|
|
|
|
The elephant in India and
Iran's room
Try as India and Iran may to halt the downward
slide in their relations, cooperation in the all-important energy sector remains
stuck in a rut. Negotiations between the two countries during the recent visit
of Iran's foreign minister made "good progress", though apprehension over
drawing American ire ultimately stands in India's way. - Sudha
Ramachandran (Nov 20, '09)
BOOK REVIEW
Constructing the Oriental image
The Sum of All Heresies by Frederick Quinn
This book provides a broad exploration of the evolution of the Middle East
image through European eyes from near antiquity to the present. Viewed as the
embodiment of barbarity during Roman times, "Orientals" came to be seen as
permanently inferior to Europeans, needing to be controlled and exploited. - Dmitry
Shlapentokh (Nov 20, '09)
Iraqi elections thrown off track
Vice President Tarek al-Hashemi, by using his veto to block an important
election law, has thrown Iraq once again into political crisis. 
Parliament will have to try to sort out the mess the Sunni politician has made
if elections are to go ahead in January. The scheduled draw-down of United
States troops is also now in doubt. - Sami Moubayed
(Nov 20, '09)
'The devil's pipe ruins the soul of
prayer'
Politicians in the days of Saddam Hussein tried to harness the music of
Nasiriya. Nowadays, militiamen harass the musicians who live in the southern
Iraqi city famed for its singers. Where once they strutted their stuff on the
stage, singers are now reduced to humming to themselves while waiting tables. - Wisam
Tahir (Nov 20, '09)
Secrecy shrouds Iran's contingency
centers
Evidence produced by the International Atomic Energy Agency suggests that
Iran's Qom uranium enrichment plant was constructed on one of many sites
earmarked as early as 2002 as a "contingency center" in the event of a United
States air attack. The big issue now is at what point the center evolved from a
series of tunnels into a nuclear facility, and whether there are others. - Gareth
Porter (Nov 18, '09)
US takes aim over Jordan's shoulder
The Jordan International Police Training Center, a quiet and unassuming base on
the surface, has become a key part in the regional designs of the United States
and its allies in the Middle East. Since 2003, the facility has trained more
than 50,000 police officers bound for Iraq and beyond. - Jon Elmer
(Nov 18, '09)
Bans, burqinis and bad hijab
When it comes to fashion, many Muslim females are damned if they do, damned if
they don’t. In 
Tajikistan, they're banned from wearing head scarves until adulthood. In Iran,
they're in trouble if they don't wear them. Many women just wish they had a
choice, while one scoffs at suggestions that flowing veils are a security
threat, "I can hide a bomb in my undies." - Kristin Deasy
(Nov 17, '09)
SPEAKING FREELY
The benefits of a nuclear Iran
The United States should simply give Iran the bomb. A nuclear Iran would
restore parity to the balance of power in the Middle East and may end up
stabilizing the region far more than the continued tensions over Israeli and
American objections to Iran's nuclear ambitions. - Aetius Romulous
(Nov 17, '09)
Test of wills over Iran plan
The fuel-for-fuel plan under which Iran would send the bulk of its low-enriched
uranium to Russia and France to be further processed for use in a medical
reactor in Tehran is still on the table. It is likely to remain there unless
its main backers, including the United States, introduce some compromises. - Kaveh
L Afrasiabi (Nov 16, '09)
A witches' cauldron brews in Yemen
Saudi Arabia is on the offensive in Iraq and Afghanistan to counter Iranian
influence. The Saudis, though, are on the defensive in Yemen, which has become
a safe haven for al-Qaeda elements to make incursions into Saudi Arabia. In
addition, the Shi'ite Houthi clan has made the Saudi-Yemeni border highly
volatile. Tehran, while doing nothing adventurous, is highly pleased. - M K
Bhadrakumar (Nov 13, '09)
Right seizes on Fort Hood killings
As much as senior military and Barack Obama administration officials are trying
to pre-empt an anti-Muslim backlash following the shooting spree by a Muslim
soldier at Fort Hood, right-wing pundits and politicians have been quick to
label the incident an act of Islamic terrorism, and demand radical changes.
(Nov 13, '09)
Welcome home, war
Wars, even the most distant ones, come home in strange, unnerving ways - as
Americans have just discovered with the killings at Fort Hood. In less noticed
but no less crucial ways, America's wars are now coming home, with techniques
developed in the crucibles of Iraq and Afghanistan migrating from Baghdad and
Kandahar. - Alfred W McCoy (Nov 13, '09)
Page turns for Baghdad's
ancient book center
Two years after a bombing brought death and destruction to Baghdad's legendary
al-Muttanabi street, the centuries-old center of the city's book trade,
enthusiasts from youngsters to artists to election candidates are returning to
browse, buy and socialize in the refurbished and, for security reasons,
traffic-free zone. - Jinan Farhan (Nov 13,
'09)
The 'myth' of a counter-revolution
in Iran
The crisis sparked by Iran's allegedly rigged presidential election has more
than ever exposed the reformists as confused ideologues who for material,
political and ideological reasons are unable to definitively break with the
ruling establishment. But it is the street protesters who are killing off the
reform movement. - Mahan Abedin (Nov 11, '09)
Hezbollah back in the Lebanon fray
After five months of bickering, Hezbollah got its way in Lebanon on Monday with
the formation of a cabinet to its liking. The end of the impasse has a lot to
do with Syria and Saudi Arabia, which want peace in Lebanon while they
concentrate on hotter areas, such as Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan. - Sami Moubayed
(Nov 10, '09)
Iran and Saudi Arabia drawn to
Yemen
When rebels backed by Iran last week crossed from Yemen into Saudi Arabia and
captured some territory, Riyadh reacted swiftly, and with extreme force that
included hot pursuit into Yemen. The danger now is that Saudi Arabia and Iran
will be pulled further into Yemen, which already has a fight with al-Qaeda on
its hands. - Olivier Guitta (Nov 10, '09)
'Undeployables' sent to the Afghan
front
As the United States debates whether to send tens of thousands of extra troops
to Afghanistan, an already overstretched military is struggling to meet its
deployment numbers. One place it is targeting is military personnel who go
absent without leave, and who then are caught or turn themselves in. Many of
these soldiers are already "damaged or even broken". - Dahr Jamail and Sarah
Lazare (Nov 9, '09)
When war comes home
The massive Fort Hood military base in Texas, where a major last week gunned
down 13 people, is one of the most heavily deployed facilities for the wars in
Iraq and Afghanistan. Fort Hood 
soldiers have also accounted for more suicides than any other army post since
the invasion of Iraq in 2003; this year alone, the base is averaging over 10
suicides a month. - Dahr Jamail (Nov 9, '09)
Turkey runs hot and cold
When it comes to national security, Turkey will choose the path on which it
feels most secure - whether this means getting friendly with Iran or dragging
its heels on Cyprus. This route, though, takes Turkey away from the United
States, the European Union and the NATO alliance, burning the very bridges
Ankara struggled for years to build. - Andrew Novo
(Nov 9, '09)
Israel up in arms over weapons
seizure
Israel has spared no effort in bringing the world's attention to its seizure of
a ship carrying tonnes of apparently Iranian-supplied weapons bound for
Hezbollah in Lebanon, via Egypt and Syria. If 
history is any guide, the incident could be used as a pretext for waging
another war on Hezbollah, or even a strike against Iran. - Sami Moubayed
(Nov 6, '09)
Tennis diplomacy on the table in
Bali
If the Mohammedans won't come to the mountain, then the mountain - or at least
a stone from it - can come to the Mohammedans - or their closest neighboring
compatriots. The visit of a female Israeli tennis player to Bali, a resort
island of Muslim-majority Indonesia, has echoes of the sports diplomacy trail
famously blazed by American and Chinese ping-pong players. - Muhammad Cohen
(Nov 6, '09)
Is Obama's Iran policy doomed?
China has a massive investment in Iranian energy and is willing to supply
gasoline to that country in the face of United States threats of sanctions. The
attitude of China - and Russia - towards Tehran's nuclear plans also varies
radically from Washington's. In the face of this, US President Barack Obama's
current Iran policy is unlikely to work. - Dilip Hiro
(Nov 5, '09)
Iran looks to Argentina for nuclear
fuel
Iran hopes to revive nuclear ties with Argentina that have been stalled since
Tehran was accused of involvement in the 1994 bombing of a Jewish center in
Buenos Aires. Suspicious of a United Nations-backed proposal that its uranium
be processed in France, Iran prefers the Argentina option as it would shut out
Europe and see the United States become a more central player. - Kaveh L
Afrasiabi (Nov 5, '09)
SPEAKING FREELY
How Eurocentric is your day?
A Boston professor, teaching his students about Eurocentric biases in Western
accounts of the rise of the global economy, poses a simple question to get his
point across. Can they get through a typical day without running into ideas,
institutions, values, technologies and products that originated outside the
West? The answer is, of course, no. - M Shahid Alam
(Nov 5, '09)
Obama's world outreach teetering
Just months after well-received speeches in Turkey and Egypt, setbacks from
Afghanistan to the West Bank to Pakistan, Iraq and Iran have seen belief plunge
in the Muslim world over United States President Barack Obama and his plans for
progress. With this, anti-US sentiment is back on the rise. - Jim Lobe
(Nov 4, '09)
Iraqis divide ahead of elections
Any hopes that sectarianism was on the way out in Iraq died with the massive
August 19 and October 25 terror attacks in Baghdad. Sects and communities are
once again divided, and the coalitions that have been formed to contest
January's elections are a clear reflection of these poisoned waters. - Sami
Moubayed (Nov 4, '09)
INTERVIEW
Ex-hostage 'sick and tired' of
rhetoric
Bruce Laingen, a former United States diplomat 
among those held hostage in Tehran for 444 days, agrees that the US and Iran
should find a basis for a new relationship. But first Iran needs to end its
anti-American tirades, he says. - Golnaz Esfandiari
(Nov 4, '09)
Iraqi shock turns to fury over
bombings
As anger intensifies over last week’s double bombing in Baghdad, Iraqis are
making it clear they blame Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's government. But
despite widespread acknowledgement that the latest violence will affect voter
turnout at January's polls, Maliki still fancies his re-election chances. - Ali
Karim (Nov 3, '09)
Refugees turn their backs on Iraq
Since Iraq descended into a living nightmare in 2003, about 1.4 million
refugees have streamed 
over the border into Syria - particularly in the wake of escalating sectarian
attacks. It's tough going in the adopted country, especially for Christians
such as Leila Johana, but she is not going back to Iraq. - Stephen Starr
(Nov 3, '09)
Syrian bonuses bring little change
Efforts by the Syrian government to boost the economy by giving bonuses to
civil servants put welcome cash into their pockets for basic needs and helped
businesses lift sales - but drew criticism for being a short-term fix to
silence the hungry. (Nov 2, '09)
Ill winds over Iran's nuclear draft
The contents of Iran's response to a fuel-for-fuel draft proposal from the
International Atomic Energy Agency for Tehran's low-enriched uranium have not
been officially disclosed. Already, though, both inside Iran and in the United
States, the initiative is under attack. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi
(Oct 30, '09)
A turkey hunt in Iraq
Rather than finding those who struck at Baghdad's Green Zone in August, killing
100 people, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki searched for political
scapegoats to protect his own neck. There has been more of the same in the wake
of Sunday's bombings that killed at least 150 people, leaving the terrorists at
will to strike again. Sami Moubayed (Oct 29,
'09)
Britain says Syria deal worth
waiting for
Syria has delayed signing a long-awaited partnership agreement with the
European Union, complaining it did not have enough time to 
prepare for this week's scheduled ceremony. Britain's Foreign Secretary David
Miliband tells Asia Times Online that Damascus should be allowed time, given
its emerging importance. - Sakhr Al-Makhadhi (Oct
28, '09)
Welcome to 2025
An affiliate of the United States Central Intelligence Agency has predicted
that America's global pre-eminence will gradually disappear over the next 15 or
so years. Six recent developments - including reports on America's economic
rivals exploring a diminished role for the US dollar and Chinese rebuffs of the
US over strengthening sanctions on Iran - indicate we are already entering that
era. - Michael T Klare (Oct 27, '09)
Baghdad blasts echo far and wide
The twin suicide bomb attacks in Iraq on Sunday that killed 132 people and
injured 700 others have dramatically shattered the relative calm the country
has enjoyed over the past 18 months. One of the first major consequences could
be delays to the parliamentary elections scheduled for January, while the
reverberations may yet be felt in Afghanistan. - Sami Moubayed(Oct
26, '09)
DISPATCHES FROM AMERICA
Failed war president or prince of
peace?
Should he take the peace-maker route, United States President Barack Obama
stands a chance of success. History suggests that the path of war will be a
surefire loser. The past half-century makes clear what the US military can
achieve - destruction and mayhem; and what it has failed to do in Korea,
Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan - deliver a genuine and lasting victory. - Nick
Turse(Oct 26, '09)
US threats prompted Iran nuclear
facility
The United States has accused Iran of duplicity over the construction of a
second uranium enrichment facility at Qom, and says Tehran only revealed its
existence once the Iranians realized that Washington knew about it. Yet US
intelligence estimates tell a very different story, one in which Iran carefully
reacted to what appeared to be an imminent US strike against it. - Gareth Porter
(Oct 26, '09)
Hour of decision on Iran
Iran, Russia, the United States and France are considering a draft agreement
that would see low-enriched Iranian uranium further processed in Russia and
France before being returned to Iran for use at a research reactor. The deal
has the potential to significantly defuse the crisis over Iran's nuclear
program, but Tehran is wary of making any hasty decisions. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi
(Oct 23, '09)
INTERVIEW
Prevention better than cure?
The British government's counter-terrorism policy, "Preventing Violent
Extremism", has been accused of being used to gather intelligence 
about people's political views and other information related to their personal
circumstances. Dr Abdul Wahid, a key player in the British Muslim community,
offers his views on the "sinister aims and ideological agenda" of this
strategy, and provides an alternative approach. - Mahan Abedin
(Oct 23, '09)
The spy who lost his thumb drives
American space scientist, missile defense expert and leading lunar researcher,
Stewart Nozette, arrested this week in a Federal Bureau of Investigation sting,
is known to have expressed his willingness to work for Israeli intelligence.
What is not known is what he did with two thumb drives he took to "Country A",
which is speculated to be India. - Peter J Brown
(Oct 22, '09)
Azerbaijan and Turkey clash over
energy
A public cry of "no more cheap gas to Turkey" by Azerbaijan's President Ilham
Aliev has exacerbated rising Azeri-Turkish energy tensions. Ankara's efforts to
play different suppliers against one other - and position itself as a regional
energy hub - are not a fatal blow to the stalled Nabucco pipeline, but the
rival White Stream may come more to the fore. - R M Cutler
(Oct 22, '09)
Iran trapped in a ring of unrest
Whether the United States directed Jundallah to conduct the weekend's terrorist
attack in Iran is irrelevant. What is significant is that the Americans have
created - through their actions in Afghanistan and Pakistan - a strategic
environment in which such attacks are both practically and ideologically
possible. If Iran is to rid itself of Jundallah, and the close ties the group
has to organized crime, it has to actively lobby for the exit of foreign forces
from the region. - Mahan Abedin (Oct 21, '09)
DISPATCHES FROM AMERICA
A 'long war' in the blowback world
America tends to think of "blowback" as something in the past, something that
ended with the attacks of September 11, 2001. But in the Greater Middle East,
one lesson seems clear enough: for 30 years, the United States has been deeply
involved in creating, financing and sometimes arming an entire blowback world
that will strike again. - Tom Engelhardt (Oct
21, '09)
THE ROVING EYE
Jundallah versus the mullahtariat
Sunday's suicide bombing in Iran has set off a war: it's the Iranian
Revolutionary Guards Corps against Pakistani Balochistan-based Jundallah and
the massive drug trafficking network in the area. In terms of the turbulent,
internal political equation in Iran, the show of force against a key element of
the mullahtariat could not be more devastating. - Pepe Escobar
(Oct 20, '09)
Saudi-Iranian hostility hits
boiling point
Escalating tensions between Riyadh and Tehran may have played a role in
Sunday's suicide strike that killed seven senior commanders of the Iranian
Revolutionary Guards Corps as well as 42 other people in Iran's southeast.
Riyadh is concerned that Iran's growing power will erode Saudi pre-eminence in
the region, and the Saudis might have a vested interest in disrupting the
United States-Iran nuclear talks. - M K Bhadrakumar
(Oct 20, '09)
Iran's nuclear talks also hit
The strike in Iran raises the possibility of Iran retaliating with attacks on
bases inside Pakistan from which the main suspects operate. Iranian President
Mahmud Ahmadinejad will also now be under pressure to unravel the recent gains
made with the United States in talks over Tehran's nuclear program. - Kaveh L
Afrasiabi (Oct 20, '09)
Sunnis present a new face in Iraq
The Iraqi Accordance Front, which has announced the formation of a new-look,
all-Sunni coalition, believes it can make a major breakthrough in January's
elections, even without the inclusion of a number of heavyweights. - Sami
Moubayed (Oct 20, '09)
 SPENGLER
When the cat's away,
the mice kill each other
It is most astonishing that official Washington seems oblivious to the crack-up
of American influence occurring in front of its eyes. Without America to
mediate and restrain, each of the small powers in the Middle East has no choice
but to test its strength against the others. Those who wish to reduce American
power may get what they wish for, but they might not like it.
(Oct 19, '09)
Goldstone as a touchstone for Obama
Attempts by the United States and Israel to bury the Goldstone report on war
crimes committed during the war in Gaza - which on Friday was approved by the
United Nations Human Rights Council - could damage US President Barack Obama's
credibility among Arabs and Muslims as someone willing to stand up to Israel. - Ian
Williams (Oct 19, '09)
Washington presses Iran sanctions
The United States Congress is pushing through long-pending legislation to
impose new unilateral sanctions on Iran. Supporters of the sanctions claim they
give President Barack Obama more leverage in upcoming talks with Tehran about
its nuclear program, but critics say the bans may prove counter-productive to
any possible diplomatic engagement. - Jim Lobe
(Oct 19, '09)
Palestinian refugees reject
'sell-out' deal
The more than 400,000 Palestinian refugees spread across a network of 12 camps
in Lebanon are deeply politically divided and factionalized. Yet almost to a
person, they are as defiant as ever about the right to return, they tell Asia
Times Online. They also remain an insurmountable obstacle to any "sell-out"
deal on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. - Mahan Abedin
(Oct 16, '09)
The 'other' Kurdistan seethes with
rage
While Iraqi Kurdistan elects its own parliament and forges oil contracts
independent of Baghdad, other ethnic Kurdish insurgents from Iran, Syria 
and Turkey are flooding into remote redoubts in the fearsome Qandil Mountains
to battle nation-states that have persecuted them for decades. With Turkish
warplanes above and Iranian artillery firing over the border, Asia Times Online
traced a torturous path to speak with Kurdish guerrillas. - Derek Henry Flood
(Oct 15, '09)
Benchmarks prove elusive in Iran
talks
Russia has politely yet firmly rebuffed United States Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton's bid to secure Russian support for tougher sanctions on Iran
if talks on its nuclear program fail. This will please those in the
administration of President Barack Obama who prefer dialogue to threats. The
administration, though, does not speak with one voice. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi
(Oct 14, '09)
Turkey won't play with Israel
Israel believes Turkey's cancellation of joint war games is linked to lingering
anger in Ankara over Israel's offensive on Hamas in the Gaza strip, while
Turkey is trying to downplay what is clearly a blip in one of the region's most
strategic - and unlikely - relationships. (Oct 14,
'09)
Arab world befuddled by Obama's
Nobel
The news that United States President Barack Obama had won the 2009 Nobel Peace
Prize ripped through the Arab world, launching a vociferous debate in the
media, on the streets and in the upper echelons of power. Many snapped that a
Nobel is not granted for good intentions, but others insist his predecessor
George W Bush was so bad, all Obama had to do to win was show up. - Sami
Moubayed (Oct 13, '09)
Gaza report seals Abbas' political
fate
The United Nations report on the 2008-2009 Gaza War wasn't well received by the
United States or Israel, which call it one-sided. What was more unexpected was
an about-face by President Mahmud Abbas' Palestinian National Authority to seek
deferral of a UN debate on the findings. The news has ripped through the Arab
world, destroying any remaining credibility he had. - Sami Moubayed
(Oct 9, '09)
Kabul 2009: War of the Worlds redux
Sometimes it takes 66 pages to tell the story of a foreign invasion - as in the
case of Afghan War commander General Stanley McChrystal's recent report to the
United States Congress. Sometimes a century old novel can do the trick. H G
Wells' 1898 sci-fi classic The War of the Worlds, old as it is, offers a
rare example of how Afghans may see the high-tech American war machine. - Tom
Engelhardt (Oct 9, '09)
INTERVIEW
Hizbut Tahrir's view on Lebanese
politics
The trans-national and pan-Islamic party Hizbut Tahrir was founded in 1953 in
Palestine to re-establish the Islamic Caliphate that collapsed in 1924. Since
then the party has spread all over the Muslim world and is now estimated to
have hundreds of thousands of members. Osman Bakhach, deputy chairman of Hizbut
Tahrir's Executive Committee, explains why the idea of Muslim unity may be
unstoppable. - Mahan Abedin (Oct 9, '09)
IAEA's not-so-secret satellite game
Iran's decision to reject a protocol enabling the International Atomic Energy
Agency to conduct spot inspections of its nuclear sites means enforcing
safeguard agreements will become more risky and more satellite-driven. Israel's
desire to engage India's space-based surveillance assets is also likely to
intensify. - Peter J Brown (Oct 9, '09)
When 5+1 = 1+1 in the Iran equation
Despite accusations from the right-wing in the United States that Iran duped
the Barack Obama administration into serious concessions at last week's nuclear
talks, bilateral Iran-US dialogue, unencumbered by the influence of third
parties, remains the clearest path to easing nuclear tensions. - Kaveh L
Afrasiabi (Oct 8, '09)
Yemen: A slogan and six wars
The Zaydi rebellion in northern Yemen is not a proxy ideological war between
Saudi Arabia and Iran nor a response to state-sponsored suppression of
Shi'ites. The slogan "Death to America" is integral to the rebel movement,
illustrating how fierce anti-United States sentiment in the Middle East is
creating new insurgencies. - Khaled Fattah (Oct
8, '09)
Dollar exit for oil trade?
A further shadow has been cast over the future of the US dollar on reports that
Arab oil producers and customers including China and Japan may soon use other
means of settling their huge fuel accounts. - F William Engdahl
(Oct 8, '09)
Leaked Iran paper exposes IAEA rift
Excerpts of an internal draft report reveal that the International Atomic
Energy Agency has only suspicions - not real evidence - that Iran has been
working on nuclear weapons. This contradicts the agency's earlier claim that
was based on leaked documents, and there is now a fierce struggle in the
nuclear watchdog about whether the leaked material is genuine or fake. - Gareth
Porter (Oct 7, '09)
US public skeptical - and hawkish -
on Iran
The results of a new poll showing that the majority of Americans believe
diplomatic engagement with Iran will fail and that Washington should be
prepared to use military force to prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear
weapon clearly play into the hands of the hawks pressuring President Barack
Obama. Other elements of the poll, though, show support for the president's
policy of dialogue. - Jim Lobe (Oct 7, '09)
Obama trapped behind wall of
containment
United States President Barack Obama's troubles in the Middle East are not
caused primarily by "bad guys" such as Iran, nor by Israel's supposed power or
that of the domestic "Israeli lobby". Instead, he's trapped in the conundrum
that's built into US containment strategy. No matter what other nations do or
don't do, everything that looks like it might be a solution only turns out to
create new problems. - Ira Chernus (Oct 7,
'09)
Syria, Saudi Arabia plot peace path
Saudi King Abdullah's first visit to Damascus since assuming the throne in 2005
signals a rebirth of the historic friendship between Syria and Saudi Arabia. A
mutual dislike for Iraq’s prime minister and Syria's warming ties with the
United States have helped bring the countries together, and to position them to
map out the future of the Middle East. - Sami Moubayed
(Oct 7, '09)
Seeds of change in Iraqi Kurdistan
Leaders from Iraqi Kurdistan's upstart political opposition, the Movement for
Change, say the 
party's departure from traditional clan-based politics led to its unprecedented
success at recent regional elections. The group is part of an unexpected
democratic progress that has forced Turkey, Iran and Syria into a strategic
rethink. - Derek Henry Flood (Oct 5, '09)
New doubt on US's Iran plant claim
Washington's charge that construction on Iran's second uranium-enrichment
facility is part of a covert decision to violate its International Atomic
Energy obligations is being questioned. Further analysis of satellite photos of
the site suggests Iran is not in the wrong. - Gareth Porter
(Oct 5, '09)
Iraq's Maliki gathers his forces
Hard on the heels of the formation of a new Iraqi party comprising Shi'ite
heavyweights to contest January's elections, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has
unveiled his own new coalition, which he touts as cross-confessional and
secular. This it might be, but it comprises mostly political lightweights. - Sami
Moubayed(Oct 5, '09)
October surprise in US-Iran
relations
The meeting on Thursday between Iran and the six countries dealing with its
nuclear case resulted in agreement for a follow-up encounter, in itself an
important development, given the heated atmosphere in the leadup to the talks.
As significant, the United States and Iran made an initial direct contact,
raising hopes of a real breakthrough. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi
(Oct 2, '09)
Water disputes strain Turkey-Iraq
ties
Turkey sees the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, which originate in its eastern
mountains, as the key to its energy needs and socio-economic development. But
its dam and irrigation projects have soured relations with drought-ridden,
downstream neighbor Iraq, which feels Turkey is strangling its precious water
supply. - Patrick Wrigley (Oct 1, '09)
A MANUFACTURED CRISIS, Part 3
The case for Iran
Fiery rhetoric aside, Iran's leaders are now being cautious, and their military
intentions are defensive. They know all too well how sanctions would cripple
the economy, and the Iranian people have no desire to replicate the horror of
the defensive war they waged against Iraqi for most of the 1980s. - Jack A Smith
(Oct 1, '09)
This is the concluding article in a three-part report.
PART 1: The
facts of the matter
PART 2:It's
sanctions or bust
Kurdish lessons leave Iraqi
Arabs cold
Iraq's Arabs and Kurds share the same country, but they know little of each
other's history and even less of each other's language. As their shared
struggle against colonial Britain drifts out of memory, internal tensions over
land and resources threaten to erupt into conflict. - Husam al-Saray
(Oct 1, '09)
A MANUFACTURED CRISIS, Part 2
It's sanctions or bust
Something about the claims by the United States and its allies that Iran's
nuclear program is intended to create nuclear weapons just doesn't smell right;
there's obviously more than meets the eye. Whatever it is, the Barack Obama
administration - of all the options on the table - wants at a minimum to impose
stringent sanctions on Iran. - Jack A Smith (Sep
30, '09)
This is the second article in a three-part report.
(PART 1 is here:
The facts of the matter)
Damascus on a familiar road
Marking the first visit by a senior Syrian official since 2003, Deputy Foreign
Minister Faisal Miqdad was in Washington this week for high-level talks.
Damascus certainly wants an end to the sanctions imposed on it, but it has a
bigger goal in mind and one which it has steadfastly pursued - to get back the
Golan Heights. - Sami Moubayed (Sep 30, '09)
THE ROVING EYE
It's bomb, bomb, bomb Iran time
Israel, sundry Sunni Arab puppet rulers and dictators, the American right and
the European right, these all fear Iran's regional clout and want to castigate
Tehran in Thursday's nuclear talks. Iran's nuclear dossier - and new
revelations about a second, not-so-secret enrichment plant - could not be a
more convenient cover story for regime change. - Pepe Escobar
(Sep 30, '09)
A MANUFACTURED CRISIS, Part 1
The facts of the matter
Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad has shrugged off the fuss over Iran's
construction of a second uranium-enrichment plant, saying the United States and
other countries are acting in bad faith just before talks on Tehran's
nuclear program. "We have done nothing wrong," Ahmadinejad said. - Jack A Smith
(Sep 29, '09)
This is the first article in a three-part report.
Plenty to talk about
Iran, as if on cue, ahead of international talks this week on its nuclear
program, on Sunday and Monday test-fired both long-range and short-range
missiles. Coming hard on the heels of reports of a second Iranian plant to
enrich uranium, Tehran has some explaining to do. - Jim Lobe
(Sep 28, '09)
Ba'athist rejects Iraq's bomb
claims
Amid escalating Iraq-Syria tensions, Ba'ath party member Nizar Samarai denies
the Iraqi claim that elements of his party sheltered by Syria carried 
out last month's devastating "Black Wednesday" bombing in Baghdad. He concedes
his party is fomenting instability in Iraq, but says only al-Qaeda has the
resources to implement such a huge strike. - Stephen Starr
(Sep 28, '09)
Medvedev jumps the gun on Iran
Amid the fuss over revelations of a "secret" Iranian nuclear enrichment
facility, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has veered sharply to the side of
those seeking tougher action against Tehran. He may well have been premature,
and Moscow will now have some dexterous backtracking to do. - M K Bhadrakumar
(Sep 28, '09)
Two Ss, and a W in Beirut
A new phrase entered the Lebanese political vocabulary this year in reference
to the increasing domestic influence of Saudi Arabia, Syria and Washington,
though some are uncertain how committed US President Barack Obama is these
days. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has realized that any progress in Beirut must run
through Damascus. - Sami Moubayed (Sep 28,
'09)
The world picks sides ahead of Iran
talks
This week's United Nations summit has become a lively arena for Iran, the
United States and their respective allies and opponents to define and defend
their positions on Tehran's nuclear standoff before the international
community. Momentum for more stringent sanctions, should October 1 talks in
Istanbul fail, is rapidly building. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi
(Sep 25, '09)
Moscow holds the line on Iran
sanctions
There was just enough in Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's words spoken in
his hotel suite on Wednesday about a harder line on Iran for the White House to
claim that had Russia bent, finally, in Washington's direction. Even as the
President Barack Obama administration was savoring its success, however, China
was there to spoil the moment. - M K Bhadrakumar
(Sep 25, '09)
Missile madness targets the money
President Barack Obama's decision to shelve plans for an anti-missile missile
system in the Czech Republic and Poland continues a decades-long, military and
political debate frequently set in terms little more sophisticated than "mine
is bigger than yours". None of it is real, except the money, which is very real
and very huge. - Julian Delasantellis (Sep 25, '09)
The world according to Gaddafi
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's epic 94-minute speech at the United Nations
General Assembly touched on everything from swine flu and 
Western colonialism to the campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan and an alleged
failure by the UN to prevent 65 wars. The at times bizarre performance all but
overshadowed the assembly's agenda of regional conflicts and climate
change. (Sep 24, '09)
Netanyahu and Obama: Who's fooling
who?
Israel is at ease following United States President Barack Obama's decision to
shelve his demand for a freeze on Israeli settlements on the West Bank and East
Jerusalem. This, however, could simply mean that the White House has decided to
focus its efforts and engage directly in permanent-status talks between the
Israelis and the Palestinians. - Jim Lobe (Sep
24, '09)
Calm before the storm of US-Iran
talks
Negotiators for the "Iran Six" nations are scrambling to refine their
strategies ahead of October 1 nuclear talks with Tehran now that US President
Barack Obama has dropped plans for a missile shield in Europe. The key question
is, will sanctions and threats be enough to compel Iran to reconsider its
nuclear program - or just serve as a pretext to war? - Shahir Shahidsaless
(Sep 21, '09)
Syria - belatedly - seeks redress
Damascus has demanded that the United Nations investigate the German prosecutor
responsible for a UN report implicating Syria in the February 14, 2005,
assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik al-Hariri. Accusing the
report of bias and falsifying evidence, Syria won't back down, despite an
initial brush-off. - Sami Moubayed (Sep 21,
'09)
Iran and IAEA re-enter missile row
Negotiators from Iran stopped meeting with the International Atomic Energy
Agency last year when the nuclear watchdog began demanding - allegedly at the
behest of the United States and Israel - access to secret military data. The
design of the Shahab-3 missile's new re-entry system is of special interest,
but Tehran fears any disclosure would be leaked to its enemies. - Gareth Porter
(Sep 21, '09)
Iran rattled by Washington's
resolve
The sudden decision by Washington to ditch its long-held dream of a missile
defense shield has generated unexpected momentum for a united diplomatic front
against Iran at next month's nuclear talks in Istanbul. Tehran has hardly
missed this point - President Barack Obama's gambit poses a tough test for
Iran's strategic acumen. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi (Sep
18, '09)
Obama drops a missile bombshell
President Barack Obama's decision to scrap the longstanding plans of the United
States for an anti-missile shield in the heart of Europe has opened another
political front just when he is barely coping with the war in Afghanistan.
Moscow will carefully weigh the "overture", and Europe, Ukraine, Georgia and
Iran will huddle in anxiety to ponder the implications of what Obama has done.
- M K Bhadrakumar (Sep 18, '09)
THE ROVING EYE
More questions on 9/11
Last week, on the eighth anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks on New
York and Washington, Asia Times Online posed 50 unanswered questions about the
immense, mysterious 9/11 riddle. Due to overwhelming reader response, here's a
follow-up with 20 more questions - with a hat-tip to all readers who joined the
debate. - Pepe Escobar (Sep 17, '09)
Iran bullish ahead of nuclear talks
Iran's negotiators heading to Istanbul to meet representatives of the "Iran
Six" have a renewed sense of confidence. Not only is there no evidence to
corroborate claims of Tehran's nuclear weapons drive, but there's fresh
cynicism in the international community regarding Iran's past alleged
"weaponization studies". - Kaveh L Afrasiabi (Sep
17, '09)
Israel, Hamas called to account
The United Nations mission that found there is a strong case for war crimes
charges against both Israel and Hamas for acts during the 22-day war last year
recommends that the parties explain themselves to the Security Council. Failing
this, they could find themselves before the International Criminal Court, and
even forced to make reparations. (Sep 16, '09)
Obama faces backlash over
Afghanistan
United States President Barack Obama faces one of the most difficult political
questions of his first year in office as the country begins to doubt its role
in Afghanistan. Obama will be forced to decide whether to grant a significant
troop increase at the risk of alienating many in his own party. - Jim Lobe
(Sep 16, '09)
Turkey stands at Iran's side
During a visit to Iran, Turkey's foreign minister offered to host negotiations
between Tehran and Western countries. Although previous such initiatives have
failed, the move comes as Washington considers holding talks with Iran.
Ankara's problem is to project itself as not standing on an anti-Western
platform. - Saban Kardas (Sep 15, '09)
Maliki plots his next move
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has some tough decisions to make ahead of a
crucial parliamentary election. Does he team up with a powerful Shi'ite-led
alliance, or go it alone with his own State of Law coalition? His best bet
might be to stay away from the Shi'ites and win over Sunni tribal leaders, whom
he needs more than Kurds. - Abeer Mohammed (Sep
15, '09)
Crucial Iran nuclear evidence
'covered up'
Iran has submitted serious evidence that documents purportedly showing a covert
Iranian nuclear weapons program are fraudulent - but the International Atomic
Energy Agency has so far refused to acknowledge it. The nuclear watchdog's
apparent lack of concern contrasts sharply with its 2002-2003 probe that
exposed as fabricated evidence cited by Washington as justification for
invading Iraq. - Gareth Porter (Sep 15, '09)
Netanyahu plays a Russian rope
trick
The top-secret dash that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took to
Moscow on September 7 is believed to be the latest chapter in the maritime saga
involving the "hijacked" Russian ship, the Arctic Sea. The gambit was
done as a hedge, because in Tel Aviv these days, trust in the United States is
rapidly eroding. - Sreeram Chaulia (Sep 14,
'09)
Obama clings to hope as Iran hawks
circle
Hundreds of activists from America's pro-Israel community descended on
Washington last week to lobby for harsher sanctions on Iran, even as reports
came out suggesting Tehran is on the verge of nuclear capability. President
Barack Obama is under heavy pressure to act, and his end-of-September deadline
for Iran to respond to his engagement offer is fast approaching. - Daniel Luban
and Jim Lobe (Sep 14, '09)
Lebanon back to political limbo
After a 70-day struggle, Lebanon's prime minister-designate Saad Hariri has
admitted defeat in his attempts to form a unity government and quit. This does
not necessarily mean the end of Hariri, while the Hezbollah-led opposition
could sniff an opportunity to further increase its demands. - Sami Moubayed(Sep
14, '09)
BOOK REVIEW
US hegemony slips into history
The Future of Global Relations by Terrence Edward Paupp.
The Barack Obama administration, dealing with the fallout of ongoing efforts to
preserve Washington's unipolarity since the end of the Cold War, is facing
unprecedented challenges. The author of this book traces the downward
trajectory of US power and forecasts a very different future for the
international community. - John Feffer (Sep
11, '09)
Iran steps up to the nuclear table
Tehran has presented the "Iran Six" nations with new proposals that Iran's
foreign minister calls a "new opportunity for dialogue" with the West. Although
the contents are still confidential, Iranian officials hint that for the first
time security and economic cooperation will be discussed alongside the ongoing
nuclear stalemate. Whether Washington takes this as an honorable detente or a
delaying tactic will be key to upcoming talks. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi
(Sep 10, '09)
THE ROVING EYE
Fifty questions on 9/11
It's eight years since the fateful day that terror struck at the heart of the
United States. The rebranded "global war on terror" still rages, with the
epicenter now back where it began, in Afghanistan. After all these years,
unanswered questions remain over both the events of September 11, and what
followed; they're food for serious reflection. - Pepe Escobar
(Sep 10, '09)
Blinded in the fog of war
Amid the endless cant and rhetoric that followed the United States-led wars in
Afghanistan and Iraq, the original purposes of the wars can be lost. The first
casualty is said to be the truth; the second might well be remembering that
wars should increase national security. - Brian M Downing
(Sep 10, '09)
A life under fire for Ban Ki-moon
A leaked critique of United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-moon's first-term
performance by a Norwegian ambassador has blasted him as "spineless and
charmless". But the questionable veracity of this and other attacks by
neo-liberals and the conservative press suggest Ban may have outgrown the
do-nothing role originally scripted for him. - Ian Williams
(Sep 9, '09)
Maliki hangs tough on Syria
As the Syria-Iraq crisis escalates, with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki sticking
to his story that Syrian-based Ba'athists were behind the August 19 Baghdad
bombing, Iraqi discontent grows. Considering security was his only feather in a
cap filled with economic woes, unemployment and refugees, Maliki needs a
scapegoat fast if he's to have any chance in the next elections. - Sami Moubayed
(Sep 9, '09)
Palestinian-Israeli trade looks up
Travel curbs, outbreaks of violence, hard politics and ancient enmities are
severe obstacles in the way of business between the Palestinian Authority and
Israel. Yet two-way commerce is growing, and the outlook points to further
gains as businessmen press on where politicians hold back.
(Sep 9, '09)
Iraqi violence overshadowed
Violence in Iraq killed 456 Iraqis in August, the highest monthly death toll
since July 2008. Despite this, neither in Iraq nor in the United States is
there any significant movement calling for the US to delay or reverse its
continuing pullout. In the US, much more attention is being paid to the deeply
troubled engagement in Afghanistan. (Sep 8, '09)
Taliban's bombs came from US, not
Iran
The roadside bombs killing and maiming Western soldiers in Afghanistan are not
Iranian, as a top United States intelligence agency has claimed. The devices
are crude but devastating re-adaptations of Italian anti-tank mines given to
the anti-Soviet mujahideen in the 1980s by the US Central Intelligence Agency.
- Gareth Porter (Sep 4, '09)
Arabic television lauds Jewish
Egyptian diva
A dramatic series now showing on Arabic television covers a touchy subject -
Egyptian 
Jews in the 1920s and 1930s, centered on the life of diva Layla Murad. Though
controversial, works such as this shed much-needed light on important figures
in Arabic history grossly maltreated for political reasons. - Sami Moubayed
(Sep 4, '09)
US faces a tough choice on Iran
The "Iran Six" countries, the International Atomic Energy Agency and the United
Nations are this month all wrestling with the problem of Iran's nuclear
program. Amid widespread calls for "crippling" sanctions on Tehran, there is
still room for negotiation, unless the pro-Israel lobby gets its way in
Washington. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi (Sep 3, '09)
DISPATCHES FROM AMERICA
Bush's third term? You're living it
Imagine if George W Bush had served a third term. He would have continued his
policy of "extraordinary rendition", proposed the largest military budget in
the history of the world, kept on Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, and
re-appointed Ben Bernanke to run the Fed. He might well have surged in
Afghanistan. These, in fact, are the first-term acts of President Barack Obama.
- David Swanson (Sep 2, '09)
Ahmadinejad battles for his cabinet
Iran's 290-member parliament is embroiled in a vociferous debate over President
Mahmud Ahmadinejad's cabinet choices. Of the 21 nominees, 14 are new faces,
including three women and a man wanted by Interpol for his role in a 1994
bombing. Ahmadinejad is struggling to win over the conservative bloc and his
promise to bring a "new era" to Iran hangs in the balance. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi
(Sep 1, '09)
Olmert's peace plan totters with
him
Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert, indicted on a litany of corruption
charges, could face a spell in jail, but he feels his ideas on 
peace with Palestine will prevail. However, given the minimal reaction to his
confession that he offered to give away total control of the whole of
Jerusalem, Olmert's ideas are likely just as irrelevant as he now is.
(Sep 1, '09)
Storm over North Korea-Iran arms vessel
An Australian-owned vessel has been seized by the United Arab Emirates after
North Korean conventional weapons, reportedly destined for Iran, were found in
its cargo marked as "machine parts". The seizure, the result of tough new
United Nation sanctions, could undermine Pyongyang's recent conciliatory
gestures and a glowing report on Tehran's nuclear program. - Donald Kirk
(Aug 31, '09)
Clinton has her own problems
As United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reacts to changing
realities abroad, most recently in Japan, the Department of State itself
warrants her close attention. In the process, she will have to wear many hats,
including a few that may not fit too comfortably as she addresses problems
involving staffing, security and strategic communications. - Peter J Brown
(Aug 31, '09)
DISPATCHES FROM AMERICA
GI Joe, post-American hero
After becoming persona non grata during the anti-war aftermath of
Vietnam and sitting out an extended Cold War "furlough", GI Joe is back 
with a new movie and assorted products. The so-called "real American hero" may
have no bigger fan club than the US Department of Defense, which has been
advising Hollywood on how to make "advertainment" war movies such as this since
the silent era. - Tom Engelhardt (Aug 28,
'09)
As US fades, Iran ups the ante in
Iraq
If Washington, as many analysts believe, has decided to take advantage of
Iran's internal unrest to push the government on the nuclear issue, there is a
crucial point: any arena of confrontation between the countries won't be picked
by the US alone. When push comes to shove, Iran will expand the confrontation
to multiple fronts, and Iraq will be its first choice. - Shahir Shahidsaless
(Aug 28, '09)
Iraq buys time for US troop pact
The United States military apologized and paid out US$54,500 in "condolence
payments" over the killing of an Iraqi man and a woman during a raid on their
house by US troops. The incident highlights the difficulties in implementing
the Status of Forces Agreement that regulates the conduct of US forces in the
country and goes some way to explain why Baghdad delayed a referendum on the
pact. - Mohammed al-Zaidi (Aug 28, '09)
Obama steers the peace train
With little fanfare, the United States is tying together the knots of a
comprehensive Middle East peace strategy that will bring Palestinians and
Israelis back to the table. The onus is still on US President Barack Obama to
prove that he is up to the task of translating US progress into practical
dividends, but even at this early stage there is less cause for Palestinian
pessimism - and Israeli confidence. (Aug 28, '09)
US sales to rescue of Palestine's kufiyeh
Changing fashions, economics and the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat
have led to 
plummeting demand for the black and white checkered kufiyeh scarf that
has been for many years a symbol of the Palestinian struggle. Now a sales drive
in the United States may haul the last kufiyeh factory in the Occupied
West Bank back from the brink of closure. - Sakhr Al-Makhadhi
(Aug 27, '09)
THE ROVING EYE
The glitzy face of Eurabia
Qatar's Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani enjoys his French connection - and
the feeling is mutual. The emir has big plans for his tiny emirate and its huge
oil and gas reserves, while France's president enjoys cozying up with a key
Persian Gulf actor. Expect Qatar to buy more Paris real estate, as more French
arms and passenger jets go in the opposite direction. - Pepe Escobar
(Aug 27, '09)
Iraq burns its bridges with Syria
Baghdad on Tuesday abruptly recalled its ambassador to Damascus over
the recent bombings in the Iraqi capital in which 100 people were killed. The
move has angered the Syrians, who resent the implication that they had
something to do with the attack. Syria is also bemused as to why Iraq would
want to alienate the country that just a week ago it hailed as holding the key
to Iraq's success. - Sami Moubayed (Aug 26,
'09)
Leaked stories taint Iran nuclear
debate
Western officials leaked stories to the press last week to pressure
International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei into including
allegations that Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons in a report due out this
week. The apparent aim is to discredit an earlier US National Intelligence
Estimate ahead of tough negotiations on Iran's nuclear program. - Gareth Porter(Aug
26, '09)
A United States-Iran opportunity
arises
United States special representative for AfPak, Richard Holbrooke, and Iranian
Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki posed for the cameras in Turkey on Tuesday
while attending a meeting on Pakistan. The next step is for the two to engage
over the country that is much more on their minds - Afghanistan. Tehran has a
simple proposal: if the Barack Obama administration gives up its interference
in Iran's domestic affairs, Iran will talk with the US on Afghanistan. - M K
Bhadrakumar (Aug 26, '09)
Iran softens its nuclear stance -
for now
Ahead of a report on Iran's nuclear program and a United States deadline
on sanctions, Tehran will allow inspectors into two important facilities, even
though the mood in Iran's parliament is not in favor of compromise. The
International Atomic Energy Agency has its work cut out keeping Iran on a
conciliatory track. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi (Aug
25, '09)
Shi'ites unite in a new power
grab
An Iraqi coalition of 10 Shi’ite parties, backed by Iran and led by Ibrahim
al-Jaafari, was launched on Monday to take on Prime Minister 
Nuri al-Maliki, who will soon announce a fresh alliance of his own. The forces
now aligned against Maliki are formidable, but they lack the one crucial
faction the premier is assiduously soliciting - the Sunnis. - Sami Moubayed
(Aug 25, '09)
KEBABBLE
Turkey's beer-swillers get hammered
Anti-alcohol organizations in Turkey fear the country is sliding into a
barley-filled vat of iniquity, with Turks now consuming 15.4 liters of beer per
person each year. Sure, it's the highest level of consumption in the Middle
East, but when compared to Ireland or Germany - it's just a drop in the keg. - Fazile
Zahir (Aug 25, '09)|
Heated blame-game in shocked Iraq
Six attacks in Iraq last week caught the country off-guard.
Iraqis are now blaming their elected representatives, who are blaming each
other, while Iran's role in the bombings is also being questioned. The only
good thing about this is how quickly and effectively parliament has dealt with
the crisis - Sami Moubayed (Aug 24, '09)
Is Iran gas ban a step toward war?
Many in Washington view Iran's shortage of refined petroleum products - namely
gasoline - as an opportunity to coerce Tehran into abandoning its nuclear-arms
program. Still, cutting off gas could be especially risky because it would
strengthen the hand of conservative clerics in Tehran and may entail a naval
blockade, setting off a chain reaction of violent moves. - Michael Klare
(Aug 21, '09)
Cracks appear in Mousavi's 'Green
Path'
Rather than accept defeat in June's Iranian presidential election,
never-say-die challenger Mir Hossein Mousavi has launched a grassroots "social
movement" that he calls "The Green Path of Hope". The trouble is that the
supporting structure of Mousavi's ideology - Iran's Islamic constitution - goes
against his supporters' calls for a free and secular state. - Shahir
Shahidsaless (Aug 21, '09)
Gun-loving Kurds all fired up
Politicians handed out guns to prominent supporters in the runup to elections
in Iraqi Kurdistan last month - a "traditional gift" in the fiery region where
carrying a piece is a badge of honor. Possible curbs on firearms have not gone
down well where armed Kurds are viewed as not nearly as dangerous as suicide
bombers. - Falah Najim (Aug 20, '09)
Hamas faces extremist opposition
Islamic resistance movement Hamas put down a fierce military challenge last
week from a hardline group that blames the Hamas government for failing to
establish Islamic law in Gaza and giving up jihad against Israel by enforcing a
ceasefire. If such extremists ever come to power, Israel may regret not
negotiating with Hamas. (Aug 19, '09)
Washington ponders its endgame
In its haste to lay plans for its departure from Iraq, the United States
promised everyone everything. This leaves Washington with two choices. Leave a
residual force of about 20,000 troops to guarantee Sunni and Kurdish interests,
or allow the country to become a cockpit for competition among neighboring
countries. (Aug 19, '09)
Maliki sees the light in Damascus
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, currently visiting Syria, has signed
accords that will increase economic and cultural ties between the countries.
Far more important is Maliki's realization that he needs the clout that
Damascus has among all the players in Iraq if he is to resolve escalating
problems relating to the oil-rich region of Kirkuk and the Sunni community. - Sami
Moubayed
(Aug 19, '09)
Ahmadinejad unveils some gender
savvy
When presidential challenger Mir Hossain Mousavi and his wife, Zahra Rahnavand,
mobilized masses of Iranian women in the last election, President Mahmud
Ahmadinejad was taking notes. Now, Ahmadinejad has nominated three women for
his cabinet, a landmark move that reformist critics claim has "stolen" their
agenda and electorate. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi (Aug
18, '09)
SPENGLER
Palestine problem hopeless,
but not serious
United Sates President Barack Obama has called the situation for Palestinians
"intolerable". But compared to what? And why haven't they moved to other Arab
countries if things are so bad? What the West needs to do is cut support to the
Palestinians to lower their quality of life as an incentive for emigration.
(Aug 17, '09)
DISPATCHES FROM AMERICA
A slo-mo withdrawal from Iraq
Within any administration, someone once said, you can afford to be a hawk and
be wrong, just not a dove and right. When it comes to the many retired American
military commanders who've become TV war commentators, that seems to hold true.
These ex-pros use slo-mo replays and cool graphics as they dance to the
Pentagon's drum. In the end, the US still occupies Iraq, and no one even asks
why. - Tom Engelhardt (Aug 14, '09)
Tough sanctions won't tame Tehran
United States officials are talking tough and threatening even-stiffer
sanctions should Tehran refuse to discuss its nuclear portfolio by the end of
September. This ploy isn't going to work - the world would not be allowed to
continue to move 40% of its oil through the Strait of Hormuz if Iran were
suffocating under a crippling embargo. Intensified sanctions are only a
preamble to war. - Shahir Shahidsaless (Aug
13, '09)
Syria pulls some strings in Iran
France has praised Syria for helping secure the release this week of a French
woman held in Iran on charges of encouraging opposition protests. Damascus
clearly used its links to Iran's supreme leader, the only person who could have
approved Nazak Afshar's freedom. United States President Barack Obama, when it
comes to his problems with Iraq and Iran, is already tapping into these Syrian
connections. - Sami Moubayed (Aug 13, '09)
Saudi Arabia wavers on Obama's plan
Washington's pro-Israel camp is calling on Arab leaders to
make dramatic peace overtures to Israel, a request Saudi Arabia is quick to
dismiss, saying the Israelis deserve no special rewards. Riyadh is in a good
position to refuse as it is one of the most influential players in the
Arab-Israeli peacemaking process and almost immune to American pressure.
(Aug 12, '09)
Iran-Venezuela ties worry US
Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad and his Venezuelan counterpart President
Hugo Chavez have been frequent visitors in each other's countries over the past
10 years, building strong economic and military ties. The burgeoning
relationship of the two United States antagonists is potentially problematic
for US interests. (Aug 11, '09)
Iran's parliament mounts a
challenge
Hardline factions of Iran's parliament are capitalizing on President Mahmud
Ahmadinejad's weakened political clout by pushing for a larger say in the
make-up of his new cabinet. This and other internal ruptures leave Ahmadinejad
with little choice but to focus on domestic rather than foreign issues. - Kaveh
L Afrasiabi (Aug 11, '09)
Shi'ite unity deal explodes US myth
Even though Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki was ostensibly cooperating with
the United States against rogue elements of Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army in
2007 and 2008, the Maliki regime was also cooperating secretly with the Sadrist
forces. Maliki - with the encouragement of Iran - was also working for the
withdrawal of US forces from Iraq, which he did not reveal to the Americans
until 2008. - Gareth Porter (Aug 10, '09)
Hope's gone AWOL in Echo platoon
United States soldiers caught absent without leave are often consigned to Echo
platoon - a special "holding" group at Fort Bragg, North Carolina - to await
trial. Platoon members say it's a bleak state of legal limbo, with dire living
conditions and verbal abuse. Traumatized by past combat, many refuse the
fastest route out - redeployment. - Dahr Jamail and Sarah Lazare
(Aug 10, '09)
SPENGLER
The closing of the Christian womb
Low birthrates and emigration endanger the dwindlng Arab Christian community.
Arab Christians often blame Israel, although Israel indirectly was responsible
for their political rise during the 1960s and 1970s. Christianity will flourish
in the Middle East but it will speak Hebrew more than Arabic.
(Aug 10, '09)
New nuke report debunks Iran hawks
The United States' latest estimate of when Iran will be able to produce enough
highly enriched uranium to make a nuclear weapon is the year 2013, years later
than alarmist reports would have it. This news, in tandem with political
uncertainty in Iran, has heightened calls for Washington to go easier on
Tehran. (Aug 10, '09)
Hikers lost in stasis of US-Iran
relations
Mahmud Ahmadinejad's presidency is now firmly established; Mir Hossein
Mousavi's opposition movement has failed to produce hard evidence of electoral
fraud and even Britain has broken ranks to accept the victory. Yet, Washington
still refuses to follow suit. The snub could have a dire impact on the many
pressing regional issues - not to mention three American hikers now detained in
Iran. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi (Aug 7, '09)
The West has its own suicide bombers
From the Bay of Tripoli in 1804 - where American seamen introduced the use of
the suicide bomber in a battle against Muslims - to Will Smith in the
futuristic vampire movie I Am Legend, Westerners in reality and in
popular culture have acted as suicide bombers. The West has its suicide bombers
- they're called heroes. The culture of indoctrination is called it basic
training. When Westerners kill civilians, it's called collateral damage. - John
Feffer (Aug 7, '09)
SPEAKING FREELY
Jundullah a wedge between Iran,
Pakistan
Jundullah - a Sunni fundamentalist group with ethnic separatist goals - has
impaired relations between Iran and Pakistan. Unless the United States and
Pakistan crack down on this terrorist outfit, it may succeed in bringing Tehran
and Islamabad to the brink of war, and in energizing the Taliban. - Raja
Karthikeya (Aug 6, '09)
Kurds turn up the heat on Baghdad
It took Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki three years before making his first
journey from Baghdad to the semi-autonomous Kurdish region. He might wish he
had stayed in the capital. The Kurds, with a freshly re-elected president, made
it clear they want to go all the way in their claim for the oil-rich Kirkuk
region, leaving Maliki with the choice of confrontation, or ceding the
controversial territory. - Sami Moubayed(Aug
6, '09)
Turkey hems in its Islamist fringe
The government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is rounding up suspected
militants and radicals in a bid to differentiate its brand of moderate Islam
from the angry rhetoric of Turkey's Islamist fringe. Ankara is worried about
growing support for groups such as Hizb ut-Tahrir, Hezbollah and the
ever-present threat of al-Qaeda. - Patrick Wrigley
(Aug 6, '09)
Iran caught in a 10-year cycle
Protests against the re-election of Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad have
revealed a divided leadership and brought into question the legitimacy of not
only the Ahmadinejad government, but for the first time, the role of the
supreme leader and the system itself. Iran's hardline leaders may now be moving
the country towards an absolute theocracy in a bid to secure their power. - Grace
Nasri (Aug 6, '09)
U-turn puts Hezbollah in the
driving seat
The opportunistic head of Lebanon's Progressive Socialist Party, Walid
Jumblatt, has again switched sides, this time turning his back on the United
States-backed March 14 Coalition to 
support the Syrian-backed, Hezbollah-led opposition. A full party defection
would hand Hezbollah a majority in parliament, casting serious doubt on Saad
Hariri's future as premier. - Sami Moubayed (Aug
5, '09)
Ahmadinejad faces his toughest test
With little time to waste, the second administration of
Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad must develop a deft nuclear policy, even
as domestic instability continues to erode its mandate. The national consensus
behind the firebrand president who spoke with authority for the past four years
has vanished. In its place is a new, divisive political climate poorly suited
for bold and effective foreign policy. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi
(Aug 4, '09)
Iran's Guards turn on Ahmadinejad
The political impasse between Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and
President Mahmud Ahmadinejad ended Monday as Khamenei officially endorsed
Ahmadinejad's second term. Behind the scenes, it was unpopular cabinet picks
and the influence of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps that cost Ahmadinejad
the contest. After all, he's the only player with a political expiration date.
- Shahir Shahidsaless (Aug 3, '09)
Ten steps to liquidate US bases
If Washington continues to operate in the role of a global hegemon, with its
military inventory of 865 facilities in more than 40 countries and overseas US
territories, it could well follow in the former Soviet Union's footsteps and
become a crippled economic power. - Chalmers Johnson
(Aug 3, '09)
THE ART OF APPEASEMENT, Part 2
Understanding the enemy
Waging war to preserve or bolster the reputation of the United States as a
non-appeaser is likely to backfire, as the invasion of Iraq has shown.
Anti-appeasers go to war to feel strong, but real strength lies in anticipation
and longevity. Primordial instincts that ignore what the enemy wants should not
dictate foreign policy. - David Young (Jul
31, '09)
This is the concluding article in a two-part report.
Part 1: Unraveling
a patchwork of disaster
Iran, US do a 'war on terror'
somersault
The transfer of security in Iraq from the United States military to local
forces has made for some ironic entanglements, many of which benefit Iran. This
week's Iraqi raid on Camp Ashraf, a base for the militant Iranian dissident
outfit Mujahideen-e-Khalq - until recently "guarded" by the US - has turned
friends into enemies. - Sreeram Chaulia (Jul
30, '09)
Smiles all round over Lebanon's
cabinet
Lebanon's premier-designate Saad Hariri has finally created a cabinet, and it
includes two members of the heel-dragging Hezbollah. The news comes just days
after Washington announced it will lift certain sanctions on Syria, indicating
the Beirut breakthrough is the result of Damascus' improved relations with the
US - and with Saudi Arabia. - Sami Moubayed (Jul
30, '09)
Israel wrestles with Iran problem
As Iran continues with its nuclear-enrichment program, Israel seethes in
frustration. Unlike the days when the United States, with its Israeli
cheerleaders, was easily led to unleash a war against Iraq, today Washington is
far too busy to do much about Tehran. Word has it Israel has even agreed to
"concessions" in exchange for Western approval of a strike on Iran's nuclear
facilities. - Ramzy Baroud (Jul 29, '09)
Russia and Iran join hands
Joint naval exercises in the Caspian Sea this week may prove the starting point
for comprehensive military collaboration between Russia and Iran, particularly
if Moscow makes good on its promise to complete the much-delayed Bushehr
nuclear power plant in Iran. This is geopolitical expediency at its best. - Kaveh
L Afrasiabi (Jul 28, '09)
Maliki walks a tightrope in
Washington
Behind the photo opportunities and friendly rhetoric, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri
al-Maliki had important missions to complete last week in Washington. Among the
goals was US support over crippling war reparations being demanded by Kuwait
for the 1990 invasion, and convincing the Arab world that the US now sees him
as an equal, not a stooge. - Sami Moubayed (Jul
27, '09)
Syrian football wins business
backing
Syrian soccer, hitherto largely starved of sponsorship and advertising, is
starting to benefit from recent moves to liberalize the economy, as local
businessmen are increasingly prepared to pour cash into their local teams.
(Jul 27, '09)
Xinjiang riots confound Islamists
That China has so far escaped major jihadist attacks in spite of its harshness
towards its ethnic-minority Uyghur Muslims is not due to superior
counter-terrorism strategies, but rather to confusion among some Islamists and
cooperation from others. China's image as a staunch rival of the West confuses
hardline Muslims, while Beijing's rising clout may have kept Iran's
fire-spewing ayatollahs silent. - Sreeram Chaulia
(Jul 27, '09)
NEW GREAT GAME REVISITED, Part 2
Iran, China and the New Silk Road
China's denial of Iran into the Shanghai Cooperation Organization last year
might signal that a Beijing-Tehran axis doesn't exist, yet a strategic alliance
between the pair is essential to counter Western influence in their domain. For
China, Iran is all about Pipelineistan, the Asian Energy Security Grid and the
New Silk Road. - Pepe Escobar (Jul 24, '09)
This article concludes a two-part report.
Part 1:
Iran and Russia, scorpions in a bottle
BOOK REVIEW
Courage versus power
Dreams and Shadows by Robin Wright
Offering a realistic appraisal of the promise and limitations of moderate
agents of change in a politically pent-up region, this book pries open a window
to the Middle East's lesser-known strain of citizen activism against both
dictatorship and Islamist terrorism. The US attack on Iraq, for instance,
stranded new democracy activists throughout the Middle East and handed the
initiative to violent actors. - Sreeram Chaulia
(Jul 24, '09)
Learning to forget at Camp Lejeune
Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, a first stop for United States Marines
returning from overseas combat, is a snapshot of small-town life in America.
Hot dogs sizzle on the grill, a cotton-candy machine spins and Credence
Clearwater Revival's Fortunate Son fills the air. Occasionally, however,
the sound of rifle fire will crack the silence, reminding the men that the
safety is only temporary. - Sara Schonhardt (Jul
23, '09)
KEBABBLE
A little less sex in
Istanbul
Brothels in the infamous Karakoy neighborhood of Istanbul are to be knocked
down to make way for a children's park. Some institutions - including a nearby
church - are welcoming the news, but to shut the brothels is to deny the
sensual nature of Istanbul life through the ages. - Fazile Zahir
(Jul 23, '09)
Hezbollah stalls Syrian-Saudi
detente
Born out of a common need to counter Iran's growing regional influence, Saudi
Arabian and Syrian ties have improved solidly this year. But hopes of a
three-way summit with Lebanon have stalled. Saudi heavyweights say Lebanon's
new leader must first overcome Hezbollah's aggressive political demands and
succeed in forming a new government. - Sami Moubayed
(Jul 23, '09)
Iran's Guards keep on marching
Despite Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's last will stating
that Iran's armed forces should refrain from political activities, the
Revolutionary Guards have become a major political force within the theocracy.
Accusations that Guards played a big part in the re-election of Mahmud
Ahmadinejad are the latest evidence of a power shift that began in 2001. - Babak
Rahimi (Jul 22, '09)
DISPATCHES FROM AMERICA
Serial war as a way of life
From American humanitarian intervention and wars of choice to President Barack
Obama's present Af-Pak war - and finally to wars beyond the horizon - wars have
become an American way of life. Yet, one cannot continue as free people while
accepting the fruits of conquest and domination: the passive beneficiaries of
masters are also slaves. - David Bromwich (Jul
22, '09)
FILM REVIEW
Supreme Leader Marcello Mastroianni
Forget Iran's Ali Khamenei. Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni is the real
supreme leader. Just watch him in Pietro Germi's 1961 black-and-white
masterpiece, Divorzio all'italiana, or Federico 
Fellini's iconic La Dolce Vita. They don't make movies like that
anymore. But how about a Divorce - Italian-style set in the Pashtun
tribal areas, with a US Marine eloping with a local girl? Or better yet, in Barbarella
fashion, with a sexy drone. - Pepe Escobar (Jul
21, '09)
Doubts over Obama's 'peace engine'
There is growing disbelief among Israelis and Palestinians
that the administration of President Barack Obama can resolve their deep-rooted
conflict without laying out specific terms. The Palestinian Authority is
skeptical of the White House's ability to pressure Israel, while the Israeli
government hopes Obama's promise of change is just so much talk.
(Jul 21, '09)
To deal or not to deal
Previously staunch supporters of Iran-United States dialogue now say it must be
put on hold - "to see how things shake out on the ground". But others say
Iran's influence in countries of interest to the US and strategic concerns over
its nuclear program mean there is no time to lose. (Jul
21, '09)
Prayers and politics in Iran
Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani's Friday prayer speech has less dramatic
ramifications than Western media would have us believe. The fact he was allowed
to take the podium in the first place shows the Iranian crisis is neither a
revolution nor a power struggle among the "old-guard" clergy. Rather, it's part
of a wider battle in society that has been raging for over 100 years. - Shahir
Shahidsaless (Jul 21, '09)
Ahmadinejad rings the changes
Shaking up his cabinet despite the objections of hardliners and clearly less
bellicose in his speeches, Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad's new term is
shaping up as more moderate than his previous four years. Although likely to be
welcomed by reformists and the West, the new path may prove to be a survival
strategy. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi (Jul 20, '09)
Middle East Christians hit the road
Recent attacks on six Iraq churches highlight the plight faced by Christians in
the Middle East. Their populations, even in strongholds like Bethlehem, are
steadily decreasing as they head for the West. At the same time, the exodus is
leading to increases in foreign remittances to the region. - Stephen Starr(Jul
20, '09)
Iran should look East, not West
Iran has for too long turned westwards for leadership in developing its
economy, while to the east countries ranging from Japan to China to South
Korea, with far fewer resources, have learned how to move to the front rank of
nations. Even the likes of Malaysia and Vietnam could show the way forward. - Shirzad
Azad (Jul 16,'09)
Nokia faces wrath of Iran's
protesters
Extensive use of mobile phones helped to bring Iranians onto the streets to
protest against the result of the recent presidential election. Now citizens in
Tehran and elsewhere are shunning Nokia-made phones, claiming the company's
software helped in the subsequent crackdown. (Jul
16,'09)
Iraq on track to its true destiny
After years of war, destruction, invasion and internal strife, Iraq may be
starting to face its true destiny - a gas pump for the rest of the world. If
so, the timing could hardly be better. - Michael T Klare
(Jul 16,'09)
Clinton sends warning to Iran
United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's speech preceding her
departure on Friday for a five-day trip to India and Thailand spelled out the
State Department's role in US foreign policy - a role that has been
overshadowed by President Barack Obama. Clinton stressed "smart power", took
swipes at former president George W Bush and told Tehran the "time for action
is now". - Jim Lobe (Jul 16,'09)
US diplomacy leaves Kurds adrift
A series of events and statements strongly indicates possible
behind-the-scenes diplomacy by United States Vice President Joe Biden led to
the indefinite postponement of a referendum on Iraqi Kurdistan's draft
constitution. The delay of the controversial charter comes as Biden takes
charge of Washington's Iraq policy amid desperate calls for national
reconciliation. (Jul 16,'09)
An intelligence vacuum in
Washington
The United States' Director of National Intelligence and other relevant
intelligence executives are required by executive order to report regularly to
a board established primarily to prevent intelligence failures. Unfortunately,
under the administration of President Barack Obama, the board currently has no
members. - Ritt Goldstein (Jul 15,'09)
Behind the mind games in the Gulf
From fighter aircraft equipped with bunker-busting munitions to submarines
armed with cruise missiles, Israel certainly has the hardware to make a serious
attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. Whatever the mind games and the rhetoric,
the claims and denials, it remains highly unlikely, though, that an attack
could avoid some form of direct United States involvement. - Richard M Bennett
(Jul 15,'09)
Syrian secularism under fire
Terror attacks in Syria over the past few years are a strong warning that
although the Syrian government and educated elite are secular, many in the
neighborhood (especially in Lebanon and in Iraq) are not, and they are
attempting to spread their views into the Syrian heartland. - Sami Moubayed
(Jul 14,'09)
Iran on a tortuous path to
reconciliation
Following the disputed election that saw Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad
win a second term, both the hardline winning camp and the losing reformists
have made critical mistakes that have kept tensions running high. Former
president Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani now has the opportunity to
create a new mood of reconciliation. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi
(Jul 14,'09)
Pipeline deal is sweet music for
Iran
An Iranian hand in reducing Europe's energy dependence on Russia, thanks to a
project which is a blatant American political venture - this is Moscow's worst
nightmare, now a reality. On Monday in Turkey, the US$11 billion Nabucco
trans-Caspian gas pipeline venture was formally launched. For Tehran, it is a
means to enter into a strategic partnership with Europe in the near term. - M K
Bhadrakumar (Jul 14,'09)
Iraq catches it from all sides
As Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki walks the tightrope between Sunnis and
Shi'ites, the United States and Iran are breathing down his neck. Turkey, Syria
and Iran, meanwhile, are not pleased at the revival of Kurdish ambitions in
Kirkuk, while the Kurds in turn are alarmed by calls for a stronger central
government in Baghdad. - Sami Moubayed (Jul
13,'09)
Freed Iranians highlight US-Iraq
conflict
Iraq's release of five Iranians who had been held by the United States military
in Iraq for two-and-a-half years highlights the conflicting views between
Washington and Baghdad over Iranian policy. The US was locked into the notion
that Iran used its Revolutionary Guards to destabilize the Iraqi regime, while
Iraq saw Tehran as having only friendly intentions. - Gareth Porter(Jul
13,'09)
Hubble bubble means forest trouble
Years of drought are forcing Syria's farmers to look to other sources of
income, among them charcoal to fuel the ever-popular nargile, or
hubble-bubble pipe. That is leading to growing concern as forests are
increasingly plundered, with related environmental damage.
(Jul 13,'09)
US closer to Iran as Europe drifts
A key factor behind the Group of Eight's surprisingly low-key stance on Iran is
the attitude of the United States, which this week released five Iranian
diplomats held in Iraq since 2006. This is a gesture of unmistakable goodwill
that is bound to improve the climate for US-Iran dialogue. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi
(Jul 10,'09)
The US takes to the shadows in Iraq
American activities in Iraq now take place in the dark of night, so fewer
Iraqis are likely to see that the United States withdrawal from the cities and
towns is not total. What is emerging is the silhouette of a new American
posture, and what it doesn't look like is an occupying power preparing to close
up shop and head for home. - Michael Schwartz
(Jul 10,'09)
A leaner, meaner Iranian regime
President Mahmud Ahmadinejad has broken all the rules that govern the art of
politics in Iran, and the Islamic Republic's culture of factional politics has
now collapsed before his commanding presence. This new political reality is
going to severely disappoint those who hoped the recent rioting and mayhem
would spell the end of the hardline regime. - Mahan Abedin
(Jul 9,'09)
Constitutional crisis in Turkey
escalates
The power struggle between Turkey's Islamist-rooted ruling party and its
staunchly secular armed forces has escalated over a new law allowing officers
to be tried in civilian courts. The government says the law is needed for
European Union membership, but an angry military says it is an unconstitutional
attempt to erode its power base in the wake of an alleged coup plot.
(Jul 9,'09)
Baseless expenditures
The United States empire of bases - at US$102 billion a year
already the world's costliest military enterprise - just got a good deal more
expensive with the projected $736 million new American war embassy to be built
in Islamabad, Pakistan. For other countries getting a bit weary of the American
military presence on their soil: cash in now, before it's too late. - Chalmers
Johnson (Jul 8,'09)
Obama discredits Iran 'green light'
Responding to claims that Washington has given Israel approval to strike Iran's
nuclear facilities, United States President Barack Obama insists Washington's
position remains unchanged. Nonetheless, debate over Vice President Joe Biden's
comments that Israel could determine for itself how to deal with the perceived
threats from Iran isn't going away. - Jim Lobe and Ali Gharib
(Jul 8,'09)
US revives talk of Iran-Taliban ties
Despite the lack of evidence or a plausible motive, the Barack Obama
administration is revisiting the previous US administration's charges that Iran
is arming and training the Taliban. Although the allegations could damage hopes
of Iranian cooperation in the Afghan conflict, some members of the US
government see them as a golden opportunity to pressure Tehran over its nuclear
program. - Gareth Porter (Jul 7,'09)
THE ROVING EYE
Go ahead, Bibi - drop the bomb
As unclenched fists go, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu's
government and that of the newly empowered administration of the "mullahtariat"
in Iran now seem to be locked in a free-for-all cage match - regardless of
United States President Barack Obama's self-styled "refereeing" positioning. - Pepe
Escobar (Jul 7,'09)
SAUDI BOMBSHELLS, Part 3
FBI chief defended Saudis
The pro-Saudi bias of former FBI director Louis Freeh during the investigation
of the 1996 Khobar Towers terror bombing in Saudi Arabia that killed 19 United
States airmen shut down a probe in which Osama bin Laden was clearly
implicated. Had the case run its course, the US may not have been so brutally
blindsided by 9/11. - Gareth Porter (Jul
3,'09)
This is the final article in a three-part report.
Part 1:
Al-Qaeda excluded from suspect list
Part 2:
Why US officials blamed Iran
KEBABBLE
Turkey's women take back the
night
The murder of an Istanbul teenager, allegedly by the son of a rich businessman,
has provoked outrage in Turkey. It isn't just the nature of the crime - the
girl was dismembered and her head stuffed in a guitar case - that has led
feminists to rally and demand justice, they are also furious at the sexist
response of Istanbul's former police chief. - Fazile Zahir
(Jul 2,'09)
Russia flits from Tehran to
Washington
Just when Russia's 14-year saga over building a nuclear plant for Iran appeared
at an end, Moscow has pointed to financial problems that will delay the
facility's scheduled opening next month. In doing this, Russia is sending a
message not so much to Tehran as to Washington, that it is considering a move
more into the US's orbit. - Dmitry Shlapentokh
(Jul 2,'09)
Iran awash with mistrust and
despair
The announcement of the Guardians Council on Monday to uphold
the landslide election victory of President Mahmud Ahmadinejad has only
deepened the anger and frustration on the streets of Iran. Rights groups are
now concerned that those arrested over the past two weeks are under pressure -
possibly being tortured - to confess to cooperation with foreign governments.
(Jul 1,'09)
Marching out of step in the US
military
Refusal to deploy, search-and-avoid missions, absence without leave,
desertions, even suicides - these are expressions of dissent today in the
all-volunteer United States military that was rebuilt to purge itself of
Vietnam-style non-obedience. These seeds of a response to the quagmire of the
counter-insurgency wars in Iraq and Afghanistan could grow into something far
larger. - Dahr Jamail (Jul 1,'09)
Turkey balances on shaky ground
Turkey is in a unique position, maintaining ties with Europe,
the United States, Iran, Israel and the Arab world. Taking advantage of these
friendships, the government has formulated a multi-pronged strategy to further
its regional interests while continuing to push for inclusion in the European
Union. The difficult part is to keep everyone happy. - Reza Akhlaghi
(Jul 1,'09)
Iraq celebrates a victory of sorts
Baghdad rocked with live concerts and fireworks displays Monday night as United
States troops completed their withdrawal from cities and towns across Iraq. The
Iraqi security forces will now have to look after their own people, even though
the future of the country remains strongly linked to the regional balance of
power between Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the United States. - Sami Moubayed
(Jun 30,'09)
Obama faces a Persian rebuff
The Barack Obama administration badly fumbled after a
magnificent start in addressing the situation in Iran. The White House must now
deal with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at the peak of his political
power, and President Mahmud Ahmadinejad - who will now negotiate from a
position of unprecedented strength. All things taken into account, there has
been a policy crisis in Washington. - M K Bhadrakumar
(Jun 30,'09)
COMMENT
China doesn't want Iran unstable
Throughout the recent election turmoil in Iran, Beijing has said little and
stuck to its time-honored non-interventionist line. Political chaos in the
Middle East, and especially in Iran, is no good for oil-hungry China. In terms
of national interest, it's better to just keep quiet. - Jian Junbo
(Jun 30,'09)
The training wheels are off
Despite the recent uptick in violence, "significant hostile acts" throughout
Iraq have tapered off over the past two years. "This is the right time," the
United States says, for its troops to be handing security responsibilities to
the Iraqis. Yet the mood remains tense. (Jun 30,'09)
Leadership in the eye of the
beholder
The results of a global opinion poll on national leaders include some
surprising findings, such as support for Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad
abroad. The usual biases are revealed, while the results also call into
question some Western media assumptions. Apparently, it is possible to be
repressive and popular at the same time. - Ian Williams
(Jun 30,'09)
SPENGLER
Obama creates a deadly power vacuum
President Barack Obama has not betrayed the interests of the United States to
any foreign power, but he has done the next worst thing, namely, to create a
void by withdrawing American power. By removing America as a referee, he will
provoke more violence than the United States ever did. A very, very dangerous
period is about to begin, and it could start with Iran.
(Jun 29,'09)
THE ROVING EYE
Requiem for a revolution
In the end, the sound and fury of the "Tehran spring" led to neither reform nor
revolution. The army didn't support the people, and the merchants and workers
didn't go on strike. Still, to believe that Iran's national interest and the
aspirations of its disenchanted masses will be defended by the new dictatorship
of the mullahtariat is to completely miss the point. - Pepe Escobar
(Jun 29,'09)
A classic revolutionary dilemma
The events of recent weeks in Iran can be viewed against the backdrop of a
regime that wants to return to its glory days of fervor and idealism. The
young, in particular, have been alienated, and demographically and in other
ways the present version of the Islamic Republic, which may have postponed its
date with destiny, is struggling against the tide of history. - Dilip Hiro
(Jun 29,'09)
US misunderstanding on Iran lingers
The newfound interest the United States has taken in Iran, sparked by the
Islamic Republic's election crisis, may be well-intentioned, but it is often
misplaced, misguided or completely detached from on-the-ground realities. The
most glaring knowledge deficit seems to come from neo-conservatives and their
right-wing allies who continue to clamor for regime change. - Ali Gharib
(Jun 26,'09)
DISPATCHES FROM AMERICA
Two sides to violence
Recent polls reveal that nearly half the American public is unsure that Israel
is still the good guy in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The eroding support
for Israeli policies signals a growing appetite for a new, more even-handed
narrative. What must be understood is that the crucial conflict is not between
Israel and Palestine. It's between peace and violence. - Ira Chernus
(Jun 26,'09)
Hezbollah keeps its eye on the ball
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and one of his fiercest critics, Druze leader
Walid Jumblatt, have met for the first time in three years. It was 
not the conciliatory gesture many expected after a coalition of which Hezbollah
is a part failed to gain power in elections earlier this month. Nasrallah,
though, has his eye firmly on his objectives - protecting Hezbollah's weapons
and upholding Shi'ite rights. - Sami Moubayed
(Jun 26,'09)
Iraq puts US presence to a vote
A series of bombings in Iraq this week has left at least 160 people dead just
days before the United States' promised withdrawal from Iraqi cities on June
30. Against this backdrop of rising violence, the government has decided to put
its security agreement with the US to a public referendum.
(Jun 25,'09)
COMMENT
Crunching the numbers
Just as the fight to overturn the results of the Iranian elections was
fading, it received a new lease of life via the publication of a British study
that casts doubt on the official results that saw President Mahmud Ahmadinejad
re-elected. The study appears to have its own problems, though. - Kaveh L
Afrasiabi
(Jun 25,'09)
Iran-Pakistan pipeline not a done
deal
Muted fanfare over progress in the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline deal belies its
potentially huge appeal. Moscow sees a chance to strengthen its grip on
Europe's gas markets while Beijing is eyeing supplies shipped from the
Chinese-built Gwadar port in Pakistan. The silence could be due to doubts over
Tehran's dubious track record and political situation. - Robert M Cutler
(Jun 25,'09)
Miscalculations abound in Iran
The turmoil in Iran is a struggle between two factions of society. One faction
seeks a dramatic liberalization of society, the other advocates strict
adherence to religious principles. Yet both sides persist in portraying
themselves as being involved in a struggle by the people against a totalitarian
regime, a position that can only lead to further conflict. - Shahir Shahidsaless
(Jun 25,'09)
A new US envoy for Damascus
For the first time since 2005, the United States will send an ambassador to
Damascus, the latest in a string of moves to build new ties with Syria.
Washington says it recognizes the role Syria has to play in creating peace and
stability in the region due to its relations with Lebanon and Iran. Still,
prospects for Israeli-Syrian peace remain dim. (Jun
25,'09)
THE ROVING EYE
Iran's streets are lost, but hope
returns
People power may have lost in the streets against a massive repression machine,
but Iranians are not afraid anymore. They believe another Iran is possible. All
hopes lie on a protracted, creative, subversive, underground and parallel
movement of civil disobedience, with strikes and mourning ceremonies held up
and down the country. The seeds of the next revolution have already been
planted. - Pepe Escobar (Jun 24,'09)
Obama on the road to Damascus
All signs point to a rapid thaw in relations between Syria and the United
States, with Damascus having much to offer the Middle East peace process should
President Barack Obama accept its help. If only Obama were to make the effort
to meet President Bashar al-Assad, real progress could be made. - Sami Moubayed
(Jun 24,'09)
Israel stunned by Obama's tough
love
United States President Barack Obama's bold approach to the Middle East
attempts to level a playing field upon which Israel has always won, no matter
the contest or context. No wonder the new stance has rattled the Israeli
government, lit up the Jewish blogosphere and multiplied the posters calling
Obama "anti-Semitic". Still, a prolonged spat with Israel could prove costly. - Seema
Sirohi (Jun 23,'09)
Neo-cons blast Obama's line on Iran
Hawks and hardliners in Washington have excoriated President Barack Obama's
cautious line on Iran's election violence and North Korea's incessant
saber-rattling. Obama has even been accused of abetting the "rogue" regimes.
Now, a ship believed to be carrying weapons from North Korea to Myanmar may be
a "major test of his presidency". - Jim Lobe (Jun
23,'09)
DISPATCHES FROM AMERICA
Bullish days for loyal ex-Bushies
For struggling job-hunters nationwide, it's former George W Bush administration
officials who offer a glimmer of hope in tough economic times. In but a few
short months, former Bushites have earned the best unemployment rate in
America, proving once again that Beltway insiders are rarely forced to tighten
a belt. - Nick Turse (Jun 22,'09)
'Color' revolution fizzles in Iran
Last week's power-play proved that Supreme Leader Ali
Khamenei's capacity to command Iran's seemingly explosive political situation
was never really in doubt as it thwarted rival Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani's
attempt to rally the clerical establishment. Meanwhile, United States President
Barack Obama played it cool, never going back on his pledge to directly engage
Tehran. - M K Bhadrakumar (Jun 22,'09)
THE ROVING EYE
Meet Shah Ali Khamenei
Iranian protest leader Mir Hossein Mousavi was swept up in the human flow of
people power claiming that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's title is illegitimate,
that his credibility as a religious scholar was and remains shaky. All the
same, Khamenei's power remains complete. - Pepe Escobar
(Jun 22,'09)
Beijing cautions US over Iran
The meeting between Chinese President Hu Jintao and Iranian President Mahmud
Ahmadinejad in Russia on Tuesday once again shows Beijing has a clear idea
about the ebb and flow of Iranian politics. China anticipated the backlash
against Ahmadinejad's victory and is now warning Washington about letting the
genie of popular unrest get out of the bottle in a highly volatile region
waiting to explode. - M K Bhadrakumar (Jun
19,'09)
Web tangled in Iranian struggle
As Iranians defy security forces to protest in the streets against the declared
result of their presidential election, technicians on both sides are struggling
to outwit each other in the battle for control of information in cyberspace.
(Jun 19,'09)
Martin J Young surveys the week's developments in computing, gaming and
gizmos.
US neo-cons sniff a chance
Right-wing attacks have put huge pressure on United States President Barack
Obama to take a more activist stance on Iran; these may lead to a domestic
political backlash against him. Yet neo-conservatives are happy with President
Mahmud Ahmadinejad as they see him justifying their calls for action against
Tehran over its nuclear program. (Jun 19,'09)
The IRGC shakes its iron fist
The Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps, or Sepah, has benefited greatly from
the tenure of President Mahmud Ahmadinejad - spreading its influence throughout
the region and locking down the lucrative import and oil sectors. The last
thing the powerful, 125,000-member organization wanted was a change in national
leadership. If election protests continue, the Sepah will pounce. - Shahir
Shahidsaless (Jun 18,'09)
Pictures capture Iraq's anguish
In 2006, 12 women from across Iraq's religious divides went to Syria
for a photography project that planned to create unique pictorial diaries of
their country at war. They bravely went back - but not all survived. Since the
project, others have begun to help Iraqis come to terms with their lives as
victims of war. - Sakhr Al-Makhadhi (Jun
18,'09)
Mousavi states his case
Mir Hossein Mousavi, the reformist candidate challenging Iran's authorities on
the presidential elections, has lodged a two-page complaint with the powerful
Guardians Council, seeking an annulment of the result. On the basis of what he
has presented, he is unlikely to get his way. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi
(Jun 18,'09)
THE ROVING EYE
Divine assessment vs people power
It was like a bossa nova song playing in an elevator on fire: while people
power was still driving events in Tehran, Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad
showed up at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization proclaiming "the
international capitalist order is retreating" and that the age of empires has
ended. That's entirely possible - but maybe some other old orders are ending as
well. - Pepe Escobar (Jun 18,'09)
Khamenei rides a storm in a tea cup
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, in his meeting with the principal opposition
candidate in the presidential election, Mir Hossein Mousavi, clearly spelled
out where Mousavi's loyalties ought to lie in the face of "provocative actions"
from Iran's enemies. And with re-elected President Mahmud Ahmadinejad finding
the time to attend a summit in Russia, the signs are that the color revolution
struggling to be born on the streets of Tehran has miscarried. - M K Bhadrakumar
(Jun 17,'09)
Ahmadinejad tries to douse the
flames
Prudent moves are called for if Iran's re-elected leader intends to avert a
full-blown national crisis. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's call for a
probe of voter fraud allegations is a good first step, but President Mahmud
Ahmadinejad must still find innovative ways to appease the millions that voted
against him. Mir Hossein Mousavi as Ahmadinejad's foreign minister? Now, that's
a creative idea. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi (Jun
16,'09)
Iran's enemies are circling
The unrest following the controversial re-election of President Mahmud
Ahmadinejad places a brake on any initiatives by the United States to directly
engage Iran. For an emerging anti-Iranian militant grouping overseen by
al-Qaeda, the drama unfolding on the streets of Tehran provides the perfect
opportunity for increased activity. - Syed Saleem Shahzad
(Jun 16,'09)
SPEAKING FREELY
A very Iranian coup
In the West, governments are owned and run by the banking and financial system.
In Iran, it's the Oil Ministry that controls the purse strings. Having finally
won control of the oil revenues from the faction of former president Hashemi
Rafsanjani, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Mahmud
Ahmadinejad are in no mood to give it up. - Chris Cook
(Jun 16,'09)
Rafsanjani's gambit backfires
Behind the presidential elections was a simmering proxy war between Supreme
Leader 
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the grey cardinal of Iranian politics, former
premier Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. The crushing defeat of Mir Hossein Mousavi
could mean the end of the tumultuous career of "The Shark", a nickname
Rafsanjani acquired as a political predator in the early years of the Iranian
Revolution. - M K Bhadrakumar (Jun 15,'09)
A voice of reason silenced in Iraq
The assassination of heavyweight Sunni politician Harith al-Obeidi on Friday
dashes all hopes that real reconciliation is near at hand in Iraq. Iraqis
speculate either al-Qaeda or politicians fearful of Obeidi's anti-corruption
campaign could have arranged the murder, as he was not shy about blaming both
for the country's chaos. - Sami Moubayed (Jun
15,'09)
THE ROVING EYE
The meaning of the Tehran spring
Iran's President Mahmud Ahmadinejad has made his power play against challengers
Mir Hossein Mousavi and Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani. Supreme Leader Ayatollah
Ali Khamenei fully supported him. As the aftermath unwinds, Mousavi and
Rafsanjani need an urgent counterpunch, and their only possible play - given
that no pacifying solution can be found within the institutional framework of
the Islamic Republic - is to go after Khamenei. - Pepe Escobar
(Jun 15,'09)
SPENGLER
Hedgehogs and flamingos
in Tehran
The handling of election results exposes the weakness of Iran's strategic
position. That makes an Israeli strike against its nuclear facilities all the
more likely, not because Tehran has shown greater militancy, but because
it has committed the one sin that is never pardoned in the Middle East -
vulnerability. (Jun 15,'09)
A bigger struggle lies ahead
Whoever becomes the next president, the current institutional order -
especially the watchdog and oversight mechanisms employed to control 
politics - will struggle to handle the tensions and political conflicts that
lie ahead. The only viable solution is to go beyond factional politics and
encourage the establishment of genuine political parties in Iran. - Mahan Abedin
(Jun 12,'09)
Wary Syria warms to Obama's charm
After United States President Barack Obama's landmark speech in Cairo and
following the smooth Lebanese elections, all the basic ingredients are in place
for a Syria-US honeymoon. Upcoming discussions on the withdrawal of US troops
from Iraq have brought optimism, but Syrians are watching how Washington
handles Israel's role in the Golan Heights. - Sami Moubayed
(Jun 12,'09)
BOOK REVIEW
The coming robot wars
Wired for War by P W Singer
An intriguing and ominous glimpse into the future of robotic warfare, this book
may have references to 2001: A Space Odyssey, Terminator movies
and Isaac Asimov - but it is no lightweight read. War will be waged remotely by
laser-toting air, sea, land and outer-space drones, with humans increasingly
taken out of the equation. Think HAL, think SkyNet, and be afraid. - David
Isenberg (Jun 12,'09)
THE ROVING EYE
Poetic justice of a green
revolution
President Mahmud Ahmadinejad was never more dangerous then when lying about
inflation and unemployment in TV debates to lure the votes of Iran's poor. But
this may not come close to the green power he is up against. Psychedelic green.
The color of Islam, the color of presidential challenger Mir Hossein Mousavi
and, for many, the color of hope. - Pepe Escobar
(Jun 11,'09)
The race for
cheerleader-in-chief
Although the outcome of the presidential election will still be taken as an
indicator of the prospects for United States President Barack Obama's
diplomatic outreach to Tehran, hawks in Washington have been hammering home the
point that it is really Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who calls the
shots.
(Jun 11,'09)
Al-Qaeda seeks to win over Sunnis
With Sunni fighters in Iraq's Awakening Councils battling Prime Minister Nuri
al-Maliki over government positions, al-Qaeda has offered to take them in,
provided they "repent" for their past tie-ups with the United States. This
tug-of-war reflects one of the most significant questions regarding post-war
Iraq - how to deal with the Sunnis? - Rafid Fadhil Ali
(Jun 11,'09)
Iran's elections a soft-power boon
No matter who wins the presidential election on Friday, the open and
dynamic election process ensures that the man in power will have a clear
mandate to deal with the rest of the world, particularly over Tehran's
contentious nuclear program. This reduces the maneuverability of the anti-Iran
coalition the United States has been trying to put together in the Middle East.
- Kaveh L Afrasiabi (Jun 10,'09)
Lebanon’s voters sideline US fears
United States President Barack Obama may not have come right out and said it,
but the victory of the Western-backed coalition in Lebanon's elections came as
a huge relief. The Hezbollah-led alliance which had expected to win now has to
pick up the pieces. (Jun 10,'09)
DISPATCHES FROM AMERICA
Political paralysis over torture
Washington looks set to return to the era of torture outsourcing. If this is
the case, some formal inquiry needs to be convened to look into past abuses, or
in a few years, Americans will surely be confronted with another scandal from
some iconic dungeon in a far-away land. - Alfred W McCoy
(Jun 9,'09)
Hezbollah handed a stinging defeat
Early results from Sunday's Lebanese parliamentary elections show the
pro-Western March 14 coalition scoring a surprising victory over the
Hezbollah-led opposition. The tipping point came from a Christian vote united
behind Saad al-Hariri's March 14. With the Hezbollah bloc still holding 50
seats, self-made telecom billionaire Najib Mikati may be the only acceptable
choice as next prime minister. - Sami Moubayed
(Jun 8,'09)
Obama moves the 'red line' on Iran
Washington appears to be setting the stage for talks with Tehran, despite the
newest International Atomic Energy Agency report that hardly gives Iran a clean
bill of health. United States President Barack Obama tread softly over the
nuclear issue in his Middle East tour last week, while his point man on Iran
was on a mission aimed at "drawing everyone in". Confidence-building has begun.
- Kaveh L Afrasiabi (Jun 8,'09)
Obama's hearts and minds trifecta
In the race for Muslim hearts and minds, United States President Barack Obama
has chosen his first two destinations well in Turkey and Egypt, and scored
points for eloquently balancing sensitivity with some frank truths. The next
likely stop is his childhood home, Indonesia, where he can point to a
successful example of moderate Islam being combined with liberal democracy. - Donald
K Emmerson (Jun 8,'09)
Hezbollah waits for its moment
With the help of Christian votes, the Hezbollah-led opposition is
expected in voting on Sunday to narrowly win enough seats for a majority in
Lebanon's parliament. Saudi Arabia, Iran, Syria and especially the United
States are looking on with more than their usual interest at the most
significant elections in the country's history. - Stephen Starr
(Jun 5,'09)
Obama lays his Likud trap
President Barack Obama's laidback rhetoric in Cairo hints at the end of an era
of almost unqualified support for Israel. By enticing Israeli hardliners to
come out explicitly with their renunciation of the peace process, Obama gives
the White House some serious leverage against US politicians who might
otherwise be pressured into derailing his moves. - Ian Williams
(Jun 5,'09)
The audacity of hope, from Cairo
When United States President Barack Obama gave his speech to the Muslim world
in Cairo on Thursday, ordinary Syrians went to coffee shops to listen - a
ritual usually reserved for Hezbollah broadcasts - and smiled at the
realization that something is changing in Washington. Particularly encouraging
were Obama's words on Palestine. But then, the only way to go in fractious
Arab-US relations is up. - Sami Moubayed (Jun
5,'09)
Obama can dream an AfPak dream
Prior to Thursday's speech from United States President Barack Obama to the
Muslim world, Middle Easterners were looking for fresh substance from the
youthful leader. The time has come for the US to consider promoting a gas
pipeline from Iran to Pakistan and further on to India and possibly to China.
This bold move could mean the difference between success and failure for the
US's AfPak strategy. - M K Bhadrakumar (Jun
4,'09)
US steadfast against Hezbollah
The United States continues to play a zero-sum game with regard to Hezbollah,
even with the US-listed "terror" group poised to strengthen its position in
Lebanon at the weekend's parliamentary elections. This is despite the fact that
pro-Iran Hezbollah could help pave the way for a breakthrough in Washington's
ties with Tehran. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi (Jun
4,'09)
KEBABBLE
Turkey mourns a secular saint
The funeral of women's rights champion and avowed secularist Turkan Saylan, who
helped thousands of Turkey's most underprivileged girls access education, was
packed with mourners. Conspicuously absent were members of the Islamist ruling
party, who have been lambasted for ordering a demeaning investigation into
Saylan's charity while she was on her death bed. - Fazile Zahir
(Jun 4,'09)
Iran nuclear leaks 'linked to
Israel'
A report by the United States Senate last month provides new
evidence that Israel was the source of documents that have been used to accuse
Iran of hiding its nuclear weapons research. The leaked documents reinforce
Israel's claim that Tehran is on the brink of building nuclear weapons. Still,
as the report warns, "It is impossible to rule out an elaborate intelligence
ruse." - Gareth Porter (Jun 4,'09)
Iran wages lonely war on terror
Tehran is probing deeper into last week's deadly mosque bombing in Zahedan, but
has yet to point any fingers at the West. Iran can't raise an international
scandal with US President Barack Obama set to address the Muslim world on
Thursday, and its June 12 national election so delicately poised. Looking
further, Tehran realizes rhetorical outbursts against Washington will only play
into Israeli hands. - M K Bhadrakumar (Jun
3,'09)
THE ROVING EYE
The shadow war in Balochistan
With or without using Jundallah for its own Iran-destabilizing agenda,
Washington's "other" war is about to hit Balochistan in Pakistan full speed
ahead. By mid-summer, the US's Afghan surge in troops will be in position. A
new American mega-base in Helmand province's "desert of death" will be
operational. Assassination teams, drone attacks and Hellfire missiles will boil
this tense tri-border area. Shadowplay rules. - Pepe Escobar
(Jun 3,'09)
Obama's Iran overture derailed
Iran's Supreme Leader responded to President Barack Obama's
greeting for the Iranian New Year by saying he'd like to see action rather than
words from the United States. Meanwhile, President Mahmud Ahmadinejad is using
Iran's nuclear nationalism to push his moderate challengers to the political
margins. There are indications that behind Obama's olive branch, trouble is
brewing. - Shahir Shahidsaless (Jun 2,'09)
Hezbollah spices up Israel-Iran mix
Hezbollah, which is widely favored to win parliamentary elections in Lebanon on
June 7, has made it clear that should this happen, it will seek even closer
ties with Iran, to the extent of military assistance. Israel has upped the ante
by reportedly focusing on covert activities to "disrupt Iran's nuclear
program", as well as supporting the Sunni Islamist group Jundallah against
Tehran. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi (Jun 2,'09)
Wrong venue for Obama's Muslim
speech
By addressing the "Islamic world" from Cairo, US President
Barack Obama lends credibility to the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas and other
advocates of political Islam who demand that Muslims be addressed globally and
on religious terms. For an American president to validate such an aspiration is
madness, and also undermines Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on his home
ground. There is a way to fix the situation: move the venue to New Delhi. - Spengler
(Jun 1,'09)
The myth of a 'Muslim world'
If President Barack Obama continues to approach Arabs and
Muslims as a single collective ready to be manipulated with bogus promises,
fancy rhetoric and impressive body language, then he will surely be
disappointed. Highly politicized, skeptical and fed-up societies refuse to be
reduced to a mere percentage in some opinion poll that can be swayed when
Washington determines the time and place. - Ramzy Baroud
(Jun 1,'09)
Doubts over Maliki's anti-graft
crusade
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki ordered the arrest of his trade minister at
the weekend as part of an anti-corruption campaign that the government says
will take nearly 1,000 officials to task over rampant graft levels. But some
Iraqis say the drive is not objective and mostly aimed at attracting voters
ahead of next year's elections. - Sami Moubayed
(Jun 1,'09)
DISPATCHES FROM AMERICA
Is Halliburton forgiven and
forgotten?
United States energy services corporation Halliburton and its former subsidiary
KBR, both among the great winners in the George W Bush/Pentagon privatization
sweepstakes, have largely fallen off the American radar screen. The two
companies have managed to cleanse themselves of the bad publicity and a laundry
list of charges from the Bush years. - Pratap Chatterjee
(Jun 1,'09) |
|
|
AFI Research.
Expert information on the world's intelligence services, armed forces
and conflicts.
ATol Specials
|
 |
|
How
Hezbollah defeated Israel
By
Mark Perry and
Alastair Crooke
(Oct '06)
|
|
|
 |
|
Mark Perry and
Alastair Crooke
talk to the 'terrorists'
(Mar '06 - ongoing)
|
|
 |
|
The evidence for and against Iran's alleged
nuclear weapons program
|
|
 |
|
Nir Rosen goes inside the Iraqi
resistance
|
|
 |
|
Nir Rosen rides with the US 3rd
Armored Cavalry in western Iraq
|
|
 |
|
Islamism, fascism and
terrorism
by Marc Erikson
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
All material on this
website is copyright and may not be republished in any form without written
permission.
Copyright 1999 - 2009 Asia Times Online
(Holdings), Ltd.
|
|
Head
Office: Unit B, 16/F, Li Dong Building, No. 9 Li Yuen Street East,
Central, Hong Kong
Thailand Bureau:
11/13 Petchkasem Road, Hua Hin, Prachuab Kirikhan, Thailand 77110
|
|
|
|
