The end may be near for Ben Ali’s 23-year-reign, marked by a succession of human rights violations.
Will the Tunisian President Go the Way of Ceausescu? (Part 1)
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Human Rights
WikiLeaks XXV: Security Firms in Iraq Making a Killing (Figuratively in This Case)
Halliburton made no effort to hide its displeasure at being fleeced by private security companies — beaten at its own game, in other words.
Israel Represses Israelis and Congress Approves
It’s been two years since Israel initiated the “Operation Cast Lead” military assault on the besieged Gaza Strip. Since then, the right-wing Israeli government of Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu has launched an unprecedented wave of intimidation against Israeli peace and human rights groups. These groups say they are “working in an increasingly hostile environment,” according to a New York Times report, and that Israeli government leaders are fostering “an atmosphere of harassment” by turning “human rights criticism into an existential threat.”
The U.S. Deserves Its Share of Blame for Fate of Arab Christians
The plight of Arab Christians, for which the U.S. is partly responsible, is often used by the right to rationalize our policies which contributed to their oppression.
Is There a Method to Israel’s Settlement Madness?
Is there any way Israel can escape the dead end of settlements?
Repeal of DADT Becomes Zero Sum Game Between Gays and Gitmo Detainees
Repeal of DADT: Good news for gays; bad news for Guantanamo detainees.
Is Bono Undermining His Activism by Hobnobbing With the Superclass?
The impact of celebrity activists unmoored to social movements is likely to be superficial.
Is China Greening Africa?
Is China smartening up its environmental and social act in Africa? It certainly wants to be seen as doing just that. One telling example was the recent Chinese government-sponsored ‘top Chinese enterprises in Africa’ competition, won by China Road and Bridge Corporation [CRBC].
Islamists Bite the Ballot
Recent elections in Bahrain and Egypt are being criticized for all the usual reasons. Authoritarian regimes — one a monarchy, the other a quasi-military dictatorship — cracked down on the media and the small opposition forces that challenged them in the run-up to the polls, eventually holding ballots with little or no monitoring.
Cynical Maneuvering by Democratic Leaders Quashes Recognition of a Palestinian State
Congress has condemned violence by extremist Palestinian extremist groups, yet when the Palestine Authority tries to advance freedom through diplomatic initiatives, the Democrats are just as quick to condemn them.