The Lessons of Endless War

[Note for TomDispatch Readers: Andrew Bacevich will discuss his new book – and the limits of American power in the Bush era – for a full hour on Bill Moyers Journal, Friday, Aug. 15. Don't miss it. If you're watching the Olympics, TiVo it or look for a...

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Mikheil Saakashvili:
War Criminal

Amid all the geopolitical analyses and ideological posturing on the occasion of the Three-Day War between Russia and Georgia, we are losing sight of the very real human costs of this conflict: thousands of civilians killed and grievously wounded, a city, Tskhinvali,...

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Blowback From Bear-Baiting

Mikheil Saakashvili's decision to use the opening of the Olympic Games to cover Georgia's invasion of its breakaway province of South Ossetia must rank in stupidity with Gamal Abdel-Nasser's decision to close the Straits of Tiran to Israeli ships. Nasser's blunder...

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‘Provincial Saddam’ Goes, Finally

BAQUBA - The surprise removal of the Diyala police chief has brought new hope of a more secure future. The decision by members of the ruling council of Diyala governorate to discharge provincial police chief Ghanim al-Quraishi brought celebrations in its wake. In...

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One-Fifth of Iraq Funding Paid to Contractors

As a new report forecasts that the 190,000 private contractors in Iraq and neighboring countries will cost U.S. taxpayers more than $100 billion by the end of 2008, an under-the-radar Florida court case suggests that U.S. President George W. Bush – a staunch...

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Iraqi Sunnis Complain of Increased Iranian Influence

BAQUBA - Haider returned from Iran recently, with enough money to pay for his wedding and a new car. He was trained to join Badr, the armed wing of the Dawa Party of U.S.-backed Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. Many more come where he recently came from. Badr is...

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Thursday: 40 Iraqis Killed, 111 Wounded

Updated at 9:40 p.m. EDT, August 14, 2008A major attack against Shi'ite pilgrims occurred in Iskandariya today, leaving dozens dead and wounded. Overall, at least 40 Iraqis were killed and another 111 were wounded throughout Iraq. Meanwhile, a party spokesman revealed...

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Krajina, Not Kosovo

Six days ago, as most of the world was watching the opening ceremonies of the Olympics in Beijing, Georgian troops attacked the self-proclaimed Republic of South Ossetia. Russia quickly intervened, ousting Georgian forces from the region and attacking Georgian...

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