Obama Raises American Hypocrisy To A Higher Level

By Paul Craig Roberts

There is no doubt whatsoever that the current US president and the predecessor Bush/Cheney regime have murdered many times more people in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia than Gadhafi has murdered in Libya. Continue

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Libya is Another Case of Selective Vigilantism by the West

By Tariq Ali

Washington will do everything necessary to keep the Saudi royal family in power. Continue

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NATO Chief Opens The Door to Libya Ground Troops

By Spencer Ackerman

Welcome to a new possible “endgame” for Libya. Western troops patrolling Libya’s cities during a a shaky transition after Moammar Gadhafi’s regime has fallen, however that’s supposed to happen. Continue

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Obama Lacks Clarity on Afghan War

By Ray McGovern

Afghan President Karzai said the Obama administration has been in secret talks with him to formalize a system of permanent military bases across the war-torn nation. Continue

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America’s Growing Intolerance
How “Enemy Creep” Is Guantanamo-izing America

By Karen J. Greenberg

You only had to listen to the recent hearings convened by New York Republican Congressman Peter King on radicalization and the Muslim religion to know that, if the ascending right in Washington (and elsewhere) has its way, the age of tolerance in America is over.  Continue

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Prison for Peacemakers in Tacoma, Washington

By Bill Quigley

Two grandmothers, two priests and a nun were sentenced in federal court in Tacoma, WA Monday March 28, 2011, for confronting hundreds of US nuclear weapons stockpiled for use by the deadly Trident submarines. Continue

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Worse Than Chenobyl.
When the Fukushima Meltdown Hits Groundwater

By Dr. Tom Burnett

Fukushima is going to dwarf Chenobyl. The Japanese government has had a level 7 nuclear disaster going for almost a week but won’t admit it. Continue

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Housing Market Blues
The bleeding continues

By Mike Whitney

It just goes to show that "free market" solutions are always jettisoned when they don't meet the needs of the rich and powerful. The free market is just a stick that's used to beat up on little guys. Continue

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Tracking Our Downward Spiral
The Ways in Which America Still “Leads’ the World

By Richard Clark

Amongst 20 of the world’s wealthiest countries, America now has: the highest poverty rate, both generally and for children; Continue

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R.I.P: Bageant Moves On
We don't last, and there's no warranty

By Fred Reed

Joe described himself as a redneck socialist, and he was. He was profoundly concerned with the fate of the people he wrote about, those who worked hard all their lives and ended up with nothing. Continue

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Hostage siege kills 21 in Iraq: Gunmen wearing military uniforms and suicide bomb belts stormed a local government headquarters in northern Iraq on Tuesday in an attempt to take hostages that killed at least 21 people, officials said.

Two people killed, five wounded in Iraq's violence: Two people were killed and five others wounded in gunfire and bomb attacks in and near Iraqi capital Baghdad on Tuesday, the police said.

Pakistan: Friendly fire killed 13 soldiers: Pakistan general: Lieutenant General Asif Yasin Malik told reporters on Tuesday that 13 soldiers died due to mortar fire called in by the commanding officer after his troops came under attack

Taliban overrun district, NATO soldier killed in Afghanistan: Taliban militants overran a district in the north-eastern Afghan province of Nuristan after overpowering local forces, while a NATO soldier died in an attack in the same region, officials said

Afghanistan: More children killed in US-NATO air attacks: A NATO helicopter strike in the southern Afghanistan province of Helmand last Friday killed seven civilians, including three children. The atrocity is the latest in a series of recent US-led bombing operations that have inflicted mass civilian casualties.

U.S. brigade murdered and mutilated innocent Afghan civilians: Military tried to pull pictures out of circulation to avoid another Abu Ghraib

MoD pays £1.3m compensation to Afghans for death, injury and damage: Ministry of Defence payouts include £542 for a girl killed in a fire and £4,700 for a shop destroyed by a flare

Afghan Elite Borrowed Freely From Kabul Bank: The terms were hard to beat: no collateral, little or no interest. And no repayment due date.

Scandal-tainted Kabul Bank to be sold off: Afghanistan responds to IMF pressure over financial institution at centre of corruption scandal.

Libyan rebels retreating after Gadhafi onslaught: Libyan government tanks and rockets pounded rebel forces into a panicked full retreat Tuesday after an hourslong, back-and-forth battle that highlighted the superior might of Moammar Gadhafi's forces, even hobbled by international airstrikes.

Gaddafi's troops halt rebel advance: Rebel fighters who drove west under protection of coalition air strikes driven out of Bin Jawad after approaching Sirte.

Regime change by any other name: U.S. Gives Its Air Power Expansive Role in Libya: The American military has been carrying out an expansive and increasingly potent air campaign to compel the Libyan Army to turn against Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi.

Libya: Cameron and Sarkozy demand that 'Gaddafi must go': Britain and France have demanded that Muammar Gaddafi should stand down immediately and declared that the era of the Libyan leader is over.

Libya: Coalition bombing may be in breach of UN resolution's legal limits: Concern over the legality of the military action in Libya reignited on Monday as rebel forces surged into the space created by the international bombardment of Colonel Gaddafi's military.

More countries slam NATO action in Libya: President Obama used the prime time speech to answer his critics and explain his case. The speech came as Russia and Indonesia called for an immediate ceasefire and Turkey offered to act as mediator.

British officials 'working with rebels in East': David Cameron said British officials were liaising with rebel ground forces in eastern Libya. "We are actually now in proper contact with the rebels and a Foreign Office official is now having proper discussions with them, which I think is vital as we need to get to know and work with them

Qatar recognises Libyan rebels after oil deal: Qatar is first Arab nation to recognise Benghazi-based council after rebels announce oil marketing deal with Gulf state.

Libya: it wasn't supposed to be like this in free Benghazi: The young gunmen at the roadblock took no chances. They put a knife to the throat of the driver before hauling the three men and one woman from the car, dragging them through the street into a nearby mosque for a rough round of interrogation.

Gaddafi forces intimidate rebels : Al Jazeera has received video which appears to show soldiers loyal to Muammar Gaddafi beating pro-democracy fighters who they had detained.

Turkey to take over Benghazi airport: NATO member to distribute aid from rebel-held city as Erdogan suggests Ankara could mediate between rebels and Gaddafi.

Fact or propaganda? Diplomats discuss Libya's future as Italy plots Gaddafi's escape route: Efforts appear to be under way to offer Muammar Gaddafi a way of escape from Libya, with Italy saying it was trying to organise an African haven for him, and the US signalling it would not try to stop the dictator from fleeing.

Syrian cabinet resigns amid unrest: Government resigns as part of promised reforms after two weeks of protests, outgoing PM appointed caretaker premier.

Syrians rally to support Assad: Hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets across Syria, rallying in support of President Bashar al-Assad after anti-government protests left many casualties.

'Abbas would give up US aid to reconcile with Hamas': Adviser to Abaas: "Palestinians need American money, but if they use it as a way of pressuring us, we are ready to relinquish that aid."

Israel cuts ties with PA if new unified government formed: Israel will cut ties with the Palestinian Authority (PA) if it brings Hamas into the formation of the new unified national government, the Jerusalem Post reported

Drafting Palestinian constitution prepares for establishment of independent state: A statement sent to reporters said Abbas requested the committee to finalize its work on drafting a constitution by this September "in accordance with the merit of finalizing the independent Palestinian state's establishment."

How Palestinians will use the UN General Assembly to advance statehood: Israel’s complacent assumption has been that even an overwhelming vote to establish ‘Palestine’ at the GA in September would have merely ‘declaratory’ impact. Wrong. Jerusalem had forgotten about UNGA Resolution 377.

Israel threatens unilateral steps if UN recognizes Palestinian state: Foreign Ministry instructs envoys in 30 countries to send 'diplomatic protest' to host nations over plan for September vote in General Assembly.

Facebook removes page calling for a 'Third Palestinian Intifada': In the original page, Palestinians are urged to take to the streets after Friday prayers on May 15 and begin an uprising in the vein of the first two popular uprisings.

Does Abbas support Bahrain's crackdown on protesters? Abbas briefed by Bahrain king: Abbas told the king he "is standing next to Bahrain," and desires a stable nation, saying he hoped grievances could be worked out soon.

Bahraini troops close in on protesters: Bahraini army troops have besieged mourning demonstrators in the northeastern village of Ma'ameer as the Persian Gulf state sees more violence against anti-government protests.

Yemen govt loses control of 6 of 18 provinces: Yemen's political crisis deepened today as President Ali Abdullah Saleh refused to step down in the face of mounting desertions by his supporters and officials said the government had lost control of six of the country's 18 provinces.

'US, Saudis keep Saleh in power': Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh has been able to stay in power only by relying on foreign supports and funding, especially from the US and Saudi Arabia, Director of Institute for [Persian] Gulf Affairs (IGA) says.

Yemen's Saleh tried to get Saudis to kill rival: WikiLeaks: – Yemen President Ali Abdallah Saleh tried to get Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar, now a leading dissident officer, killed last year by tricking Saudi forces into bombing his headquarters, a Norwegian daily said Monday, quoting a leaked US cable.

Ouattara claims capturing major city: In Ivory Coast, forces backing the internationally-recognized President Alassane Ouattara have launched an all-out attack, claiming to have seized a major city.
Ivory Coast braced for final battle as city falls: The area along the Liberian border has seen limited fighting for several weeks, but the latest push could open the way for troops loyal to Alassane Ouattara to march south to the strategic port of San Pedro, or east to the political capital of Yamoussoukro.
UN: Gbagbo forces behind Abidjan 'atrocity': World body says forces loyal to incumbent Ivorian president opened fire on civilians, killing about a dozen
Mohammed Jawad, A Child in Guantánamo, and the Lawyer Who Fought for Him: Every now and then, someone in the mainstream media cuts through the general — and shameful — indifference about Guantánamo, publishing a powerful story that should change hearts and minds.
Japan on 'alert' over radiation fears: Government acknowledges the situation is "grave" as it continues efforts to bring nuclear crisis under control.
Japan on ‘maximum alert’ over N-crisis: Addressing a lower house budget committee, Kan said that the situation “continues to be unpredictable” and that the government “will tackle the problem while in a state of maximum alert,” AFP reported.
Fukushima soil contains plutonium traces, according to Japanese officials: Earlier, the government confirmed that levels of radioactivity in water leaking from a reactor at the facility resulted from a partial meltdown of fuel rods, amid growing fears that radiation may also have seeped into seawater and soil.
Japan: Rainwater banned at water plants: The health ministry has instructed water purification plants nationwide to temporarily stop taking in rainwater to prevent tap water being contaminated from radiation leaking from the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant, ministry officials said Sunday.
EU to ban cars from cities by 2050: Cars will be banned from London and all other cities across Europe under a draconian EU masterplan to cut CO2 emissions by 60 per cent over the next 40 years.
Gold Replacing Dollar as World’s Reserve Currency?: $105 per barrel oil. Cotton prices at record levels. Food prices at 2008 highs. Typically, such commodity price increases would send central banks running to the U.S. Dollar to secure the value of their savings. After all, the dollar has been the reserve currency since World War I.