Middle East & North Africa Archives - Foreign Policy In Focus

War Crimes: The Posse Gathers

by Jeremy Brecher, John Gershman, Brendan Smith | Dec 2, 2005

Diverse forces are assembling to bring Bush administration officials to account for war crimes. Cindy Sheehan, Gold Star Mother for Peace, insists: “We cannot have these people pardoned. They need to be tried on war crimes and go to jail.” 1 Paul Craig Roberts, Hoover Institution senior fellow and assistant secretary of the treasury under Ronald Reagan, charges Bush with “lies and an illegal war of aggression, with outing CIA agents, with war crimes against Iraqi civilians, with the horrors of the Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo torture centers” and calls for the president’s impeachment. 2 Anne-Marie Slaughter, dean of the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton and former president of the American Society of International Law, declares: “These policies make a mockery of our claim to stand for the rule of law. [Americans] should be marching on Washington to reject inhumane techniques carried out in our name.” 3

Administration Still Doesnt Recognize the Main Factor in the War

by Erik Leaver, Emily Schwartz Greco | Nov 30, 2005

President Bush’s speech, outlining a “Strategy for Victory in Iraq” at the U.S. Naval Academy on November 30, 2005, failed to take the opportunity created by the public and the U.S. Congress to engage in a real debate about the Iraq War. Instead Bush put forth a new glossy covered report, polished off some old rhetoric and continued to give a view of the Iraq War clouded by rose colored glasses. Vowing to “Stay the Course” the President made clear that the administration still doesn’t recognize the main factor in the war—that the occupation is driving the resistance.

Can the Iraqi Insurgency be Neutralized?

by Erik Leaver, Adil E. Shamoo | Nov 21, 2005

In the wake of the 2,000th U.S. soldier dying because of the Iraq War, the Bush administration has begun to count the number of Iraqi dead and captured. These metrics, reminiscent of those used in the Vietnam War, will be touted by the administration as an indicator of success for military operations and to give the impression that the insurgency can be neutralized.

Taking the Wind Out of the Perfect Geopolitical Storm: Iran and the Crisis over Non-proliferation

by Ian Davis, Paul Ingram, Miriam Pemberton | Nov 18, 2005

Congress Begins to "Change the Course" in Iraq

by Erik Leaver, Emily Schwartz Greco | Nov 17, 2005

Falling in line with the peace movement and public opinion, the Senate has finally taken a small but a symbolically important step to challenge President George W. Bush’s policy in Iraq. Lawmakers approved legislation that endorses a "phased redeployment of United States forces" from Iraq.

Libby Indictment May Open Door to Broader Iraq War Deceptions

by John Gershman, Stephen Zunes | Nov 14, 2005

The details revealed thus far from the investigation that led to the five-count indictment against I. Lewis Ã¢ÂÂScooterÃ¢ÂÂ Libby seem to indicate that the efforts to expose the identity of undercover CIA operative Valerie Plame Wilson went far beyond the chief assistant to the assistant chief. Though no other White House officials were formally indicted, the investigation appears to implicate Vice President Richard Cheney and Karl Rove, President George W. Bush’s top political adviser, in the conspiracy. More importantly, the probe underscores the extent of administration efforts to silence those who questioned its argument that Iraq constituted a serious threat to the national security of the United States. Even if no other White House officials ever have to face justice as a result of this investigation, it opens one of the best opportunities the American public may have to press the issue of how the Bush administration led us into war.

Iraq: A Tale of Two Speeches

by John Gershman | Nov 5, 2005

September 29, 2005 found General John Abizaid, Commander of U.S. Central Command, testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee. With him were the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the top U.S. general in Iraq . The overall subject was the war on terror with its three subsets: global (including al-Qaida) jihad and the fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq . General Abizaid’s opening remarks emphasized his considered view (he is, like T.E. Lawrence, a hands-on student of the Middle East) of the underlying connections among these topics.

Continuing to Repudiate International Law, Rumsfeld Rejects UN Access to Guantanamo

by John Gershman, Jim Lobe | Nov 3, 2005

Amid growing concern over the fate and conditions of inmates engaged in a lengthy hunger strike at the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld Tuesday said he would not permit UN investigators to interview detainees there.

Whos NextIran & Syria?

by John Gershman, Conn Hallinan | Nov 3, 2005

In the wake of a United Nations investigation implicating a number of Syrian and Lebanese officials in the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, the Bush administration is calling for international sanctions, and leaking dark hints of war. But the United States is already unofficially at war with Syria. For the past six months, U.S. Army Rangers and the Special Operations Delta Force have been crossing the border into Syria , supposedly to ÂinterdictÂ terrorists coming into Iraq . Several Syrian soldiers have been killed.

Karen Hughes Indonesia Visit Underscores Bush Administrations PR Problems

by John Gershman, Stephen Zunes | Oct 28, 2005

It is doubtful that the Bush administration will be very successful advancing America’s image in the Islamic world as long as its representatives have such trouble telling the truth.