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August 2013
Washington and the Egyptian Tragedy
.By Stephen Zunes: As in El Salvador, Nicaragua, East Timor, Angola, Lebanon, and Gaza in previous years, the massive killing of civilians in Egypt is being done with U.S.-provided weapons by a U.S.-backed government. As a result, the Obama administration and Congress are morally culpable for the unfolding tragedy. While the apparent decision to suspend some military aid to Egypt is certainly welcome, the role the United States has been playing has, on balance, made matters worse. Read More
Imran tells Kerry drones helping terrorists
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: Pakistan Tahreek Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, in a one-on-one meeting in Islamabad, told visiting US Secretary of State John Kerry that US drone attacks in Pakistan's volatile tribal territory were helping the terrorists. A PTI press statement after the meeting on August 1, 2013 said that Imran Khan told Kerry his party’s viewpoint on drone attacks in Pakistan, war on terrorism and the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.The PTI chairman reiterated that drones were a violation of international law and counterproductive as the attacks cause collateral damage in terms of increasing terrorism, said the PTI statement adding that this links Pakistan to the US War on terrorism that in turn allows the terrorists to exploit the narrative of armed jihad and raise the suicide bombers. Read More
America: Are we defined by color or race?
By Mertze Dahlin: Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman! Who hasn’t followed the saga of the trial during July, 2013, which had no meaningful outcome – no matter what way the result was. Black families could hardly believe the result – to make it even stranger; neither could any ‘aware’ white person – a white man was allowed to go free after killing a Black youth. The jury could not come to the decision it felt was correct in their hearts because of some obnoxious law that lent itself to protecting the perpetrator. This was assuming he has some position of power or access to a second meaning of the law which provides the loophole to provide for his defense. It was that loophole which the jury was bound to adhere to and they had no other route to pursue. The entire event was so apparently wrong that even President Obama had to make his comment about it. He surmised that it could have been himself thirty five years ago. Had the jury ignored the judge’s instructions and found George Zimmerman guilty, they themselves would be admonished for violating their instructions and a new trial with new jurors would likely be demanded. Read More
Jailbreaks new phenomena in political struggle?
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali:On July 30, 2013, Pakistan elected little known Mamoun Hussain as the 12th president to replace Asif Ali Zardari. Hours before the election of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's loyalist (read crony) the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) sent a strong message to the ruling elite about the precarious security situation in the strife-torn country with a military precision raid on the Dera Ismael Khan prison securing releasing of their imprisoned comrades. In all, by the last count, 248 prisoners have escaped, among them 30 hardcore militants, including Qari Asif and Khalil, the group allegedly involved in bombing in Dera Ismail Khan that had left 25 mourners dead on the ninth and tenth of Muharram last year. Read More
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