New York City

‘Anti-Semite’ de Blasio schmoozes AIPAC

Mayor de Blasio's closed-doors meeting with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) plays into the worst stereotypes about Jews. So no thanks, Bill.

Greater Middle East

Syria: massacres and hypocrisy

Assad's partisans tout a supposed massacre by jihadists near Damascus, while igonoring the much larger and thoroughly verified one being carried out by the regime in Aleppo.

Greater Middle East

Syria: what is the imperial agenda?

Obama's UN speech pledged: "We will ensure the free flow of energy" from the Middle East. Yet intervention risks a conflagration that could threaten imperial control of the oil reserves.

Greater Middle East

Are you ready for World War 5?

The fearful synergy of regional sectarian war and Great Power rivalries holds the menace of the looming Syria intervention setting off a new global conflagration.

Greater Middle East

Samantha Power signals Syria intervention?

Samantha Power’s appointment as UN ambassador may signal a determination on the part of the Obama administration that intervention in Syria is inevitable.

Greater Middle East

Has Syria crossed chemical ‘red line’?

Israel's claim that Syria has used chemical weapons comes as rebel militias have assumed positions near the line of control in the Golan Heights.

The Caucasus

Chechnya war comes to Boston —or not?

Voices on the left seek to play down jihadist involvement in the Chechen struggle, while the neocon right plays it up—ironically in line with Moscow's propaganda.

Watching the Shadows

Chuck Hagel: revenge of the paleocons?

Leftists are ironically rallying around Chuck Hagel as Obama's apparent pick for Secretary of Defense—a conservative Republican who is wary of the neocons but close to Big Oil.

Greater Middle East

Syria chemical weapons threat: how real?

Is a "false flag" attack in preparation to faciliate military intervention that would install the rebels in power? Or is Washington more afraid of WMD falling into jihadist hands?

North Africa

Petraeus prostration: Benghazi blowback?

David Petraeus was scheduled to testify before Congress on the Benghazi attack when he was brought down by a sex scandal. Did the FBI instrument the revelation to silence him?

Greater Middle East

Will provocateur film derail Arab Spring?

In the wave of protest over a provocateur-produced "film" dissing the Prophet Mohammed, jihadists could be seizing back the initiative from secular revolutionaries in the Arab world.