(By Juan Cole) The Guardian reports that the George W. Bush administration put German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder’s personal telephone under surveillance in 2002. Schroeder was opposed to the Bush-Cheney aggressive war on Iraq. This surveillance allowed the Bush administration to know where it stood with Germany and NATO. The surveillance continued, on the personal phone […]
Broken Democracy: Republicans poised to take Senate, Americans Reject their Platform
(By Juan Cole) A lot of political analysts think it is entirely possible that the Republicans will take the senate next November. This development won’t change much, in all likelihood, if it does occur. The Republican majority in the House of Representatives can already block most legislation, and in 2013 it dedicated itself the the […]
Egyptian Junta increasingly sees Journalism as a form of Terrorism, Arrests Journalists
(Via Globalpost) Why Al Jazeera’s journalists are being targeted in Egypt (via GlobalPost) CAIRO, Egypt — In Egypt, journalists are being accused of terrorism. Twenty Al Jazeera employees, including four foreigners, are to stand trial on charges of joining or assisting a terrorist group, as well as fabricating news to convince readers that… —— […]
Dear President Obama: Tar Sands & Keystone XL are more Dangerous than an Iranian Atomic Bomb
(By Juan Cole) Dear President Obama: You have said repeatedly that if negotiations with Iran do not limit its nuclear enrichment activities solely to peaceful uses, i.e. production of fuel for energy plants, that you would be willing to go to war with that country to ensure that it does not develop an atomic bomb. […]
Islamic State of Iraq & Levant too Extreme for al-Qaeda (Not the Onion)
(By Juan Cole) Ayman al-Zawahiri, now the leader of the international terrorist organization, al-Qaeda, has disavowed the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). ISIL (also called ISIS, substituting Syria for ‘Levant’) controls Falluja and part of Ramadi in Iraq, along with parts of Aleppo and its hinterland in Syria. It has been involved […]
The Cheapening of American Politics: Why did Obama reward O’Reilly with an Interview?
(By Juan Cole) President Obama subjected himself to an interview by Bill O’Reilly of Fox “News” on Sunday before the Superbowl. Obviously, intellectually it was Obama Seahawks rolling over O’Reilly Broncos. And maybe it felt good to tell Fox News off for its serial propaganda against the administration. But I just regret that he lent […]
Israeli Pols attack Sec. Kerry over Boycott Remarks: “Can’t negotiate with a gun to our Heads”
(Via AFP) Israel, US locked in spat over Kerry boycott remark (via AFP) Israel and Washington were at loggerheads on Sunday after senior Israeli figures attacked US Secretary of State John Kerry for warning of a growing boycott threat if peace talks fail. The latest spat erupted a day after Kerry warned of the potential… […]
Egyptian Women Learn Kung Fu for Fighting Sexual Harassment
VOAnews reports “Egyptian Women Learn Martial Arts to Combat Sexual Harassment”
Director Steven Spielberg speaks at UN Holocaust Remembrance Day: “There are no Bystanders to History”
ITN reports, “Director Steven Spielberg talks at UN Holocaust Remembrance Day”
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