By Hakim Khatib | ( Your Middle East ) – – War in Syria The Syrian upheaval has, increasingly, been fixed in a religious framework – Sunnis against the rest, writes Hakim Khatib. “Non-religious books were substituted by religious or religiously coloured ones” When the crowds of the Iranian revolution initially rose up against Muhammad […]
Archives for August 2015
New Poll: only 1 in 4 in US want more American involvement abroad; Cuba & Iran lower on List
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) – – A new NORC/ AP poll, done before the Iran deal was announced by President Obama, shows how out of touch most of the presidential candidates are on foreign policy public opinion. The American public just doesn’t want more involvement overseas. To be exact, a third of Americans […]
Israeli troops Suppress Demo for Hunger-Striker Allan, in Coma
By Saed Bannoura – (IMEMC News) Dozens of Palestinians suffered the effects of tear gas inhalation, Saturday, after Israeli soldiers assaulted hundreds of residents marching in solidarity with hunger striking detainee Mohammad ‘Allan, in Kufur Qaddoum, near the northern West Bank city of Qalqilia. Morad Eshteiwy, coordinator of the Popular Struggle Committee, said hundreds of […]
ISIL: What nonviolent steps could the US take to defeat it?
By Adil E. Shamoo | (Foreign Policy in Focus) | – – There may be a responsible way to fight the Islamic State, but the U.S. will have to leave its boots in the closet and the drones in the hangar. The atrocities of ISIS become more shocking every day. In June, the Iraqis exhumed […]
New Proof: AT&T and NSA’s Long Surveillance Partnership shredded 4th Amendment
By Mark Rumold | ( Electronic Frontier Foundation) | – – Reports today in the New York Times and ProPublica confirm what EFF’s Jewel v. NSA lawsuit has claimed since 2008—that the NSA and AT&T have collaborated to build a domestic surveillance infrastructure, resulting in unconstitutional seizure and search of of millions, if not hundreds […]
Is al-Zawahiri’s oath to Taliban a sign al-Qaeda is finished? Will ISIL step In?
By Joanna Paraszczuk | ( RFE/ RL ) – – After almost a year of silence, Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri has released an audio message swearing bay'ah — an oath of allegiance — to Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansur, the new leader of the Taliban. Zawahri's message is in many ways another response to, and nullification of, […]
How the Israel Lobbies hurt U of Illinois-UC & 1st Amendment (Salaita Case)
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – There is no honor among thieves or ideologues, and it is sad to see a great university’s leadership descend into petty squabbling and vicious infighting over the illegal firing of Professor Steven Salaita. In recent days new revelations and developments have emerged that make clearer the […]
Brothers in Arms: Jeb Bush Won’t Say ‘No’ To Future Torture
By Jon Queally, staff writer | ( Commondreams.org | – – ‘This is what happens when you don’t prosecute officials for illegally torturing people.’ While also foregoing the opportunity to condemn the establishment of a torture program authorized and ordered by his brother, Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush has said he won’t rule out the […]
Turkey Hit by Wave of Attacks as It Continues Mideast Military Strikes
By Anne Koopman | ( Global Voices Online) | – – At least nine people fell victim to a spate of attacks in the Turkey's largest city Istanbul and the south-eastern province Sirnak on August 10. As the country gets knee-deep in the Middle East crisis, the fear of more attacks is pervasive. Ever since […]