March 2009
15 posts
Obama's Defense Secretary Covertly Funneled...
By Jeremy Scahill
As Obama ratchets up the US occupation of Afghanistan, it certainly warrants some reflection on who he has around him and what their public records look like when it comes to war and other military action, as well as regards Afghanistan itself. I will continue on this theme in the weeks and months ahead (and have been on it for some time), but there is a profile of Obama (and...
While Obama Escalates in Afghanistan, Iraq Could...
By Jeremy Scahill
Over the past couple of weeks, the Obama administration has clearly attempted to shift the US foreign policy focus from Iraq to Afghanistan, seemingly intent on leaving the public with the impression that Iraq is under control and US withdrawal has been set in full motion; that the end of the “war” is within sight. This fantasy has been reinforced by some so-called...
Miss Universe Visits Guantanamo Prison Camp: "I...
“We also met the Military dogs, and they did a very nice demonstration of their skills.” —Miss Universe, Dayana Mendoza I am reprinting this blog post verbatim from Miss Universe, Dayana Mendoza. She wrote it after a recent visit to the US gulag at Guantanamo. I started to write some sort of analysis, but the truth is that this really speaks for itself:
March 27, 2009...
MoveOn.org and the Center for American Progress...
My good friend John Stauber, founder of the Center for Media and Democracy and PR Watch, has been doing great work exposing the Center for American Progress and MoveOn.org for their support for (in the case of CAP) and silence regarding (in the case of MoveOn.org) Obama’s escalation of the war against Afghanistan.
In a piece titled, “How Obama Took Over the Peace Movement,” John...
Hummer Sales on the Rise in Baghdad: Biggest...
This just underscores how destructive the US occupation of Iraq has been in every possible way. As Obama makes his big announcement on GM, a report emerges that chronicles the sky-rocketing success of Hummer in Baghdad. The New York Times profiles one of the largest Hummer dealerships outside of the US. It is in Baghdad. Not very surprising: the biggest customers “tend to be [US-backed...
"Continuing and Expanding" Bush's Foreign Policy:...
I feel like this story can be written pretty much any time President Obama makes any major foreign policy announcement. It happened shortly after the election when Obama unveiled his foreign policy team and the neocons and other Republicans sang his praises. It happened with his Iraq plan, when some of his most vocal fans were the likes of John McCain and Mitch McConnell. Now, Obama’s...
283 Bases, 170,000 Pieces of Equipment, 140,000... →
NOTE: This is my latest piece for AlterNet.org
With last week’s announced escalation of the war in Afghanistan, including an Iraq-like “surge” replete with 4,000 more U.S. troops and a sizable increase in private contractors, President Barack Obama blew the lid off of any lingering perceptions that he somehow represents a significant change in how the U.S. conducts its foreign...
Why Am I Not Surprised? Obama's FBI Director Calls... →
President Obama’s FBI Director Robert Mueller (who was also George Bush’s FBI chief) is lobbying lawmakers to reauthorize sections of the PATRIOT Act, which are set to expire this year. According to the Washington Post, “Mueller told members of the Senate Judiciary Committee he hopes that the reauthorization of two provisions would be far less controversial than in previous...
“My life has been threatened many times. I have to confess that as a Christian, I...”
– Archbishop Oscar Romero of el Salvador assassinated 29 years ago today by US-trained assassins
Not Surprising, But Important Documentation: The... →
This investigation by The Guardian into Israeli war crimes in Gaza includes some very important documentation on the extent of the horrifying atrocities committed against Palestinian civilians. While the details of these crimes will come as no surprise to many people who monitored these events closely, the films are important. Excerpt:
[The war crimes include] the use of Palestinian children as...
Blackwater Operative at Center of Nisour Square... →
From the Book of Not Surprising One Tiny Bit…one of the Blackwater operatives alleged to have been responsible for the Nisour Square Massacre is suspended from his ‘law enforcement’ job after allegedly assaulting his girlfriend, including grabbing her by the neck.
White House Moves to Declassify Bush-era Torture... →
I hadn’t caught this until now, but this could be very revealing and an important disclosure on the Bush administrations torture policies. Excerpt from Michael Isikoff’s story in Newsweek:
Over objections from the U.S. intelligence community, the White House is moving to declassify—and publicly release—three internal memos that will lay out, for the first time, details of the...
“This is a farewell kiss, you dog,” he said as he hurled his shoes at...”
– Iraqi journalist Muntader al-Zaidi
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