Egypt's Berlin Wall Moment

By Richard Falk

When the Soviet empire collapsed, the way was opened for the triumphalist pursuit of the American imperial project, seizing the opportunity for geopolitical expansion provided by its self-anointed global leadership - as 'the sole surviving superpower'. Continue

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Week 3, day 16, and with every passing hour,
The Regime Digs in Deeper

By Robert Fisk

If we really believe the regime-or-chaos theory which still grips Washington and London and Paris, the secular, democratic, civilized nature of this great protest will also be betrayed. Continue

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Karzai Confirms US Seeking Permanent Afghan Bases

By DPA

The bases would enable US troops to remain in the area beyond the planned transfer of security responsibility from US and NATO troops to Afghan forces by end of 2014, a process due to begin in the spring. Continue

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US Terror Campaign in Pakistan?
What was Raymond Davis Shooting for in Lahore?

By Dave Lindorff

The mystery surrounding Raymond A. Davis, the American former Special Forces operative jailed in Lahore, Pakistan for the murder of two young motorcyclists, and his funky “security” company, Hyperion-Protective Consultants LLC, in the US continues to grow. Continue

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US Foreign Aid & State Sponsored Terrorism
Material Support to Dictators Who Inflict Terror

By Sibel Edmonds

In June 2010 our rights and liberties suffered a major setback. The United States Supreme Court upheld the broad application of a federal law making it a crime to provide “material support” to designated “foreign terrorist organizations” (FTOs). Continue

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America's Stay-at-Home Ex-President

By Ray McGovern

As the news broke on Saturday that former President George W. Bush had abruptly canceled his scheduled appearance this week in Geneva to avoid the risk of arrest on a torture complaint, my first thought was — how humiliating, not only for Bush but, by extension, for all Americans. Continue

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Can Jesse Ventura Force a TSA Submission?

By Jennifer Abel

Desperation is when once-proud and free Americans like me are reduced to pleading, "Save us, Jesse Ventura, you're our only hope." Continue

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Are We Running Out Of Oil?

By John Vidal

US Embassy Cables: Saudi Arabia Cannot Pump Enough Oil to Keep a Lid on Prices: The US fears that Saudi Arabia, the world's largest crude oil exporter, may not have enough reserves to prevent oil prices escalating, confidential cables from its embassy in Riyadh show. Continue

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Northern Iraq attacks kill 10: Violence in northern Iraq killed 10 people on Wednesday, eight of them in near-simultaneous car bombings blamed on Sunni militant group Ansar Al-Islam.

Two Nato occupation force service members killed in Afghanistan: The Afghan resistance killed two members of Nato’s mission to Afghanistan in the south of the country Wednesday, the multinational force said.

One killed in Pakistan market bombing: A remote-controlled bomb exploded next to a cattle market in north-west Pakistan today, killing one person and injuring three others, police said.

US breaks off high-level contact with Pakistan over shooting case: The US has broken off high-level contacts with Pakistan as it increases pressure on Islamabad to free an American official who shot dead two Pakistanis, according to sources from both countries.

Pakistan defence photos found in US official's camera: "It is strongly recommended that a case of espionage be registered against Davis,' the prosecution branch of the Punjab police has written in an official letter to the investigation branch.

American's fake IDs, spy gadgets stoke Pakistani anger: The mystery about what Davis was doing with these gadgets has touched directly on Pakistani resentment of the large U.S. security presence. Such U.S. employees roam the country freely and are not answerable to the Pakistani authorities.

US threatens to cut Pakistani aid if US gunman not released: US lawmakers threatened to cut aid to Pakistan unless it freed an American detained over a shadowy shooting, as Washington intensified pressure on its uneasy war partner.

Barf alert: Top US lawmaker: Aid recipients face sacrifices: "Greater sacrifice by aid recipients is required to sustain the generosity of the American people," said Representative Nita Lowey, the top Democrat on the House of Representatives Subcommittee that manages US aid flows.

Labour unions boost Egypt protests: Thousands of factory workers stay away from work as pro-democracy protesters continue to rally seeking Mubarak's ouster.

Army deploys more tanks in Cairo: Reports say Egyptian armed forces have stationed a large column of tanks and mechanized infantry vehicles in and around Cairo's Liberation Square.

Israel’s Barak in US for talks amid Egypt crisis: : Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak began meetings in Washington on Wednesday as the two allies weighed the impact of Egypt’s political crisis on stability in the Middle East.

Senior US Marine Says "Multiple Platoons" Are Headed To Egypt: A senior member of the US Marine corps is telling people "multiple platoons" are deploying to Egypt, a source tells us.

Tunisia expands interim leader's powers: The Tunisian parliament, which is dominated by Ben Ali's Constitutional Democratic Rally party, recently passed a bill giving the interim government emergency powers.

France rocked by news of aid to Tunisia and Egypt: France trained Egyptian police officers in crowd control and sent tear gas to Tunis. And its foreign minister vacationed in Tunisia after the uprising, using the jet of a man linked to the ousted president.

At CIA, grave mistakes, then promotions: In December 2003, security forces boarded a bus in Macedonia and snatched a German citizen named Khaled el-Masri. For the next five months, el-Masri was a ghost. Only a select group of CIA officers knew he had been taken to a secret prison for interrogation in Afghanistan. But he was the wrong guy.

Army official suggests U.S. troops might be needed in Mexico: Fretting over a scenario in which armed U.S. soldiers could be called to the border — or even over it — to hold back lawlessness and violence. Undersecretary of the Army Joseph Westphal invoked a contentious word to describe Mexico’s problem with drug cartels: He called it an “insurgency.”
US House rejects temporary extension of Patriot Act surveillance powers: The US lower house on Tuesday rejected a nine-month extension of surveillance powers under the Patriot Act, passed after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. The vote now heads to the Senate, with Republicans saying they want the powers permanently instated.
US facing 'heightened' threat of attacks: Napolitano: The United States is facing "heightened" threats of attacks from extremists, possibly the highest since the attacks of September 11, 2001, the head of US homeland security told lawmakers Wednesday.
Rich Get Richer When Governments Tout Austerity: : We just had a “rich-get-richer” recession. U.K. data suggest the gap between the wealthy and the poor has widened. We can give up any idea that it is going to close by itself.
Negative Home Equity Surges, Weighing on Housing "Recovery": A full 27 percent of borrowers are now “underwater” on their mortgages, up from 23 percent in the previous quarter, according to a new report from Zillow. Foreclosure moratoriums and falling home prices are to blame.