Pakistani Taliban loyal to slain leader Baitullah Mahsud attacked the forces of Baitullah’s former supporter turned enemy, Turkistan Bhittani in the frontier region of Jandola. Some 70 fighters perished in the battles, and 33 homes were torched by the Baitullah faction, which had earlier been expelled from Jandola and the city of Tank. Bhittani, who […]
Who Benefits from Israel’s Colonization of the West Bank?
The Real News Network asks and answers the question of who, exactly, benefits economically from the Israeli colonization of the West Bank. See also Lamia Khatib’s account of life in the Occupied West Bank. End/ (Not Continued)
10 Killed in Attacks, including Brig. Gen.; Al-Maliki May Run with Sunni Parties; Return of Censorship?
10 Iraqis were killed in political violence on Wednesday, including Brig. Gen. Abdulhameed Khalaf Asfoor of troubled Ninevah Province. Al-Hayat reports in Arabic that that January 15 will probably be the day on which Iraqi voters decide the shape of Iraq’s next parliament and decide on two national referendum questions. They are approval of the […]
Spike in Bombings in Iraq Unrelated to lack of US Patrols
Bombings killed 8 and wounded 50 in Iraq on Tuesday. There were two bombings in eastern Shiite neighborhoods in the capital. A boy and two soldiers were wounded near Baqubah. These attacks are likely to go on for a while. But despite what a lot of commentators imply, the recent bombings have almost nothing to […]
Marines Take Dahaneh in Helmand; 35 Announced Dead on Tues. including 3 US Troops; Election could go to Second Round
500 Afghan troops and US Marines on Wednesday morning launched an assault on the long-time Taliban stronghold of Dahaneh in the southern Helmand province. They faced heavy resistance, though mostly from light arms, and appear to have taken the city center. They discovered some 60 lbs. of heroin, a chief means whereby the Taliban fund […]
Taliban Briefly Take Logar Capital Near Kabul; 12 Taliban Killed in Clashes, bombings; Taliban Warn against Voting
Shabakah-‘i Ittila-Rasani-yi Afghanistan reports in Persian that on Monday, a squad of Taliban briefly took over the main government buildings in Pul-i Alam, the capital of Logar Province just south of Kabul (about 31 miles away). They began with a suicide bombing. Then they fired rocket propelled grenades and rushed the offices of the mayor, […]
Over 40 Dead in Morning Bombings in Baghdad
Iraq woke up to a bloody Monday morning, with three major bombings that left more than 40 dead according to Middle East Online writing in Arabic. The biggest attack was on the village of Khazna north of Mosul, where two truck bombs killed 25 persons, wounded 70, and leveled 35 houses! This attack was not […]
McChrystal: Taliban Have Upper Hand; Violence, Corruption Threaten Election; British Gen. Pledges 40 Years in Afghanistan
Gen. Stanley McChrystal, head of US forces in Afghanistan, admitted in an interview with the Wall Street Journal on Monday that the Taliban have gained the upper hand in fighting in Afghanistan. They are deploying small units that combine suicide bombings and ambushes, killing US troops at an unprecedented rate. McChrystal wants an addition 10,000 […]
Escobar on Iran, China and the Silk Road
Pepe Escobar on Iran-Chinese relations and the New Silk Road. this is part 3 of a series at The Real News Network Note also that Iran and China just signed a $3 bn. deal for China to help develop Iran’s refinery capacity in Abadan and the Gulf. China now imports 3.8 million barrels a day […]