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Archives for 2010

Uncategorized
“The Ship Turned into a Lake of Blood”:  Israeli Commandos Used Beatings, Stun Guns, Live Ammo

“The Ship Turned into a Lake of Blood”: Israeli Commandos Used Beatings, Stun Guns, Live Ammo

Juan Cole

The humanitarian aid workers taken hostage by Israel on the high seas are beginning to be released, and they describe to the Associated Press a horrific scene when Israeli troops boarded the Mavi Marmara. Norman Paech of the German Left Party said, “”Moments later, we heard detonations and then soldiers from helicopters above us dropped […]

Israel/ Palestine
Historic UNSC Condemnation of Israel, and of Gaza Blockade; <br> World Body Demands release of Aid Activists, Ships

Historic UNSC Condemnation of Israel, and of Gaza Blockade;
World Body Demands release of Aid Activists, Ships

Juan Cole

In a rare public denunciation of Israel, the United Nations Security Council on Monday condemned the Israeli raid on the Gaza aid flotilla and deplored the loss of innocent life that attended it. The world body insisted that Israel immediately release the 480 humanitarians it had taken captive, and demanded that it also let their […]

Israel/ Palestine
World Condemns Brutal Israeli Assault on Humanitarian Convoy

World Condemns Brutal Israeli Assault on Humanitarian Convoy

Juan Cole

Israel faced a wave of global condemnation over its military assault on a humanitarian aid convoy in international waters. Everyone from the UN Secretary-General to the Pope came down hard on the Israeli government. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was constrained to cancel his planned visit to Washington, D.C., since that trip would have forced him […]

Israel/ Palestine
Israeli Commandos Kill as Many as 10-16 Aid Activists,<br/> wound over 50 as they Board, Capture Gaza Aid Flotilla

Israeli Commandos Kill as Many as 10-16 Aid Activists,
wound over 50 as they Board, Capture Gaza Aid Flotilla

Juan Cole

Wire services are reporting that Israeli commandos killed as many as 16 peace activists and wounded over 50 others as they boarded and commandeered the six ships of the Gaza aid flotilla. Among the ships boarded, on which Israeli troops killed aid activists, was a Turkish vessel, the Marmara, on which there were casualties. Early […]

Uncategorized
McCain on Offshore Drilling, 2008

McCain on Offshore Drilling, 2008

Juan Cole

The Republican plan for expanded offshore drilling: Drill Here, Drill Now”: August 4, 2008:

Environment
“This Scares Everybody” says BP: <br/> Top Kill Fails, Imperils Gulf; <br/> “There are no Solar Spills”

“This Scares Everybody” says BP:
Top Kill Fails, Imperils Gulf;
“There are no Solar Spills”

Juan Cole

British Petroleum’s attempt to plug the petroleum gusher a mile beneath the Gulf of Mexico through a “top kill,” pumping mud into the oil pipeline in hopes of plugging it up, has failed, according to Chief Operating Officer Doug Suttles. The LAT quotes him as saying, chillingly, at a news conference Saturday in Robert, LA, […]

Iraq War
Kirchner:  Bush angrily said War would Grow US Economy

Kirchner: Bush angrily said War would Grow US Economy

Juan Cole

Néstor Kirchner, former president of Argentina, revealed in an interview with Oliver Stone for the director’s documentary “South of the Border” that former US president George W. Bush was convinced that war was the way to grow the US economy. Here is the video: And here is the transcript of Kirchner’s account of the conversation […]

Pakistan
Why Pakistan needs the Separation of Religion and State; <br/> Atrocities by Taliban against Ahmadis

Why Pakistan needs the Separation of Religion and State;
Atrocities by Taliban against Ahmadis

Juan Cole

The attack by ten armed and trained militants on two Ahmadi places of worship resembled in its techniques the assault on Mumbai (Bombay) in fall of 2008 (see this Federation of American Scientists report [.pdf]). Some at least of the militants appear to have been from southern Punjab and to have been residing in Waziristan […]

Uncategorized
80 Dead in Twin Ahmadi Mosque Bombings

80 Dead in Twin Ahmadi Mosque Bombings

Juan Cole

Taliban in Pakistan launched horrific suicide bombings at two mosques in Lahore on Friday, killing at least 80 persons and wounding dozens. The mosques belonged to the minority Ahmadiyah community, widely considered non-Muslims by Pakistani Sunnis and Shiites. (Ahmadis consider themselves Muslims). Previous militant bombings linked to the Taliban and kindred groups had targeted mosques […]

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