CNN has reported that the Defense Department “might propose that the US send conventional ground combat forces into northern Syria for the first time,” and that the move would “significantly alter US military operations in Syria if approved and could put troops on the ground within weeks.” CNN says “one goal of their presence would…
It’s magical thinking to claim that US air power is the solution to Syria’s problems. People who claim that US air power can magically “protect civilians” in Syria should explain why US air power just blew up a Doctors Without Borders hospital in Afghanistan. But Washington never seems to tire of the fairy tale that…
On Friday, Mahmoud Abbas – backed by more than 80% of Palestinian public opinion in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem – formally requested full United Nations membership for Palestine. The logic of turning to the UN is straightforward: the U.S.-sponsored "peace process" – bilateral negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians under U.S. auspices…
With all the ballyhoo about the alleged "existential" conflict between Israel and Iran, you might think that the news that Iran is trying to send an aid boat to Gaza, in the wake of the Israeli military attack on the Turkish aid boat that killed eight Turks and an American, would occasion a great wailing…
The United Nations Security Council approved a resolution calling for new sanctions against Iran today. Wait, did you just yawn? Pay attention, there’s real news here. The man-bites-dog story is that two countries – Brazil and Turkey – voted no, while Lebanon abstained. That’s a record. There’s never been more than one no vote before;…
Until quite recently, it seemed that Turkey had a clearly defined role in the Middle East, from the standpoint of U.S. policy. They were the "good Muslims," who were part of NATO, who contributed troops to U.S. wars, and who had good relations with Israel. In the past few weeks, therefore, some Americans may have…
In the past few weeks, Turkey and Brazil have elbowed their way to the Big Table of international diplomacy: first by negotiating a nuclear fuel swap agreement to try to push the US back towards diplomatic efforts to resolve its conflict with Iran, and then – in the case of Turkey – by its support…
Sometimes the Israeli occupation authorities and their allies try to project a "mad dog" image to their opponents: don’t bother trying to resist our power, because we are ready to crush you by any means necessary, and no-one who matters to us will care what means we use. But as the Israeli government reaction to…
Sao Paulo – New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman is on the warpath. Not only against his "Great Satan" of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but also against Brazil’s President Lula and Turkey’s Prime Minister Erdogan, because they had the temerity to succeed in negotiating an agreement with Iran to try to de-escalate the confrontation between…
If I were in Washington this morning, I would run down Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House to Congress with a big Brazilian flag, as the young Brazilians run down the Avenida Paulista in Sao Paulo during the the "football" match, shouting "Gollllllll!" Because with the news this morning that Iran has agreed to ship…