The FT reports that the intensification of US drone bombardment of suspected al-Qaeda positions in Pakistan’s tribal northwest in recent days appears to have been related to intelligence that the cells were planning to hit a number of Western European capitals with “Mumbai-style” random machine gun and bombing attacks. One of the drone strikes is […]
Deputy Gov. Ghazni Killed;
Karzai Weeps, announces Peace Outreach Council
Anti-government guerrillas attacked the convoy of the deputy governor of Ghazni province on Tuesday. According to Pajhwok, “Deputy governor of Ghazni province Mohammad Kazem Allahyar, his son, two of his nephews and a guard were killed in the attack in the provincial capital Ghazni, said Zamarai Bashary, spokesman for the interior ministry.” In an address […]
Netanyahu Blows off US; Mahmoud Abbas pleads for Settlement Freeze
President Barack Obama has just gotten the Netanyahu treatment. Obama came into office saying that a resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside the Israeli one is key to American security. He had his special envoy cajole Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu of the far right Likud Party for […]
Engaging the Muslim World Out in Paperback
Today is the official publication date for the paperback edition of my most recent book, Engaging the Muslim World. Click here to purchase It is somewhat revised, taking some of the stories into 2010. Here is a link to David Sanger’s generous review of the book in the New York Times.
Afghan Villagers Protest US Air Strike, as Ballot Fraud Evidence Surfaces
According to the Afghanistan government, about 186 civilians have died in each of the last 6 months in the war. (Other studies suggest the bulk of them are killed in Taliban attacks). While it is true that some 300 civilians were killed in Iraq in August, or nearly twice the Afghan toll, earlier in 2010 […]
New Polls: Dems Very Likely to Keep Senate
Jason Easley’s essay looking at recent opinion polls in Kentucky, Nevada, and California argues that Democrats are substantially improving their position in senate races in each. I’ve been noticing the same thing. Even if the new LA Times poll showing the Democratic candidates, Boxer for Senate and Brown for governor, pulling way out ahead is […]
Worst Reporting on Green Energy of the Week
This week’s award for bad environmental reporting goes to John Spear of the Toronto Star for his article on the cost of wind power in Ontario “when we don’t need it.” Spear manages to write the entire article as though the only comparison between wind power and other energy should be about the conventional pricing, […]
Will Resumption of Israeli Colonization of West Bank End the Two State Solution?
The Palestinian negotiating team is categorically rejecting any compromise with Israel over the latter’s plan to re-start settlement building on Palestinian land Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is also reviving his threat to resign. The Palestinians demanded the freeze on new settlement-building in summer of 2009 as a prerequisite to face to face talks. When Israel […]
Colbert on Immigrant Labor
Stephen Colbert of Comedy Central’s Colbert Report testifies before Congress on problems facing immigrant labor. Colbert’s television show spoofs rightwing Fox Cable News anchors.
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