Bush's Policies Must End by Patrick Seale
The disasters in Iraq and Afghanistan, the crises with Iran and Pakistan, and the criminal neglect of Israeli-Arab issues are the legacy of George W. Bush -- all of which must be resolved.
more...

The Illusory Middle by Victor Navasky (The Nation)
Moving to the center is no way to win the undecided voter. As soon as they see a candidate listening to his consultants and pollsters rather than being true to himself, they see a candidate who has betrayed what they care about most: authenticity.
more...

American-Muslim Catch 22 by Mona Eltahawy
Muslim Americans have learned that registering to vote and becoming active politically is the best answer to the toxic hate that makes it a “smear” to call Barack Obama a Muslim. Incorrectly, by the way, but who cares?
more...

The Incredible Development of the Gulf States by Rami G. Khouri
The unfathomable wealth and development of the Gulf “statelets” has barely been studied. No serious plans have been devised to create in them institutions of civil society -- nor is there planned assistance for their poorer Arab neighbors.
more...

When Jordan and Hamas Talk by Rami G. Khouri
The meetings between Jordanian intelligence officers and Beirut-based Hamas officials may be as important for what they signal about Iran, Syria, Israel and Palestine as for what they tell us about Hamas and Jordan.
more...

Solving the Afghan Quagmire by Patrick Seale
Negotiating a ceasefire with both the Afghan and Pakistan Taliban movements, within the context of a regional strategy including India and Iran, as well as governments in Kabul and Islamabad is the best way to solve the growing quagmire in Afghanistan.
more...

Muslim Girl Wishes Material Girl a Happy 50th by Mona Eltahawy
I became a feminist in Saudi Arabia, Mads, and our exceedingly at odds wardrobes united us in that feminism because I learned that you and I -- back then at least -- were two sides of one coin.
more...

Goose Bumps and Hula Hoops for Barack by Mona Eltahawy
As disreputable opponents try to ‘smear’ Barack Obama by calling him a Muslim, Muslim Americans rally to his campaign. In such a difficult time for Muslims, they think he’ll do the right thing.
more...

The Illusory Middle by Victor Navasky (The Nation)
Moving to the center is no way to win the undecided voter. As soon as they see a candidate listening to his consultants and pollsters rather than being true to himself, they see a candidate who has betrayed what they care about most: authenticity.
more...

Bush's Policies Must End by Patrick Seale
The disasters in Iraq and Afghanistan, the crises with Iran and Pakistan, and the criminal neglect of Israeli-Arab issues are the legacy of George W. Bush -- all of which must be resolved.
more...

American-Muslim Catch 22 by Mona Eltahawy
Muslim Americans have learned that registering to vote and becoming active politically is the best answer to the toxic hate that makes it a “smear” to call Barack Obama a Muslim. Incorrectly, by the way, but who cares?
more...

The Incredible Development of the Gulf States by Rami G. Khouri
The unfathomable wealth and development of the Gulf “statelets” has barely been studied. No serious plans have been devised to create in them institutions of civil society -- nor is there planned assistance for their poorer Arab neighbors.
more...

When Jordan and Hamas Talk by Rami G. Khouri
The meetings between Jordanian intelligence officers and Beirut-based Hamas officials may be as important for what they signal about Iran, Syria, Israel and Palestine as for what they tell us about Hamas and Jordan.
more...

Solving the Afghan Quagmire by Patrick Seale
Negotiating a ceasefire with both the Afghan and Pakistan Taliban movements, within the context of a regional strategy including India and Iran, as well as governments in Kabul and Islamabad is the best way to solve the growing quagmire in Afghanistan.
more...

Russia remains a Black Sea power

With Russia recognizing the breakaway Georgian republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, it gains control over two major Black Sea ports and defeats the United States' plan to make the sea an exclusive "NATO lake". And far from being "isolated", as Western media would have it, Moscow now has the firm backing of Kazakhstan, an energy powerhouse and a key Central Asian player the US has been trying to woo. China, along with its Shanghai Cooperation Organization partners, "understands" Russia's position. - M K Bhadrakumar (Aug 29, '08)

Mr Cheney goes to Georgia
United States Vice President Dick Cheney heads to Georgia next week, most likely to pledge military assistance to Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili in the wake of Moscow's recognition of two breakaway Georgian states. Cheney will be acutely aware of the possibility of Russia gaining a foothold in the US's traditional turf, the oil-prized Persian Gulf, via Iran. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi (Aug 29, '08)

China and Vietnam square off in Laos
China's growing influence in Laos impacts its longstanding ties with Vietnam, with both countries eyeing Laos' vast and largely untapped natural resources and hydropower. So far, Vientiane has benefited from balancing the advances of the two neighbors. - Brian McCartan (Aug 29, '08)

Pyongyang plays a wild card
North Korea's claim of resuming nuclear warhead development was drowned out by the US Democratic convention, and likely won't be heard next week when the Republicans take the stage. Whether it is sneaky timing or an enormous bluff, the North can present President George W Bush with a full-blown nuclear crisis before he steps down. - Donald Kirk (Aug 29, '08)

Ahmadinejad gets a crucial boost
An apparent public endorsement of President Mahmud Ahmadinejad by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei throws a new light on the 2009 presidential elections. Khamenei's backing could silence some government critics and Ahmadinejad is already calling the leader's approval "a medal of honor". (Aug 29, '08)

Tehran exploits US-Russian tensions
Iran's geopolitical leverage has increased sharply as a result of the West's faceoff with Russia over Georgia. Tehran is potentially a valuable ally for either side in Cold War II, and for now it is cleverly keeping its options open - while the price for its cooperation rises. - Jim Lobe (Aug 28, '08)

COMMENT
Punishing Russia could prove costly
In response to Russia's recognition of independence for Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the West is chanting "cold war". Moscow's position is, if friendship with the West can only be bought by ignoring pleas from kindred nations, Russia cannot afford such friends. Cold war or not, the time of a politically correct Russia is over. - Mikhail Molchanov (Aug 28, '08)

Maliki picks a date with destiny
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has put himself on the line by insisting that all American troops leave the country by the end of 2010, as a precondition to signing a security accord with the US. Maliki's stance, clearly influenced by Iran, is unacceptable to Washington. Something has to give. - Sami Moubayed (Aug 28, '08)

India's little car
on crash course
Tata Motors' plans to roll out the world's cheapest car by October are threatened by protesting farmers demanding back their land. That isn't the only reason investors are dumping stock in the new owner of Jaguar and Range Rover. - Raja Murthy

CHAN AKYA
Bear-faced bluff
Bluffing to buy time is the latest must-do pastime from China to the US, South Korea to Singapore. Political leaders, central bankers and now their commercial counterparts are at it - accompanied by the sound of Asian cash gurgling down the US drain. - Chan Akya

Can NATO Survive Georgia? by Immanuel Wallerstein
From its creation, NATO was a strategic U.S. tool, providing a European alliance against the USSR/Russia. Now, through U.S. “flawed thinking,” NATO is in danger of collapsing.
more...

A Provisional Iraq War Balance Sheet by Patrick Seale
It may not be too early to draw up a provisional balance sheet of the Iraq war, especially since Iraq is still likely to be at or close to the top of the next U.S. President’s headaches.
more...

Adding Hunger to the Middle East Crises by Rami G. Khouri
The coming food crisis could exacerbate the fragmentation of Arab states and societies, unless leaders step up. Governments that abdicate responsibility for feeding their hungry could collapse and intensify Middle East problems for the region and the world.
more...

Goose Bumps and Hula Hoops for Barack by Mona Eltahawy
As disreputable opponents try to ‘smear’ Barack Obama by calling him a Muslim, Muslim Americans rally to his campaign. In such a difficult time for Muslims, they think he’ll do the right thing.
more...

The Illusory Middle by Victor Navasky (The Nation)
Moving to the center is no way to win the undecided voter. As soon as they see a candidate listening to his consultants and pollsters rather than being true to himself, they see a candidate who has betrayed what they care about most: authenticity.
more...

Bush's Policies Must End by Patrick Seale
The disasters in Iraq and Afghanistan, the crises with Iran and Pakistan, and the criminal neglect of Israeli-Arab issues are the legacy of George W. Bush -- all of which must be resolved.
more...

American-Muslim Catch 22 by Mona Eltahawy
Muslim Americans have learned that registering to vote and becoming active politically is the best answer to the toxic hate that makes it a “smear” to call Barack Obama a Muslim. Incorrectly, by the way, but who cares?
more...

Thailand teeters on the brink

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej's declaration of a state of emergency for the capital, Bangkok, effectively places Thailand under military rule yet again. The escalating conflict is driven partially by intra-military competition, pitting hardliners against moderates. The dissolution of parliament and new democratic elections are unlikely to resolve anything. A government of national unity could be the only way forward. - Shawn W Crispin (Sep 2, '08)
Fukuda's heir faces daunting task
Taro Aso faces few obstacles to replacing Yasuo Fukuda, who dramatically announced his resignation as Japan's prime minister on Monday. Aso's real test will be to sufficiently revive the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's fortunes to prevent it from being trounced at an expected snap election. - Kosuke Takahashi (Sep 2, '08)

Iran tightens screws on Iraq's Kurds
Iran is carefully monitoring the health of ailing Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, who has helped maintain a delicate balance between the pro-Tehran ruling Shi'ite bloc and the Kurdish community. Already, Baghdad has introduced an Iranian-inspired crackdown to ensure the Kurds remain "tamed". - Sami Moubayed (Sep 2, '08)

China cozies up to Seoul
Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to South Korea last week has further consolidated the "strategic cooperative partnership" announced during President Lee Myung-bak's trip to China in May. Bilateral trade and diplomacy are blossoming as Beijing works to counter a strengthened United States-Japan-South Korea military alliance. - Jing-dong Yuan (Sep 2, '08)

Tigers' backs to the wall
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have once again shown their aerial capabilities by bombing a Sri Lankan naval base. But on the ground they are taking a beating, so much so that India could be tempted to pressurize Colombo not to go for an all-out military victory, given the likelihood of high civilian casualties. - Sudha Ramachandran (Sep 2, '08)

The Neocons vs. The Realists by Joshua Muravchik and Stephen M. Walt A must-read debate about our foreign-policy future. Does realism offer the best solutions to today’s threats? Or will neoconservatism be responsible for our policy triumphs? The choice is clear after eight years of failed Bush policies, says Walt, but Muravchik thinks the House of Kristol may well be vindicated.

A Realist Rally by Leslie H. Gelb Realism can lead the way out of our foreign-policy shambles. But first the camp’s heavyweights need to bridge the partisan divide. The heirs of Truman and Acheson on the left and traditional realists on the right must join forces to forge a more effective national-security strategy.

General Principles
By Ron Unz
Lt. Gen. William Odom refused to fall in line when other top brass parroted the Bush administration’s Iraq talking points.



Back in the USSR
By Peter Hitchens
Alexander Lukashenko’s Belarus is brutal and oppressive—yet remains unexploited by the economy of haste.

Biden Time
By W. James Antle III
In choosing his vice president, the candidate of change embraced politics as usual.

Appetite for Destruction
By Andrew J. Bacevich
America externalizes the price of its profligacy by redefining freedom as the right to consume.

The Asquith Analogy
By Daniel Koffler
Let’s remember World War I before launching World War V.

A New Musharraf in Town
By Eric S. Margolis
Who will succeed Musharraf as U.S. satrap in Pakistan?

Radical Chic
By Brendan O’Neill
Tibet, the Theocracy Liberals Like

Iran Could Benefit from Georgia Crisis
By Jim Lobe (Inter Press Service)

The U.S. invasion of Iraq has increased Iran's political leverage in the Middle East, and the crisis in Georgia could further boost that clout. Read full story.



An End to Pax Americana?
By Jim Lobe (Inter Press Service)

The Russian invasion of Georgia seems to have marked a definitive end to the "unipolar moment"—as well as to Bush administration plans to impose its will on Eurasia. Read full story.







"Ally" Musharraf Facilitated Taliban
Analysis by Gareth Porter (Inter Press Service)

Pakistan's willingness to help the United States in the "war on terror" was partly myth created by the Bush administration. Read full story.



Legal Battle Continues for Ex-Detainee
By William Fisher (Inter Press Service)

A Canadian citizen wrongly detained in the "war on terror" will get another day in court, but the Bush administration may invoke the state secrets privilege—a tactic it has used excessively, some say, to cover up embarrassing mistakes. Read full story.

Afghanistan's war has a new battlefield
The raids this week by United States special forces into Pakistan in search of al-Qaeda and militant leaders mark a new era for Pakistan under president-in-waiting Asif Ali Zardari. In preparation for his expected anointment this weekend, "Iron Man" Zardari, with strong backing from the US, has skillfully consolidated his hold over the security and intelligence services and is ready to prosecute the "war on terror" with a vengeance. - Syed Saleem Shahzad (Sep 5, '08)

US plays both sides in the Philippines
The Philippine government has junked a peace deal with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and both sides now totter on the precipice of full-scale fighting. Between the two has stood the United States - will the US abandon a traditional ally in Manila to support the Moro movement? - Herbert Docena (Sep 5, '08)

China still on-side with Russia

The West is engaged in a premature celebration of the death of the China-Russia relationship following Beijing's perceived lack of support for Moscow's intervention in Georgia. This is a misreading of China's evolution to normal ties with Russia after going though "honeymoon" and "divorce" periods over the past 60 years. It is the West that should be worried about its confrontational policies with Russia. - Yu Bin (Sep 5, '08)

WITH GOD ON THEIR SIDES
CHAN AKYA
Triangulating
an Asian conflict
It's possible that in the near future Islamic extremists will have their finger on the Pakistani nuclear trigger, while Han nationalists in China and Hindu fundamentalists in India control their nuclear-armed countries. These are the trends shaping tomorrow's world, writes Chan Akya, who does not see the avalanche of words about a US vice-presidential candidate as particularly relevant ... (Sep 5, '08)

Meanwhile, back in the United States ...

THE ROVING EYE
All square
It's more than possible that within the next few months a pro-gun, pro-Big Oil, mooseburger-eating PR stunt named Sarah Palin, whose foreign policy credentials are burnished by a visit to Canada, will have her finger on America's nuclear button if anything untoward happens to a septuagenarian president. But fear not: Palin will have a plan, just as she has/will have (it's not at all clear) a plan for Iraq: "[T]hat is what we have to make sure, [that] there is a plan and that plan is God’s plan." - Pepe Escobar (Sep 5, '08)

The failure of two empires
The Russian offensive in Georgia has been widely compared to the Soviets' imperial buildup under Joseph Stalin. The reverse is the case: Russia is now more alone, more alienated and hated among the republics of the former Soviet Union than at any time in Soviet and post-Soviet history. Allied with the collapse of the American imperial presence, this equates to an era of global anarchy. - Dmitry Shlapentokh (Sep 4, '08)

Palestinians play a wild card
The lead Palestinian negotiator has warned of scrapping the peace process with Israel and demanding that Israel annex the Palestinian territories with all their residents. Jerusalem has rejected this sea-change in attitude as it carries with it apocalyptic possibilities for the Jewish state. But the concept of a bi-national state can be re-imagined as a positive development: it has its roots in progressive Jewish thought. - Mark LeVine (Sep 4, '08)

For Prachanda, a tale of two cities
Nepali Prime Minister Prachanda broke tradition and made his first state visit to Beijing, instead of Delhi. It was controversial until a devastating flood hit Nepal and exposed unfavorable pacts, such as the Koshi Agreement with India. Now the ex-Maoist is pushing to renegotiate the deals and is gaining support for his rebalancing act with Nepal's two neighbors. - Dhruba Adhikary (Sep 4, '08)

A hurdle too high for China
While China's pampered Olympians have shined, sports venues for ordinary people are few and far between in a nation that is woefully out of shape and facing, along with rising prosperity, a growing problem with obesity and related diseases. If Beijing is to get its athletically challenged citizenry into shape, it's going to cost a fortune. - Kent Ewing (Sep 4, '08)

Slave trade heads to Israel
Israel has narrowly avoided United States economic sanctions over its unsavory role in the international white slave trade. Still, Israel remains a haven for the trafficking of women for the sex industry, and the government faces sharp criticism for its visa policy which ties foreign migrants to an Israeli employer. (Sep 4, '08)

THE MOGAMBO GURU
Lightening the mood with a deflator
When the US government has consumer inflation staring it in the face at 8% and then uses a figure one-sixth of that to calculate the country's output, then claims the country is not in a recession, there is only one conclusion - we are doomed!!

A sting in Pakistan's al-Qaeda mission
After pounding Bajaur Agency for three weeks, the Pakistani military has called off its operation, claiming "mission accomplished" against militants. The offensive was in fact a smoke screen for Islamabad and its NATO allies across the border in Afghanistan to flush out Osama bin Laden and his deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri, and it failed dismally. The militants have already started taking revenge, attacking the premier's motorcade on Wednesday. - Syed Saleem Shahzad (Sep 3, '08)

Shimon Peres Warns Israel’s Hawks Over Iran Strik - Uzi Mahnaimi, The Times

Israel's president, Shimon Peres, has warned the prime minister that a military attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities could provoke a broader conflict.

Peres is the first senior politician to advise Ehud Olmert against such an attack at a time of growing tension when other leading figures are threatening airstrikes unless Tehran halts its nuclear programme.

The Israeli air force has rehearsed an operation to destroy sites connected with the project.

“The military way will not solve the problem,” said Peres, the 85-year-old founder of the Jewish state’s nuclear programme, in an interview with The Sunday Times.

More at The Times.

Rescuing Peace in the Middle East by Patrick Seale
George Bush has had the United States intensify the danger in the Middle East region. But other nations have stepped up to keep the peace process alive until a more responsible U.S. administration returns to its indispensable mediating role.
more...

Charting the World of Tomorrow by Patrick Seale
The world’s geo-political landscape is changing in powerful ways with the rapid rise of China, the re-emergence of Russia, and the riches of the Arab world. The best news is potential change in the leadership and foreign policy of the United States.
more...

Dealing in Damascus by Rami G. Khouri
Syria desires to return to its place in the heart of the Arab world. The possibilities of peace with Israel, security for Bashar al-Asad’s regime, and development aid make for a good deal for the Syrians. A successful Damascus deal could entice Iran, next.
more...

Condi, Talk to Joe before Chatting with 'Brother Colonel' by Mona Eltahawy
Rice joins a slew of western leaders and officials trekking to Tripoli with eyes on deals aimed at tapping into Libya’s oil wealth.
more...

Elegant Colonialism by Rami G. Khouri
It seems quite obvious to many of us that Italy’s new agreement with Libya -- with its explicit apology and reparations for the colonial era -- is a new and disguised form of colonialism.
more...

Talking with Republican Muslims by Mona Eltahawy
If it’s been hard for American Muslim supporters of Barack Obama to hear right wing “accusations” that he’s a “secret Muslim” -- and to feel that the Obama campaign keeps them at arm’s length -- imagine how it feels to be an American Muslim Republican.
more...

Can NATO Survive Georgia? by Immanuel Wallerstein
From its creation, NATO was a strategic U.S. tool, providing a European alliance against the USSR/Russia. Now, through U.S. “flawed thinking,” NATO is in danger of collapsing.
more...

Europe Must Bring Ukraine into the Fold - Tomas Valasek, Financial Times
Urgent Aid for Pakistan - Anatol Lieven, Int'l Herald Tribune
A Canadian Consensus - David Warren, Ottawa Citizen
Roll Back the British State - Norman Blackwell, London Times
Russia 1, Freedom 0 - Ralph Peters, New York Post

• Europe Must Bring Ukraine into the Fold - Tomas Valasek, Financial Times
• Urgent Aid for Pakistan - Anatol Lieven, Int'l Herald Tribune
• A Canadian Consensus - David Warren, Ottawa Citizen
• Roll Back the British State - Norman Blackwell, London Times
• Russia 1, Freedom 0 - Ralph Peters, New York Post
• Stephen Harper? No More Mr. Ice Guy - Lawrence Martin, Globe & Mail
• Politics Goes Local in Australia - Ross Fitzgerald, The Australian
• Journey Down India's Growth Story - AV Rajwade, Rediff
• Thirty Years After Camp David - Bruce Walker, American Thinker
• Russia: A Partner and an Adversary - Bernard-Henri Levy, New Republic
• Western Feminists: Forget the Veil - Faisal al Yafai, The Guardian
• A Loyalty Test Can Reassure Iran - Charles Ferguson, CS Monitor
• What's Missing from the Iran Debate - David Kay, Washington Post
• Latin America Wants Free Trade - Mary Anastasia O'Grady, WSJ
• Angola Rising - Stephanie Hanson, Council on Foreign Relations
• RCW Blog: Will the Real Kim Jong-Il Please Stand Up?

With their stony silence in the midst of Russia’s brutal attack against the Republic of Georgia, the organizations that spearhead the contemporary “peace” movement have spoken volumes about the true nature of their core motives. They are united, above all else, by their unwavering conviction that a racist, imperialist United States is the chief wellspring of evil on earth—guilty of unspeakable and unrivaled atrocities, past and present, foreign and domestic.


The “peace” for which these groups agitate generally requires the U.S. and its close ally, Israel, to refrain from defending themselves against enemies sworn to their destruction—all in the venerated name of “peace,” of course. By contrast, these champions of “nonviolence” rarely have a word to say about the military pursuits, however unjustified or heavy-handed, of America’s (and Israel’s) adversaries. This assertion is entirely demonstrable if we examine how some of the leading “anti-war” organizations in the U.S. reacted to America’s post-9/11 invasions of Afghanistan (in 2001) and Iraq (in 2003), and then compare those reactions to the non-response to Moscow’s current offensive.


After 9/11, Global Exchange, headed by the pro-Castro radical Medea Benjamin, advised Americans to examine introspectively “the root causes of resentment against the United States in the Arab world—from our dependence on Middle Eastern oil to our biased policy towards Israel.” And after the subsequent U.S. incursions into Afghanistan and Iraq, Global Exchange impugned the Bush administration for having “responded to the violent attack of 9/11 with the notion of perpetual war … [which] led to the killing and maiming of thousands of civilians.” “We must insist that governments stop taking innocent lives in the name of seeking justice for the loss of other innocent lives,” said Benjamin.

And what has been Global Exchange’s reaction to Russia’s invasion of Georgia? Unbroken silence. Since the launching of that attack on August 8th, Medea Benjamin’s group has issued only one press release—a promotion for an August 13th event titled “We Want More from Our S’mores.” “Fans of this summery [chocolate] treat will unite in support of Fair Trade Certified farmers,” said the release, “while condoning the persistent problems of chronic poverty in cocoa-growing communities …”

In other words, while thousands of Georgians lay dead, and tens of thousands more have fled their Russian attackers, Global Exchange is talking about chocolate. Interesting.


United For Peace & Justice (UFPJ), led by another pro-Castro socialist, Leslie Cagan, has similarly opposed America’s every military measure since its founding in 2002. Some of its anti-war rallies in 2002 and 2003 drew hundreds of thousands of participants. But today, while Russia’s proverbial boot is poised upon Georgia’s proverbial throat, Cagan and her cohorts are focused entirely on urging their supporters to make plans to gather at the sites of the Democratic and Republican national conventions (in Denver and St. Paul, respectively), to “send a strong and clear message to party candidates: the war and occupation of Iraq must end now!”

Moreover, while chastising the United States for continuing “to rely on the threatened first use of nuclear weapons as the cornerstone of its national security policy,” UFPJ has had nothing whatsoever to say about Russia’s recent threat to use nuclear weapons against Poland as punishment for that country’s missile-defense accord with the U.S.


Code Pink for Peace, headed by Jodie Evans (a great admirer of Hugo Chavez) and the aforementioned Medea Benjamin, in 2003 sponsored a delegation of fifteen American women who traveled to Baghdad to publicly denounce a greedy America’s “war for oil.” In conjunction with Global Exchange and United for Peace & Justice, Code Pink in 2004 helped establish Iraq Occupation Watch, whose objective was to thin out U.S. forces in Iraq by persuading soldiers to seek discharges and be sent home as conscientious objectors.

In stark contrast to these unambiguously anti-American measures, Code Pink has buttoned its lip about the Russian invasion of Georgia. Rather, its chief concern currently is for the U.S. to engage in “diplomacy with Iran” — the same Iran that has pledged its divine commitment to wiping both America and Israel off the face of the earth. A military strike against Ahmadinejad’s nuclear program would be unacceptable, says Jodie Evans’ group, because “Americans will not stand for ongoing war, occupation, and killing.”


The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) excoriated the Bush administration after 9/11 for “embracing militarism and unilateral preemptive military strikes to answer threats to U.S. interests”; for “undermin[ing] the foundations of international law, arms reduction treaties, and diplomacy in the post-World War II era”; for refusing to allow America’s “military supremacy to be challenged, as it was during the Cold War”; and for creating “an atmosphere of threats and intimidation that encourages other countries to pursue military solutions.”

If you look for AFSC’s comments about the Soviet invasion of Georgia, however, you’ll come up empty. But perhaps you’ll find comfort in discovering that this “peace” organization continues to exhort Americans “to write to their congressional representatives” and demand that they “defund the war in Iraq.” The top story on AFSC’s website today applauds the California Legislature’s recent adoption of a resolution (co-sponsored by AFSC) aimed at preventing health professionals from engaging in coercive interrogations of detainees at Guantánamo and other U.S. military prisons. “The resolution calls attention to the intolerable dilemma that torture presents when those who are supposed to be the healers in our society are involved in the abuse of prisoners,” said AFSC regional director Eisha Mason.


International ANSWER, controlled by Ramsey Clark’s International Action Center and the Marxist-Leninist Workers World Party, organized massive protests against the looming U.S. attack on Iraq in 2002 and early 2003; some of those events drew more than a half-million attendees. The threat of war was first and foremost on ANSWER’S mind.

And today, with Russian tanks rumbling over the Georgian landscape, ANSWER’s focus remains steadfastly, and exclusively, fixed on America’s alleged transgressions. The predominant slogans on its website are these: (a) “U.S. Out of Iraq & Afghanistan Now!”; ( “Stop Threatening Iran!”; © “Full Rights for All Immigrants! Stop Raids & Deportations!”; (d) “Money for Jobs, Health Care & Education—Not War!”

Peace Action, whose Executive Director Kevin Martin has condemned America’s “shameful status as arms merchant to the world,” had lots to say when the U.S. was contemplating retaliation for the 9/11 attacks. Seven days after the fall of the World Trade Center, Peace Action Board member Rania Masri wrote that any U.S. military action against Iraq would be unjustified because during the 1991 Gulf War, American troops had “massacre[d]” more than 200,000 Iraqis. “And the massacre continues,” said Masri. “… Every day, approximately 150 Iraqi children under the age of five die due to the effects of sanctions.” Less than three weeks later—on October 7, 2001—Peace Action issued this statement vis a vis America’s military retaliation against Afghanistan:

“We urge the president … instead to seek an end to terrorism through international legal cooperation. Treating the heinous acts of September 11 as an act of war, and waging war in response, will only escalate the violence and loss of life. The … perpetrators of the crimes should be brought to justice through the international legal system.… Terrorism will only be defeated by a long-term commitment to building democracy, respect for human rights, and economic and social development in impoverished areas of the world.”


Today Peace Action is soundless regarding Russia’s incursion into Georgia. The organization’s only audible message consists of its ever-so-familiar mantras: (a) the U.S. must lead other nations by example toward “nuclear abolition”; ( Americans must “tell Bush to stop beating the war drums”; and © the “unjust” war in Iraq must be brought swiftly to a close.


Sojourners, a Washington, DC-based Christian evangelical ministry, published a March 2003 article declaring that a U.S. war against Iraq “would be unjust and immoral”; “would dishonor our nation, disregard morality, and violate international law”; and would represent “a drive for cheap oil and for increased control over the oil-producing world.” “We urge all U.S. military personnel,” said Sojourners, “… to refuse to participate in this immoral war.”

Yet Sojourners has been mute as regards the current Soviet bombing campaigns in Georgia. The organization’s focus instead is on the notion that America has corrupted its own “national soul” by engaging in “torture” against captured terrorists in recent years.



Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW) issued a post-9/11 statement that read, in part: “[O]ur country has to address the reasons behind the violence that has now come to our shores.… As long as U.S. foreign policy continues to be based on corporate exploitation and military domination, we will continue to make more enemies in the poor, underdeveloped countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America.”

What, you may wonder, does this same organization say about the current Russian offensive in Georgia? Not a thing. Instead it is actively promoting an upcoming “seminar on organizing for justice for Vietnamese and U.S. Agent Orange victims” who were harmed in Southeast Asia three to four decades ago. Says VVAW:


“As the U.S. backs out of Iraq—somehow, but not nearly soon enough—there will be an opening for the U.S. government to redeem its self image by doing something real for Vietnam. Now it's up to the U.S. people! Our ability to win this struggle is part of healing the wounds of war with Vietnam and also assuring that current and future victims of U.S. chemical warfare receive the justice and compensation they deserve!”


The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom has consistently condemned America’s military presence in Iraq, asserting that “this illegal war” has destabilized “the entire Middle East region” and destroyed Iraq’s infrastructure, “politically and physically.” “The Bush administration created the so-called ‘War on Terrorism’ to instill fear as the premise for U.S. foreign policy,” said WILPF. “Basic human rights are being curtailed in the U.S. and abroad to propagate this lie.”

But as regards the Russian invasion of Georgia, WILPF, like its aforementioned comrades in the “peace” movement, has elected to swallow its tongue. Focusing instead on events that took place more than six decades ago, the WILPF website currently features “Hiroshima and Nagasaki Days” — a lamentation over the atom bombs that America dropped on Japan to end World War II in August 1945.

This, then, is the modern “peace” movement. Its members are bound to one another by their common hatred of America more than by any shared commitment to “peace.” Their overriding objective is to relentlessly demean and discredit the United States for its every failing—real and imagined, ancient and current. This tactic is intended for one overriding purpose: to gradually, incrementally demoralize the American people, and to convince them that their society is so loathsome as to be utterly unworthy of defending with any vigor. Meanwhile, as Russian forces overrun a tiny neighboring nation that is friendly to America, the so-called champions of “peace” refrain from whispering even a syllable in protest.

John Perazzo is the Managing Editor of DiscoverTheNetworks and is the author of The Myths That Divide Us: How Lies Have Poisoned American Race Relations. For more information on his book, click here. E-mail him at wsbooks25@hotmail.com

ohn Toradze: After the worst foreign policy in history, whom to choose, Obama or McCain? Who is better at foreign policy, Obama or McCain? What Americans need to know about our foreign policy of the past 16 years. J

ohn Basel: Iranians Should Thank Russia Should Iran thank Russia for taking the U.S. heat off of them? Is the U.S. war machine turning cartwheels over the prospect of a new cold war with old nemesis Russia?

U.S. Sided With Georgia in South Ossetian War U.S. sided With Georgia in South Ossetian War - By helping deliver Georgian military from Iraq, the United States has created a precedent of co-participation in the conflict on the side of Tbilisi, Russia's General Staff Deputy Chief General-Colonel Anatoly Nogovitsyn announced Tuesday, during the briefing attended by ambassadors and military attaches of more than 100 nations.

U.S. Sided With Georgia in South Ossetian War U.S. sided With Georgia in South Ossetian War - By helping deliver Georgian military from Iraq, the United States has created a precedent of co-participation in the conflict on the side of Tbilisi, Russia's General Staff Deputy Chief General-Colonel Anatoly Nogovitsyn announced Tuesday, during the briefing attended by ambassadors and military attaches of more than 100 nations.

Toward a New American Isolationism
Columnist Walden Bello looks at the rise of China, the decline of the United States, and the potential for a new kind of progressive American isolationism.

Together Again
By: Kathy Shaidle
Cuba and Russia renew a dangerous camaraderie. More>

Must Counterinsurgency Wars Fail?
By: Daniel Pipes
Winning the “unwinnable” wars. More>

An American Muslim vs. Islamists
By: Jamie Glazov
Khalim Massoud, president of Muslims Against Sharia, proposes tough action against Islamic extremists in America. More>

US's 'good' war hits Pakistan hard

US President George W Bush has for the first time explicitly named Pakistan as a new battleground in the "war on terror", and urged Islamabad to "defeat terrorists and extremists". To underline the point, the US has stepped up its own raids into Pakistan. Unfortunately, by targeting "good" Taliban with links to the Pakistani establishment, the US places Pakistan in even greater danger. - Syed Saleem Shahzad (Sep 9, '08)

US warned over raids in Pakistan
The George W Bush administration disregarded "clear" warnings from US intelligence agencies that raids into Pakistan's Taliban strongholds would dangerously destabilize the central government. Along with the political fallout, the attacks - and their civilian death toll - have caused anti-US sentiment to spike in the Pakistani army, threatening to deepen its tribal quagmire. - Gareth Porter (Sep 9, '08

Seeing doubles in Dear Leader's no-show
North Korea celebrated its 60th anniversary on Tuesday with a massive military parade and other festivities. But, by all accounts, no Kim Jong-il. His apparent no-show will intensify speculation as to the health - physical, mental or otherwise - of the secretive "Dear Leader". Some experts claim he died years ago. - Kosuke Takahashi (Sep 9, '08)

SPENGLER
A comedy of areas
If the late, great US stand-up comedian George Carlin were still with us and offering insights on world affairs, he might be mightily amused that two of Washington's beacons of liberty - Georgia and Ukraine - won't even exist in the not-so-distant future. Not everyone is going to make it, Carlin always said, and that goes for desert countries with no food and former Soviet republics where there aren't any babies. (Sep 9, '08)

SUN WUKONG
Party time for China
Thirty years after Deng Xiaoping set China on the path of reforms that have transformed the country and the global economy, the communist government appears ready to switch its focus to political reforms that could give ordinary Chinese a bigger voice. Giving up a piece of its power, however, is not on the party's agenda. - Wu Zhong (Sep 9, '08)

Uncomfortable anniversary in Vietnam
Toward the end of the Vietnam War, China took advantage of South Vietnam's weakening military position to attack the Paracel Islands, a move that was hailed by the Hanoi leadership of the time. Today, a fair assessment of history reveals an inconvenient and possibly explosive truth for Vietnam's communist leaders. - Duy Hoang (Sep 9, '08)

When success is failure in Iraq
The George W Bush administration and the John McCain presidential campaign are pounding the "success" and even the "victory" drums over Iraq. There is another reality: for all the talk over the years about "tipping points" reached, and "corners" turned, it's possible the US might be heading for a genuine tipping point - a resounding defeat at the hands of the very government it has supported all these years. - Michael Schwartz (Sep 9, '08)

Iran wants Hamas to help, but not win
The relationship between Hamas and Iran has become one of the major obstacles to Palestinian peace. Unlike Hezbollah, there are limits to what Iran offers Hamas - a Sunni group not fully eligible for "full honors". But Hamas does not take orders from Tehran, it uses Iran, just as much as Iran uses it, to achieve objectives in Palestine. - Sami Moubayed (Sep 9, '08)

Don't Forget About Joe: Nobody In The Senate Has A Better Record Of Defending The Little Guy Than Biden
by Jeffrey Rosen
The Obama-Biden slate is historic in many ways, but for law professors it has a special cachet: It's the first time that professors of constitutional...How The Rich Rolled Barack Obama (And How Charlie Gibson Has Helped)
by Jonathan Chait
During a Democratic primary debate back in April, ABC News anchor Charlie Gibson took a brief respite from haranguing Barack Obama about his hatred for...Bush Bungled Our National Security Infrastructure. Here’s How To Fix It--Without Making The Same Mistakes.
by David Rothkopf
In 1947, in the wake of the Second World War, a new national security structure for the U.S. government was designed to help meet the rising specter of...Celebrating The Release of A (Potentially Quite Bad) Book That Fictionalizes The Life Of The Prophet Muhammad
by Alvaro Vargas Llosa
WASHINGTON--Gibson Square, a British publishing house, has announced that it will soon release 'The Jewel of Medina,' a novel by American author Sherry

Tehran feels an Arab sting
The decision by the United Arab Emirates to open an embassy in Iraq comes in close coordination with other Arab states, aimed at bringing Iraq back into the Arab family and away from Iran. Tehran's role in the region is also increasingly under attack in the Arab media, with the specter of a "nuclear Iran" being raised. Iran in turn is sending mixed signals, including attempts to placate Sunnis in Lebanon. - Sami Moubayed (Sep 11, '08)

The next peace and false bells on Iran
Voters in the United States presidential elections being urged to vote for the candidate best prepared to handle the "unavoidable war with Iran" can dismiss this as campaign rhetoric. There is nevertheless a renewed intensity in the drumbeats over Tehran's nuclear program, even though the next chapter in US-Iran relations need not be written in blood: the "next peace" is still a possibility. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi (Sep 11, '08)

THE ROVING EYE
Iran-bashing from al-Qaeda's corner
Al-Qaeda's leadership, in a battle to seduce Muslim hearts and minds, says its top strategic enemies are Shi'ites - be they in Tehran or Hezbollah - and not the United States. Winning over Shi'ites will fuel al-Qaeda's objective of a "long war" in which the only winner will be the US military-industrial complex. That's the sorry legacy of 9/11, seven years on. - Pepe Escobar (Sep 11, '08)

Russia and Turkey tango in the Black Sea

Moscow has welcomed Ankara's proposal for a stability and cooperation pact in the Caucasus - the core of Russian thinking lies in the preference for a regional approach that excludes outside powers, that is, the United States. Effectively, the Black Sea is now a Russo-Turkish playpen. Moscow has also thrown a curve ball by seeking to link Iraq and Iran to this emerging pact. - M K Bhadrakumar (Sep 11, '08)

The war on terror targets Pakistan

Gareth Porter: Bush gives Special Forces the power to go deep inside Pakistan Pt2 September 12, 2008

Al-Qaeda blames Iran, US targets inside Pakistan

Gareth Porter: US attacks tribal areas, al-Qaeda celebrates 9/11 Pt 1 September 11, 2008

• Dark Clouds on Israel's Horizon - Ari Shavit, Haaretz
• Child Soldiers and the China Factor - Jo Becker, Int'l Herald Tribune
• Kevin Rudd's Foreign Policy Realism - Greg Sheridan, The Australian
• What's the Matter with Canada? - Christopher Flavelle, Slate
• Harper Does Canada's Soldiers a Disservice - Jeffrey Simpson, Globe & Mail
• The West Has Abandoned Capitalism - Anatole Kaletsky, Times of London
• Cold War II? Maybe - Konstantin Von Eggert, Daily Star
• Make the Argument of Power for Kashmir - Ram Madhav, Rediff
• Zuma the Wrong Candidate for S. Africa - William Gumede, The Guardian
• When Dictators End with a Whisper - Caroline Glick, Jerusalem Post
• RCW Video: Russian Bombers Land in Venezuela

• How Dangerous is Al-Qaida? - Yassin Musharbash, Der Spiegel
• How Bush Stared Down His Generals - Bob Woodward, The Australian
• What If Kim Jong-il Is Really Kaput? - Peter Brookes, China Post
• Asia's 'Democratic Crisis' - Michael Auslin, Wall Street Journal
• West Can't Let Israel Bomb Iran - Yet - Con Coughlin, The Telegraph
• Fruitful Lessons from Flawed Mideast Pact - Uri Savir, CS Monitor
• Russia's Nuclear Quest - Gary Anderson, Washington Times
• A New Approach to All of Asia - Thomas Donnelly, New York Times
• Kim Jong Ill or Kim Jong Well? - The Economist
• The Misery That Is North Korea - Marcus Gee, Globe & Mail
• The Future of Mini-States - Hugh Cortazzi, Japan Times
• Harper's Malevolent Message - Don Martin, National Post
• New US President Faces Wake-Up Call - Philip Stephens, Financial Times
• Either President May Disappoint - Geoffrey Garrett, Sydney Morn. Herald
• Labour Too Scared to Learn from Obama - Martin Kettle, The Guardian
• RCW Blog: Silencing the Voice of America

Zardari and Pakistan Face Formidable Problems by Patrick Seale
Perhaps the greatest difficulty for the new President is the same as for the old one: Zardari takes Musharraf’s unpopular place between his citizens and the Bush administration’s demands for its Afghan (and global) war on terror.
more...

Intemperance Keeps Terrorism Alive by Rami G. Khouri
Terrorism and its root causes are evident in three events this week as the September 11 attacks are marked seven years after.
more...

Rethinking the West and Iran by Patrick Seale
The bold but well-informed opinions of Christoph Bertram lead him to encourage a relationship of détente between the West and Iran.
more...

Rescuing Peace in the Middle East by Patrick Seale
George Bush has had the United States intensify the danger in the Middle East region. But other nations have stepped up to keep the peace process alive until a more responsible U.S. administration returns to its indispensable mediating role.
more...

Dealing in Damascus by Rami G. Khouri
Syria desires to return to its place in the heart of the Arab world. The possibilities of peace with Israel, security for Bashar al-Asad’s regime, and development aid make for a good deal for the Syrians. A successful Damascus deal could entice Iran, next.
more...

Charting the World of Tomorrow by Patrick Seale
The world’s geo-political landscape is changing in powerful ways with the rapid rise of China, the re-emergence of Russia, and the riches of the Arab world. The best news is potential change in the leadership and foreign policy of the United States.
more...

Condi, Talk to Joe before Chatting with 'Brother Colonel' by Mona Eltahawy
Rice joins a slew of western leaders and officials trekking to Tripoli with eyes on deals aimed at tapping into Libya’s oil wealth.
more...

• This is Not a Cold War - Fareed Zakaria, The Guardian
• A Mideast Crisis to Avert - Dennis Ross, Washington Post
• Sarkozy’s Economic Reform Unstuck - Wolfgang Münchau, Financial Times
• West's Gaddafi Shift is About Oil - Gwynne Dyer, New Zealand Herald
• Harper: The Tactics, the Leadership - Lawrence Martin, Globe & Mail
• Will the Turkish Military Abandon NATO? - Ihsan Dagi, Today's Zaman
• India Ill-equipped to Handle Terrorism - Mahesh Vijapurkar, Rediff
• Dealing with a New Nepal - S.D. Muni, The Hindu
• Pakistan’s Dangerous Double Game - R. Moreau & M. Hosenball, Newsweek
• Bar Ahmadinejad from U.S. - Sen. John Barrasso, Washington Times
• A Kick-off for Peace in Armenia - Vartan Oskanian, RealClearWorld
• Real Work Begins in Pakistan - Ershad Mahmud, Daily Star
• The Palin Effect Could Save Labour - William Rees-Mogg, Times of London
• Russia's War on Sovereignty - Mackubin Thomas Owens, CS Monitor
• Hugo Chávez's Russian Dalliance - Mary Anastasia O'Grady, WSJ

Editorials

• India is at War - Times of India
• Israel Must Act as Occupiers - Haaretz
• Latin American Saber-rattling - Los Angeles Times
• Hope for Peace in Zimbabwe - Der Spiegel

Research and Analysis

• Iran's Asymmetric Naval Warfare - Washington Institute
• Muslims in Europe - Brookings Institution
• Round Two in Gaza - International Crisis Group
• Job Creation and Labor Reform in Latin America - World Bank

It’s All about Face by Peter Kwong and Dusanka Miscevic
As the Paralympics Games end in China this week, the seven year-long public relations campaign to the world comes to an end. Deemed an extraordinary success by the world, now the leaders face their domestic critics.
more...

The Tragic Failure of Arab Moderates by Rami G. Khouri
The “Arab center” has shown little strength and influence -- as it has been “squeezed between George W. Bush and Osama bin Laden. But in its growing influence lies the future of whole and healthy Arab states.
more...

Zardari and Pakistan Face Formidable Problems by Patrick Seale
Perhaps the greatest difficulty for the new President is the same as for the old one: Zardari takes Musharraf’s unpopular place between his citizens and the Bush administration’s demands for its Afghan (and global) war on terror.
more...

Intemperance Keeps Terrorism Alive by Rami G. Khouri
Terrorism and its root causes are evident in three events this week as the September 11 attacks are marked seven years after.
more...

Rethinking the West and Iran by Patrick Seale
The bold but well-informed opinions of Christoph Bertram lead him to encourage a relationship of détente between the West and Iran.
more...

Rescuing Peace in the Middle East by Patrick Seale
George Bush has had the United States intensify the danger in the Middle East region. But other nations have stepped up to keep the peace process alive until a more responsible U.S. administration returns to its indispensable mediating role.
more...

US forces the terror issue with Pakistan
Much as the United States decision to bomb Laos and Cambodia in 1969 became a turning point in the Vietnam War, so its move to aggressively go after militants and al-Qaeda inside Pakistan could be a pivotal moment in the "war on terror", with Islamabad as an increasingly reluctant partner. - Syed Saleem Shahzad (Sep 15, '08)

DISPATCHES FROM AMERICA
The Pentagon's cubicle mercenaries
During the George W Bush years, American war fighting has been privatized and the Pentagon largely turned over to corporate contractors, hired guns, hired hands, private cubicle mercenaries and private sub-contracting warriors, who raked in US$151 billion in 2006. What's left is "a Pentagon bloated almost beyond recognition and crippled by its dependence on private military corporations". - Frida Berrigan (Sep 15, '08)

India in the dark over terror attack
In an all-too-familiar pattern, serial bomb blasts have rocked Delhi, claiming at least 25 lives. As with attacks in other cities this year, the perpetrators have claimed responsibility by hacking into a private e-mail address. Beyond this, the intelligence agencies remain clueless. - Siddharth Srivastava (Sep 15, '08)

Nepal-India ties enter the Prachanda era
Nepal's Prime Minister Prachanda is in New Delhi amid increased scrutiny over the balance of bilateral relations. The recent collapse of a river embankment has raised long-simmering controversies over agreements that Nepalis feel need updating. Former rebel leader Prachanda says he'll do whatever it takes. - Dhruba Adhiakry (Sep 15, '08)

Mud sticks in China mining disaster
Extraordinarily swift measures to purge Shanxi provincial officials in the wake of the mudslide disaster last week which claimed hundreds of lives signal some commitment in Beijing to tightening safety measures in the mining industry, but there is still a long way to go. (Sep 15, '08)

CAMPAIGN OUTSIDER
Electoral serve
and volley in Bali
Swiss tennis star Patty Schnyder for president? The opening debate of the United States presidential campaign's home stretch takes place at Southeast Asia's richest women's tennis tournament. – Muhammad Cohen (Sep 15, '08)

Big-bang report blasts Iran

The International Atomic Energy Agency's "serious concerns" and "outstanding questions" about Iran's nuclear program open the door for more sanctions against Tehran, or worse, a strike against its nuclear infrastructure. Lost in the scramble to condemn Iran is the fact that the agency has on previous occasions deemed these issues resolved, and even in its latest report ruled out any military diversion at Iran's facilities. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi (Sep 16, '08)

Iran ill-prepared for reformists
Ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections next year, Iran is already abuzz with talk of a post-Mahmud Ahmadinejad era. In the highest places where it really matters, though, the president is viewed as the best man for the job, including the way in which he deals with the United States. Reformers face an uphill battle. - Sami Moubayed (Sep 16, '08)

Borneo hinge to Anwar's ambition
The culturally distinct and energy-rich Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak are key to opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's drive to form a reformist government. Should their lawmakers defect from the ruling coalition, it would be decisive for Anwar's bid to seize power. Meanwhile, political and economic promises have them salivating. - Andrew Symon (Sep 16, '08)

Asia's pickle with people's power
Many of Asia's democracies were brought to life by people's-power struggles, but in recent weeks street demonstrations have become the norm. The rise of more representative "third force" parties presents a better route towards stability and away from dynastic politics and feudal patronage. - Chietigj Bajpaee (Sep 16, '08)