West Asia

While mental disorders continue to carry a fair degree of stigma in many countries, psychosocial support – as part of the battery of help humanitarian assistance organizations offer – is gaining more awareness.

It has taken some years, but now the numbers are coming in and adding up. The ongoing so-called war terror in Afghanistan is openly revealing its imperial character as the US geological service proudly reports of fantastic mineral finds in Afghanistan. In June the BBC said that Afghanistan may have more than a trillion dollars worth of untapped mineral deposits (1). However this appears to be yesterday’s news, and critics, with eyebrows raised, have already started questioning the purpose and motivation for launching an apparently old news story.

The U.S. has to concentrate now not on surges, not on wishful thinking, but on beginning the process to pull itself out from Afghanistan. And when it does, all the Europeans, highly relieved, will follow suit.

The humanitarian aid ship, Mavi Marmara, set off toward Gaza from Cyprus on Sunday, May 30, to deliver much-needed aid supplies. The following day, the Israeli military violently seized the ship in international waters. The Israeli government said the ship was embarking on "an act of provocation" against the Israeli military, stating the flotilla would be breaking international law by landing in Gaza. In response to this assault, dozens of people gathered in Burlington, Vermont on May 31 to express their sadness and outrage over Israel’s blatant lack of respect for international law.

The signing of the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty signals a further shift in the focus of America's nuclear strategy from her former Cold War foes to so-called rogue states, notably Iran. While President Obama's instincts will ensure he does everything in his power to avoid military conflict with Iran he is up against hawkish elements not just within Congress but within his own party. 

When American historian Howard Zinn passed away recently, he left behind a legacy that redefined our relationship to history altogether. Professor Zinn dared to challenge the way history was told and written. In fact he went as far as to defy the conventional construction of historical discourses through the pen of victor or of elites who earned the right of narration though their might, power and affluence.