Middle East

Iraq: The Case of the Missing $6.6 Billion

Staff / Truthdig Jun 13, 2011 Benjamin Franklin may be one of the most wanted men in Iraq right now, as the country's officials threaten to take the Pentagon to court to recoup some $6.6 billion in cash airlifted from the U.S. in 2004 for the purpose of Iraqi reconstruction. (more) Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Palestinian Unity Hits a Bump in the Road

Staff / Truthdig Jun 13, 2011 Rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas recently decided to get over their differences and work together, but that's easier negotiated than done. Hamas quickly rejected Fatah's nominee for prime minister of an interim government, the pro-Western, U.S.-educated Palestinian politician Salam Fayyad. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Kurds Want to Give Turkey a Taste of Spring

Staff / Truthdig Jun 9, 2011 Turkey is no Libya or Syria in terms of repression, but the country has a few million disgruntled Kurds who would like more autonomy One Kurdish political leader is threatening civil disobedience (more). Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

U.S. Presses Covert Airstrikes in Yemen

Staff / Truthdig Jun 9, 2011 Following Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh's emergency departure for medical treatment last week, the U.S. government has taken advantage of the resulting power vacuum to resume covert fighter jet and drone attacks that have killed civilians and suspected terrorists alike. (more) Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Yemen’s President Hit Hard by Rocket Attack

Staff / Truthdig Jun 8, 2011 Friday's attack on Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh's palace in his country's capital city of Sanaa took a bigger toll than previously reported, as the news emerged Tuesday that it wasn't clear when he'd be able to return to office given the gravity of his injuries. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

You Can’t March if You’re Dead

Staff / Truthdig Jun 6, 2011 For the second time in three weeks, Israeli forces opened fire on pro-Palestinian protesters, killing as many as 20 (that figure comes from Syrian television by way of the BBC, and is disputed by Israel)uk/news/world-middle-east-13660311" title="opened fire">opened fire on pro-Palestinian protesters, killing as many as 20. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Yemen Celebrates as Saleh Leaves for Medical Treatment

Staff / Truthdig Jun 5, 2011 Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh, nursing wounds from a rocket attack Friday on the presidential mosque, arrived in Saudi Arabia on Sunday for medical treatment as street celebrations and renewed violence erupted back home in the capital of Sanaa. (more) Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Vodafone Scorned After Claiming Egypt’s Revolution

Staff / Truthdig Jun 3, 2011 Remember when a global telecommunications company helped inspire this year's Egyptian revolution? Neither do scores of anti-Mubarak activists who are furious over Vodafone's attempt to capitalize on the country's revolutionary spirit with a promotional video claiming just that, even after the company went along with the regime's orders to block telephone and Internet service during the protests (more). Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Gadhafi Not About to Leave Libya

Staff / Truthdig May 31, 2011 Russian President Dmitry Medvedev recently joined the chorus of outsiders urging Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi to give up, but that suggestion isn't hitting home with Gadhafi, according to yet another head of state, Jacob Zuma. The South African president returned from a visit to Tripoli with the news that Gadhafi isn't planning to go anywhere anytime soon. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

U.K. Cheers On Arab Spring While Training Its Opponents

Staff / Truthdig May 29, 2011 Just days after the British government pledged $181 million in grants and loans to foster economically viable democratic transitions in Egypt and Tunisia, a Freedom of Information Act report confirmed that British military personnel are training the same Saudi security forces that were used to crush recent popular uprisings in Bahrain (more) . Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Russia Changes Stance on Libya

Staff / Truthdig May 28, 2011 An unexpected voice is joining the international chorus urging Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi to leave On Friday, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announced that he would use his country's solid rapport with Libya to encourage Gadhafi to finally . Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Abandon Ship and/or Yemen

Staff / Truthdig May 26, 2011 The United States is evacuating "certain non-emergency personnel" from Yemen and encouraging other Americans to leave the country while they still can The State Department cites "terrorist activities and civil unrest" in its most recent travel warning Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh refuses (more). Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )