Middle East

By Russ Wellen | ( Foreign Policy in Focus) | – – As time passes, whatever responsibility Americans took for atrocities in Iraq, which are ongoing, has almost completely disappeared. The word “genie” comes from the Arab jinni. As every child knows, it describes a creature that, when summoned, fulfills your wishes. Doesn’t it seem […]

Featured

Erdogan Threatened Europe with Refugees, now Demanding US abandon Syrian Kurds

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Reuters reports that Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan allegedly bullied European leaders and threatened to drown Europe in refugees if his terms were not met. He wanted 6 Bn Euros to keep the 2.5 million Syrian refugees in Turkey happy enough in that country to discourage them […]

Fossil Fuels

Oil Dictator Dominos

contributors

By Bill Emmott | Project Syndicate | – – LONDON – Price movements as large and rapid as those that have upended oil markets since June 2014 are sure to cause pain to some and benefit others. Though the pain tends to capture the most attention, the benefit is just as important – if not […]

Bashar al-Assad

Russia, Syria Daily using Cluster Bombs in Attacks: HRW

contributors

Human Rights Watch | – – (Beirut) – The Syrian-Russian joint military operation in Syria has included the use of internationally banned cluster munitions in at least 14 attacks across five governorates since January 26, 2016. The attacks killed at least 37 civilians, including six women and nine children, and wounded dozens. The International Syria […]

Israel/ Palestine

Is Netanyahu Readying the next Israeli Assault on Blockaded Gaza?

contributors

By: Ramzy Baroud | (Ma’an News Agency) | – – It is not true that only three wars have taken place since Hamas won parliamentary elections in 2006 in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Other wars that were deemed insignificant or ‘skirmishes’ also took place. Operation Returning Echo in March 2012, for example, killed and wounded […]

Featured

Israel frets about “Iran as Neighbor” if Aleppo falls & al-Assad Regime Wins

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – An Arabic site that aggregates Facebook and other social media postings reports that Israeli officials are filled with anxiety and consternation about the possibility that the regime of Bashar al-Assad will conquer Aleppo with Russian and Iranian help, and will go on to reconstitute itself. It […]

Israel/ Palestine

European Union rebukes Israel for home demolitions, squatter settlement expansion in Palestine

contributors

Ma’an News Agency | – – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — The European Union on Saturday called on Israel to stop demolishing Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank, and reiterated “the EU’s firm opposition to Israel’s settlement policy.” In a statement, the EU said Israel’s most recent moves in the occupied West Bank — from settlement […]

Israel/ Palestine

Israeli forces begin construction over Bethlehem-area Roman historical site

contributors

Ma’an News Agency | – – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israeli forces on Wednesday began construction work on top of a historical site in the occupied West Bank town of Beit Jala, the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said. The PA ministry condemned the Israeli authorities for allowing work to begin on a road […]

Saudi Arabia

Says Syria: Any invading Saudi Troops Would Return Home in ‘Coffins’

contributors

TeleSur | – – The Syrian foreign minister also accused Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar of undermining the U.N. peace talks. Any ground troops who would “attack or violate” Syria’s sovereignty would return to their countries in a “wooden coffin,” the Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem told reporters Saturday, a few days after Saudi Arabia […]