Latest articles
by Philip Giraldi The naming of leading neoconservative Norman Podhoretz as one of Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani’s senior foreign policy advisers is disconcerting to those Americans who have hoped that the current disagreements with Iran might be resolved short of war. Giuliani—together with Mitt Romney and John McCain—has publicly advocated a military strike against Iran to keep it from acquiring nuclear weapons. He has also not ruled out the
Fri, 13 Jul 2007 21:39:03 The dollar has sharply plummeted against the yen this afternoon on reports Iran has asked Japan to stop paying for its oil in dollars. The dollar was driven down against the Japanese yen this afternoon, hit by the news that Iran had asked Japan to pay for its oil purchases in the Japanese currency and not in dollars. Iran has sent a letter to Japanese
by Eran Shayson for The Jerusalem Post A month after its takeover of Gaza, it seems Hamas has begun to translate its military achievements into political dividends, while Fatah is wallowing in the mud and becoming even less relevant. Although Hamas’s victory in Gaza was decisive, leaving the movement with no serious rivals in the area, the victory also held the potential to work against it. First, following the collapse
by Jim Lobe Republican front-runner Rudy Giuliani announced his foreign-policy advisory team Tuesday, and it looks from the membership as if he’s bidding for the Likud vote (for which he will no doubt receive tough competition from John McCain, Fred Thompson, and, eventually perhaps, Newt Gingrich). Heading the team is Charles Hill, a retired career foreign service officer who worked as former Secretary of State George Shultz’s executive officer during
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President George W. Bush said on Thursday he will send Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to the Middle East in August. “They will meet with our allies, reemphasize our commitment to the international compact of Sharm el-Sheikh, reassure our friends that the Middle East remains a vital strategic priority for the United States,” the president said. Bush was speaking at a
Hizballah Has Missiles for Downing Israeli Warplanes One Year after Lebanon War One year ago to the day, the Lebanese Shiite terrorist Hizballah sent a unit across the border into Israel and ambushed an Israeli patrol, killing eight of its members and kidnapping two. The raid, followed by a Katyusha rocket attack on northern Israel sparked the Israeli invasion of Lebanon and a 34-day war. Today, DEBKAfile’s military sources report
Ahmed Rashid was interviewed by phone from Lahore, Pakistan, by Amy Goodman for DemocracyNow!. Ahmed Rashid is a Pakistani journalist based in Lahore. He is author of three books including “Taliban” and most recently “Jihad: The Rise of Militant Islam in Central Asia.” He has covered Pakistan, Afghanistan and Central Asia for the past 25 years and writes for the Far Eastern Economic Review, the Daily Telegraph, and The Wall
Al-Qaeda number two Ayman al-Zawahiri has urged Pakistanis to revolt against President Musharraf following the storming of the Lal Mosque. “I call upon the ulama (Muslim clergy) in Pakistan… Musharraf and his hunting dogs have tarnished your honor in service of the crusaders and the Jews,” Zawahiri said in an audiotape posted Thursday on the Internet. Zawahiri said that he was speaking on the “occasion of the criminal aggression” on
by Philip Giraldi In spite of repeated Pentagon denials that a military option is imminent, the United States is again putting pressure on Iran that could easily lead to an armed conflict, a conflict that is desired neither by the American nor Iranian people. Nearly everyone agrees that it would be better if Iran were not to develop a nuclear weapon, if, indeed, that is Tehran’s intention. Though modern Iran
Dear friends, Today I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Scott Horton for the second time (click here to listen to my first interview with him after the Hamas takeover of Gaza) for his radio talk show. Scott asked me to call his show to discuss my recent article about Iranian options in case of a US attack. Click here to listen to this interview (the interview proper begins
By Prof. Rodrigue Tremblay If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy.” James Madison (1751-1836), 4th U.S. President and author of the U.S. Constitution “When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carring the cross.” Sinclair Lewis, (It Can’t Happen Here, 1935) “Unhappy events abroad have retaught us two simple truths about the liberty
Ynet news reports that, according to Marwan Barghouti’s wife, Fadwa, her husband might be released from jail as part of a deal that would include the release of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. If true, this is interesting as it was reported that Shalit was captured by Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades (the military wing of the Palestinian governing party Hamas), the Popular Resistance Committees (which includes members of Fatah, Islamic
Al-Qaeda Demanding Tehran Stop Supporting Iraq CAIRO, Egypt, July 9–The leader of an Al-Qaeda umbrella group in Iraq threatened to wage war against Iran unless it stops supporting the democratically-elected Shiite government of Iraq within two months, according to an audiotape released Sunday. Abu Omar Al-Baghdadi, who leads the group Islamic State in Iraq, said his Sunni insurgents have been preparing for four years to wage a battle against Iran,
By Vineyard Saker – an Axis of Logic exclusive International public opinion is clearly worried about the prospects of a US aggression against Iran and many observers point to the risk to the world economy, of an Iranian attempt to block the Strait of Hormuz. Some also fear that Iran might sink a US aircraft carrier using some combination of missiles, submarines and small attack craft. It also is often
By Amir Mahdi Kazemi In an interview with Iran’s Press TV, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez comments on his country’s relations with the Islamic Republic In an interview with Iran’s newly launched Press TV, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has commented on a number of issues particularly the South American nation’s foreign policy. The following is the text of the interview with the president: Reporter: In his comments on website Globovision, the
by Wayne Madsen Irving Lewis “Scooter” Libby (Leibowitz) has been a long-serving intelligence agent for Israel’s Mossad, according to a veteran CIA “official cover” officer who spoke to the Wayne Madsen Report on deep background. The CIA’s Clandestine Service has, over the years, gathered a tremendous amount of intelligence on Libby’s activities on behalf of Mossad. Libby served as the lawyer for Switzerland- based American fugitive financier Marc Rich, aka
July 8, 2007, 11:48 AM (GMT+02:00): Four warships in the carrier’s strike group depart Norfolk Naval station Monday, July 9: the guided missile destroyers Arleigh Burke, Stout, James E .Williams and Forrest Sherman, as well as three more ships – with 7,500 sailors in all aboard. The Enterprise CVN 65-Big E Strike Group will join the USS Stennis and USS Nimitz carriers, building up the largest sea, air, marine concentration
Commentary by Tony Karon: Hamas represents the moderate current in Islamism that advocates for democracy and electoral politics. The alternative — which the West is effectively chosing – is violent nihilism First, it’s worth noting that the whole idea that Palestinian “moderates” are being bolstered in order that they will make peace with Israel is just a PR line, or a rather sick joke. The Israelis have left no doubt
By Rachel MorrisOn December 15, 2001, early in the morning on the last day of Ramadan, a reporter and a cameraman from Al Jazeera arrived at the Pakistani town of Charman on the Afghanistan border, on their way to cover the American military operation. The reporter, Abdelhaq Sadah, was replacing a colleague, but the cameraman, a Sudanese national named Sami al-Haj, had been on such an assignment before, and had
(Reuters) – Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s plane was fired on as it took off on Friday from a military airfield in Rawalpindi, an intelligence officer said. Musharraf’s plane arrived safely in the southwestern town of Turbat, where the president visited flood victims. The military initially denied there had been any attack. General Musharraf came to power in a military coup in 1999 and enraged Pakistani militant groups by abandoning support
