Home  >  

Daily Archive: February 22, 2017

February 22, 2017

How We Got Here: The Misuse of American Military Power and The Middle East in Chaos

The United States has already lost — its war for the Middle East, that is. Having taken my own crack at combat soldiering in both Iraq and Afghanistan, that couldn’t be clearer to me. Unfortunately, it’s evidently still not clear in Washington. Bush’s neo-imperial triumphalism failed. Obama’s quiet shift to drones, Special Forces, and clandestine executive actions didn’t turn the...
Categories Opinion Comments: 0
February 22, 2017

650,000 Civilians Trapped in US-Backed Siege of Mosul and Nobody is Talking About It

Iraqi forces, backed by American airpower, are set to launch a long-awaited offensive to retake West Mosul. There are reportedly 3,000 ISIS fighters left defending their last major stronghold in Iraq, and an estimated 650,000 civilians are trapped in the western-held area of the city. The U.N. has warned that these civilians are at “extreme risk,” with food, fuel, water,...
Categories Opinion Comments: 0
February 22, 2017

Will Turkey Get Its Way in Raqqa?

The US administration has tasked the Department of Defense with preparing, by Feb. 28, a comprehensive plan to defeat the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria. With only eight days left, it’s clear we’re entering the final phase of preparations for retaking Raqqa, the strategic heart of IS in Syria. Turkey has been involved in many conversations with the US this month. Following the Feb. 17 visit of CIA director Mike Pompeo to...
Categories Opinion Comments: 0
February 22, 2017

‘Threatening & Damaging’: Beijing Hits Out at US Patrols in South China Sea

China says it respects the principles of freedom of navigation and overflight, but “opposes” when other states undermine its sovereignty using this pretext. The statement comes after a US aircraft carrier group began patrols in disputed South China Sea waters. “China always respects the freedom of navigation and overflight all countries enjoy under international law,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng...
Categories Diplomacy Comments: 0