the US government has decided that now is not the best time to transfer Yemeni detainees back to their homeland from Guantánamo Bay prison in Cuba More than 80 Yemeni prisoners -- almost half of the entire group at Gitmo -- will stay put for the time being, as the situation between the U and Yemen remains tense. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Two Militants Declared Killed, Three More Embassies Closed in Yemen

Staff / Truthdig Jan 4, 2010 The situation in Yemen became more heated Monday as Yemeni forces clashed with suspected al-Qaida operatives, killing two and reportedly wounding a few more 25 miles from the capital city of San'a. According to The New York Times, Yemeni officials linked the militants they targeted in Monday's fight to ongoing threats against U.S. and British embassies in their country. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Airports to Get Tougher Screening in Aftermath of Christmas Attack

Staff / Truthdig Jan 4, 2010 Passengers traveling to the US from or by way of certain countries on the U government's naughty list, which includes Yemen and Cuba, will be subject to "enhanced screening" starting Monday (continued). Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Closing Time in Yemen

Staff / Truthdig Jan 3, 2010 Both the UK and US temporarily closed their embassies in Yemen "for security reasons" on Sunday after increasing concern about al-Qaida threats in the capital city of Sana'a Yemen has been under heightened scrutiny after the 2009 Christmas Day attempt to blow up a U airliner was traced to the Middle Eastern country. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

War on Terror Visits Yemen

Staff / Truthdig Dec 31, 2009 In response to the attempt to blow up a Northwest flight landing in Detroit on Christmas Day, the U.S. has announced it is planning retaliatory strikes in Yemen against al-Qaida members, though not necessarily those involved in the attack attempt. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Cheney in Winter

Eugene Robinson / Truthdig Dec 31, 2009 I had promised myself that I would treat Dick Cheney's nonsensical outbursts like the pearls of wisdom one hears from homeless people sitting in bus shelters, but my resolution will have to wait. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

The Global War on Stealth Underwear

Robert Scheer / Truthdig Dec 30, 2009 There is no “war” against terrorism What George W Bush launched and Barack Obama insists on perpetuating does not qualify Not if by war one means doing the obvious and checking a highly suspicious air traveler’s underwear to see if explosives have been sewn in. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

Iran, Yemen Posing Challenges to American Intelligence

William Pfaff / Truthdig Dec 30, 2009 Iran appears to be in the throes of popular uprising, yet the U.S. and Israel continue to flirt with military intervention for dubious reasons. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Yemeni Official: More Counterterrorism Support Needed From West

Staff / Truthdig Dec 30, 2009 The Christmas Day incident on Northwest Flight 253 has brought Yemen further onto the U.S. radar, and now Yemen's foreign minister, Abu Bakr al-Qirbi, is calling for more help from the West to deal with what he considers to be a sizable al-Qaida network operating within his country. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

We Got Lucky on Christmas

Eugene Robinson / Truthdig Dec 29, 2009 The United States will soon have about 100,000 troops chasing shadows in Afghanistan, not long after an airliner was nearly blown up by a terrorism suspect who had no connection to that country. What's wrong with this picture?All the troops in Afghanistan couldn't stop a terrorist attack on Christmas Day, nor could our lackluster security efforts. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )