Asia

Jack Searle writes at the Bureau of Investigative Journalism One strike in Pakistan ends 34-day stretch without an attack. Yemen sees more strikes in a month than any time since March 2012. Yemen A terror alert centred on Yemen gripped the US in August leading to six confirmed drone strikes. The US closed 21 diplomatic […]

Afghanistan

Bradley Manning in a World of Cheneys, Hadithas, and NSA Domestic Surveillance

Juan Cole

The sentencing of Bradley Manning to 35 years in prison came because he leaked government documents, mostly with a low level of classification that probably shouldn’t have been classified in the first place. Some of the leaked documents showed the US government or other governments behaving badly, in ways the American people had a right […]

Afghanistan

Has Military Suppression of Political Islam ever Worked?

Juan Cole

The Egyptian military’s obvious determination to crush the Muslim Brotherhood involves serious human rights violations, apparent in the appalling scenes of the siege of members in a mosque on Saturday. A separate question, which any political pragmatist would ask, is, can it work? If we look at long term attempts to limit political expressions of […]

Energy

India’s Energy could be 15% from Renewables by 2020: Greentech CEOs

Juan Cole

When you actually put renewable energy CEOs on television, they can explain that coal and other hyrdrocarbons receive government subsidies, making them look much cheaper than they actually are, whereas wind is now competitive with coal. When’s the last time you say a conversation like this on American television? You have to wonder if Time […]

Energy

Fukushima’s Strontium Leaks a Neverending Crisis? (Germanos)

Juan Cole

Andrea Germanos writes at Commondreams courtesy VOAnews As the disaster at Fukushima plant continues to unfold, one nuclear expert is warning that "this is an accident that’s shockingly not stopping." Arjun Makhijani, President of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (IEER), sounds particular alarm around radioactive strontium that is being released from the trouble-stricken […]

CIA

America’s Drone Tally in Pakistan and Yemen for July (Serle and Ross)

Juan Cole

Jack Serle and Alice K Ross write at the Bureau of Investigative Journalism The CIA killed more people in Pakistan per strike than at any point since July 2012. US drones return to Yemen‘s skies and al Qaeda confirms the death of its deputy leader. UN report finds indications of increased US and UK involvement […]

Afghanistan

How we lost our Constitution somewhere in Iraq and came back without it to Try Manning (van Buren)

Juan Cole

Peter Van Buren writes at Tomdispatch.com On July 30, 1778, the Continental Congress created the first whistleblower protection law, stating “that it is the duty of all persons in the service of the United States to give the earliest information to Congress or other proper authority of any misconduct, frauds, or misdemeanors committed by any […]

Islam

The Burka Avenger stands up to Male Chauvinist Taliban on Pakistani TV

Juan Cole

The Burka Avenger is a children’s cartoon about a mild-mannered female school teacher in Pakistan who has an alter ego. As the black-clad Burka Avenger, she takes on oppressive and intolerant Taliban types with the power of education and books. The concept, by rock star Haroon, is full of reversals and appropriations. Thus, the full […]

India

Red Baraat makes NYC Music with a Punjabi Beat (Video)

Juan Cole

Blurb: “New York City’s multicultural population is fertile ground for fusions in art and music. VOA’s Carolyn Weaver reports on Red Baraat, an eight-member band from Brooklyn blending Northern Indian bhangra – a high-energy dance music – with jazz, hip-hop, and other genres.” VOAnews reports: