NewsTrust - Pakistan - Most Recent Stories: Opinion (Independent)

The Big Distractions

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Dissident Voice - Feb. 23 (Opinion) - The lesser of two evils is still… evil. Who decides what the American public focuses its attention upon on a day-to-day basis? With this nation at war with innumerable countries, with habeas corpus being tossed into the waste bin, with self-confessed tor

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Pakistan Tips off Militants AGAIN

Sun, 19 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0700

The Moderate Voice - By Joe Gandelman - Jun. 19 (Opinion) - It’s pretty clear that the word “ally” will need to be redefined if it is applied to Pakistan. The AP reports that Pakistan has tipped off militants again: U.S. officials say Pakistan has apparently tipped off militants at two more bomb-building factories in its tribal areas, giving the terror suspects time to flee, after U.S. [...]

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Seymour Hersh on the Arab Spring, "Disaster" U.S. Wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and the Looming Crisis in Iraq

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Democracy Now - By Seymour Hersh, Amy Goodman, Juan Gonzalez - Jun. 03 (Opinion) - Veteran investigative reporter Seymour Hersh assesses the popular uprisings sweeping the Middle East and North Africa amidst ongoing U.S. wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan. Despite touted gains and an upcoming U.S. military withdrawal deadline in Iraq, Hersh says: "Whatever you're hearing, Iraq is going bad ... It's sectarian war, and the big question will be whether we pull out or not." On the uprisings, Hersh says Saudi Arabia—fearing an overthrow of the regional order—is driving the embattled regimes' attempts to crush the protests.

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Drumbeat: May 18, 2011

Wed, 18 May 2011 08:39:03 -0700

The Oil Drum - By Leanan - May. 18 (Opinion) - Peak Oil Has Shattered The North American Housing Sector Of the many asset classes to be victimized by the end of cheap energy, residential real estate is perhaps the most vulnerable. A call option on future wage growth, and, leveraged to our liquid-fuel based transport system, housing in North America is currently making its way back to the stable, but barely appreciating asset it once was. However, having started this journey only recently there is still a long way to go. A long way in price that is, for housing to fall. The housing crash is currently in the midst of its next leg down. In similar fashion to those who missed the initial crash, the past year has seen a number of observers calling for a bottom. One of my favorite calls came last year from Karl Case’s in an editorial in the Wall Street Journal. In A Dream House for All, Mr Case made the following argument: because house prices had fallen so much already, housing was now more affordable. But of course that wasn’t true at all. Not then, and not now. Oil Rises From Three-Month Low as Cushing, Fuel Supplies Fall Oil rose from a three-month low after an industry-funded report showed U.S. gasoline stockpiles dropped and crude inventories at the delivery point for New York futures declined the most since June. Prices gained as much as 1.1 percent today. Gasoline supplies last week fell 676,000 barrels, the American Petroleum Institute said. An Energy Department report today will show they increased 950,000 barrels, according to a Bloomberg News survey. Crude inventories at Cushing, Oklahoma, the delivery point for the benchmark West Texas Intermediate grade, slid 1.5 million barrels, the API said. Jim Rogers says Oil Price to Rise “beyond anyone’s expectations” Speaking with the BBC, Tuesday, Jim Rogers said he believes oil prices will rise “beyond anyone’s expectations” in coming years. The billionaire investor, author and co-founder of the legendary Quantum Fund also said the U.S. economy will “slow down” as a result of headwinds brought on from higher oil prices. In firm responses to the host of BBC Hardtalk Stephen Sackur’s contentious questions, the 68-year-old Rogers reminded viewers of last year’s published IEA data, which strongly suggest that world oil production appears to have peaked in 2006—though the agency’s 2010 annual report didn’t make a definitive statement along the lines of the ‘peak oil’ theses. JPMorgan Says Crude Oil, Gold to Drive Rebound in Commodities on Shortages Crude oil and gold will lead a rally in commodities as production fails to keep pace with demand, said Ray Eyles, chief executive officer of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM)’s commodity business in Asia. Oil supply will trail consumption in the second half as the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and other producers won’t increase output fast enough, the bank said in a report May 6. Rabobank Groep expects shortages in corn and cotton this year while Barclays Capital is predicting deficits in copper, nickel, tin, lead and platinum. Jeff Rubin: Will export restrictions on energy echo those on food? Higher prices are supposed to encourage more world supply. It’s standard textbook economics. But what happens when, instead of export-oriented global firms, it’s governments that control supply. They may not respond to price signals the same way as profit-maximizing companies. In fact, they may respond in the exact opposite way. Instead of soaring food and energy prices encouraging food and energy producers to export more, they may export less and divert more of their output to domestic markets. The reason is simple: to keep domestic prices from matching soaring world prices. 7 in 10 Americans say high gas prices hurt As gas prices hover near $4 a gallon, nearly seven in 10 Americans say the high cost of fuel is causing financial hardship for their families, a new USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds. More than half say they have made major changes to compensate for the higher prices, ranging from shorter trips to cutting back on vacation travel. For 21%, the impact is so dramatic they say their standard of living is jeopardized. Bring on the gas hikes “Peak oil’’ theorists argue that someday soon — maybe even now — we’re going to run out of new oil supplies and prices will rise permanently. Maybe. But today’s rise seems more ephemeral, a consequence of the Arab Spring, the newly reviving economy, and speculation by oil traders. Indeed, a week ago per-barrel prices were almost $105. Now they are down in the high $90s. Gas, I’m betting, will soon be inexpensive again. High gas prices depress Ohio Turnpike car traffic YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (AP) - The Ohio Turnpike says fewer cars used the toll road during the first month of its new, higher speed limit. A spokeswoman says high gasoline prices have hurt passenger vehicle traffic. The turnpike upped its top speed from 65 mph to 70 mph in April, partly to lure more traffic onto the highway and off smaller, parallel roadways. Russia's Vankor to ship 13 mln t crude in 2011 PURPE, Russia (Reuter) - Rosneft's Vankor oil field, a key source of new output for Russia as it struggles to sustain production, will deliver 13 million tonnes into the pipeline system, pipeline operator Transneft said on Wednesday. China forced to ration electricity Chinese provinces are rationing electricity as soaring coal prices squeeze power generation companies, underlining the challenges facing the world’s largest energy consumer as global fuel prices rise. While China experiences power cuts each summer, some provinces have started rationing earlier than usual this year. In recent days Hunan, Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui provinces have implemented cuts, alongside Shanghai and Chongqing. Iran president to chair next OPEC meeting TEHRAN, Iran (AP) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will head the upcoming OPEC meeting in Vienna in his capacity as the country's caretaker oil minister, state media reported Wednesday. Ahmadinejad dismissed Oil Minister Masoud Mirkazemi last week as part of a Cabinet restructuring plan under which the government is required to merge eight ministries into four. The move puts him temporarily at the helm of the country's most vital sector. Iran also holds the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries' rotating presidency this year. Libya rebels eye OPEC meeting as oil minister 'defects' Rebels fighting to topple strongman Moammar Gaddafi's regime by contrast were growing in confidence and laid claim on Wednesday to being able to represent Libya at the June 8 meeting of oil cartel OPEC in Vienna. Tunisian source: Libyan oil minister defects TRIPOLI, Libya - Libya's oil minister defected and fled to Tunisia, a Tunisian security official said Tuesday, one of the highest profile figures to abandon Moammar Gadhafi's government. Shukri Ghanem, the head of the National Oil Co. and Libya's oil minister, crossed into Tunisia by road on Monday and defected, the Tunisian official said. The official, based in the region around the Ras Jdir border crossing, spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. Rebels accuse Gadhafi fighters of shelling mountains in west, say people lack food, medicine TRIPOLI, Libya — Forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi shelled villages and towns to try to take control of the high ground in a western mountain range as NATO widened its campaign of bombings and leafletting to persuade government troops to stop fighting. Frustrated U.S. warns Pakistan of cuts in aid Washington — Congressional Republicans and Democrats warned Pakistan on Tuesday that billions of dollars in American aid are at stake if Islamabad doesn't step up its efforts against terrorists, a clear sign of the growing exasperation after the U.S. takedown of Osama bin Laden deep inside Pakistan. Pakistani troops, NATO helicopters engage in firefight ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN — Pakistani paramilitary troops shot at NATO helicopters that crossed from Afghanistan into Pakistan early Tuesday, triggering a firefight that left two soldiers wounded, military officials here said. Syrian government denies mass grave found near Daraa (CNN) -- The Syrian government is denying claims that a mass grave was found near the embattled city of Daraa, a focal point in the nationwide wave of anti-government rage. The country's Interior Ministry said the news was untrue and is part of a "campaign of incitement and slandering," Syrian state TV reported Tuesday. Interior chief asks for shorter drilling time WASHINGTON – The Obama administration is asking Congress to shorten the time energy companies get to start drilling on public lands they lease, as part of the government's strategy to boost oil and gas production. US Senate blocks bill targeting oil firm subsidies WASHINGTON (AFP) – The US Senate defeated a bill taking aim at some $2 billion in annual subsidies to some of the world's largest and most profitable oil companies amid deep voter anger at high gasoline prices. Lawmakers voted 52-48 to end debate on the measure, falling short of the 60 required and effectively killing a proposal that the White House's Democratic allies had portrayed as a belt-tightening step in cash-strapped Washington. Is Obama’s call for more drilling bad messaging or cynical policy? One thing we know for certain -- more domestic drilling starting now will have exactly the same impact on prices that the increased domestic drilling in the last two years had. Zilch. BP Defeat Puts Arctic Oil Trove Back in Play The collapse of BP Plc (BP/)’s alliance with Russia’s state-run oil company brings one of the world’s largest untapped drilling opportunities back onto the market. Medvedev raps Sechin over BP-Rosneft deal failure SKOLKOVO, Russia (Reuters) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has rapped Premier Vladimir Putin's top deal maker for lapses that contributed to the collapse of a major oil deal between Rosneft and BP. Rosneft receives new proposals from BP MOSCOW (AFP) – Russia's state-run oil firm Rosneft said on Wednesday it had received new cooperation proposals from BP after their joint Arctic exploration agreement collapsed this week. The Russian giant did not give details nor make clear whether they included a potential new Arctic agreement covering joint exploration of Russia's northern reserves. Russia's Medvedev says Ukraine gas price may change SKOLKOVO, Russia (Reuters) - Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev said on Wednesday the gas price formula for its neighbour Ukraine could be subject to change in future. Ukraine's government has called the current price agreement, set in January 2009 when the government of Yulia Tymoshenko was in power, "unfairly high". It hopes new talks will lead to lower gas prices that would benefit Ukraine's economy. PetroChina to expand overseas, eyes progress in Sino-Russian pipeline BEIJING (Xinhua) -- Senior executives of PetroChina Co., Ltd., said Wednesday that the company will continue to seek opportunity for overseas merger and acquisition (M&A) and further expand its Latin American presence. In an interview with Xinhua at PetroChina's annual shareholders' meeting, Chairman Jiang Jiemin said current high oil and gas prices don't make it an ideal time for overseas M&A, but the company won't miss a profitable chance when it comes along. Pennsylvania fines Chesapeake Energy $1.1 million HARRISBURG, Pa. - Pennsylvania has fined Chesapeake Energy Corp. $1.1 million for contaminating well water and causing a tank fire during natural gas drilling operations. The state environmental protection department said Tuesday that the well contamination fine was the largest it ever imposed against companies drilling in the Marcellus shale, energy-rich formations under the Appalachians. Judge at Heart of Landmark Oil Pollution Case Unfazed by Spotlight LAGO AGRIO, Ecuador -- Sitting in a dimly lit office with blue paint peeling off the walls, Judge Nicolas Zambrano is remarkably relaxed for a man responsible for the biggest environmental damage ruling in history. In February, Zambrano ordered Chevron Corp. to pay up to $18 billion for oil pollution in the region around this hard-edged frontier town on the fringe of the Amazon jungle. Sasol Considers Plans to Produce Fuel from Shale Gas, Coal in China Sasol Ltd. (SOL), the world’s largest maker of motor fuels from coal, is open to adding plants to convert coal to fuels in regions of China such as Xinjiang, said John Armstrong, company president for the country. The Johannesburg-based company will also consider projects to turn shale gas into liquid fuels should the nation allow access to such an industry in the future, Armstrong said in an interview in Tianjin today. ID Summit: Warning over oil liability cap MUNICH Re’s controversial plan to pull together a $20bn drilling liability product for the Gulf of Mexico created an unrealistic sense of available capacity among US regulators, and with proposals to lift the oil spill liability cap back on the agenda, oil companies are anxious that the same mistakes are not repeated. According to Robert Stauffer president and chief executive of Bermudian energy industry mutual Oil Insurance Ltd (Oil), US legislators had considered using Munich Re’s aspirational $20bn figure as the basis for setting the new cap, which he said would have left only the largest oil companies able to afford cover. Tepco revises plan for cooling reactors TOKYO — Confronted with worse-than-expected damage at its battered nuclear plant, Tokyo Electric Power Co. on Tuesday revised its strategy for cooling Fukushima Daiichi’s reactors. However, the utility company reaffirmed its goal of stabilizing the facility — and ending the country’s nuclear crisis — within six to nine months. A Worldwide Nuclear Slowdown Continues Aftershocks from Fukushima shake political confidence in nuclear—and provide a boost for rewewables. Why Japan's Shift Away from Nuclear Is Good for Business Seven/Eleven convenience stores in Japan may seem like just another chain of 24/7, overly lit, electricity-burning businesses wasting this island nation's precious energy resources. But in fact, they are among a host of forward-looking companies helping set the pace for change within the nation's energy policy. With over 13,000 locations nationwide, the convenience store chain plans to spend over $123 million to switch to energy efficient LED lighting at about 6000 outlets in Tokyo, and will install solar panels on roofs of 1,000 stores around the country over the next few months. The plan will not only save 125KW a day per store, but also benefit manufacturers of LED lighting and solar cell panels — a win-win for all. Americans ready for vacation, despite high gas prices Many Americans, fed up with being pent up, appear determined to go on vacation this summer — even though they know it's going to cost them more than in recent years. More seniors going hungry Although programs that address senior hunger also are on the rise, Ziliak says the growth hasn't been enough to compete with the growing need. An AARP Public Policy Institute analysis of data released last fall showed that between 2006 and 2008, the percentage of poor and near-poor seniors who were hungry more than doubled, from 4.7% to 10.1%. Six irrational ideas about oil and gas prices debunked It's not pretty when several irrational ideas collide. On May 12, the Senate conducted a hearing to discuss the removal of a $2 billion per year tax break for the top five oil companies. The New York Times called the testimony at the hearing "a big whine for big oil." Eliminating a tax break like this should be a no-brainer, but that idea is blocked by six irrational notions from the right that come together in an explosion of false logic: Beyond Petroleum. Or Not. Can Big Oil figure out the climate-friendly future of energy? Does it actually want to? Can natural gas fuel the U.S.? The United States does not have a decades-long supply of inexpensive, locally sourced natural gas, according to a new report commissioned by the Post Carbon Institute, a nonprofit think tank that examines issues related to the economy, energy and the environment. No silver bullet for energy crisis Mount Carroll, Ill. — The search goes on. Because we are so resistant to the idea of conserving energy, we hope for the silver bullet. Since the disaster in Japan has fueled doubts about the safety of nuclear energy, concerns for powering our future have taken a front seat. Australia: Solar dishonesty Last year I entered into a contract with the NSW Government to feed solar electricity into the state's power grid. It was a contract without deception, one in which both I and the NSW Government knew what was offered and expected. I was to pay to install a solar system at my home and the NSW Government was to pay me 60 cents a kilowatt-hour until the end of the 2016. Late last week the O'Farrell government announced that it was going to renege, that it was going to reduce the payment from 60 cents a kilowatt-hour to 40 cents. The O'Farrell government tries to portray me and the other 120,000 contracted producers of solar power as greedy and selfish by describing its payments to us as windfall profits. Windfall? Unexpected? Accidental? What nonsense! The government knew very well what the scheme was to cost, what it was to pay, what solar producers were to receive, and Barry O'Farrell and his fellows supported the introduction of the scheme in 2009. The government made an offer and I, somewhat late in the day, accepted it. I have met my obligation in the contract by installing the solar system, at a cost to me of $15,000, now Barry O'Farrell and his Coalition government say it won't meet their obligation. Wind resistance Opponents of Horizon Wind Inc.’s wind farm plans have a message for Ontario’s premier and the area’s two MPPs – no Liberals, no turbines. Open house "It’s not something that Western society really has a choice about. You’ve heard the term peak oil I mean there really isn’t any more so the prices of that are going to escalate. We know the problems that it is causing so we have to make a switch," Zwig said. But most questions raised by the over 120 people attending the first open house, in a large tent on the grounds of Blake Hall, were more concerned with location than green energy. Nor’Wester Mountain Escarpment Protection Committee spokesman Mike Payne said the committee came to get answers about the project but none were given despite six Horizon representatives on-site. Group responds to potential NW wind power shutdown PORTLAND, Ore. – Wind power companies facing a springtime shutdown to accommodate a surge of hydropower in the Northwest said Tuesday the region's main power manager has a conflict of interest, using authority over transmission lines to protect its business interests. The claim by the American Wind Energy Association follows the Bonneville Power Administration's announcement last week that it plans to curtail use of wind power because of a surplus of energy from hydroelectric dams. The month in sustainable development Last month was a tough one. As a card-carrying optimist working on the sustainable development agenda, I was struck by how pessimistic the expert community has become about humankind's prospects this century. Do More With Less Or Things Will Get Ugly: Study As it stands, economic growth is largely dependent on resource consumption. As a country grows, so does its use of natural--and limited--high-quality resources like oil, gold, and copper. But this is untenable in the long run, especially as growing countries like India and China model themselves increasingly on American habits of consumption (a car, two cell phones, and 30 pounds of meat for all!). The seemingly impossible solution: separating resource use and environmental impact from economic growth--a process with the unfortunate moniker "decoupling." Our potential can become our reality The city centre attracts visitors and local residents alike as a safe, friendly and culturally vibrant place. A beautification project launched by the city has resulted in the planting of many trees, flower gardens and community vegetable gardens that have added to the character of the neighbourhoods. The once dominant car culture is receding as the impact of peak oil sinks in. The majority of our food is grown locally. Readily accessible and affordable public transit makes it easy to travel around and appreciate the natural beauty and architectural heritage of the area. The streets are people friendly and there are many pedestrian areas throughout the city that limit or are closed to traffic. Weather permitting, cyclists are a common sight on bicycle lanes and trails. As Aired on Discovery's Planet Green, Passion River Films Releases on DVD "Houston We Have A Problem," Documentary About the Future of Energy Featuring interviews with the Chairman of BP Capital, the Executive Director of the Sierra Club, the Former President of Shell Oil, and other top oil companies, "Houston We Have A Problem" seeks the truth about our nation's dependence on foreign oil. Screened at our Nation's Capital and nationwide for Earth Day, and featured on Discovery's Planet Green as part of its Reel Impact series, the documentary is now available on DVD. The Draw of Doomsday: Why People Look Forward to the End Apocalpytic beliefs have been on rise for the past 40 to 50 years, said DiTommaso, who has been researching doomsday believers for an upcoming book, "The Architecture of Apocalypticism." What ties these disparate groups together is a sense that the world's problems are too big to solve, DiTommaso said. "Problems have become so big, with no solutions in sight, that we no longer see ourselves able as human beings to solve these problems," DiTommaso said. "From a biblical point of view, God is going to solve them. From other points of view, there has to be some sort of catastrophe." Stagnant wages, high unemployment slam Wal-Mart US sales CHICAGO — Wal-Mart Stores Inc's U.S. same-store sales have fallen for two straight years, as customers struggle with high unemployment and wages that are not keeping up with rising prices for food and other basics. "Rising gas prices, high unemployment and increasing inflation continue to be the most important issues facing our customers today," Bill Simon, chief executive of Wal-Mart's U.S. stores, said on a recorded message for investors. Blacks' exodus reshapes cities Taylor's decision to live outside Chicago makes him part of a shift tracked by the 2010 Census that surprised many demographers and urban planners: He is among hundreds of thousands of blacks who moved away from cities with long histories as centers of African-American life, including Chicago, Oakland, Washington, New Orleans and Detroit. At the other end of the spectrum, in Maine, is the Lewiston-Auburn area, which saw a 476% increase in its black population from 2000 to 2010. Most of the newcomers are refugees from Somalia, says Phil Nadeau, deputy city administrator in Lewiston. Habitat ReStore outlets growing Habitat for Humanity officials say ReStores are finding success in part because more people are doing home improvement projects themselves to save money, and partly because of a greater concern for the environment. There's also the chic factor associated with thrift stores, which have seen a resurgence in popularity among those who enjoy hunting for unique or eccentric items, Gluth says. Climate Panel Announces Reforms The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, rocked by controversy in recent years, has adopted a series of reforms of its management and governance to increase transparency and improve the quality of its hugely influential climate change reports, the group says. U.K. to Cut CO2 Emissions in Half by Mid-2020s, Most in Industrial World “Our ambition is to effect the transformation of our economy into a new low-carbon model,” Greg Barker, a minister in the energy department, said in an interview last night after Huhne’s statement to Parliament in London. “This will give investors the certainty they need to invest in clean energy and will put Britain at the cutting edge of the new global industrial transformation.” Carbon rule may clip wings of China's aviation sector The European Union has set Jan 1 as the starting date for all flights, incoming and departing from the continent, to meet emission limits or pay penalties for breaking them. The four Chinese airlines - Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines and HNA Group - that operate flights between China and Europe have been asked to abide by the rule. The airlines have protested strongly, criticizing the EU's emission program as a "unilateral and indirect" mechanism that violates widely accepted principles on fighting climate change. However, experts say China's chances of being exempted from the program are slim. Central China Hit by Drought, as Reservoirs Become ‘Dead Water’ As of Sunday, 4 medium-size reservoirs and 1,388 small reservoirs in Hubei had dropped below the allowable discharge levels for irrigation, the official Xinhua News Agency reported, citing the director of the reservoir management office for the Hubei Provincial Water Resources Department. One-fourth of all small reservoirs had what officials called “dead water” remaining, which could be pumped for use only in an emergency. The drought adds to concerns over the effect that a gargantuan water-diversion project will have on the central provinces of China. The project, called the South-North Water Diversion, is supposed to move water from the Yangtze and its tributaries north to Beijing along a canal, and to Tianjin along an eastern route.

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Osama bin Laden: our gift from God

Fri, 06 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Op Ed News - By Mark Goldman - May. 06 (Opinion) - Osama bin Laden was a gift from God to all of us for which many of us have yet to express our thankfulness. This is not to say that the people who were killed on 911 deserved to die or that God wished them dead, but rather that our response to the collapse of the twin towers was a wake-up call to all Americans to look into the mirror and see what we have become as a people, which we might now realize as we review our unfolding reaction to that attack

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An Pakistani Student Reflects on Osama bin Laden's Death

Thu, 05 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700

The Nation - By Maria Kari - May. 05 (Opinion) - As a Pakistani student living in the West, with roots heavily embedded in my cultural and religious heritage, many questions permeated the silence in my living room at that moment. What was Pakistan’s role in all of this? Will the president differentiate between fundamentalist Islam and the religion of Islam of which I adhere? Was there collateral damage? Will I get through airport security more easily now? Why does Obama pronounce Pakistan more correctly than most of my Pakistani-American friends?

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Terrorism Concerns After bin Laden

Mon, 02 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Huffington Post - By Richard N. Haass - May. 02 (Opinion) - The killing of Osama bin Laden constitutes a significant victory over global terrorism. But it is a milestone, not a turning point, in what remains an ongoing struggle without a foreseeable end.

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Ex-State Department Official Matthew Hoh: With Killing of Bin Laden, Why Are 50,000 U.S. Troops Still in Afghanistan?

Mon, 02 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Democracy Now - By Amy Goodman - May. 02 (Interview) - fter two tours of duty in Iraq and serving in the State Department in Washington, D.C., Matthew Hoh became the United States’ senior civilian representative and political adviser in Afghanistan. He resigned five months into his contract, making him the highest-ranking U.S. government official to publicly quit over the war in Afghanistan. He joins us from Washington, D.C., to discuss whether the death of Osama bin Laden means the end of that war. “Everybody should be asking themselves today in the United States, if Osama Bin Laden was hiding in an upscale villa an hour or two drive north, northeast of Islamabad, then why did we put 50,000 troops in Afghanistan over the last two years?”

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Obama: The Man Who Got the Job Done

Mon, 02 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Huffington Post - By Meredith Bagby - May. 02 (Opinion) - But what we can say tonight is that President Obama will receive great political accolades for his efforts. He is already being positioned as the leader that focused on the right mission rather than the wrong war.

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Ex-Defense Intelligence Analyst Joshua Foust: Death of Bin Laden Will Not Have Enormous Impact on Operations of Al Qaeda Affiliates Worldwide

Mon, 02 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Democracy Now - By Amy Goodman - May. 02 (Interview) - n addition to Afghanistan, the United States is fighting al-Qaeda in the Arab Peninsula. We discuss the impact of Osama bin Laden’s death on al-Qaeda across the globe with Joshua Foust, a fellow at the American Security Project and former Defense Intelligence Agency analyst. "From an operational standpoint, Osama bin Laden doesn’t maintain very tight operational control over the different al-Qaeda franchises that are out there, including in Yemen, including in Somalia, and other places as well. So, this is mostly a symbolic victory," says Foust.

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U.S. Orders Diplomats to Stop Telling Truth Until Further Notice

Thu, 02 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800

borowitzreport.com - By Andy Borowitz - Dec. 02 (Comedy News) - In the first major policy fallout from the WikiLeaks disclosures, the State Department has ordered all U.S. diplomats to “cease and desist telling the truth until further notice.” “We are working overtime to try to make sure that leaks like these don’t happen again,” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told reporters. “But until we’ve got the leaks plugged, it’s incumbent on all our diplomats to put on their lying caps.” Secretary Clinton noted that since many US diplomats are major political donors with long careers in the business world, “this shouldn’t be a reach for them.”

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“Media Subdues The Public. It’s So In India, Certainly”

Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0700

outlookindia.com - By Noam Chomsky; Ajaz Ashraf, Anuradha Raman - Nov. 01 (Interview) - The man NYT called “arguably the most important intellectual alive” finds the media in Pakistan more vibrant than it is in India

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Trouble in Pakistan

Fri, 08 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Daily Kos - Oct. 08 (Opinion) -

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"This is the Worst Catastrophe to Hit Any State Since Biblical Times"

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Democracy Now - By Amy Goodman - Sep. 14 (Interview) - It’s been over a month since the floods began in Pakistan. Although the water has receded in many areas, there are still towns and villages that remain submerged. Some 21 million people have been displaced from their homes, and many have been forced to live outside their villages in camps or alone on roadsides. We speak with Pakistani actress, filmmaker, writer and human rights activist, Feryal Ali Gauhar.

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The Afghanistan Study Group Report: An Exercise in Determined Ignorance

Sat, 11 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Registan.net - By Joshua Foust - Sep. 11 (Opinion) - I finally finished reviewing the Afghanistan Study Group report. It wasn’t easy—the group itself mysteriously neglected to include any experts on Afghanistan or the military—and is riddled with questionable interpretations of history, logical fallacies, and inconsistency of argument. I often joke that the three words that most reliably strike fear into the hearts of government analysts or pundits is, “what’s your evidence?” This report does not survive such a basic, simple question. The only member of the group who has spent any time outside of Kabul is ASG Director Matthew Hoh, who displays an impressive arrogance in describing himself as a “Former State Department Official” (in reality: Hoh was a temporary employee on a PRT who walked off the job early and mailed his resignation letter to the Washington Post—hardly deserving of the term “official,” unless all State Department employees are officials now).

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Mosque Furor Endangers US Troops

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Consortium News - By Robert Parry - Aug. 18 (Opinion) - For years, the American Right and neocons have been quick to accuse critics of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars of endangering American troops – by causing disunity, exposing counter-terror techniques, etc. – but these war enthusiasts are now the ones putting the lives of U.S. soldiers in jeopardy.

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How Bush Botched the Afghan War

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Consortium News - Jul. 27 - The leaked history of the Afghan War conveys an unspoken narrative of how President Bush bungled the conflict, says Robert Parry. July 26, 2010

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WikiLeaks Bombshell on Afghan War HIghlighted by 'NYT," Hit By White House

Sun, 25 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0700

The Nation - By Greg Mitchell - Jul. 25 (Comment) - Despite advance claims of secret documents coming soon, it still felt like this bombshell arrived almost out of nowhere Sunday afternoon: WikiLeaks not only released more than 90,000 docs related to the U.S. and the war in Afghanistan, but The New York TImes played it for all it was worth (as it turns out, quite a lot). In fact, the Times, The Guardiian in London and Der Spiegel had been studying the documents and preparing for this for weeks.

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Cause And Effect In The War On Terror

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Salon - By Glenn Greenwald - Jun. 23 (Opinion) - The Times Square bomber pleads guilty and provides more evidence of the link between U.S. policy and terrorism.

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Why Pakistan needs the Separation of Religion and State

Sat, 29 May 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Informed Comment - By Juan Cole - May. 29 (Opinion) - The horrifying assault on the Ahmadi congregations underlines why Pakistan needs a separation of religion and state. The problem with using Islam as the state ideology (as the country’s founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah clearly foresaw) is that there is no generic Islam.

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Draw A Muhammad Day Controversy- Art Or Incitement?

Fri, 21 May 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Mystified Justice - By Sana Saleem - May. 21 (Opinion) - We haven’t yet fully recovered from the aftermath of the Danish cartoon controversy and a whole new menace is upon us. Last month, the Comedy Central show ‘South Park’ self-censored an episode meant to feature Prophet Muhammad after receiving threats from a New York-based extremist group. As a result of that censorship, artists – claiming to be defenders of free speech – have responded by organising an event they call “Draw A Muhammad Day” on May 20.

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Facebook Is Blocked in Pakistan As It Indulges In A Controversial Campaign

Thu, 20 May 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Global Voices - By Teeth Maestro - May. 20 (Opinion) - After the outcry surrounding the Draw Mohammed Day Facebook page, which is campaigning for the creation of mass cartoon caricatures of Prophet Muhammed [PBUH] on the 20th of May, today the Lahore High Court ordered the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to block the entire Facebook.com domain in Pakistan till the 31st of May. Pakistani bloggers react.

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Hungering Pakistan

Wed, 05 May 2010 00:00:00 -0700

naveenaqvi.com - By Naveen Naqvi - May. 05 (Opinion) - Every few months, the narrow corridors of land on the edges of the Karachi Cantonment railway tracks are inhabited by gypsies. In the shade of thorny shrubs and at the foot of garbage heaps, they set up tents made of sticks and brightly-coloured, floral-printed cloth.

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Jamal Dajani: Look Who's Missing from Washington

Fri, 09 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Huffington Post - Apr. 09 (Opinion) - On Thursday President Barack Obama and Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev signed an arms control treaty hailed by the White House as a big step forward "to reset relations with Russia", as well as for the US president's broader nuclear agenda. The

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India must make peace with Pakistan to stop terrorism - Huffington Post (blog)

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 14:29:47 -0700

Huffington Post - Apr. 08 - A Pakistan NewsIndia must make peace with Pakistan to stop terrorismHuffington Post (blog)Since founding, Pakistan has supported insurgencies and terrorism, training and funding groups as a tool of warfare against a burgeoning giant next door, ...India could gain from US-Pakistan nuke dealLivemintNuke deal for Pak: China proposes, US disposes?Times of IndiaPak heartburn rising, mini N-battle likely at US meetDaily News & AnalysisDAWN.com?-Pakistan Patriot?-Pakistan Ledger (blog)all 177 news articles??

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