Antiwar.com\u2019s Week in Review <\/i> | September 2, 2011<\/p>\n
Help us meet our fund-raising goal! Help keep the War Party at bay by making a tax-deductible donation today<\/a>!<\/p>\n Don\u2019t forget to sign the open letter to Obama and Congress to end the wars: ComeHomeAmerica.us<\/a><\/p>\n IN THIS ISSUE<\/b><\/p>\n Round Up the Blacks, Continue the Bombs<\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The week began with Libyan rebels on the road to Gadhafi\u2019s hometown<\/a> and last bastion of support in coastal Sirte, where failed negotiations were likely to turn into fighting. Later, as rebels drew up battle plans for Sirte<\/a>, NATO continued giving air support, bombing Sirte<\/a> to make way for an easy rebel capture of the town. <\/p>\n A leaked document<\/a> revealed the United Nations\u2019 plan for post-Gadhafi Libya, complete with plans for foreign military observers and U.N.-run elections. The rebel council has said publicly, as a U.N. envoy relayed this week, that it rejects any military deployment<\/a> in Libya. In response, at a Paris conference on Libya, Western officials insisted their role going forward would be largely advisory<\/a>, with a focus on carving up Libya\u2019s oil assets for incoming corporations. A recent Fox News poll showed that a majority of Americans oppose<\/a> U.S. involvement in the Libyan war, despite pro-war media bias<\/a>. <\/p>\n Rebel groups, now struggling to secure their authority, have come under heavy criticism as they continue to round up, imprison, and abuse black Africans<\/a> they suspect of being mercenaries for Gadhafi. The African Union, despite the West\u2019s eager recognition of the rebels\u2019 legitimacy, has refused to recognize the rebels<\/a>, citing human rights abuses. Concerns about their inability to secure weapons stockpiles increased when Israeli officials claimed that Palestinians in Gaza acquired weapons from Libyan rebels<\/a>. Even different factions within the rebel group have protested<\/a> the rebels\u2019 Transitional National Council. <\/p>\n War Crimes and Milestones in Iraq<\/b><\/p>\n In U.S. State Department diplomatic cables released this week, a war crime committed by U.S. troops<\/a> in Iraq in 2006 was revealed in which one man, four women, two children, and three infants were summarily executed. The incident took place during a night raid<\/a>, which has become the primary tool in the U.S. war in Afghanistan. In another revelation, the British intelligence service MI5 warned former Prime Minister Tony Blair against invading Iraq<\/a> on the grounds that it did not present a threat and would be made much less safe. <\/p>\n Iraq ran into trouble with its neighbors this week. Iraqis began protests against the Kuwaiti decision<\/a> to build up the Mubarak al-Kabir port, and rockets were reportedly fired in Kuwait\u2019s direction, although none crossed the border. Meanwhile, the Turkish military killed 160 and wounded 100<\/a> in northern Iraq in attacks on Kurdish rebel groups. Indigenous sectarian violence continued in Iraq, as at least 29 people were killed and 38 others were wounded when a suicide bomber attacked Umm al-Qura Mosque<\/a> in Baghdad.<\/p>\n Despite ongoing violence and the failures of the U.S. occupation of Iraq, the media hailed as a remarkable milestone<\/a> the first month (August) since the 2003 invasion in which no U.S. soldier died in Iraq. Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki promised a U.S. pullout would occur on schedule<\/a>, although the status of the so-called U.S. trainers being left behind has not yet been publicly settled. <\/p>\n Afghanistan Violence Soars<\/b><\/p>\n In contrast to the mainstream applause regarding the zero American casualties in Iraq for the month of August, the same month proved to be the deadliest month ever for U.S. troops in Afghanistan<\/a>. Killings of Afghan police have soared to record highs<\/a>, as the true number of civilian casualties goes uncounted. Despite promises that the war would dramatically improve women\u2019s rights and well-being, the status of women is dismal<\/a> in Afghanistan today. Meanwhile, further evidence that U.S. forces killed an Afghan BBC journalist<\/a> gained more credibility. <\/p>\n Taliban leader Mullah Omar confirmed in a statement<\/a> that U.S.-Taliban negotiations are taking place, lending credence to the notion that there is a viable political settlement. But since both sides are currently entrenched and engaged in the war at full throttle, the statement maintained a hard line and predicted imminent victory<\/a> against the Western occupiers. <\/p>\n Syria\u2019s Increasing Isolation<\/b><\/p>\n Government violence against civilian protesters continued<\/a> in Syria this week. But the edifice upon which President Bashar al-Assad\u2019s authority rests may be cracking. Numerous army defections have taken place<\/a>, and in some cases defectors have fought against Assad\u2019s security forces and on behalf of protesters. A group of Syrian exiles met in Istanbul this week to form a National Transitional Council<\/a> aimed at pushing for the ouster of Assad. Syria faced increasing international isolation<\/a>, not just from the West, but from key allies like Turkey and Iran. <\/p>\n As this chorus accumulates against Assad and his brutal crackdown, many are concerned that calls for a U.S. or NATO intervention<\/a> in Syria, along with scaremongering<\/a> about international threats posed by Assad, are gaining more credibility. <\/p>\n The Decade Since 9\/11<\/b><\/p>\n At the American Legion, this week, President Barack Obama praised the military, what he dubbed "the 9\/11 generation<\/a>" and its "extraordinary decade of service" in fighting several wars. Obama\u2019s officials have been lauding U.S. efforts since the attacks, claiming al-Qaeda is on the verge of defeat<\/a>. Left out of the speech was any mention of how much of a disaster those wars have been. It lacked details, such as the hundreds of billions of dollars wasted in no-bid contracts<\/a> to defense corporations by the Pentagon, a problem that has tripled since 9\/11. John Glaser appeared on Russia Today<\/a> to talk about such waste and fraud. <\/p>\n The CIA has changed since 9\/11, turning into a killing machine<\/a> instead of an intelligence gatherer. One of the newest war zones, strictly under CIA dominion, is Yemen, where drones this week killed 30 people<\/a>, all described as al-Qaeda suspects. <\/p>\n Angela Keaton was interviewed by<\/i>The Daily Caller<\/a> about the antiwar movement, the decade since 9\/11, and how America sealed the deal in the transition from republic to empire. <\/p>\n Assorted News From the Empire<\/b><\/p>\n Israel: After the Netanyahu administration tried again to postpone the release of a United Nations report on Israel\u2019s raid of the Gaza flotilla back in the summer of 2010, the Turkish government said it would not tolerate another delay<\/a>, and unless Israel apologized for the incident, which killed 19 people, Turkey would respond with sanctions. That report, which was soon leaked<\/a>, concluded that Israel used excessive force. <\/p>\n John Glaser blogged<\/a> about a WikiLeaks diplomatic cable that detailed the Israeli right\u2019s undemocratic plans for the future of Israel and Palestine. Matt Barganier poked fun<\/a> at Israel\u2019s intentions for a new peace map. <\/p>\n Iran: A top Israeli official declared<\/a> that one military strike on Iran would not be enough to satisfy Israel or, by extension, the U.S. A State Department diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks revealed<\/a> that the U.S. and Australia plotted to oust Egyptian Mohamed ElBaradei\u2019s election to a third term as head of the International Atomic Energy Agency in 2005 for not being hard enough on Iran. <\/p>\n Drug War: Drug-related violence<\/a> in Mexico has soared lately<\/a>, as the U.S. maintains the policies that fuel it. <\/p>\n What\u2019s New at the Blog?<\/b><\/p>\n Jeremy Sapienza wrote<\/a> of the blunders of Gen. David Petraeus, which seem to always be rewarded. Brian Beyer speculated<\/a> about terrorism in Nigeria and whether it is a future target of the U.S. Matt Barganier directed attention<\/a> to the Hollywood-Pentagon link. James Bovard blogged<\/a> about the incompetence of the FBI. John Glaser blogged about the expensive maintenance costs of the torture prison at Guantanamo Bay<\/a>, the pitiful irony of the IRS\u2019s investigation of peace activist Cindy Sheehan<\/a>, the U.S.\u2019s record of torture compared to Gadhafi\u2019s<\/a>, and the ongoing U.S.-supported repression<\/a> in Bahrain. Glaser also guest-blogged at the Silver Circle Underground on U.S. foreign policy in the future<\/a>. <\/p>\n Columnists<\/b><\/p>\n Justin Raimondo wrote of America as a force for evil<\/a> in the world and the blowback from drug war policy in Mexico<\/a>. Phil Giraldi explained<\/a> Israel\u2019s lawfare against the Gaza flotilla. Ivan Eland analyzed<\/a> how expansive and interventionist foreign policy is leading to America\u2019s ruin. Kelley B. Vlahos uncovered<\/a> Obama\u2019s handling of greed, guns, and cash flow to war contractors, namely Blackwater. <\/p>\n Antiwar Radio<\/b><\/p>\n Scott Horton spoke with Eli Clifton<\/a> about the coordinated effort to foment Islamophobia in America. John Glaser<\/a> was on the show to talk about the travails of empire in Libya. Gareth Porter<\/a> discussed his recent trip to Pakistan to investigate drone attacks and the Hariri assassination. And Pat Buchanan<\/a> discussed the Senate resolution declaring Abkhazia and South Ossetia the property of Georgia and demanding a Russian withdrawal. <\/p>\n Events<\/b><\/p>\n Antiwar Radio\u2019s Scott Horton speak at Liberty Fest II<\/a> in New York City on Saturday, Sept. 10. He will also speak at an October event in Freedom Plaza<\/a> in Washington, D.C., which is expected to be the biggest antiwar protest demonstration since Obama\u2019s election.<\/p>\n Antiwar.com Development Director Angela Keaton will speak at L.A. vs. War: Art for Peace in the Hope Era<\/a>, Sept. 9-11. Other participating organizations include Code Pink and Iraq Veterans Against the War. She will have a booth at the 2011 Liberty Political Action Conference<\/a> in Reno, Nev., Sept. 15-18 and will speak about Come Home America from 3:40-4:05 p.m. on the 16th. Antiwar.com Columnist Philip Giraldi will speak on foreign policy from 1:00-1:45 p.m.<\/p>\n\n