In his speech on the National Security Agency domestic surveillance program on Friday, Obama offered an explanation of its origins: “The program grew out of a desire to address a gap identified after 9/11. One of the 9/11 hijackers – Khalid al-Mihdhar – made a phone call from San Diego to a known al Qaeda […]
Archives for January 2014
The BDP’s difficult choices over Dec 17
At last, the Kurdish movement had found an interlocutor who gave hope of a political solution and peace.
Books go Online for Free in Norway
(By AFP) Literature goes online for free in Norway (via AFP) Most books published in Norway before 2001 are going online for free thanks to an initiative that may have found the formula to reconcile authors with the web. At a time when the publishing world is torn over its relationship to the Internet — […]
American Public Pushes back against AIPAC Senators seeking Iran Conflict
(By Sarah Lazare) A congressional drive for new sanctions on Iran, backed by the lobbying muscle of the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee, is meeting growing push-back from a public that does not want another war. "We have an opportunity to stand up and say we're not going to support legislation that will only move […]
How the Arab Spring Left the Palestinians Behind
(By Abdalhadi Alijla) Reading about the murder of Hassan Hassan, the Palestinian actor and comedian, in Yarmouk refugee camp in Syria was like a bombshell. Hassan and his wife were arrested by Syrian regime forces three months ago; his wife and son were released two days later. He was believed to be detained when recently […]
Pension Managers should divest from Fossil Fuels: UN Official
(By Juan Cole) Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, told investors at a conference on Wednesday that they should move pension funds out of fossil fuels. After all, she pointed out, pension funds are for retirement, and future retirees won’t get to enjoy their golden years if the average […]
‘I think I can still improve my strength’ says Shinji Kagawa, aiming to make bigger impact with United
The Japanese Manchester United midfielder said on Wednesday that, ‘I realise the Premier League is a very tough league and I know I have to be stronger’ as he looks for a more prominent role at the club.
Messianic Israeli Minister obsessed with Palestinian Land accuses Kerry of Messianic Obsession
(By AFP) US slams Israeli defense minister attack on Kerry (via AFP) A senior US official on Tuesday urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to publicly disavow a complaint by Israel’s defense minister that John Kerry has a messianic “obsession” with Middle East peace. The official made the highly unusual demand… ——- Juan Cole […]
Colbert: Christie Bridgegate a diversion from Obama’s Afghanistan War
Stephen Colbert reports on Robert Gates’s criticisms of President Obama, noting that Gates said he though Obama made the right decisions, but was beset by second thoughts. He contrasted him to President George W. Bush in this regard. Colbert: Yes, Bush had no second thoughts. He had no first thoughts, either.
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