Author: Alejandro

As body count from Iraqi morgues shows sectarian violence continues to rise and domestic opposition to the occupation of Iraq increases, US military official announces that capture/kill strategy for Iraq stabilization not working, instead, “need to bring them to them to the negotiating table”:  Morgue Data Show Increase In Sectarian Killings in Iraq (Washington Post) …

Fighting stops – at least for now – but fighting is used by various political parties to call for “unity”, outside actors to funnel arms to the government and refugees to flee the fighting: Fragile Truce Takes Hold in Nahr al-Bared (Lebanon Daily Star) Arabs Send Arms for Army – and US May Follow Suit…

Residents of Baghdad’s Kadhimiya district live in relative peace in exchange for a certain level of extortion and ethnic cleansing of Sunni residents while violence elsewhere in the city has led to the near-complete departure of a sizable Christian community and closed shops in a once busy market district:  Baghdad District Is a Model, but…

Federal prosecutors’ tactics against Padilla backfire as their key witness, paints a “less menacing” portrait of events and facts relevant to the case: At Padilla Terror Trial, a Witness’s Surprise Effect (Christian Science Monitor) Profitable in this life and the Hereafter: A look at socially responsible investing in accordance with Islamic ethical norms A Market…

Antiwar.com columnist Scott Horton defends Ron Paul’s analysis that 9/11 was “blowback” and takes Rudy Guiliani to task for twisting it as “blaming America”: For Those Interested in Facts: They Hate Our Foreign Policy (Antiwar.com) Religious vigilantes from notorious mosque becoming bolder in Pakistan, abducting four policemen in order to release four detained members of…

In spite of secularists’ backlash, Turkey’s ruling Islamic-oriented party’s grassroots strategies and successful economic policies will likely give it an electoral edge in July: Turkish Party Builds Base on Social Work (Los Angeles Times) Rather than negotiating with the unity government, Israel reveals its divide-and-conquer strategy, allowing 500 US-trained Fatah troops to continue to fight…

Former number 2 man at Justice reveals how the present AG was willing to “coerce a man in intensive care … to grant .. approval” for an unconstitutional NSA domestic spy program: Gonzales Hospital Episode Detailed (Washington Post) Mr. Comey’s Tale (Washington Post) Report finds the Department of Homeland Security’s big brother database is illegal,…

Doctor files lawsuit after being manhandled by security guard over performing prayer ritual:   Doctor Alleges Assault During Islamic Ritual (Washington Post)  Government Transparency Watch: Guantánamo detainees file lawsuit against secretiveness and double jeopardy practices of Military Tribunals and White House removes important passage from government privacy watchdog report   Guantánamo Detainees’ Suit Challenges Fairness of Military’s…

Jose Padilla’ case, set to begin Monday, raises questions of whether or not his trial will be conducted publicly in court like any other, especially in light of “unusual” rule barring reporters from asking Federal lawyers questions under certain circumstances, limiting the media’s watchdog role:   A First Look at US Case Against Padilla (Christian…

Diplomatic opening emerges between Tehran and Washington, both will meet in Baghdad to discuss Iraqi, regional security: Iran Will Hold Talks With U.S. on Iraq (Reuters/New York Times) International, regional politics destroying long-standing interfaith harmony between Muslims and Christians in Ethiopia: Ethiopians Fear for Their Interfaith Oasis (Washington Post) Iraqi PM Al-Maliki staves off walkout…