Barack Obama pulled closer to clinching the nomination last night, widening his lead over Hillary Clinton in voted delegates and in the popular vote. He overwhelmingly took Indianapolis and narrowed her earlier lead to only 2%, about 20,000 votes out of the hundreds of thousands cast. Obama even got 35% of working class whites in […]
Archives for May 2008
US Soldier Killed in al-Anbar; Sadrist MP Resigns; Army Arrests Police
The killing of a US soldier in al-Anbar province by Iraqi guerrillas was announced on Wednesday morning. The Scotsman reports: ‘ IRAQI soldiers yesterday detained dozens of policemen and closed down a hospital suspected of treating Shiite militiamen in a Baghdad stronghold of cleric Muqtada al-Sadr’s Mahdi Army. ‘ It doesn’t seem to me like […]
Khatami’s Charges Provoke Row in Iran; how Important is Iranian and Hizbullah Training
Former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami has caused a firestorm of criticism in Iran. AFP writes: ‘ In his speech, Khatami referred to the ambition of Iran’s revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to export the 1979 Islamic revolution around the world, but expressed fear this wish was being distorted. “What did the imam (Khomeini) mean by […]
OSC: Al-Arabiya discusses Iraq government, Al-Sadr Trend criticism of Iran role
The USG Open Source Center translates a discussion on al-Arabiya’s Panorama program about Iranian intervention in Iraq. May 5, 2008 Monday Al-Arabiya discusses Iraq government, Al-Sadr Trend criticism of Iran role [“Panorama” programme moderated by Muntaha al-Ramahi discusses Iran’s intervention in Iraq, the Iraqi Government’s escalatory tone against Iran, Al-Sadr Trend’s criticism of Iran – […]
Obama: Clinton on Iran Obliteration: Bush Clone
Barack Obama criticized Hillary Clinton on Sunday for her threat to “totally obliterate” Iran if it attacked Israel. He said on Meet the Press, ‘MR. RUSSERT: Hillary Clinton was asked about if Iran launched a nuclear attack against Israel, and this is the answer she gave. Let’s listen. (Videotape) SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D-NY): (From “Good […]
Iraq First Lady Narrowly Escapes death; Baghdad Equivocates on Role of Iran
A roadside bomb almost killed Iraq’s first lady on Sunday in Baghdad, striking her car and wounding three of her bodyguards. Bush is asking for another $70 bn. for next year, most of it for the Iraq War. Will the next president have the courage to put the war in the regular budget and not […]
US wounds 30 at Hospital; Kills 14 in Separate Incidents; Iraq MPS Dicker with Iran over Sadr
McClatchy reports that a US missile strike aimed at a suspected Mahdi Army HQ blew out the windows in a hospital next door in the densely populated slum of Sadr City. Flying glass produced by a missile is like lots of little missiles: ‘The rocket strike near Sadr Hospital injured 30 people, shattered the windows […]
Sadrist Crowds Denounce al-Maliki; at Friday Prayers; ICG: US is Creating Paramilitary Forces
Friday prayers were tumultuous in Baghdad’s Sadr City on Friday, as supporters of cleric Muqtada al-Sadr denounced Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki for his brutal invasion of their township. Turkey’s bombing campaign on Friday against the Kurdish Workers’ Party guerrillas hiding out in northern Iraq caused the price of oil to rally on Friday. Speculation on […]
Doha Debates on Sunni-Shiite Violence
For those of you with access to BBC World, the best 24 hour news channel in the English-speaking world check out the Doha Debate this weekend. I was one of the debaters in Qatar. Press coverage: The Christian Science Monitor The blurb: ‘ Watch the latest Doha Debate: ‘This House believes the Sunni-Shia conflict is […]
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