What they tell us: In summer of 2009, it was revealed that Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair informed the US Congress that, according to Marcus Baram at HuffPo, “Iran is covertly supplying arms to Afghan insurgents while publicly posing as supportive of the Afghan government.” That includes the provision of small arms, mines, rocket-propelled […]
Blair, Hitchens Debate Religion
Here is the transcript of the debate between Tony Blair and Christopher Hitchens on the motion, “Be it resolved, religion is a force for good in the world”. It is being said that after-event polling suggests that Mr. Hitchens demolished Mr. Blair with the audience attending. The form of the proposition was unfortunate, since it […]
Political Cartoon: Obama’s Stitches
President Obama received 12 stitches for a busted lip after being elbowed on the basketball court Friday. In other news, the Pentagon has been dressing up the Afghanistan debacle as best they can. © Juan Cole. May be used with a link back.
149 Alleged Terrorists arrested in Saudi Arabia
Authorities in Saudi Arabia, according to Al-Sharq al-Awsat writing in Arabic, have arrested 149 persons organized in 19 cells on charges of conspiracy to commit terrorism. The cells were operating independently of one another. Among their alleged targets were Saudi government buildings and military installations. Aljazeera Arabic is reporting that some intended to hit petroleum […]
Iran Must Free Josh and Shane Now
CNN has a report on the situation of two American hikers kidnapped by Iran, who are being held on false charges of crossing the Iranian border (they were on the side of Iraqi Kurdistan). The Iranian judiciary has postponed the trial until February 18, 2011. Sarah Shourd, Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer were kidnapped by […]
Swanson: “‘Freedom Watch’ Threw a War and Nobody Came”
David Swanson writes in a guest column for Informed Comment: The Neoconservatives, despite wandering in the wilderness after their Iraq debacle, are trying to keep the dream of serial wars in the Middle East alive. Freedom Watch and the Foundation for Democracy in Iran sponsored a National Press Club event on November 17, in which […]
Muslim-Americans, Heartsong Church, Celebrate Thanksgiving Together in Memphis
In Memphis, Tennessee, Christians, Muslims and Jews are jointly commemorating Thanksgiving, behaving like real Americans and proper human beings. The Heartsong Christian church congregation and a Muslim community center in the Cordova district of Memphis, held a joint Thanksgiving celebration in Memphis on Wednesday. They asked a Jewish American to read the opening prayer. Pastor […]
Palin: “We must support our North Korean Allies”
Sarah Palin discussing foreign affairs with Glenn Beck is sort of like Lindsay Lohan discussing sobriety with Paris Hilton. Unsurprisingly, when asked about the Korean crisis, Palin opined that “We must stand by our North Korean ally.” Even Beck intervened to correct her, and she seemed to barely register that she had misspoken. Everyone misspeaks […]
Photo of the Day: Nile Valley from Space
NASA image from space of Alexandria, Cairo and the Nile Valley at night. Greater Cairo, now with an estimated population of 18 million, shines like a small sun in the midst of the Nile Valley.