Make no mistake. A no-fly zone over Libya means a Nato-fly zone over Libya. And civilians will be killed.
Just like they were earlier this week in North Waziristan.
Just like they were earlier this week in North Waziristan.
Saturday, March 19, 2011 - 01:20
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R. T. Ashcroft reports from Ichikawa City, on the outskirts of Tokyo.
Friday, March 11, 2011 - 15:58
Thursday, March 10, 2011 - 19:42
Saudi Arabia’s Day of Rage is this Friday.
"In the event that force is used, however, organisers expect the demonstrations quickly to turn violent: unlike in Egypt or Tunisia, in Saudi Arabia there's a large number of guns in private hands. 'In Saudi Arabia an estimated 80 to 90 per cent of families have a weapon in their house and around 50 per cent of those weapons are AK-47s,' an opposition source told me. 'If I go on a peaceful demonstration and I am shot by the police and I am the son of a tribe then 100 per cent definitely my brother will bring a Kalashnikov and kill the policeman who killed me and he will kill more, five or ten. They know this, the police, and so I've been told by many ordinary individuals and officers that no way will they shoot us even if they are given orders and if force is used it will backfire in a very aggressive manner.'"
"In the event that force is used, however, organisers expect the demonstrations quickly to turn violent: unlike in Egypt or Tunisia, in Saudi Arabia there's a large number of guns in private hands. 'In Saudi Arabia an estimated 80 to 90 per cent of families have a weapon in their house and around 50 per cent of those weapons are AK-47s,' an opposition source told me. 'If I go on a peaceful demonstration and I am shot by the police and I am the son of a tribe then 100 per cent definitely my brother will bring a Kalashnikov and kill the policeman who killed me and he will kill more, five or ten. They know this, the police, and so I've been told by many ordinary individuals and officers that no way will they shoot us even if they are given orders and if force is used it will backfire in a very aggressive manner.'"
Tuesday, March 8, 2011 - 19:15
Robert Fisk reports on America's secret plan to arm Libya's rebels.
"Desperate to avoid US military involvement in Libya in the event of a prolonged struggle between the Gaddafi regime and its opponents, the Americans have asked Saudi Arabia if it can supply weapons to the rebels in Benghazi."
"If the Saudi government accedes to America's request to send guns and missiles to Libyan rebels, however, it would be almost impossible for President Barack Obama to condemn the kingdom for any violence against the Shias of the north-east provinces.
"Thus has the Arab awakening, the demand for democracy in North Africa, the Shia revolt and the rising against Gaddafi become entangled in the space of just a few hours with US military priorities in the region."
Meanwhile the British lion beats a rapid retreat.
"Desperate to avoid US military involvement in Libya in the event of a prolonged struggle between the Gaddafi regime and its opponents, the Americans have asked Saudi Arabia if it can supply weapons to the rebels in Benghazi."
"If the Saudi government accedes to America's request to send guns and missiles to Libyan rebels, however, it would be almost impossible for President Barack Obama to condemn the kingdom for any violence against the Shias of the north-east provinces.
"Thus has the Arab awakening, the demand for democracy in North Africa, the Shia revolt and the rising against Gaddafi become entangled in the space of just a few hours with US military priorities in the region."
Meanwhile the British lion beats a rapid retreat.
Sunday, March 6, 2011 - 22:56
Saturday, March 5, 2011 - 01:44
Yonatan Mendel describes Israeli reactions to recent events in Egypt.
Monday, February 21, 2011 - 12:24
Bernard Porter explains why in the 19th century it was virtually impossible to extradite anyone from Britain and why Julian Assange could not have been extradited to Sweden.
"What I do know, however, is that his extradition from Britain, in these circumstances, could not have happened 100, 200 or even 10 years ago, when Britain considered itself to be more liberal, and was certainly more sovereign."
"What I do know, however, is that his extradition from Britain, in these circumstances, could not have happened 100, 200 or even 10 years ago, when Britain considered itself to be more liberal, and was certainly more sovereign."
Friday, February 11, 2011 - 14:38
Nick Holdstock links to a censored cartoon from China.
"Despite the politically sensitive nature of the cartoon, some of the people behind it have been willing to identify themselves. Pi San, the director, works at Hutoon, an animation studio in Beijing that also makes cartoons for China Central Television. 'I felt this past year was really depressing,' he said, 'so I wanted to create this thing for fun.'
His apparently relaxed attitude is especially surprising because the cartoon ends with the rabbits growing vampire fangs and slaughtering the tigers. The final slogan seems a clear warning to the state that public concern about such issues as food safety, housing and corruption should not be ignored. 'The year of the rabbit has come. Even rabbits bite when they’re pushed.'"
"Despite the politically sensitive nature of the cartoon, some of the people behind it have been willing to identify themselves. Pi San, the director, works at Hutoon, an animation studio in Beijing that also makes cartoons for China Central Television. 'I felt this past year was really depressing,' he said, 'so I wanted to create this thing for fun.'
His apparently relaxed attitude is especially surprising because the cartoon ends with the rabbits growing vampire fangs and slaughtering the tigers. The final slogan seems a clear warning to the state that public concern about such issues as food safety, housing and corruption should not be ignored. 'The year of the rabbit has come. Even rabbits bite when they’re pushed.'"
Monday, January 31, 2011 - 21:22
The overthrow of Tsarism. Interesting in its own right, and not least in the light of current events.
Sunday, January 30, 2011 - 23:20
Juan Cole provides insightful commentary on Egypt's class conflict and useful context for the unfolding drama in the most populous Arab nation.
Sunday, January 30, 2011 - 23:10
Andrew Bacevich explores modern American patriotism and provides an insightful explanation of why military spending remains untouchable.
Thursday, January 27, 2011 - 15:59
Brendan O'Neill explains how the people of Tunisia come out of this uprising well, and Western politicians and observers do not.
"The idea that this was a 'Wikileaks revolution', an uprising brought about by a revelation of the truth by wise men in the West, is more than just another example of media self-obsession and self-congratulation – it is an updated version of the White Man's Burden. This is the White Wikileakers' Burden, the notion that it falls to media-savvy folk over here to open the eyes and energise the hearts of enslaved brown people over there. Tunisian authoritarianism was backed for years by Western governments as part of the fantasy politics of saving the world from African chaos and Islamic fundamentalism – and now a Tunisian uprising is depicted as simply a physical extension of the fantasy politics of bedroom-based bloggers and leakers who seem to believe they can liberate people at the push of a button."
"The idea that this was a 'Wikileaks revolution', an uprising brought about by a revelation of the truth by wise men in the West, is more than just another example of media self-obsession and self-congratulation – it is an updated version of the White Man's Burden. This is the White Wikileakers' Burden, the notion that it falls to media-savvy folk over here to open the eyes and energise the hearts of enslaved brown people over there. Tunisian authoritarianism was backed for years by Western governments as part of the fantasy politics of saving the world from African chaos and Islamic fundamentalism – and now a Tunisian uprising is depicted as simply a physical extension of the fantasy politics of bedroom-based bloggers and leakers who seem to believe they can liberate people at the push of a button."
Tuesday, January 18, 2011 - 19:02
"Today’s attack on the so-called gun culture is actually an attack on the constitutional rights of American members of the public. After all, campaigners for gun control do not protest the rights of police and security officers to use deadly force when necessary. Instead, they want them to have a monopoly on guns. It brings to mind the British woman who was arrested for taking photographs in a shopping centre that was filled to the brim with surveillance cameras."
Kevin Yuill explains why the constitutional enshrinement of guns as a check on tyranny really terrifies the liberal elite.
Kevin Yuill explains why the constitutional enshrinement of guns as a check on tyranny really terrifies the liberal elite.
Thursday, January 13, 2011 - 01:01
Alka Sehgal Cuthbert explains that politicians need to understand that the sole role of a school ought to be to transmit knowledge to the young.
Thursday, January 13, 2011 - 12:24
Thursday, January 13, 2011 - 16:36
"Patent and copyright monopolies are another way in which the government redistributes income upward. The income from these government granted monopolies flows overwhelmingly to people in the top 10 percent of the income distribution.
Read leftist Dean Baker's article here. Worth a look, if only for his discussion of intellectual property.
Read leftist Dean Baker's article here. Worth a look, if only for his discussion of intellectual property.
Thursday, January 13, 2011 - 17:01
