Friday Reading List

Q&A: Middle East crisis

Sign That Crisis Is Regional, Not Just Israel vs. Palestinians

Middle East II: Israel's invasion, Syria's war

American Policy in Middle East Caught in "a Perfect Storm"

Rarely can United States policy in the Middle East have been in such disarray as now.

Widening Crisis Tests Olmert

Israel and the Doctrine of Proportionality


"This Is Going to Be a Big War"

"It is civil war now in Iraq, no doubt," he continues, "But no matter who you ask, no one will admit it. Because people are too afraid to admit this. People prefer to deny it."

The Occupation of Iraqi Hearts and Minds

Last Clinic Standing

Between July 15 and 20, OSA/OR will be staging an extended protest in Jackson, Miss., aimed at closing the state’s last abortion clinic—a move the group hopes will “send a message” to abortion providers and lawmakers throughout the country.

Rape and Murder of Abeer Qassim Hamza: Bloody Reality of the U.S. Occupation

LAST STAND: The military’s problem with the President’s Iran policy

Inside the Pentagon, senior commanders have increasingly challenged the President’s plans, according to active-duty and retired officers and officials. The generals and admirals have told the Administration that the bombing campaign will probably not succeed in destroying Iran’s nuclear program. They have also warned that an attack could lead to serious economic, political, and military consequences for the United States.

A crucial issue in the military’s dissent, the officers said, is the fact that American and European intelligence agencies have not found specific evidence of clandestine activities or hidden facilities; the war planners are not sure what to hit. “The target array in Iran is huge, but it’s amorphous,” a high-ranking general told me. “The question we face is, When does innocent infrastructure evolve into something nefarious?” The high-ranking general added that the military’s experience in Iraq, where intelligence on weapons of mass destruction was deeply flawed, has affected its approach to Iran. “We built this big monster with Iraq, and there was nothing there. This is son of Iraq,” he said.