West Asia

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The Case for U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan

Sameer Dossani November 10, 2008 Sameer Dossani

US Troops in Afghanistan
In recent history, two concepts of justice have stood out. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., believed in a kind of justice that could only be achieved when systematic oppression had been eliminated from the world. George W. Bush, on the other hand, believed in the justice of old Western movies and gunfights. When he inherits the Bush legacy on January 21st, 2009, Barack Obama will have to choose between these two approaches. The decision he makes will reverberate around the world and be one of the first indicators of whether "Change We Can Believe In" was merely good sloganeering.

Photo from Flickr

Tenuous Agreement on Maintaining U.S. Troops in Iraq

Phyllis Bennis October 27, 2008 Phyllis Bennis

Despite the recent surge of attention to the U.S.-Iraqi negotiations over an agreement to keep U.S. troops in Iraq for years into the future, the resulting agreement or lack of agreement is likely to have little actual impact on the occupation. The negotiations are being conducted by representatives of President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki - neither of whom actually want the U.S. troops to leave.

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Are Pakistan and the United States on the Brink of War?

Mustafa Qadri October 6, 2008 Mustafa Qadri

Explosion at Pakistan-Afghan Border
As the United States steps up border raids into Pakistan, troops from both countries have commenced a deadly game of brinksmanship. Although aimed at asserting each other's military presence along the Pakistan-Afghan border, the skirmishes risk outright hostilities. U.S. strikes in Pakistan are nothing new. Washington has conducted unilateral missile strikes since soon after its invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001. But the tone of the U.S. presence changed this year.

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Remembering Mahmoud Darwish

Various Media August 20, 2008 Various Media

Video by Al Jazeera

Free Speech Radio News: Internationally acclaimed Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish died on August 10th after complications from heart surgery. Considered one of the greatest contemporary Arab poets, Darwish’s work was regarded as the quintessential voice of Palestinian exile – and his death has come as a shock to Palestinians in the occupied territories and abroad.

CLICK HERE to listen to Darwish himself, reading "In Jerusalem", voiceover by Saed Bannoura, music by Marcel Khalife. read more

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The Bipartisan Road to War in Iran and The Activist Response

Jeff Nall July 14, 2008 Jeff Nall

More than 100 House Democrats have joined 117 House Republicans in co-sponsoring a bill which peace activists fear may further pave the road to war with Iran. The Bill, House Concurrent Resolution 362, describes Iran as a threat to international peace, stability in the Middle East, and US National Security. Introduced on May 22 by New York Democrat Gary Ackerman, the bill calls for an affective blockade against Iran, which, according to international law, is an act of aggression.