Category: Opinions and Debates

A toxic war

Iraq’s Wrecked Environment By Jeffrey St. Clair and Joshua Frank, Counterpunch, May 1, 2009 The ecological effects of war, like its horrific toll on human life, are exponential. When the Bush administration (parts one and two) and its congressional allies…

Torture brutalizes and corrupts

America’s Shame by Eric Margolis Nations that use torture disgrace themselves. Armed forces and police that torture inevitably become brutalized and corrupted. “Limited” use of torture quickly becomes generalized. “Information” obtained by torture is mostly unreliable. I learned these truths…

Obama’s Unwinnable Wars

Al Jazeera’s Washington-based current affairs program, Empire, examines the war path from Iraq to Afghanistan and Pakistan. This 47 minute special looks at recent developments in each country and features a discussion involving host Marwan Bashiri and a panel of…

Iraq: The U.S. withdrawal starts when?

Photo: Maya Alleruzzo/Associated Press Exceptions to Iraq Deadline Are Proposed By Rod Nordland, The New York Times, April 26, 2009 BAGHDAD — The United States and Iraq will begin negotiating possible exceptions to the June 30 deadline for withdrawing American…

Interview with Malalai Joya

Message to Obama: Anti-women law is outcome of U.S. policy in Afghanistan by Derrick O’Keefe, rabble.ca, April 20, 2009 News of a recent law aimed at codifying the oppression of Shia women in Afghanistan has sparked international attention, and protest…

“Normalization” in Chechnya . . .

Russian Federation: Normalization in Chechnya must bring accountability by Amnesty International, April 16, 2009 Normalization in Chechnya is not possible without full accountability for the grievous human rights violations that have taken place in the country ravaged by two wars…

Perspectives on Somali piracy

Somali Piracy and American Foreign Policy by Rebecca Macaux and Philip Primeau, Counterpunch, April 14, 2009 With the explosion of Somali piracy, America is reaping what it has sown. In many ways, we have nobody to blame but ourselves for…