George Galloway gets suspended from the Commons even as the investigation into the Al-Yamamah deal (which may implicate the UK government in Saudi money laundering for terrorist cells: Simon Jenkins, “Who Exposed This Colossal Bribery? Why, the Feral Beast,” Guardian, 13 June 2007) gets scrapped. Galloway notes: “The Serious Fraud Office investigation into BAe was […]
Geography Archives: Lebanon
Containing Russia: Back to the Future?
“Containing Russia: Back to the Future?” by Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov was published on the Web site of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation on 19 July 2007. The account of Lavrov’s conflict with the journal Foreign Affairs, which follows his essay, was published on the same Web […]
Target the Weakest Link
CHAIN OF DISASTERS & THE WEAKEST LINK The only thing that Bush’s “war on terror” has spread faster than disaster and misery has been opposition to its means and ends. Six years into this self-righteously promoted crusade, Washington is more isolated internationally than ever. Within the U.S., the Commander Guy’s approval rating has fallen below […]
Darfur: Give Them a Megaphone Instead
Harlem’s Canaan Baptist Church, long associated with human rights activism, hosted a fundraising rally for women in Darfur, on June 13. Billed as “Voices for the Voiceless,” the program featured speeches and fund-pitches by the program’s emcee, business developer Judith Price, and main speaker, peace activist and church leader Dr. Thelma Adair, with proclamations by […]
Setting Priorities Straight in the Struggle: On Iran and the Iranian Role in the Arab Region
Before we deal with the topic of the Iranian role in the Arab region, it is useful to recall the complexity of Iran and its different entanglements: For one, Iran is not a “Banana Republic,” and its regime is not a puppet or a client regime of Imperialism. Iran has a regional project and works […]
What the Hell Is Going On in Palestine?
Dr. Hisham Bustani is a writer and activist, based in Amman, a founding member of the Resistant Arab People’s Alliance and a member in its Coordination Committee. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Socialist Thought Forum in Jordan. INTRODUCTION: Hisham Bustani on the Turmoil in Gaza The Jordanian Marxist writer […]
Nahr El-Bared Refugee Crisis Growing in Lebanon
While the intense fighting between the Lebanese Army and Fateh el Islam escalates in the Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr el-Bared, the humanitarian situation of the Palestinian refugees — both within the camp itself and the tens of thousands who had previously fled the camp — continues to be dire. The majority of the […]
Let’s Not Trivialize Discrimination in Iran
WCP leader Maryam Kousha addresses protesters in London in 2005. Also pictured is Peter Tatchell. It is a sad day when self-described progressive gay rights defenders risk their credibility to promote the agendas of Middle Eastern fanatics. Yet that was just the scenario when Doug Ireland and Peter Tatchell broke with several reputable rights groups […]
Cairo Conference Calls for World Resistance against Imperialism
(Because most conference participants face repressive conditions in their homelands, individual’s names are omitted from this report. — JR) Part OneA New Pole of Anti-Imperialist Leadership CAIRO, EGYPT — More than 1,500 activists from the Middle East and around the world met in Cairo, March 29-April 1, under the banner “Towards an International Alliance against […]
Hands off Azmi! The Dangerous Politics of “A State for All Its Citizens”
Murmurings of a political tsunami are emerging with regards to Israel’s policies towards the “non-Jewish” citizens of the “Jewish democratic state.” Azmi Bishara, perhaps the most prominent political leader of the Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel, was in the midst of engaging in his routine activities of propagating the rights of the Palestinian Arab […]
Imperial Sunset?
For the first time since its rise as a superpower the United States is facing a serious threat to its hegemony across the globe. In February this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed a security conference in Munich that had 250 of the world’s top leaders and officials in attendance, including such luminaries as the […]
Soha Béchara, Ex-Lebanese Militant, Attacked by the Swiss Far Right [Soha Béchara, ex-militante libanaise, en butte à l’extrême droite suisse]
Soha Béchara, 39 ans, est une figure emblématique de la résistance à l’occupation israélienne dans le Liban sud. Cette ex-militante communiste a été emprisonnée durant dix ans, sans jugement, dans la prison de Khiam, après avoir tenté d’assassiner, en novembre 1988, en pleine guerre, le général Antoine Lahad, chef de l’Armée du Liban sud (ALS), […]
Oh! What A Lovely War
I have been very puzzled by how many on the left and in the liberal media seem to imagine that the situation in Iraq and the Middle East is bad for the Imperialists. They are having a heyday with the so-called WOT. . . . It is going very well for them . . […]
Lebanon: Women against Civil War and Sectarian Divisions [Liban : Les femmes contre la guerre civile et les divisions confessionnelles]
Les derniers développements politiques au Liban, notamment les événements sanglants du jeudi 26 janvier, ont poussé les représentantes de 15 associations féminines libanaises (dont la « Ligue des droits de la femme libanaise », l’« Association « Wardé Boutros » des femmes communistes », « Kafa », « Les dames de Choueifat »…) ainsi que […]
Toward a Surge for “Out Now”
THE ANTI-SURGE GETS ROLLING It’s not about Bush’s surge anymore. It’s the Antiwar Surge that’s capturing the headlines and threatening to upset all the warmakers’ calculations. On January 27, “a raucous and colorful multitude” (Washington Post) brought their “Out Now!” message to the streets of Washington. With participants ranging from active duty GIs to members […]
Israeli Left Archive
Nostalgic? Curious? Historian? We would like to take this occasion to present to you and your friends our new Web site data base: ISRAELI-LEFT-ARCHIVE.ORG The Web site is built around collections of historical documents from various important sections of the Israeli left and peace forces: Women in Black and other sections of the women’s peace […]
The Paris III Conference on Assistance to Lebanon: Who Aids Whom? [La conférence de Paris III pour le soutien au Liban : qui aide qui ?]
Le 25 janvier 2007 se tenait, à Paris, la Conférence internationale de soutien au Liban, dite « Paris III », convoquée et présidée par Jacques Chirac. Etaient réunis les représentants de trente-six pays, notamment la secrétaire d’Etat américaine Condolezza Rice, et de quatorze institutions internationales dont le nouveau secrétaire général des Nations Unies Ban Ki-Moon, […]
Mass Movement to End the War Now
To endorse the statement below, please go to: www.petitiononline.com/NYCLAW2/petition.html. January 24, 2007 Despite overwhelming rejection of its policies in the November elections, the Bush administration has steadily escalated its war in the Middle East. This has meant not only ordering thousands more troops to Iraq and Afghanistan, but arming and financing Israel’s attacks on Lebanon […]
Lebanon Paralyzed by the Opposition [Le Liban paralysé par l’opposition]
Au moins 15 personnes ont été blessées par balles mardi au Liban, où des affrontements ont éclaté entre les partisans du gouvernement et ceux de l’opposition, qui bloquaient les axes routiers avec des pneus brûlés. Dans ce climat de vive tension, l’opposition a appelé à poursuivre le mouvement de grève générale entamé le jour même […]
Lebanon: The General Strike [Liban: La grève générale]
L’opposition libanaise qui cherche à intensifier sa campagne destinée à faire chuter le gouvernement de Fouad Siniora, a appelé samedi à la grève générale à compter de mardi 23 janvier 2007. “L’opposition en appelle à sa base populaire pour permettre une intensification de son mouvement de protestation pacifique et démocratique et appelle les Libanais à […]
