Sunni Arab guerrillas blew up an internal pipeline bringing petroleum from Baiji to the refinery at Doura in Baghdad. It is the second such act of sabotage in the past week. A frightening spread of cholera and cholera-like symptoms up and down Iraq is now being reported, with cases in Basra in the deep south […]
Archives for September 2007
"There are no homosexuals in . . ." More Common a Sentiment than you Might think
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s bigotted statement that there are no homosexuals in Iran derived from his rightwing religious commitments. What he said is very serious. He erased gays right out of existence. The ultimate in denying people their rights is to deny they even exist (the nonexistent obviously have no rights.) There could be a […]
Shaman Drum Book Party for Napoleon’s Egypt
Many thanks in advance to Karl Pohrt and his great independent bookstore Shaman Drum for this party. Shaman Drum Events CalendarAcademic Reception: Title: Napoleon’s Egypt: Invading the Middle EastAuthor: Juan ColeLocation: Shaman Drum Bookshop Time: Mon Oct 01, 4:00 PM In this vivid and timely history, Juan Cole tells the story of Napoleon’s invasion of […]
Ahmadinejad lectures at Columbia University
Huge Bombing in Baquba Iranians close border with Iraqi Kurdistan
Iran has closed its border with Iraqi Kurdistan. This move appears to come in part in reaction to the US kidnapping of an Iranian commercial agent, on the grounds that he is a covert operative, from Sulaimaniya (a city in Iraqi Kurdistan). In addition, Kurdish guerrillas of the PEJAK organization have been taking refuge in […]
Iraqi Sermons
The USG Open Source Center translates or paraphrases Iraqi Friday Prayer sermons from last week. “Round-up of Iraqi Friday Sermons 21 SepIraq — OSC SummarySunday, September 23, 2007 Major Iraqi television channels – Baghdad Al-Iraqiyah, Baghdad Baghdad Satellite Channel, Baghdad Al-Sharqiyah, Baghdad Al-Furat, Cairo Al-Baghdadiyah, and Baghdad Al-Diyar – are observed on 21 September to […]
Let Slip the Dogs of War and Demonize Ahmadinejad
My column at Salon.com is online: Turning Ahmadinejad into public enemy No. 1: Demonizing the Iranian president and making his visit to New York seem controversial are all part of the neoconservative push for yet another war.” Excerpt: ‘Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s visit to New York to address the United Nations General Assembly has become […]
Iraq Relents on Blackwater Bush to ask for Nearly $200 bn.
The Iraqi government is backing off its demand that the Blackwater security firm be expelled from Iraq in the wake of apparently unprovoked shootings that left 11 Iraqis dead, according to the LAT. Apparently the argument has been made to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki that the 1,000 Blackwater guards who escort US embassy personnel would […]
Pentagon Report Gives Lie to Surge Success
Reprinted for Monday readers: An article on how the schedule for turning Iraqi provinces over to the Iraqi army and police for security purposes has slipped to August 2008 notes of a new Pentagon report: ‘ The Pentagon report cited a litany of problems with the police. For example, it said as few as 40 […]
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