International
(For articles after May 1, 2011, go to homepage and see Categories: Foreign Policy.)
Trying 'Shock and Awe' in Libya
NATO's military intervention in Libya adopts "shock and awe" tactics devised for Serbia and Iraq, reports Robert Parry. April 27, 2011
Gaddafi Regime Warns of Wider War
As NATO escalates its bombing of Libya, Muammar Gaddafi's regime threatens retaliation on the West, reports Morgan Strong. April 26, 2011
How Lobbies Distort US Politics
AIPAC and other well-organized lobbies thwart the Founders' schemes for checking special interests, observes Lawrence Davidson. April 23, 2011
News Flash: Iraq War Was About Oil
New disclosures in Great Britain belie the U.S./U.K. insistence that oil was not a factor in invading Iraq, reports Ray McGovern. April 22, 2011
NATO Pushes 'Regime Change' in Libya
NATO military intervention in Libya has stretched the U.N. humanitarian resolution past the breaking point, writes Peter Dyer. April 22, 2011
Israel's 'Lobbification' of Congress
Israeli hardliners explained the Middle East crisis to a House panel with nary a skeptical word spoken, notes Lawrence Davidson. April 17, 2011
Why Pakistan Resists CIA Strikes
U.S. drone attacks and other lethal special operations inside Pakistan have angered the population, reports Gareth Porter. April 14, 2011
Will NATO's War in Libya Save Lives?
President Obama justified the bombing of Libya to save civilian lives but a protracted war could cause more death, says Ivan Eland. April 12, 2011
Judge Goldstone's Embattled Retreat
Judge Richard Goldstone's recantation of one charge against Israel's Gaza offensive misses the larger abuse, argues Uri Avnery. April 10, 2011
NYT Demands Libyan War Escalation
New York Times' neocon editors call on President Obama to use close-combat attack aircraft in Libyan cities, Robert Parry reports. April 8, 2011
Iraqis Resist Longer US Occupation
President Obama signals a willingness to extend the U.S. occupation of Iraq, but some Iraqi leaders balk, reports Gareth Porter. April 8, 2011
WPost Seeks Longer Iraq Occupation
The Washington Post's neocon editors want President Obama to extend the U.S. occupation of Iraq past 2011, reports Robert Parry. April 4, 2011
Analyzing Goldstone's Gaza Retreat
Judge Richard Goldstone retracts a key charge against Israel's bloody assault on Gaza, but is he right, asks Lawrence Davidson. April 4, 2011
Libyan War Recalls Afghan Pitfalls
On Libya, President Obama is wary of lessons from Ronald Reagan's Afghan covert war of the 1980s, reports Robert Parry. April 2, 2011
Surreal Rhetoric on Libya
As Washington's war rhetoric heats up over Libya, ideas for "winning" the conflict lose touch with reality, says Lawrence Davidson. April 1, 2011
Into the Shifting Sands of Libya
President Obama is already under pressure to expand the U.S. role in Libya by arming the anti-Gaddafi rebels, notes Ivan Eland. March 30, 2011
Warriors of the Mainstream Media
The New York Times and Washington Post criticize President Obama for not acting more unilaterally on Libya, says Robert Parry. March 29, 2011
Afghan War Hawks Strike Again
By revealing plans for U.S. bases in Afghanistan, war hawks undercut hopes for Taliban peace talks, writes Gareth Porter. March 29, 2011
Obama Lacks Clarity on Afghan War
Two years after starting the Afghan War escalation, President Obama's strategy remains muddled, reports Ray McGovern. March 28, 2011
Israel's Right Lashes Out at Critics
Israeli rightists escalate their demonizing of critics opposed to the harsh treatment of Palestinians, writes Lawrence Davidson. March 26, 2011
The Neocons Regroup on Libyan War
Neocons want a robust intervention to oust Libya's Muammar Gaddafi, but ignore terror links of his enemies, reports Robert Parry. March 25, 2011
Ignoring Peace Talks in Libya
The U.N. authorized "all necessary means" to protect Libyan civilians, but no one's tried peace talks yet, notes Marjorie Cohn. March 22, 2011
Protecting Libyan Civilians, Not Others
U.S. and allied forces say they want to save Libyan civilians, but that moral imperative has been selective, says Robert Parry. March 20, 2011
The Hypocrisy of the Libyan Conflict
Western powers are off to war in Libya to "protect civilians," but this mission was missing elsewhere, notes Lawrence Davidson. March 20, 2011
Understating Afghan Civilian Deaths
As the U.S. vows to save civilian lives in Libya, its record of killing Afghan civilians is questioned by Gareth Porter and Shah Noori. March 19, 2011
Through the US Media Lens Darkly
In focusing on the Middle East, U.S. news outlets use a distorted lens to exaggerate evils of designated villains, says Robert Parry. March 18, 2011
Al Jazeera Shows the Way
Long disparaged in the U.S., Al Jazeera has emerged as one of the world's most trusted names in news, notes Danny Schechter. March 17, 2011
Learning Nuke Dangers the Hard Way
Japan was at the forefront of nuclear arms control but is now learning the risks of nuclear power, too, says Lawrence S. Wittner. March 17, 2011
Why the Jokes about Japan's Tragedy
Rush Limbaugh and other voices in American culture find something funny about Japan's suffering, but why, asks Phil Rockstroh. March 17, 2011
Aristide's Right to Return to Haiti
Twice elected Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide wants to go back home, but the U.S. government objects, writes Nat Parry. March 17, 2011
The Invasion of Bahrain
The Saudi invasion of Bahrain, to help crush a pro-democracy movement, exposes the West's double standards, says Craig Murray. March 16, 2011
The Return of Nukespeak
Reassuring words on nuclear power have taken an Orwellian twist amid the Japanese disaster, write Rory O'Connor and Richard Bell. March 16, 2011
Not-So-Fool-Proof Nuclear Power
Japan's nuclear crisis shows that even with safeguards, nuclear plants can be wrecked by the unexpected, writes Jesse Laird. March 15, 2011
Kissinger Backs Israel on Pollard Case
Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger urges President Obama to free Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard, writes Lawrence Davidson. March 9, 2011
Misjudgments Led to Hijacking Tragedy
The killing of four ocean-going Christian missionaries off Somalia raises doubts about U.S. anti-piracy policy, writes Ivan Eland. March 8, 2011
Mubarak, the Bag Man
The fortune of Egypt's ex-dictator Hosni Mubarak got started with bribes from CIA-connected operatives, reports Morgan Strong. March 3, 2011
How to Read Gates's Shift on the Wars
When Defense Secretary Gates suggested the Afghan and Iraq wars were nuts, was there a deeper message, asks Ray McGovern. March 2, 2011
Kicking the Vietnam Syndrome
Two decades ago, Bush-41 revealed a secret aim of the Gulf War ground attack: the Vietnam Syndrome, reports Robert Parry. February 28, 2011
Gates Agrees, Bush's Wars Were Nuts
Defense Secretary Robert Gates's repudiation of Iraq- and Afghan-type wars demands more accountability, says Robert Parry. February 27, 2011
Professor Maguire Criticizes UN Veto
The U.S. veto of a U.N. resolution censuring Israeli settlements endangers the U.S. and Israel, writes Professor Daniel C. Maguire. February 26, 2011
Political Upheaval and Women's Rights
As Islamic and Christian fundamentalists gain political ground, women's rights are under siege, reports William John Cox. February 25, 2011
Standing Up to War and Hillary Clinton
Ex-CIA analyst Ray McGovern recounts his surprise at getting attacked for his silent protest against Secretary of State Clinton. February 23, 2011
Multiple 'Realities' in the Middle East
Competing "realities" in the Israel/Palestine conflict shape how the past, present and future play out, says Lawrence Davidson. February 20, 2011
Egypt's Lessons of Peace
The victory of nonviolent protesters in Egypt gave hope to the region and, Rev. Howard Bess hopes, to the rest of the world. February 19, 2011
Ray McGovern Bloodied at Clinton Talk
Ex-CIA analyst Ray McGovern was roughed up by Hillary Clinton's security as she hailed peaceful protests, notes Robert Parry. February 17, 2011
The Back Story on Iran's Clashes
The U.S. media presents the new street protests in Iran as a morality play, but they are more complex, reports Robert Parry. February 17, 2011
How Egypt's Revolt Challenges Israel
Egypt's ouster of longtime dictator Hosni Mubarak tests Israel's policies toward the Palestinians, writes Lawrence Davidson. February 16, 2011
Short-Counting the Taliban
Gen. David Petraeus wins out in a struggle over counting the number of Taliban fighters in Afghanistan, writes Gareth Porter. February 15, 2011
Bush Confronts an Outraged World
Ex-President George W. Bush finds his travel plans limited by the principle of universal jurisdiction, reports Lawrence Davidson. February 14, 2011
Now, Egypt Faces 'the Hard Part'
The Egyptian revolt enters a tricky phase as internal and external forces seek to limit economic reforms, says Danny Schechter. February 14, 2011
The CIA's Man in Egypt
The final collapse of the Mubarak dictatorship leaves the future of CIA favorite, Omar Suleiman, in doubt, notes Scott Horton. February 12, 2011
Egypt's Conflicting Narratives
One narrative of the Egyptian revolt is the protesters' battle for freedom; another is from the powerful, writes Michael Winship. February 11, 2011
US Spurned Taliban Peace Feelers
During the Afghan War, U.S. officials rebuffed Taliban peace overtures, promising to keep out al Qaeda, reports Gareth Porter. February 8, 2011
The Many Obstacles to Revolution
The Egyptian uprising stirs hope for new freedom in the Middle East, but William Blum recalls a painful precedent in Portugal. February 8, 2011
America's Stay-at-Home Ex-President
Ex-President George W. Bush had nice Super Bowl seats but faces torture accusations if he goes abroad, writes Ray McGovern. February 8, 2011
Mubarak's Dangerous 'Groupthink'
The chasm between Egyptian President Mubarak and the protesters starts with their different realities, notes Lawrence Davidson. February 7, 2011
Egyptian Blogger Describes Clashes
One of Egypt's top bloggers helped galvanize protests to dictator Hosni Mubarak and describes the cost to Dennis Bernstein. February 6, 2011
Egypt Is Test of Obama's Promises
In 2009, President Obama went to Cairo and promised "a new beginning," words now being put to the test, notes Kevin Zeese. February 5, 2011
Mideast Payback Worries Washington
After decades of hypocrisy -- preaching democracy and backing dictators -- U.S. leaders face Arab wrath, says Michael Winship. February 4, 2011
Israel Frets Over Egyptian Uprising
Israel's Likud leaders see a threat to their western flank if Egypt's uprising ends in a hostile government, notes Lawrence Davidson. February 3, 2011
US-Israeli Strategy Crashes in Egypt
The uprising in Egypt marks an end to a long U.S.-Israeli strategy of imposing "order" on the Middle East, says Gareth Porter. February 1, 2011
Lebanon Marks Another US Reversal
U.S.-Israeli policies run into another reversal in Lebanon with the rise of the militant Shiite group, Hezbollah, notes Ivan Eland. February 1, 2011
The Unpredictability of Uprisings
The revolts in Egypt and Tunisia show how surprising upheavals can be even if conditions are ripe, says Lawrence Davidson. January 31, 2011
How Food Prices Feed Egyptian Revolt
Rising food prices are contributing to unrest in Egypt and other poor countries around the world, notes Danny Schechter. January 30, 2011
US Cynicism Explodes in Egypt
The uprising in Egypt marks a repudiation of the U.S. strategy of talking democracy and backing dictatorship, notes Jeff Cohen. January 29, 2011
New Hope in Russian Nuke Proposals
Russian proposals for expanding nuclear cooperation offer the U.S. a way to save money and boost safety, asserts Ivan Eland. January 27, 2011
One-State Solution to Israel/Palestine?
Israel's insistence on taking more Arab land has forced a refocusing on a one-state solution in Palestine, says Lawrence Davidson. January 26, 2011
WPost Still Talking Tough on Iran
As U.S. influence ebbs in the Middle East, the Washington Post is still fantasizing "regime change" in Iran, notes Robert Parry. January 25, 2011
Ukraine's Assault on a Free Press
TVi, a small Ukrainian station known for its investigative reporting, is under attack from well-connected rivals, reports David Marks. January 23, 2011
Obama Submits to Israel Lobby
Refocusing on reelection, President Obama assembles "usual suspects" to reframe his Mideast policies, writes Lawrence Davidson. January 21, 2011
China's Hu Arrives to Look Around
China's President Hu Jintao visits the U.S. with a look of a banker checking in on a struggling client, reports Danny Schechter. January 18, 2011
Getting Out of Iraq Before More Strife
Any delay in the U.S. departure from Iraq risks American troops getting caught up in more fighting, warns Ivan Eland. January 18, 2011
Troubled History of the Hariri Probe
A UN tribunal thinks it's finally solved the murder of Lebanese leader Rafik Hariri, but its record has been spotty, says Robert Parry. January 17, 2011
The Israeli Right's Move to Repress
As Israel drifts further to the Right, the Likud-led government is cracking down on internal dissent, observes Lawrence Davidson. January 16, 2011
Finding a Path Out of Afghanistan
As the Afghan War drags on, Ivan Eland outlines some difficult choices that U.S. policymakers must finally consider. January 12, 2011
The Lingering Stain of Guantanamo
Ex-CIA officer Ray McGovern reflects on the words of the prophet Isaiah as the Guantanamo prison camp enters its 10th year. January 11, 2011
Republicans Give Aid to 'Terrorists'
In more hypocrisy on terrorism, ex-Bush aides defend a violent Iranian group on the terrorist list, notes Lawrence Davidson. January 6, 2011
Should US Extend Nuclear Umbrella?
U.S. war hawks are at it again, pushing for extension of the U.S. nuclear umbrella into the unstable Middle East, warns Ivan Eland. January 4, 2011
Obama Should Read WikiLeaks Docs
Before re-upping his Afghan strategy, President Obama might first read WikiLeaks' evidence on the folly, advises Ray McGovern. January 3, 2011
The Danger of Pro-Israel Extremism
The hasty demonizing of Israeli critics as "anti-Semites" has hurt hopes for peace in the Middle East, writes Lawrence Davidson. January 2, 2011
Birth of Pakistan's Islamic Extremism
While helping the CIA fight Russians in Afghanistan in the 1980s, Pakistan adopted Islamic extremism, notes Alvaro Vargas Llosa. December 31, 2010
Hungary's Embrace of Propaganda
After a right-wing victory, Hungary embarks on a familiar path toward nationalistic propaganda, observes Abby Martin. December 29, 2010
Trying More Carrots with Iran
The Obama administration's strategy of confrontation with Iran carries more risks than benefits, asserts Ivan Eland. December 28, 2010
Losing Afghan Hearts and Minds
Gen. Petraeus's strategy of blowing up Afghan homes to avoid IEDs is alienating the Pashtun region, reports Gareth Porter. December 18, 2010
'Giant' Holbrooke Failed on Afghan War
Eulogies are pouring in for US 'Afghan War' envoy Richard Holbrooke, but is all this praise warranted, asks Ray McGovern. December 14, 2010
Rabbis' Decree Reveals Anti-Arab Bias
Israel's drift toward an apartheid system was underscored by a housing decree from powerful rabbis, says Lawrence Davidson. December 14, 2010
Getting Sensible about the Koreas
US foreign policy often ignores the self-interest of adversaries, a factor in today's crisis over North Korea, writes Ivan Eland. December 7, 2010
The US Empire Targets Iran
The WikiLeaks documents underscore the intensity of Washington's global campaign to demonize Iran, observes William Blum. December 4, 2010
NYT Stokes Fear of Iran
By hyping claims about North Korean missiles in Iran, the New York Times continues its fear mongering, writes Ray McGovern. December 2, 2010
NYT Takes US Side in Iran Missile Flap
A key dispute over Iran's missile capability was distorted by the New York Times in its WikiLeaks report, says Gareth Porter. November 30, 2010
The Painful History of US-Iran Distrust
Both Iran and the United States have reasons to resent the other, but Danny Schechter looks for ways to ease tensions. November 30, 2010
Cables Hold Clues to US-Iran Mysteries
Secret US cables via WikiLeaks show President Obama trying his hand at the great Mideast power game, writes Robert Parry. November 29, 2010
Petraeus Duped by Afghan Imposter
Gen. David Petraeus got bamboozled by an Afghan posing as a Taliban leader interested in peace, writes Gareth Porter. November 25, 2010
On Korea, Here We Go Again!
The US press corps is back to the battlements, this time over North Korea, but is making the same mistakes, says Robert Parry. November 24, 2010
Iran-Nuke NIE Stopped Bush on War
A US intelligence estimate refuting claims about Iran's nuke plans killed George W. Bush's war option, reports Ray McGovern. November 22, 2010
Obama's Frantic Mideast Peace Gamble
President Obama begs Israel's Likud government to return to peace talks, offering many incentives, notes Lawrence Davidson. November 22, 2010
Iranian Nuke Documents May Be Fake
Alleged Iranian nuclear documents contain discrepancies suggesting they may have been fabricated, reports Gareth Porter. November 21, 2010
A Prince Pursues Ecological 'Harmony'
Prince Charles's environmental commitment has changed lives around the globe, say Stuart Sender and Julie Bergman Sender. November 19, 2010
Did GOP's Cantor Cross Line on Israel?
House Republican leader Eric Cantor promised to protect Israel from President Obama's pressure, says Lawrence Davidson. November 18, 2010
Obama's No-Win Afghan Quandary
Barack Obama's bid to salvage George W. Bush's bungled Afghan War is endangering his presidency, argues Bruce P. Cameron. November 17, 2010
The UN and the Hypocrisy of Power
Israel and its defenders in Washington have exposed the UN's impotence over the Palestinians' plight, says Lawrence Davidson. November 13, 2010
WikiLeaks Ban or Global Secrecy Act?
A proposal to criminalize disclosure of CIA or US military contacts aims at WikiLeaks but could hit elsewhere, writes D.H. Kerby. November 11, 2010
Yemeni Drone Strikes' Risky Fallout
The US military got a green light to use drones to attack Yemeni targets, but some raids have backfired, reports Gareth Porter. November 11, 2010
America, Losing Hearts and Minds
The long US war in Afghanistan is devolving into a death-squad campaign against ill-definded Bad Guys, warns Jada Thacker. November 5, 2010
Why JFK Would Disdain Yemen Raid
President John Kennedy favored winning hearts and minds abroad, not dispatching killer teams to Yemen, says Lisa Pease. November 4, 2010
Petraeus Winked at Iraq War Abuses
Early in the Iraq War, Gen. David Petraeus unleashed Shiite and Kurdish commandos on Sunni suspects, reports Gareth Porter. November 4, 2010
Putting a Brake on Unwise US Wars
Is there a way to discourage foreign wars by making the decision more politically difficult for presidents, asks Ivan Eland. November 2, 2010
The Seduction of Ambassador Rice
Susan Rice was a free-thinker before becoming US ambassador to the UN and joining the team, writes Lawrence Davidson. November 1, 2010
Iranian Students Ask About 1980
Robert Parry responds to questions from Iranian students about the 1980 Iran-US hostage crisis and the October Surprise case. October 30, 2010
ADL Sidles Up to Anti-Muslim Bigots
The Anti-Defamation League has drifted from fighting all bigotry to fronting for Israeli government policies, writes Morgan Strong. October 25, 2010
Records Cast Doubt on Iraq 'Surge'
WikiLeaks' disclosures on the Iraq War suggest other factors -- besides the "surge" -- lowered the violence, says Robert Parry. October 24, 2010
Is Israel Poisoning the Peace Talks?
Israel's demand that Palestinians accept the "Jewish state" may be a new poison pill for peace talks, says Lawrence Davidson. October 21, 2010
Obama's Feckless Afghan Escalation
After three decades of US mistakes in Afghanistan, President Obama joins the parade into the swamp, writes Ivan Eland. October 19, 2010
Pentagon Releases Tally of Dead Iraqis
The Pentagon quietly reversed its longstanding refusal to disclose the U.S. tallies of Iraqi war dead, observes Rory O'Connor. October 15, 2010
Islamophobia's Scholarly Godfather
Even before 9/11, Americans were conditioned to disdain Muslims based on neocon pseudo-scholarship, writes Nabil Al-Khowaiter. October 9, 2010
Petraeus's New Afghan War Ploy
Gen. David Petraeus suggests that his Afghan War "surge" is forcing the Taliban to the peace table, but is it so, asks Ivan Eland. October 5, 2010
An Inside Look at the Afghan Debacle
Bob Woodward's new book reveals President Obama's national security team adrift on the Afghan War, says Melvin A. Goodman. October 5, 2010
Finally, Israel Lobby Gets Challenged
Israel's brinksmanship over settlements and peace talks prompts concerns about the Israel Lobby, writes Lawrence Davidson. October 1, 2010
CIA Analysts Shut Out on Afghan War
President Obama's chaotic Afghan War review ignored the protocol of a formal intelligence estimate, notes Ray McGovern. September 30, 2010
Israeli Commandos Accused of Murder
A UN report on Israel's assault on a Turkish ship off Gaza says commandos murdered six passengers, Gareth Porter reports. September 29, 2010
How Bush Holdovers Trapped Obama
Defense Secretary Gates and other Bush holdovers sandbagged President Obama on the Afghan escalation, says Robert Parry. September 27, 2010
Obama's Anti-historical UN Speech
President Obama appealed for Mideast peace but still distorted the facts behind the conflict, argues Lawrence Davidson. September 25, 2010
Petraeus Cons Obama on Afghan War
Gen. David Petraeus continues to outmaneuver President Obama on the future of the Afghan War, writes Ray McGovern. September 24, 2010
Losing Ahmadinejad's Translation
Iran's President Ahmadinejad remains the US press corps' new villain, but there is more to the story, writes Lawrence Davidson. September 22, 2010
How Gen. Petraeus Deceived Obama
Gen. David Petraeus bait-and-switched President Obama to get more U.S. troops for the Afghan War, writes Gareth Porter. September 20, 2010
Great Britain's Brave New World
The British austerity program is squeezing the middle class and pushing the newly poor toward class war, says Danny Schechter. September 14, 2010
Has US Empire Benefited the World?
For nearly a century -- since World War I -- the US has policed the globe but is the world better off for it, asks Ivan Eland. September 14, 2010
US Hypocrisy Hobbles Human Rights
International law has become a practice in double standards, with only the weak held accountable, says Lawrence Davidson. September 12, 2010
America's Excessive Fear of the World
An American paradox is that even though life is the US is relatively safe, Americans wallow in fear, writes Jonathan Schwarz. September 11, 2010
After 9/11, Making Matters Worse
The U.S. government's response to 9/11 played into the enemy's hands by overreacting to the threat, says Melvin A. Goodman. September 11, 2010
Hillary's Imperial Dream Meets Reality
Secretary of State Clinton hailed "a new American moment" but it collided with new Afghan chaos, writes Danny Schechter. September 10, 2010
Iraq Pullout v. the Base Temptation
President Obama promises to complete the US withdrawal from Iraq, but pressure builds to keep some bases, writes Ivan Eland. September 8, 2010
Why the Israeli Boycott Is Growing
The Israeli Right's insistence that it can seize Palestinian land is fueling a growing boycott movement, says Lawrence Davidson. September 8, 2010
Petraeus Spins the Afghan War Mess
Gen. David Petraeus cites progress in Afghanistan, but an ex-U.S. official says that's spin, not reality, reports Barbara Koeppel. September 7, 2010
Posturing on the PanAm 103 'Bomber'
US and UK officials still fume over the freed PanAm 103 "bomber" though the Libyan is clearly innocent, writes William Blum. September 2, 2010
The Afghan Pincer Attack on Obama
Afghan War hawks have outmaneuvered President Obama by overrunning his political flanks, writes Melvin A. Goodman. September 2, 2010
Obama Sugarcoats Iraq War Realities
In "turning the page" on Iraq, President Obama spared those responsible for this war of aggression, writes David Swanson. September 1, 2010
Hawks Box in Obama on Afghan War
President Obama tried to outmaneuver the Afghan War hawks, but now appears to be the one boxed in, says Ray McGovern. August 26, 2010
Twisting Palestinian Arms for 'Peace'
New Israel-Palestine peace talks confront Palestinian leaders with some unpalatable choices, observes Lawrence Davidson. August 25, 2010
Turning Iraqi Cities into Slums
The US invasion of Iraq has caused a catastrophic decline in living standards for millions of Iraqis, writes Adil E. Shamoo. August 23, 2010
Spinning the US Failure in Iraq
The withdrawal of the last US combat battalions from Iraq marks a historic failure despite the spin in Washington, says Robert Parry. August 20, 2010
Transocean Questioned on Burma Deal
Transocean, in trouble over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, faces a probe of its work in Burmese waters, reports Thomas Maung Shwe. August 20, 2010
Behind a Lethal Israel-Lebanon Clash
A cross-border firing by Lebanese and Israeli troops reveals that regional tensions remain high, writes Lawrence Davidson. August 16, 2010
A Neocon Preps US for War with Iran
Neocon writer Jeffrey Goldberg lays out Israel's case for why the US should join a new war with Iran, observes Ray McGovern. August 12, 2010
Why Israel Wants a US War with Iran
Neocons are beating new war drums, this time over Iran, to boost Israel's regional interests, write Flynt and Hillary Mann Leverett. August 12, 2010
Hard Choices in Iraq and Afghanistan
President Obama must resist pressures to leave behind more US troops in Iraq and to escalate in Afghanistan, writes Ivan Eland. August 10, 2010
The Dual Realities of Israel/Palestine
An ugly part of the Israel/Palestine conflict is the tendency to disparage the other side's grievances, says Lawrence Davidson. August 10, 2010
Is Iran, like Iraq, 'Asking for War'?
A US media myth about invading Iraq is that it pretended to have WMD, a falsehood that could repeat in Iran, warns William Blum. August 4, 2010
Obama Warned Israel May Bomb Iran
Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity tell President Obama that he must instruct Israel to forgo any surprise attack on Iran. August 3, 2010
Can US Live with a Taliban Revival?
As leaked Afghan War documents underscore the war's futility, Ivan Eland asks whether a deal with the Taliban could work. August 3, 2010
Neocons Still Angle for War with Iran
Despite resistance from senior US military commanders, neocons still want to provoke a major new war with Iran, writes Gareth Porter. July 31, 2010
Hiroshima and the Myths of Empire
Hiding the full history of the Hiroshima bombing was the first shot in a propaganda war for American empire, asserts Gary G. Kohls. July 29, 2010
US Grows Isolated on Aggressive War
Outside the United States, a global consensus has formed recognizing the invasion of Iraq as a criminal act, writes Peter Dyer. July 28, 2010
Israel's Self-Defeating Gaza Embargo
Israel's harsh embargo of Gaza has inflicted harm on Israel's image while helping Hamas consolidate its power, says Ivan Eland. July 27, 2010
Afghan War Leaks Expose Costly Folly
Wikileaks' release of 92,000 classified documents about the Afghan War reveals a bloody march of folly, writes Ray McGovern. July 26, 2010
Vanunu's Ongoing Persecution in Israel
Israel has put nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu back in solitary confinement for speaking out, reports Eileen Fleming. July 21, 2010
No One Wants to Admit Afghan Failure
Official Washington remains in denial about the slow-moving, bloody catastrophe in Afghanistan, writes Michael Winship. July 20, 2010
The Ever-Expanding 'War on Terror'
Pundits are demanding an expansion of the "war on terror" in Somalia as the cycle of escalation turns again, notes Ivan Eland. July 20, 2010
Iranian Scientist, a Different Curveball
CIA hoped Iranian scientist Amiri would expose Iran's nuclear secrets, but he proved to be a different "curveball," says Ray McGovern. July 17, 2010
Oliver Stone Under Assault Again
The U.S. press corps is again taking potshots at Oliver Store, this time for his documentary, "South of the Border," writes Lisa Pease. July 17, 2010
Why I Am a Jew
Marquette professor Daniel C. Maguire commits to the highest principles of Judaism, ideals sometimes lost in Israel's violent conflicts. July 16, 2010
PanAm 103 Verdict: Justice or Politics?
From the Archive: Official Washington is in a fury over last year's release of a Libyan "terrorist," who may have been innocent, writes William Blum.
The Second Coming of Petraeus
With Washington pundits gazing on in reverence, Gen. David Petraeus returns as the saviour of the Afghan War, notes Ivan Eland. July 9, 2010
Neocons, Likud Conquer DC, Again
Gen. David Petraeus wrote fawning e-mails to a key neocon and President Obama pandered to Israel's leader, reports Robert Parry. July 8, 2010
Obama's Bungled Military Strategies
President Obama staffed his national security bureaucracy more with an eye toward politics than reform, writes Melvin A. Goodman. July 8, 2010
The Afghan 'No Exit' War
The Afghan War, the longest in US history, may drag on indefinitely, but is unlikely to end well, argues Ivan Eland. June 30, 2010
Gen. Petraeus and the 'Surge' Myth
The Iraq War acclaim of Gen. David Petraeus, the new Afghan commander, is based on the myth of the "surge," writes Robert Parry. June 29, 2010
Losing Civilian Control of the Military
Gen. Stanley McChrystal's insubordination reflects a growing U.S. military contempt for civilian leadership, warns Melvin A. Goodman. June 28, 2010
Obama Misses the Afghan Exit Ramp
President Obama got Gen. Stanley McChrystal out of Aghanistan but not the 100,000 U.S. troops stuck there, writes Ray McGovern. June 24, 2010
Obama's Truman-MacArthur Moment
General Stanley McChrystal's latest insubordination toward President Obama opens a door on Afghanistan, says Ray McGovern. June 22, 2010
Propaganda and Iran's Election
Biased coverage of Iran's 2009 election is setting the stage for another conflict, write Edward S. Herman and David Peterson. June 22, 2010
Turkey Resists Showdown with Iran
Fearing another march toward war in the Middle East, Turkey seeks to engage Iran, not bully it into a corner, says Ivan Eland. June 21, 2010
Ray McGovern Assesses Afghan War
Ex-CIA analyst Ray McGovern explains how President Barack Obama became a "captive" of the military in the Afghan War. June 20, 2010
US Soldier Alleges '360' Firing in Iraq
A former Army soldier claims his battalion had orders to respond to IEDs by firing at Iraqis visible in the street, reports Ralph Lopez. June 19, 2010
Witness: US Agent Aimed at Mexican
A witness to the shooting of a Mexican teenager says a U.S. border agent took aim, report Dennis Bernstein and Jesse Strauss. June 18, 2010
How US Media Botched Iran's Election
The U.S. news media is enflaming policy toward Iran with a bogus tale of a "stolen" election, say Flynt and Hillary Mann Leverett. June 17, 2010
Zionism and a Dreamscape of Ghosts
Phil Rockstroh, whose mother escaped Nazi Germany, struggles with the moral contradictions that Zionism has brought to Judaism. June 16, 2010
Witnesses of Border Killing Dispersed
Witnesses of a U.S. border agent shooting a Mexican teenager were scattered, report Dennis Bernstein and Jesse Strauss. June 15, 2010
The Gaza Ghetto
More than a year after an Israeli military offensive, the embargo has prevented Gaza from rebuilding, says Alvaro Vargas Llosa. June 15, 2010
Eyewitness Contests Israeli Account
A survivor of Israel's Gaza relief ship raid says video clips hid the worst of the massacre, report Jesse Strauss and Dennis Bernstein. June 13, 2010
El Paso 'Cat and Mouse' Turns Fatal
The fatal shooting of a Mexican teen by a U.S. Border Patrol agent has a tragic back story, say Dennis Bernstein and Jesse Strauss. June 12, 2010
Obama Goes with Neocon Flow on Iran
In confronting Iran, President Obama is retracing many of George W. Bush's steps that led to war with Iraq, notes Robert Parry. June 10, 2010
Terrorism and Israel's Attack at Sea
Israel's harsh blockade of Gaza and its 1.5 million people may be pushing the line on what's considered terrorism, argues Ivan Eland. June 8, 2010
Israel's Attack and the Cycle of Blame
Israel's assault on a Gaza relief ship recalls the intractable debate over the ancient lands of Israel/Palestine, writes Michael Winship. June 7, 2010
Obama's 'Drone' Killings Criticized
President Obama's growing reliance on predator drones to kill "terrorists" is raising human rights concerns, says Sherwood Ross. June 6, 2010
Israeli Navy Seizes 'Rachel Corrie'
A ship named for slain activist Rachel Corrie sought to break Israel's blockade of Gaza, say Dennis Bernstein and Jesse Strauss. June 5, 2010
Salvador's Funes Finds 'Change' Hard
El Salvador's first leftist president, Mauricio Funes, faces a "change" dilemma like Barack Obama's in the U.S., reports Don North. June 4, 2010
Gaza Boat Activists Deny Israeli Story
As Israel releases activists seized enroute to Gaza, a fuller story of the fatal raid emerges, say Dennis Bernstein and Jesse Strauss. June 4, 2010
Israel Attacked a NATO Member's Ship
By assaulting a Turkish-flagged vessel in international waters, Israel raised NATO collective defense concerns, says Craig Murray. June 3, 2010
First-hand Account of Israeli Assault
Peace activist Huwaida Arraf describes how Israeli commandos seized six ships trying to get supplies into blockaded Gaza. June 3, 2010
Israel's Dangerous Turn
Except in Washington, foreign policy analysts are quietly asking if nuclear-armed Israel has lost its bearings, writes Robert Parry. June 2, 2010
UN Human Rights Adviser Blasts Israel
UN human rights adviser for Palestine Richard Falk decries Israel's high-seas raid, report Dennis Bernstein and Jesse Strauss. June 2, 2010
Obama's Timidity and Deaths at Sea
Israel's killing of activists trying to run its blockade of Gaza can be traced to President Obama's failure to be firm, says Ray McGovern. June 1, 2010
How Israel Out-Foxed US Presidents
Over the past six decades, Israeli officials have mastered the art of out-maneuvering U.S. presidents, writes Morgan Strong. May 31, 2010
Covert US Military Strategy on Iran
The Obama administration's hawks appear ascendant as the U.S. military approves covert operations inside Iran, writes Robert Parry. May 25, 2010
Why NATO Expansion Is a Mistake
Despite budget pressures, the U.S. foreign policy elite wants NATO to expand Washington's imperial umbrella, notes Ivan Eland. May 25, 2010
US/Israel Challenged on Iran
A Turkey-Brazil diplomatic initiative to defuse the Iran crisis caught the Obama administration off-guard, writes Ray McGovern. May 19, 2010
Is Obama Making Terror Risk Worse?
By escalating conflicts in Afghanistan and Pakistan, President Obama risks the spread of anti-Americanism, says Ivan Eland. May 18, 2010
Itching to Fight Another Muslim Enemy
The anti-Iran propaganda in the U.S. media suggests another Iraq-like confrontation and possible war, writes Robert Parry. May 17, 2010
The Danger of Israel's Nuke Hypocrisy
Israel's insistence that U.S. officials keep playing dumb about Israeli nukes undermines non-proliferation policies, writes Robert Parry. May 12, 2010
Iraq's Divided Future
As U.S. troops edge toward the exits, Iraq's sectarian divisions may leave little choice but to partition the country, says Ivan Eland. May 11, 2010
Loose Lips on Iran Can Sink America
Loose talk on Iraq tricked the U.S into the disastrous war in Iraq; now the same loose lips are flapping about Iran, says Ray McGovern. May 5, 2010
The Risks in Obama's Mideast Policy
By pushing for an Israeli-Palestinian peace, President Obama may expose U.S. impotence on the issue, warns Ivan Eland. April 27, 2010
Is Iran Really a Threat?
The Obama administration ratchets up the rhetoric about Iran, but Ray McGovern wonders if this is just another dangerous hype. April 26, 2010
Israel, the US and Propaganda's Power
Israel and Republicans have long understood the value of propaganda in getting their way in the U.S., reports Robert Parry. April 14, 2010
US Media Lectures Russia on Terrorism
Major U.S. news outlets warn that terrorism may cause authoritarianism in Russia, but are blind to the risk at home, says Ivan Eland. April 12, 2010
Obama Threatens Iran with Nukes
In revising U.S. nuclear war plans, President Obama promises not to nuke non-nuclear states, except Iran, reports Robert Parry. April 6, 2010
Is Vatican Guilty in Child-Sex Scandal?
Faced with new evidence of priests molesting boys, the Vatican rallies to the defense of Pope Benedict XVI, reports Robert Parry. April 5, 2010
The Bomb-Bomb-Iran 'Parlor Game'
As Israel ponders bombing Iran, Washington obsesses over a new "parlor game" -- assessing the bloody outcome, notes Robert Parry. April 2, 2010
Why Pope Benedict Must Resign
Pope Benedict XVI's role in the cover-up of priests raping boys means he must resign, says Marquette ethicist Daniel C. Maguire. March 28, 2010
US-Israeli Relations at a Crossroads
President Obama and the Israeli government are at an impasse over what to do next for Mideast peace, says Melvin A. Goodman. March 28, 2010
Making Unneeded Enemies in Somalia
The ham-handed "war on terror" has led to unintended consequences by strengthening Islamists in Somalia, says Ivan Eland. March 23, 2010
Obama, Free at Last on Health Reform
President Barack Obama's victory on health reform frees him up to pursue Middle East peace, if he dares, reports Robert Parry. March 22, 2010
Israel's Troubling Tilt Toward Apartheid
Israel's Housing Minister wants to exclude Arabs and secular Jews from ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods, reports Robert Parry. March 19, 2010
The Death and Life of Bishop Romero
Three decades ago, a U.S.-trained military officer ordered the murder of El Salvador's Archbishop Oscar Romero, recalls Gary G. Kohls. March 18, 2010
Spy Takes US-Israeli Secrets to Grave
Israeli spymaster David Kimche's death means another lost witness to an alleged manipulation of U.S. politics, reports Robert Parry. March 15, 2010
30 Years of US Mistakes in Afghanistan
U.S. promises of Afghan nation-building ignore that three decades of U.S. policies helped destroy the nation, says James A. Lucas. March 13, 2010
Taboo Inhibits Frank Iran/Israel Talk
A Capitol Hill conference on troubled U.S.-Iran relations tip-toed around the topic of Israeli interests, reports Ray McGovern. March 11, 2010
Making Matters Worse in Afghanistan
Civilian deaths inflicted by American firepower are causing some Afghans to say the Russians were less violent, notes Charles Peña. March 9, 2010
Did US Coddle an Anti-Iran Terrorist?
Iranians welcomed the capture of a reputed Sunni terrorist, but suspicions remain about a US tie, say Flynt and Hillary Mann Leverett. March 7, 2010
Mullen Wary of Israeli Attack on Iran
Joint Chiefs Chairman Mike Mullen looks nervously at rising military tensions between Israel and Iran, reports Ray McGovern. March 6, 2010
Teaching Afghans False Iraqi Lessons
The Obama administration is applying lessons in Afghanistan that may come from a misreading of the Iraq War, says Ivan Eland. March 2, 2010
Ahmadinejad Won, Get Over It!
US conventional wisdom insists Iran's President Ahmadinejad stole last year's election, but proof is lacking, says Robert Parry. February 27, 2010
Iran Captures a 'Good' Terrorist
The leader of the violent Jundallah group has fallen into Iranian hands and claims links to U.S. intelligence, reports Ray McGovern. February 26, 2010
Iraqi View of 'Hurt Locker,' 'Avatar'
As Iraq War-themed movies, "Hurt Locker" and "Avatar" square off, the Iraqi view is often ignored, writes Mamoon Alabbasi. February 26, 2010
NYT Sees UN-Syria Conspiracy Theory
To explain the failed Rafik Hariri murder probe, a New York Times article conjures up a UN-Syrian conspiracy, says Robert Parry. February 15, 2010
America's Sad History with Haiti, Part 2
Over the past two decades, the U.S. Right has helped sabotage Haiti's experiment with democracy, writes Lisa Pease. February 1, 2010
America's Sorry History with Haiti
Amid talk about the U.S. rebuilding role in devastated Haiti, Lisa Pease takes a look back on past interventions. January 30, 2010
Shiite Power Play Threatens Iraq Quiet
Old neocon favorite Ahmed Chalabi is behind a purge of some political candidates from a key Iraqi election, notes Ivan Eland. January 26, 2010
Asking Europe for America's Answers
Though many people live happier lives in Europe, Americans resist the idea of learning any of those lessons, writes David Swanson. January 12, 2010
Endless Double Standards on Cuba
Cuba's arrest of a U.S. contractor is condemned by the U.S. news media which never sees its own hypocrisy, says William Blum. January 7, 2010
Ellsberg on Vanunu's Re-Arrest
Israel's re-arrest of nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu should have prompted widespread outrage, writes Daniel Ellsberg. January 4, 2010
'Invictus': Mandela's Message of Hope
The movie "Invictus" demonstrates how Nelson Mandela kept South Africa together while moving it forward, writes Lisa Pease. December 16, 2009
Vanunu and Israel's Undeclared Nukes
The plight of Israeli whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu underscores the hypocrisy on secret nukes, Eileen Fleming observes. December 14, 2009
A Jane Goodall Thanksgiving
Michael Winship gives thanks for anthropologist Jane Goodall and her groundbreaking studies of chimpanzees. November 25, 2009
Why Afghans Dig Empire Graveyards
There's a long dark history of what Afghans do to foreign armies that overstay their welcome, recalls Nicolas J S Davies. November 23, 2009
Is Israel Addicted to the Occupation?
Israeli columnist Gideon Levy says only the United States can help Israel beat its destructive addiction, reports TheRealNews. November 16, 2009
America's Debt to Italian Justice
In a victory for justice, an Italian court convicted U.S. intelligence agents for kidnapping a Muslim cleric, notes David Swanson. November 10, 2009
Honduran Political Accord Unravels
Honduran coup leaders balk at letting ousted President Manuel Zelaya resume his office, reports TheRealNews. November 7, 2009
How a Torture Protest Killed a Career
When British Ambassador Craig Murray protested "war on terror" torture in Uzbekistan, his promising career was torn apart. October 24, 2009
Pakistan's Double Game
After a 2 1/2-year study, foreign policy expert Bruce P. Cameron warns against a U.S. military escalation in Afghanistan. October 18, 2009
Obama's Battle with US Power Centers
UN General Assembly president Miguel d'Escoto says President Obama faces strong internal resistance, reports TheRealNews. October 16, 2009
Old Testament Brutalities
Today's violence in the Mideast and elsewhere echoes from ancient writings of religious extremists, Rev. Howard Bess notes. October 16, 2009
Regime Change v. Regime Modification
Facing a choice on Afghanistan, President Obama might reflect on U.S. experiences in other conflicts, says Bruce P. Cameron. October 11, 2009
More Doubts on Iran Nuke Question
Ex-State Department intelligence chief Greg Thielmann points to gaps in the case for an Iranian nuclear bomb, via TheRealNews. October 11, 2009
Afghanistan: Eight Years and Counting
The war in Afghanistan reaches its eighth anniversary with more Americans doubting its rationale, notes Dennis Loo. October 6, 2009
Obama's Mideast Peace Dilemma
In pursuit of Mideast peace, President Obama's finds himself with unlikely allies and surprising adversaries, says Robert Parry. October 6, 2009
Honduran Coup Leaders Tighten Grip
As the Honduran coup cracks down on dissent, the U.S. State Department maintains its ambivalent stance, reports TheRealNews. October 1, 2009
Why Afghanistan Really Fell Apart
President George H.W. Bush set Afghanistan on the road to chaos with a fateful decision in 1989, Bruce P. Cameron writes. September 30, 2009
Honduran President Returns from Exile
Ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya slipped back into his country in defiance of coup leaders, reports Al Jazeera. September 22, 2009
Was the Iranian Election 'Rigged?'
A poll of Iranians clashes with the U.S. media's view that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won through fraud, says Robert Parry. September 21, 2009
Honduras Tilts Toward Revolution
The struggle to reverse a coup against the elected president of Honduras is expanding its goals, reports TheRealNews. September 21, 2009
What Did Ahmadinejad Really Say?
Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is accused of calling the Holocaust "a lie," but what was the full quote? asks Robert Parry. September 19, 2009
Afghans Hope Talks Follow Election
Afghans are cynical about Thursday's presidential election but hope it could jump-start peace, reports TheRealNews. August 19, 2009
Israel Evicts Palestinians from Homes
Israeli police ousted two Palestinian families from homes in East Jerusalem, drawing rare U.S. criticism, reports TheRealNews. August 17, 2009
Ellsberg's Hiroshima Remembrance
Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg recalls Hiroshima and his family's ties to the early days of the atomic era. August 6, 2009
US Confronts the Russia-Iran Alliance
Iran's warmer relations with Russia and others outside the U.S. orbit complicate President Obama's plans, reports TheRealNews. August 4, 2009
Sudan's Lesson for Iraq, Mideast
Outside mediators helped warring factions in Sudan settle a land dispute in a possible model for other conflicts, writes Ivan Eland. July 28, 2009
Right-Wing Motives for Honduran Coup
The real reason behind the Honduran coup may have been the Right's fear of participatory democracy, reports TheRealNews. July 24, 2009
Clinton Ally Lobbies for Honduran Coup
Lanny Davis, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's close political ally, fronts for the Honduran coup regime, reports TheRealNews. July 21, 2009
The CIA's Ghosts of Tegucigalpa
The coup d'etat against Honduran President Manuel Zelaya has stirred up memories of past CIA interference, writes Jerry Meldon. July 14, 2009
Honduran Coup Blamed on Militarism
The ouster of Honduras' elected government can be traced to a long history of U.S.-fueled militarism, says Sherwood Ross. July 12, 2009
Ancient Israeli Myths Deter Peace
Prime Minister Netanyahu's demand that Palestinians accept Israel as a Jewish state raises historical questions, says Robert Parry. July 9, 2009
Obama's Iran Peace Talk Dilemma
Before the disputed election, Iran's leaders floated a Middle East peace idea that President Obama is pondering, reports Robert Parry. July 7, 2009
Iraq Still Facing the Abyss
The slow-paced U.S. military withdrawal will do little to help Iraq and could even exacerbate the problem, says Ivan Eland. July 7, 2009
Honduran Coup Pits Power vs. People
The Honduran coup is backed by the nation's establishment, but opposed by a growing popular movement, reports TheRealNews. July 7, 2009
Judging the Iranian Election
The U.S. news media consensus is that Iran's election was "stolen," but there is another way to see the story, William Blum writes. July 6, 2009
Most Iraqis Want Quick US Withdrawal
Tired of the long U.S. occupation, Iraqis appear eager for a prompt American departure, reports TheRealNews. July 6, 2009
Honduran Coup Under Pressure
The international community is refusing to recognize the coup-regime that seized power in Honduras, reports TheRealNews. July 3, 2009
Obama's 'Realism' on Iran
The Iranian election dispute was a test of President Obama's commitment to foreign policy "realism," writes Ivan Eland. June 30, 2009
A Risky Rush to Judgment on Iran
The neocon Iraq War promoters are back, demanding tough action against Iran for its disputed election, notes Michael Winship. June 26, 2009
Iran Divided & the 'October Surprise'
Today's divisions in Iran's leadership date back to secret decisions made to influence a U.S. election in 1980, reports Robert Parry. June 24, 2009
El Salvador: Ghosts at the Polls
El Salvador's recent election pitted the memory of a martyred archbishop against the legacy of his alleged killer, writes Don North. June 24, 2009
Should the Airbus Be Grounded?
After the Air France crash into the Atlantic, questions are raised about the composite material in the Airbus, says William John Cox. June 20, 2009
Taking Sides in Iran
The U.S. news media casts aside objectivity in covering Iran's election despite the real question of who won, says Robert Parry. June 18, 2009
A Shifting of Iran's Power Centers
Behind Iran's election battle may be an important shifting of power toward the Revolutionary Guard, reports TheRealNews. June 16, 2009
What If Ahmadinejad Really Won?
Many Western journalists assume Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stole reelection -- but maybe not, Robert Parry notes. June 15, 2009
Taking a Rational Look at Iran
U.S. policymakers often exaggerate foreign threats and demonize foreign leaders, a process that Ivan Eland sees again in Iran. June 15, 2009
Iran's Struggle Among the Elites
Iran's political conflict pits President Ahmadinejad and the military against other key elites, reports TheRealNews. June 15, 2009
Computer Piloting & Air France Crash
The mysterious Air France crash over the Atlantic prompts worries about the Airbus on-plane computers, writes William John Cox. June 12, 2009
Meet Ahmadinejad's Opponent
Iranian reformer Mir-Hossein Mousavi has mounted a strong challenge to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, reports TheRealNews. June 12, 2009
Nuclear Treaty Faces Challenges
The 40-year-old Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty didn't anticipate some of the trends of nuclear armaments, reports TheRealNews. June 9, 2009
Al Qaeda Adjusts to Obama
After eight years of playing George W. Bush, al Qaeda faces a trickier challenge with Barack Obama, says Ivan Eland. June 8, 2009
Two Colombian Generals Face Charges
Two Colombian officers who got training at the U.S. School of the Americas are implicated in crimes, says Sherwood Ross. June 8, 2009
Navy Vet Honored, Foiled Israeli Attack
A USS Liberty seaman whose heroism in 1967 forced Israel to halt a lethal attack gets a belated Silver Star, writes Ray McGovern. June 1, 2009
Cheney Goofs on Israel
Ex-Vice President Dick Cheney let slip an inconvenient truth, how U.S. support for Israel fuels Islamic rage, notes Ray McGovern. May 22, 2009
The Risk of Letting Ukraine into NATO
Pressured to look tough, President Obama may pursue George W. Bush's risky plan of letting Ukraine into NATO, writes Ivan Eland. May 21, 2009
NATO Upsets Russia Over Georgia
By conducting military exercises with Georgia, NATO is sticking a finger in Russia's eye, reports TheRealNews. May 14, 2009
AIPAC and Dubious Calls for Peace
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slips in a new condition for a Mideast peace settlement, reports TheRealNews. May 8, 2009
Plight of the New World Order - Part 2
Economic dislocations from the worldwide financial crisis raise the chances for violent class warfare, reports TheRealNews. April 19, 2009
The Plight of the New World Order
President Obama may see glimmers of economic hope but the storm ahead could still create a "new world order," reports TheRealNews. April 18, 2009
Somali Pirates v Those of High Finance
The young Somali pirates preying on freighters in the Indian Ocean are pikers in the business of plunder, says Michael Winship. April 18, 2009
Exaggerating China's Military Threat
The Obama administration is doing little to reverse the expensive Cold War containment of China, says Ivan Eland in this guest essay. April 15, 2009
Israeli Scholar Disputes Founding Myth
Israeli historian Shlomo Sand says the Romans never expelled the Jews from ancient Israel and argues that Europe's Jewish populations derived from conversions, not the Diaspora, writes Morgan Strong. April 12, 2009
Obama's Challenge in Afghanistan
President Obama must convince the Afghans that the US intends to help rebuild the nation, not just wage war, reports TheRealNews. April 7, 2009
Saving Mexico by Legalizing US Drugs
The "drug war" crisis in Mexico might be best resolved by letting American adults buy drugs legally, says Ivan Eland in this guest essay. April 7, 2009
El Salvador Turns a Page
The recent leftist victory in El Salvador marks a turning point in Central American politics, writes author David Corbett. April 6, 2009
Evaluating the G-20
Leaders of the top 20 economies took measured steps toward saving the old "New World Order," reports TheRealNews. April 3, 2009
Obama Faces Challenges at the G-20
Amid dire warnings, President Obama meets in London with the leaders of the biggest economies, reports TheRealNews. March 31, 2009
The President's Troublesome 'Friends'
In grappling with the worsening Afghan-Pakistani crisis, President Obama must confront Pakistan's shadowy intelligence service, ISI, which has a history of aiding Islamic militants, writes Ivan Eland. March 31, 2009
Iraqi Army Turns on 'Sons of Iraq'
Ex-Sunni militants who were paid by the U.S. military are now coming under Iraqi government attack, reports TheRealNews. March 30, 2009
Iraqi Civil Strife Threatens US Pullout
U.S. moves to tamp down Iraqi ethnic violence may lead to a dangerous flare-up in the months ahead, says Ivan Eland. March 27, 2009
Lost History Hurts Obama's Iran Bid
The message exchange between President Barack Obama and Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was undercut by the lost -- or secret -- history between the two countries, writes Robert Parry. March 26, 2009
Israeli Labour Party Joins with Likud
Israel's right-wing Likud Party expanded its coalition by drawing in the Labour Party, reports TheRealNews. March 26, 2009
How Will Iraq Change as US Pulls Out?
Big questions remain for Iraq as the U.S. begins its promised, though gradual, pullout, reports TheRealNews. March 23, 2009
The Iraq War's Six Years of Mayhem
The Iraq War passes its sixth anniversary with too little attention paid to the real lessons learned, writes David Swanson. March 22, 2009
Israeli Troops Admit Gaza Abuses
The U.S. news media is giving unusual attention to Israeli soldiers admitting civilian killings in Gaza, reports TheRealNews. March 22, 2009
El Salvador's Vote Marks Historic Shift
The election victory of the leftist FMLN ousts the rightist ARENA party for the first time in two decades, reports TheRealNews. March 20, 2009
Can Obama's Change Find El Salvador?
A quarter century after Ronald Reagan made El Salvador a bloody frontline in the Cold War, Salvadoran leftist rebels-turned-politicians hope to finally gain the presidency, Don North reports. March 11, 2009
The Taliban Riddle (Part 2)
Heroin money and determined jihadis make the Afghan conflict a nearly insoluble dilemma, reports TheRealNews. March 7, 2009
The Taliban Riddle
The complex nature of the "Taliban" on both sides of the Afghan-Pakistani border is a major U.S. challenge, reports TheRealNews. March 6, 2009
Iran in the Crosshairs
President Barack Obama's first major international crisis may be provoked by Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu's determination to strike at Iran's nuclear facilities, say Gareth Porter and Ray McGovern. March 4, 2009
Obama Ponders Pakistani Puzzle
President Obama faces a complex challenge in addressing unrest and instability in Pakistan, reports TheRealNews. February 24, 2009
Russia Plays Iran Card with Obama
Russia delays a defensive missile sale to Iran in a diplomatic dance with the new Obama administration, reports TheRealNews. February 23, 2009
A Half Century of US-Bolivia Tensions
Since the Eisenhower administration, Washington has tried to steer Bolivian politics, reports TheRealNews. February 8, 2009
Honoring an Iraq War Whistleblower
Danish intelligence officer Frank Grevil blew the whistle on the lie that George W. Bush's "coalition of the willing" was confident Iraq had WMD -- and was jailed for his truth-telling, Ray McGovern says. January 30, 2009
Iraqi Elections Carry Risks, Rewards
Upcoming Iraqi provincial elections could shake up the power structure in key parts of the country, TheRealNews reports. January 29, 2009
Mitchell's Appointment Marks Change
Barack Obama's choice of former Sen. George Mitchell to spearhead a new Middle East peace initiative indicates a new seriousness about that goal, writes Brent Budowsky in this guest essay. January 23, 2009
US-Afghan Strategy Still Muddled
The Obama administration plans to bolster U.S. forces in Afghanistan but the strategy remains murky, TheRealNews reports. January 23, 2009
Obama Unwinds the 'War on Terror'
In his first days, President Obama is rolling back George W. Bush's "war on terror" policies, TheRealNews reports. January 23, 2009
Is Israel's Gaza War a New War Crime?
Israel's Gaza assault may be a new war crime, since the civilian population has nowhere to flee, reports Dennis Bernstein. January 17, 2009
Crisis Worsens for Civilians in Gaza
The conflict in Gaza is putting civilians in a tightening vise of fear and shortages, TheRealNews.com reports. January 14, 2009
An Empire That America Can't Afford
Though the unipolar moment has passed for the American Empire, Barack Obama is having trouble coming to grips with this new reality, Ivan Eland observes in this guest essay. January 13, 2009
Gaza War Shakes up Political Scene
The Gaza War is changing the political equations in Israel and the West Bank, according to TheRealNews.com's video report. January 13, 2009
Gaza and the End of Days
The political calculations around Gaza obscure the horrible human tragedy, as Morgan Strong observes in this guest essay. January 12, 2009
Anti-War Protests Grow in Israel
Israel's assault on Gaza is generating anti-war protests inside Israel, according to TheRealNews.com in this video report. January 9, 2009
WPost Finds Second Side to Gaza War
The Washington Post's neocon editorial section -- after 12 days of Israel-is-always-right opinion columns -- has finally published an op-ed that lays blame on both sides, observes Robert Parry. January 8, 2009
Exit Strategy Unclear on Gaza War
Despite a brief cease-fire, the Gaza War threatens to drag on, according to TheRealNews.com in this video report. January 8, 2009
The Gaza War and International Law
Israel's attacks on the Hamas infrastructure in Gaza raises concerns about international law, according to this video report. January 7, 2009
Evaluating the Gaza War
Judging Israel's assault on Gaza depends on when you start the chronological narrative, according to this video report. January 6, 2009
Israel's Looming Catastrophe
For three decades, Israeli leaders have relied on a political-military strategy that is fast collapsing, requiring some new thinking to avert catastrophe, writes Robert Parry. January 4, 2009
Pity the Poor Neocons
Even as American neocons cheer on Israel's bombardment of Gaza, they are reconciling themselves to the failure of their grandiose strategy for remaking the Middle East, writes Robert Parry. January 2, 2009
How Hypocrisy on 'Terrorism' Kills
The U.S.-Israeli double standard on "terrorism" -- applying the term only to enemies -- has real-life and, as is now clear in Gaza, real-death consequences, notes Robert Parry. December 30, 2008
'Australia' Makes Worthy Apology
The epic movie "Australia" offers a back story on the mistreatment of the country's Aborigines, says Lisa Pease. December 22, 2008
The Dilemma That Is Gaza
Morgan Strong, a former Middle East adviser to "60 Minutes," looks back on the transformation of Gaza from a relatively accessible refugee camp to something akin to a giant prison. December 15, 2008
Condi's Advice to India on Terror
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urges India to show restraint after the Mumbai attacks, advice she famously failed to give President Bush after 9/11, as Ivan Eland notes in this guest essay. December 9, 2008
Pakistan Pressured on Mumbai Attack
The Mumbai terrorist attack in India has brought new focus on Pakistan. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. December 9, 2008
Fiscal Crisis Shakes Canada
Stephen Harper's conservative government in Canada is threatened by a deepening recession. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. December 6, 2008
'Slumdog Millionaire' Tells a Tale
Indian movie "Slumdog Millionaire" is an engaging story of harsh reality and inspiring hope, says Lisa Pease. November 29, 2008
Winners and Losers at the G-20
Amid the U.S.-provoked financial crisis, new world economic leaders are emerging. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. November 18, 2008
World Leaders Punt on Economic Crisis
The G-20 debated the economic crisis, but left action to next year and President Obama. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. November 17, 2008
UN Atomic Chief Doubts Iran's Ability
Mohamed ElBaradei says Iran's lacks the material necessary to build an atomic bomb. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. October 24, 2008
Iraqis Rally Against US Presence
The proposed plan to let U.S. troops stay in Iraq through 2011 is meeting popular resistance. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. October 22, 2008
McCain's Colombia 'No-Brainer'
Was John McCain right when he called the Colombia free-trade agreement a "no-brainer"? Watch TheRealNews.com's video. October 17, 2008
Fighting in Pakistan Spreads
The conflict in northwestern Pakistan expands as the government commits more forces. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. October 15, 2008
Olmert Says Israel Must Cede Land
As Ehud Olmert departs as prime minister, he says Israel must make withdrawals for peace. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. October 14, 2008
US Loses Ground in Eastern Europe
The repercussions of the clash between Russia and Georgia raise doubts about U.S. influence. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. October 14, 2008
Talking to the Taliban
Afghan President Hamid Karzai sees the need for peace talks with the Taliban. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. October 1, 2008
Pakistan's Anti-Democratic Tendencies
Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari retains the dictatorial framework of his predecessor. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. September 29, 2008
Pakistani Civil War Feared
Violence and unrest continue to spread in nuclear-armed Pakistan. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. September 23, 2008
Canada Pushes Climate-Change Action
In the midst of parliamentary elections, Canadians are making climate-change an issue. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. September 12, 2008
US Commandos Strike Inside Pakistan
President Bush has green-lighted U.S. cross-border raids from Afghanistan into Pakistan. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. September 11, 2008
Iran's Road Less Traveled to Nukes
Despite Bush administration alarms about Iran building a nuclear bomb, the top U.S. intelligence analyst still sees no evidence that Iran has restarted a weapons program, Ray McGovern writes. September 10, 2008
Russia's President Bristles at Criticism
Russia's President Dimitri Medvedev was on the defensive about European criticism. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. September 4, 2008
Is Putin Right on US Politics & Georgia?
Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin saw U.S. politics as a factor in the Russia-Georgia clash. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. August 31, 2008
The Obama-Biden View of the World
Would Barack Obama and Joe Biden really make substantive changes in U.S. foreign policy? Watch TheRealNews.com's video. August 28, 2008
Bush Escalates Tensions with Russia
The new missile-defense pact with Poland reflects George W. Bush's anger over the Russia-Georgia conflict, but it may make matters worse, as Ivan Eland notes in this guest essay. August 28, 2008
Double Standards on Russia-Kosovo
George W. Bush is outraged that Russia recognized two breakaway Georgian provinces, but he did much the same regarding Kosovo, as J. Victor Marshall observes in this guest essay. August 27, 2008
Making Money on a New Cold War
The prospect of a new Cold War may be unsettling news for many Americans but could be a bonanza for the U.S. military-industrial complex and its think-tank allies, writes analyst Morgan Strong. August 23, 2008
A New Cold War Looms
The Russia-Georgia conflict marks the end of Washington's dream of a uni-polar world. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. August 21, 2008
Mixed Truth of the Russia-Georgia War
Washington's political/media elites reacted to the Russia-Georgia conflict over South Ossetia more like Cold War propagandists than sensible observers, as Ivan Eland notes in this guest essay. August 21, 2008
Musharraf, Not Bush, Follows Nixon
Pakistan's fragile democracy held an abusive president accountable with Pervez Musharraf's resignation, but the U.S. Congress won't do the same, notes former CIA analyst Ray McGovern. August 20, 2008
Bush's Ally in Pakistan Forced Out
In a new blow to George W. Bush's "war on terror," Pakistan's Pervez Musharraf is out. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. August 20, 2008
The Limits of American Power
Thoughtful Americans across the political spectrum are finally resisting the reckless neocon vision of an all-powerful U.S. dominating the world by force, as Michael Winship notes in this guest essay. August 20, 2008
NATO's Russia-Georgia Tightrope
NATO is divided over how tough to be wih Russia over its border war with Georgia. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. August 20, 2008
Russia Checkmates US Over Georgia
Russia's disregard of U.S. pressure over Georgia reflects George W. Bush's growing irrelevance. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. August 19, 2008
Jabbing the Russian Bear
A U.S. missile deal with Poland is a retaliatory jab at Russia over its fight with Georgia. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. August 18, 2008
The Russian Bear Growls Back
Russia is reacting angrily to a U.S. plan to put a missile defense project inside Poland. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. August 18, 2008
WPost and the Great Disconnect
The Washington Post's outrage over Russia's attacks inside Georgia reflects Official Washington's Great Disconnect from any moral equivalence to the Iraq War, reports Robert Parry. August 13, 2008
The Reality Behind the Georgian War
Is Russia the aggressor as George W. Bush claims or did Georgia provoke an unnecessary war? Watch TheRealNews.com's video. August 12, 2008
US Drifts Toward China's Repression
While China embraces capitalism, Naomi Klein says the West is adopting authoritarianism. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. August 12, 2008
Neocons Now Love International Law
U.S. neoconservatives who despise international law when it gets in their way suddenly feel differently as they condemn Russia for violating Georgia's sovereignty, writes Robert Parry. August 12, 2008
The Tense Standoff in Palestine
Rival Palestinian factions, Fatah and Hamas, have entered a cold-war phase of their rivalry. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. August 11, 2008
China Mixes Stalinism with Capitalism
Author Naomi Klein comments on China's blend of global capitalism and authoritarianism. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. August 10, 2008
China's Rulers Want Security 'Toys'
China is the new market for surveillance gadgets from the "war on terror," says Naomi Klein. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. August 10, 2008
Marching Into Georgia
Six-plus years ago, this article by Nat Parry cited the dangers swirling around the "war on terror" and disagreements between Russia and Georgia. In view of the new fighting, we are reposting it. August 8, 2008
Israel's Political Turmoil & Iran
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's planned resignation raises questions about a wider war. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. August 8, 2008
CIA Accuses Pakistan of Terror Links
CIA reportedly presented Pakistan's prime minister with evidence of ties to Islamic extremists. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. August 4, 2008
Israeli-Palestine Hopes Dashed
Hopes for an Isreali-Palestinian two-state solution may be reaching a point of no return. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. August 1, 2008
Cameras 'Shooting Back' in Palestine
Armed with video cameras, Palestinians record daily confrontations with Israeli troops, settlers. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. July 31, 2008
Christian Zionists Target Iran
Sen. Joe Lieberman defied progressive Jewish groups and addressed right-wing Christian Zionists. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. July 25, 2008
Little Progress Seen in Iran-Nuke Talks
Iran still refuses to suspends its nuclear enrichment but voices optimism about talks. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. July 22, 2008
The Pakistani-Afghan Riddle
An expert explains the complex relationships among Pakistan, Afghanistan and the West. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. July 17, 2008
Iran Sees Nuclear Bomb as Deterrent
A scientist for Iranian oil says Iran won't build a nuclear bomb unless it's threatened from outside. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. July 12, 2008
Iran Flexes Missile Muscles
Iran's missile launches followed Israeli war games for a bombing run on Iran's nuclear sites. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. July 10, 2008
Carnage in Kabul
Afghanistan has blamed Pakistan for the bombing of the Indian embassy in Afghanistan. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. July 9, 2008
US War Resister Gets Canada Hearing
A Canadian judge has ordered a new asylum hearing for a U.S. soldier who refused to return to Iraq. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. July 8, 2008
Is US 'Sole Superpower' Reign at Risk?
Economic stagnation and geopolitical setbacks are raising doubts about America's future. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. July 8, 2008
How Iranians React to Threats
An expert on Iran describes how Iranians are holding up under pressures, including war threats. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. July 7, 2008
Bush-Cheney Crony Got Iraq Oil Deal
Oilman Ray Hunt had close ties to the Bush family and Dick Cheney dating back years, giving him an important leg up in landing a controversial oil deal with Iraq's Kurdistan regional government. July 6, 2008
Palestinian Journalist Abused, Stripped
A Palestinian journalist, who recently traveled to Europe to accept an award for dangerous frontline coverage of a conflict, faced a humiliating ordeal when he tried to return to Gaza. July 5, 2008
Does Betancourt's Rescue Doom FARC?
The dramatic rescue of Ingrid Betancourt puts Colombia's president Alvaro Uribe in a strong position. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. July 5, 2008
The Risk of an Iran War Fireball
The top U.S. military commander and the UN's atomic energy chief warn about a war with Iran. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. July 4, 2008
A Most Radical President
George W. Bush is again imposing his will on Congress with a major covert action aimed at Iran. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. July 4, 2008
McCain Pushes Colombia Trade Pact
Traveling to Colombia, John McCain stresses his support for a U.S.-Colombia "free trade" pact. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. July 3, 2008
Bush, Colombia & Narco-Politics
Amid new interest in Colombia, we are reposting a story from last year, by journalist Andres Cala, about the connections between Alvaro Uribe's government and narco-politics. July 3, 2008
Iraq Oil Deals Fulfill Cheney's Goals
U.S.-brokered contracts for exploiting Iraq's vast oil reserves are coming close to achieving secret goals set by Vice President Dick Cheney's energy task force more than seven years ago. July 2, 2008
Congress Eyes Anti-Iran Sanctions
Congress appears headed toward passage of a resolution seeking stiffer sanctions against Iran. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. July 2, 2008
Bush Expands Covert War on Iran
Journalist Seymour Hersh reports on a U.S. decision to spend up to $400 million to undermine Iran. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. July 1, 2008
Pakistan Moves on Militant Strongholds
Pakistan sends troops into its volatile North-west region to confront Islamic militants. Watch TheRealNews.com's video. July 1, 2008
Monsanto Criticized for Practices
Filmmaker Marie-Monique Robin criticizes practices of chemical giant Monsanto. Watch TheRealNews.com's video report. June 26, 2008
Saudis Blame Others for High Oil Prices
Saudi leaders say they're doing their part to restrain oil prices. Watch TheRealNews.com's video report. June 25, 2008
US-Backed Offensive Hits Taliban
Afghan troops, backed by the U.S. military, attack Taliban forces near Kandahar. Watch TheRealNews.com's video report. June 20, 2008
Israel Accepts Gaza Truce
Israeli leaders say the truce with Hamas may bring only a period of calm. Watch TheRealNews.com's video report. June 20, 2008
Europe Gives Bush a Cool Good-bye
George W. Bush wrapped up a farewell tour in Europe facing protests of his war policies. Watch TheRealNews.com's video report. June 19, 2008
Hamas Declares Truce with Israel
Hamas accepts an Egyptian-brokered truce with Israel in Gaza. Watch TheRealNews.com's video report. June 19, 2008
Kandahar Braces for Taliban Offensive
The U.S.-backed Afghan government moves troops to repel Taliban drive on Kandahar. Watch TheRealNews.com's video report. June 18, 2008
Chavez Tells FARC to End Struggle
What's behind Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's plea for peace to Colombia's FARC? Watch TheRealNews.com's video report. June 14, 2008
GOP Congressman Hypes Iran Threat
Republican Rep. Mark Kirk conjured up a nightmare scenario before an AIPAC crowd. Watch TheRealNews.com's video report. June 13, 2008
Olmert Urges Harder Line on Iran
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert calls for a united global front against Iran. Watch TheRealNews.com's video report. June 5, 2008
US Balks at Cluster Bomb Pact
The United States, Russia and Israel were among the major users of cluster bombs refusing to sign a ban on the indiscrimate weapons. Watch TheRealNews.com's video report. June 3, 2008
Carter Blasted for Citing Israeli Nukes
The mainstream U.S. news media is trashing former President Jimmy Carter again, this time for daring to estimate the size of Israel's nuclear arsenal. Watch TheRealNews.com's video report. May 31, 2008
Olmert Faces Fallout from Scandal
What's behind the call from Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to step down in the face of a corruption scandal? Watch TheRealNews.com's video report. May 30, 2008
Politicizing Burma's Tragedy
It did seem odd watching the Bush administration, which let New Orleans drown, condemn Burma's dictatorship for its poor response to another weather tragedy. But -- as Ivan Eland notes in a guest essay -- this White House can't resist scoring political points. May 14, 2008
Reflections on Israel's 60th
The enduring Israeli-Palestinian conflict has reshaped attitudes across the Middle East and even transformed U.S. politics. In this guest essay -- marking Israel's 60th anniversary -- Rabbi Michael Lerner reflects on the complex past and the dangerous future. May 5, 2008
What About the War, Benedict?
Pope Benedict XVI maneuvered his way through Washington without upsetting his American hosts by criticizing the Iraq War, torture, and the Supreme Court's enthusiasm for capital punishment. Former CIA analyst Ray McGovern regrets an opportunity lost. April 21, 2008
Beijing's Reality Intrudes on Shangri-la
China's desire for international respect from the Olympic Games is colliding with Tibet's resistance to Chinese encroachment on its mystical Buddhist traditions. In this special report, veteran war correspondent Don North looks at the darkening clouds over Shangri-la. April 5, 2008
St. Patrick's Day & Irish Resistance
Like many other holidays, the frivolities around St. Patrick's Day had a more sobering historical context, as Daniel Patrick Welch reminds us in this guest essay. March 16, 2008
Bush, Colombia & Narco-Politics
The Bush administration defended Colombia's government for its attack against leftist guerrillas inside Ecuador - a position echoed by Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. But there is another dark side to the story, a reality that Official Washington wants to ignore. March 9, 2008
Behind the Kosovo Crisis
Kosovo has declared its independence angering the Serbs and the Russians. But few Americans understand the centuries-old roots of this bitter conflict, which led the Clinton administration to war in 1999. This retrospective on our coverage of that conflict tells a story of horrific violence, ethnic passions and few heroes. February 24, 2008
Iran & Bush's Crisis of Truth
As the time on his presidency ticks down, George W. Bush is still trying to stoke the fires of confrontation with Iran, relying on his signature mix of bellicosity and self-righteousness. In this guest essay, Peter Dyer looks at Bush's new push in the context of his old lies. January 26, 2008
Turkey's Drug-Terrorism Connection
New allegations from former FBI translator Sibel Edmonds are focusing attention on shadowy intelligence networks in Turkey that also may implicate Americans and Israelis. To provide some background, we are republishing a 1997 investigative report by Martin A. Lee on Turkey's drug and terrorism connections. January 25, 2008
The Global Economy's 'Lame Duck'
The American sub-prime financial scandal continues to reverberate through U.S. equity markets, sending after-shocks across Europe and Asia. In this guest essay, Pablo Ouziel examines the chances that abuses in the U.S. economy could spark a worldwide recession. January 24, 2008
Pakistan's Bomb, U.S. Cover-up
The London Sunday Times has published two stunning articles based on allegations from former FBI translator Sibel Edmonds about high-level U.S. complicity in Pakistan's nuclear program. In this guest essay, Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg calls on the U.S. press corps to follow up on these disturbing disclosures. January 22, 2008
CIA, Iran & the Gulf of Tonkin
George W. Bush's warning to Iran after a confusing incident involving U.S. ships and Iranian speedboats in the Strait of Hormuz is reviving memories of a fateful 1964 confrontation in North Vietnam's Gulf of Tonkin. Former CIA analyst Ray McGovern writes that U.S. intelligence should have spoken truth to power then -- as it must now. January 12, 2008
Reagan's Bargain/Charlie Wilson's War
To tell a more heroic story, the producers of "Charlie Wilson's War" left out many of the dangerous trade-offs that shaped U.S. policy in the Afghan War. As former CIA analyst Peter W. Dickson notes, one of the riskiest parts of Ronald Reagan's Afghan bargain was his decision to look the other way on Pakistan's nuclear program. January 6, 2008
Bush, Georgia & Authoritarianism
Today's election in the former Soviet republic of Georgia is shaping up as a test for the durability of democratic reforms in central Asia -- and whether George W. Bush's double standards on democratic principles at home will undercut his "democracy promotion" abroad. January 5, 2008
How to Get a Real Mideast Peace
If the key players were serious, there are strategies that might help bring about a meaningful peace deal between Israel and its Arab neighbors. But progress, after the Annapolis summit, would require different political dynamics in the Middle East -- and in Washington. November 29, 2007
Attacking Iran for Israel?
The Bush administration and the Israeli government are on the same page about the urgent need to neutralize Iran's nuclear facilities. But former CIA analyst Ray McGovern wonders whose interests are at the forefront of this impending conflict. October 30, 2007
Bush's Free-Fire Zones
Frustrated by the insurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan, George W. Bush has unleashed U.S. forces to strike at suspected enemy positions with fierce firepower, even in populated areas. Two recent cases in Iraq reveal how civilians often end up as the victims -- and how brutal lessons of Vietnam are being applied to these new wars. October 25, 2007
U.S. Double Standards for Friend/Foe
Is it fair and balanced for the Bush administration to help Turkey deny responsibility for the Armenian genocide, while whipping up war fever against Iran because its president questions the historical accuracy of the Nazi genocide against the Jews? In this guest essay, Ivan Eland calls for equal standards on all human rights violations. October 24, 2007
How Best to Partition Iraq
Far from the pre-war wishful thinking about easy regime change in Iraq, George W. Bush's invasion released dangerous forces, including vengeful ethnic and sectarian rivalries that have ripped the country even further apart. In this guest essay, Ivan Eland looks at the logic behind the Senate resolution calling for a de facto partitioning. October 22, 2007
Risky Jokes About Burma's Dictators
Under the military junta that rules Burma, even telling unauthorized jokes can get you thrown into prison. In this report from Mandalay, veteran war correspondent Don North describes the risks taken by a troupe of comics called the Moustache Brothers, whose "politically incorrect" humor appears to have gotten them into trouble again. October 19, 2007
On the Ground in Israel/Palestine
Former CIA analyst Ray McGovern recently visited Israel as part of an interfaith delegation witnessing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict first-hand. In this guest essay, he describes what shocked him. October 19, 2007
So Who's Afraid of the Israel Lobby?
One of the strongest case studies demonstrating the power of the Israel Lobby is the 40-year official silence about the assault on the USS Liberty, an American spy ship that came under merciless attack from Israeli forces during the Six Day War. Only now are some of the secrets starting to spill out. In this special report, former CIA analyst Ray McGovern looks at some of this troubling evidence. October 5, 2007
Readers' Reactions
Readers had comments on Ray McGovern's article about the attack against the USS Liberty and on other recent stories. October 8, 2007
Forgetting Gandhi
For an America trapped in George W. Bush's endless "war on terror," the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi, the great disciple of non-violence, might sound simultaneously jarring and alluring. In this guest essay on the anniversary of Gandhi's birth, writer Pablo Ouziel recalls Gandhi's enduring message about the evils of violence. October 2, 2007
Saudi Arabia's Myth of Moderation
Though the Bush administration blames Iran for "terrorism" in Iraq and elsewhere, the evidence of violent meddling is actually stronger against U.S. ally, Saudi Arabia. Still, the administration and the U.S. press corps routinely describe the oil-rich kingdom as "moderate" and a friend of "reform." In reality, however, Saudi Arabia's mix of religious extremism and political repression has made it a breeding ground for the likes of Osama bin Laden and scores of suicide bombers. August 17, 2007
Bush, Colombia & Narco-Politics
A spreading political scandal in Colombia, linking narco-funded death squads to President Alvaro Uribe's inner circle, is complicating George W. Bush's strategy of using Uribe's rightist government to counter Venezuela's leftist president Hugo Chavez. As more and more Colombian death squad leaders and cocaine traffickers come forward as part of a peace process, the stain gets closer to Uribe. But President Bush seems to have few regional options, since Uribe was the only South American leader to endorse Bush's invasion of Iraq. August 8, 2007
Payback for NATO Expansion
The neoconservative vision of a U.S. hegemony that overrides the security interests of other countries has led to a bloody disaster in the Middle East -- and is now threatening to provoke renewed Washington-Moscow nuclear tensions. In this guest essay, Ivan Eland warns of an unnecessary confrontation with a resurgent Russia. July 18, 2007
Lockerbie Ruling Revisited
A Scottish judicial review panel says the guilty verdict against a former Libyan intelligence officer for the 1988 mid-air bombing of Pan Am 103 may have been "a miscarriage of justice" based on flimsy evidence. A critique published at Consortiumnews.com just after the conviction in 2001 made the same point, even as the U.S. government and the major news media hailed the politically popular verdict. June 29, 2007
The Hariri Case & Double Standards
Washington and London are thrilled with their success in creating a U.N. tribunal that may put Syria on the hot seat over its suspected role in the 2005 assassination of Lebanese politician Rafik Hariri. But an underlying message is that double standards apply to weak countries and powerful ones. No one in a position of authority is talking about establishing a tribunal that would judge whether George W. Bush and Tony Blair are guilty of war crimes for their far-bloodier invasion of Iraq. May 31, 2007
Israeli Leaders Fault
Bush on War
As more Israelis criticize
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for his handling of the botched invasion of
Lebanon, some Israeli leaders are privately faulting U.S. President
George W. Bush for egging Olmert into his fateful decision. Sources say
Bush gave Olmert a green light for the attacks in May and then bought
Olmert time in July for the Israeli bombardments to succeed. Only
recognition of Israel's failure led to U.S. support for a cease-fire. August
13, 2006
A 'Pretext' War in
Lebanon
The American people have
been sold the notion that Israel's bombardment of Lebanon was justified
by an unprovoked "kidnapping" of two Israeli soldiers on July 12. The
reality now appears to be quite different: that U.S. President George W.
Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert signed off on the war almost
two months earlier and then sought a pretext. August
9, 2006
Who Is Israel's Friend?
Some U.S. politicians and
pundits present themselves as Israel's friend, abhorring any criticism
of Israeli government policy and positioning themselves for expected
political advantage. But sometimes real friends are the ones who tell
you that you're making a mistake and need to go in a different
direction, even when you don't want to hear it and even when they'll
take heat for saying what needs to be said. August 1, 2006
The Hariri Mirage
Returns
In its Sunday lead story,
the New York Times twice references alleged Syrian guilt in the 2005
assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. But -- in
much the same pattern of the Times' coverage of purported Iraqi WMD four
years ago -- the article offers no balance or perspective, such as
recognition that the initial Hariri-murder accusations have fallen
apart. July 23, 2006
Pinochet's Mad
Scientist
New allegations in Chile
have implicated ex-dictator Augusto Pinochet in smuggling cocaine to the
United States in the 1980s, when he was a close ally of Ronald Reagan
and George H.W. Bush. According to a court filing by one of Pinochet's
former top deputies, Pinochet used a government scientist named Eugenio
Berrios for the cocaine production. Berrios also allegedly manufactured
poison gas for assassinations of Pinochet's enemies. But Pinochet's "mad
scientist" became a mystery himself, 13 years ago when he disappeared
before being tortured and murdered. July 12, 2006
The Hariri Mirage:
Lessons Unlearned
In October 2005, a drumbeat began
about Syria's presumed guilt for the assassination of former Lebanese
prime minister Rafik Hariri. From President Bush to the New York Times
editorial page, almost everyone agreed that Syrian security forces must
have been responsible, though there was some debate about whether
"regime change" was called for. However, with little notice in the past
half year, the initial Hariri investigation has crumbled. Still, the
American people have heard almost nothing about this changed situation. June 16, 2006
Colombia's
'Narco-Presidente'
The re-election of
Colombia's president Alvaro Uribe marked a rare victory for George W.
Bush in South American elections. Uribe gives Bush one regional ally
whose country can serve as a base for challenging Venezuela's president
Hugo Chavez. But Uribe also carries with him baggage as a political
leader who tolerates political violence and narco-trafficking by his
allies. June 1, 2006
UAE, Port Security & the
Hariri Hit
With the United Arab Emirates
poised to take over six key U.S. ports, the reputation of its own chief port
as a smuggling center used by arms traffickers, drug dealers and terrorists
is drawing new attention. February 22, 2006
America's Historic Debt
to Haiti
Haiti's troubled elections have
put the impoverished Caribbean nation briefly back into U.S. consciousness,
but few Americans know the historic debt that they owe to Haiti. February 10, 2006
Osama's Briar Patch
Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin-Laden is
almost baiting the United States to leave Iraq, offering a "truce" to
cover the U.S. retreat. But he surely knows that whatever he says he
wants done the American people will reflexively do the opposite. Indeed,
there's evidence that bin-Laden is playing a double game, the old
strategy of Brer Rabbit who begged not to be thrown into the briar patch
when that was exactly where he wanted to go. If that's bin-Laden's ploy,
it seems to be working. George W. Bush has already cited bin-Laden's
desire for U.S. troops to leave Iraq as reason for them to stay. February
2, 2006
Scheuer on Bin-Laden's
'Truce' Tape
Former CIA counter-terrorism
expert Michael Scheuer says Osama bin-Laden's offer of a "truce" was a
gesture to fellow Muslims who favor giving an enemy an opportunity to
withdraw before attacking. February
3, 2006
Political Earthquake in
Palestine
George W. Bush has assured the
American people that his forcible export of "democracy" to the Middle East
will lead to solutions for the region's political problems. But the Hamas
victory in Palestine is another case of reality intruding into Bush's world
of propaganda and wishful thinking. In this guest essay, Ivan Eland examines
the subterranean effects of the Hamas victory. January 31, 2006
Death of an American Hero
At one of America's darkest moments -- the My Lai massacre of Vietnamese
civilians in 1968 -- an American helicopter pilot named Hugh Thompson risked
his life and his reputation to do the right thing, placing himself and his
door-gunner between rampaging U.S. soldiers and fleeing
Vietnamese civilians. Thompson's death last week at the age of 62 stirs
timely thoughts about the meaning of true heroism and the danger of false
hero-worship. January 10, 2006
Elusive Truth Behind the
Hariri Hit
A rushed United Nations probe of the Feb. 14, 2005, assassination
of Lebanon's former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri sacrificed accuracy for
speed, leaving the mystery in such disarray that the truth may never be
known. But encouraging progress has been made in tracking the bomb-laden
truck, which was reported stolen in Japan before winding its way through the
Middle East. January 4, 2006
Denial in Haiti
The independence of the U.S. news media -- how free the press is from
government influence and control -- has emerged as a troubling new issue in
recent years. Amid disclosures that the Bush administration paid
commentators for favorable coverage and planted stories in foreign media, a
new controversy has arisen over an American news stringer in Haiti who
appears to have moonlighted for a U.S.-funded organization. December 31,
2005
The Dangerously
Incomplete Hariri Report
George W. Bush is citing a new United Nations report implicating Syria
in the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri as one
more reason to demand regime change in Damascus. Yet, while the report may
have profound consequences, it fails to follow up key leads, like how the
bomb-carrying vehicle made its way from a Japanese city to its destiny with
history four months later in Beirut. October 23, 2005
'Failing Up' in the Iraq
War
The second anniversary of George
W. Bush's invasion of Iraq might be expected to mark a moment of sober
reflection on the need to oust the political and media experts who got so
much so wrong. Instead, many of the same people -- the policymakers and the
pundits -- who botched the pre-war analysis are still in place. Having
"failed up," they now are in position to judge how brilliantly their
strategies have worked. March 19, 2005
History of Guatemala's
'Death Squads'
Declassified U.S. government
records offer a shocking view of how Washington helped create and guide
Guatemala's notorious "death squads" from the 1960s through the bloodbaths
and anti-Mayan genocide of the 1980s. January 11, 2005
A 'Long War' Against
Whom?
Looking toward his second term,
George W. Bush is eliminating skeptical voices within his administration as
he leads the nation deeper into what one senior U.S. general candidly
calls the "Long War" against Islamic extremism. But how high a price -- in
money, blood and liberty -- must the American people be prepared to pay, and
is there a better course? December 31, 2004
Iraq Plan '03: Troops
Home Christmas '04
Wishful thinking has been the
hallmark of George W. Bush's Iraq War from the start. A painful reminder is
that about 140,000 U.S. troops remain in Iraq on Christmas 2004, when Bush
originally projected that all Army brigades would be home with their
families. Now, that final Christmas homecoming for U.S. troops in Iraq has
been put off indefinitely. December 24, 2004
Arafat: Tragedy & Hope
Perhaps more than any other leader, Yasir Arafat personified the
Palestinian people's tragic predicament and the Middle East's lost hope.
Longtime Arafat watcher Morgan Strong recounts his last meeting with the
complex leader whose death may lead to new opportunities for peace or
contribute to a worsening cycle of violence. November 17, 2004
Truth Serums & Torture
Pundits are
debating whether "truth serum" might be a way to extract information from
belligerents captured in the war on terror. But past use of "truth serum" raises
issues both of effectiveness and morality. By Martin A. Lee. June 4, 2002
Bush's Bono Act
A small promised
increase in U.S. foreign aid is being hailed as an important change of heart for George W.
Bush. But was this latest Bush conversion sincere or was it the minimum price to be paid
for a photo op with U2's Bono? By Nat Parry. March 20, 2002
Marching Into Georgia
George W. Bush's
"crusade" against evil is headed for the former Soviet republic of Georgia,
where U.S. troops have been tasked to root out alleged al-Qaeda operatives amidst Chechens
rebels and refugees. The morally murky conflict illustrates the dangers that the war on
terrorism could make worse. March 13, 2002
Mexico's War on Terror
An
investigation into the brutal murder of a human rights lawyer could spark a struggle
against political terror in Mexico -- or lead to a resurgence of power by a corrupt
establishment. November 25, 2001
The More Things Change...
The war on
terrorism has introduced Americans to a whole new cast of villains -- and a new roster of
erstwhile allies. One of those new friends is the authoritarian government of Uzbekistan.
By Nat Parry. October 29, 2001
Doctrinaire Unilateralism
The new U.S. foreign policy pursues a
go-it-alone unilateralism -- to the dismay of many U.S. allies. June 14, 2001
The Dubya Doctrine
Self-interest has replaced larger goals in the Bush administration's foreign
policy. June 11, 2001
W's
Abortion 'Gag Rule'
George W. Bush's decision to impose an abortion
"gag rule" on international family-planning groups is spreading alarm in the
Third World. By Marta Gurvich. April 1, 2001
Nothing
Is Free About Free Trade
A trip to the Texas-Mexico border pulls back
the curtain on what is wrong with trade agreements like NAFTA and the Free Trade Area of
the Americas -- a Super-NAFTA trade deal for the entire Western Hemisphere being
negotiated now. March 19, 2001
Colombia's Youth & Plays of Death
Young refugees adapt to the horrors of
life in Colombia's brutal civil war by creating fictional characters who can defy death.
By Andres Cala. March 14, 2001
Reagan-Bush Security Breaches
Ronald Reagan's tough rhetoric of the
1980s obscured a very different reality. As the arrest of an alleged FBI "double
agent" underscores, the Reagan-Bush era was a time when American national security
was compromised, possibly worse than at any time in U.S. history. February 23, 2001
Chinese Espionage Was a Reagan-Bush Scandal
Conservatives keep blaming
Clinton-Gore for Chinese nuclear espionage, but the evidence keeps pointing at the
Reagan-Bush years. February 16, 2001
W.'s Risky Foreign Policy
Tensions in the Middle East pose an
early test of President Bush's 'unilateralist' foreign policy. By Sam Parry. February 12,
2001
Behind the Elian Case
Some
vocal anti-Castro Cubans have checkered pasts. By Jerry Meldon. March 30, 2000
Russia 2000: Back to the Future
A first-hand look at a humbled ex-super-power. By Don North.
February 7, 2000
Brazil's Pain and Promise
The mixed results of a neo-liberal experiment. By Marta
Gurvich. January 12, 2000
Inside U.S. Counterinsurgency: A
Soldier Speaks.
Hard lessons from “dirty wars.” By Stan Goff. December 22, 1999
Fact Finders. U.S.-Iran: 20 Years
of Secrets.
An American mystery behind a mass kidnapping. December 10, 1999
Iran-Contra & the Safra
Mystery.
Slain banker was not 'exonerated' on Iran-Contra money deals. By Robert Parry.
December 4, 1999
The WTO: What’s That
Organization?
Free trade clashes with democratic principle. By Sam Parry. November 17, 1999
Juan Peron &
‘Cocaine Politics’
Latin dictators and their long drug
dependency. By Robert Reed. November 12, 1999
Israeli Spy Cover-up Crumbles.
A legendary spymaster tells long-hidden secrets. By Jack Colhoun.
October 14, 1999
US Tie to Russian Money Scam.
CIA exposure. By Robert Parry. September 23, 1999
Clinton’s
‘Info-War’ Underload.
"Information Warfare" against Serb government fizzles. By Robert Parry.
September 23, 1999
Our Man in Morocco
King Hassan’s eulogies ignore the reality of his rule. By Jerry Meldon.
September 17, 1999
Kosovo: KLA Country
The pro-Albanian Kosovo Liberation Army is quickly
establishing itself as the real power on the ground, sowing the seeds for more violence
and corruption ahead. By Don North. August 12, 1999
Colombia’s Cautious
Revolutionary
FARC leader Marulanda’s survival instincts. By Andres Cala. July 25, 1999
Aborigines & Uranium
Australia plans to mine uranium on scenic Aboriginal land. By Sam Parry. July 15,
1999
US Asks Venezuela-Colombia Buffer
Pentagon has plans to seal off Colombia’s drugs and unrest. By Tony Bianchi.
May 8, 1999
| Special Report: Target Yugoslavia |
Serb-US Info-War
At center stage and behind the scenes, NATO’s war for Kosovo is pressing the
edges of modern “information warfare.” By Robert Parry. May 4, 1999
Television Wars
Was NATO justified in destroying Serbian tv headquarters and killing journalists?
By Don North. May 4, 1999
Collateral Damage
The story behind the murder of a Serb editor who criticized Slobodan Milosevic. By
Don North. May 4, 1999
'Wag the Dog' in Reverse
Distracted by the Lewinsky scandal, President Clinton didn't pay enough attention
to the developing Kosovo crisis. By Mollie Dickenson. May 4, 1999
Kosovo
‘Hawks’ in Canada
Horror over “ethnic cleansing” in Kosovo has created
strong public support in some NATO nations for the bombing campaign against Serbia, but
will polls shift? By Don North. April 19, 1999
Kosovo’s Moscow
Fallout
The Serb brutality against the ethnic Albanians and NATO’s bombing of
Serb targets have rattled Moscow’s fragile political order. By Robert Parry. April 7,
1999
A Plight Known to
Hemingway.
Balkan despair. By Don North. March 4, 1999
Irony at Racak:
Tainted U.S. Diplomat Condemns Massacre
Ambassador William Walker denounced an atrocity
in Kosovo, but stayed silent during a decade of war crimes in Central America. By Don
North. January 27, 1999
Why Kosovo?
Brutally, the Serbs gain a tactical edge in an historic province. By Don North.
November 6, 1998
Testing Democracy:
Elections in Algeria and Turkey
Elections in Algeria and Turkey this week will test the two countries’
commitment to democracy. By Jerry Meldon. April 13, 1999
Japan's
Kill-the-Whales Plot.
The U.S. helps Japan on a hunting loophole. By Sarah Christie. March 17, 1999
Describing the Wild West economics of Russia,
the U.S. news media harkens back to the American ‘robber barons’ of the last
century. But the U.S. ‘robber barons’ built industries. The Russian billionaires
-- many linked to organized crime -- have plundered their nation’s wealth and shipped
billions of rubles offshore. Now, poverty in nuclear-armed Russia is causing political
instability and the risk of a new Cold War.
Russia’s Ruling
Robbers.
By Mark Ames. March 11, 1999
Russia’s Crash
Sounds Clinton Alarm.
By Robert Parry. March 11, 1999 (Revised from 10/1/98)
The Price of
Free-Market ‘Reform.’
By Edward S. Herman. March 11, 1999 (Revised from 9/9/98)
Nigeria: Shell’s
Game.
Oil, rights and money. March 4, 1999 |