Iran nuclear

Good post by the Leveretts outlining some of the possibilities for Iran to make their medical isotopes.

Also one here in which they argue that even if Iran wanted to purchase medical isotopes on the world market, this market is limited. And a follow up with clarifications here.

Iraq elections

Article on the Iraqi elections, with an optimistic take on it.

Iran nuclear

Scott Ritter on Iran's nuclear swap deal.

Karzai: American ally?

Thomas Friedman is worried about Karzai's reliability as an American ally.

Ahmed Wali Karzai

Article on Wali Karzai that illustrates well that US/NATO has decided to keep in place a warlord/druglord because he provides them with so many services, such as taking land for them, etc.

McCoy on drugs in Afghanistan

Alfred McCoy on drugs in Afghanistan, along with a radio interview.

He emphasizes towards the end that we need to rejuvenate Afghanistan's agriculture to make it more profitable to grow something else than opium. Also he says that reconstruction aid has been relatively small, so this makes the opium economy even more important to Afghans, hence it goes against eradicating it.

Arms smuggling US-Mexico

Article saying that 90% of weapons seized in Mexico can be traced back to the US.

Karzai and Obama

Article saying that Obama's visit to Afghanistan was prompted by the US fear that Karzai is moving closer to Iran and China.

Afghans and Dutch in Uruzgan province

Afghan tribal leaders in Uruzgan province have handed a petition to Dutch troops asking them to stay in the province and not withdraw, because they say they are essential to provide security and foster development.

But this could be an example of tribal infighting.

It could also be NATO propaganda, given that Wikileaks has just released an alleged CIA secret document that discusses strategies to convince European publics to support the Afghan mission and which emphasizes the use of media propaganda to turn the tide of popular opposition to the Afghan war in Europe.

US-Russia nuclear treaty

Article on the history of nuclear agreements between US and Russia.

However the treaty will not include missile defense systems, because the US wanted to pursue its missile defense plans in Eastern Europe.

US-Israel arms deal

There might be a superficial conflict between Israel and the US these days, but the relationship is solid as the US just approved a $210 million arms deal for planes.

Colombia elections

Laura Carlsen on Colombia's congressional elections on March 14.

Empires in the Middle East

This is a good video on historically shifting empires.

Reconciliation with accountability

The ICG calls for ending the culture of impunity in Afghanistan, which means among other things to seek to prosecute Taliban responsible for atrocities rather than emphasizing reconciliation with them.

Pakistan's strategic depth

Article on Pakistan's desire to have a proxy force in Afghanistan (Taliban), which has been important historically; however, recently, Pakistan has become open to a more pluralistic Afghanistan.

Torture and trials

Andy Worthington on the fact that civilian courts have been much more successful at trying terrorists than military commissions...

Obama and Indonesia

Obama is supporting militarily etc. Indonesian groups in the military (TNI, Kopassus) who conduct, and have conducted for years, political assassinations.

Afghanistan police

The Afghan police is full of problems.
“There are some parts of Afghanistan where the last thing people want to see is the police showing up,” Brig. Gen. Gary O’Brien, former deputy commander of the Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, told the Canadian Press news agency in March 2007. “They are part of the problem. They do not provide security for the people – they are the robbers of the people.”

Bible and Koran

Story arguing that the Koran is less violent than the Bible.

Crack

The White House should treat crack and powder cocaine the same way.

Iran nuclear media

Ed Herman and David Peterson have an article on the Iranian nuclear crisis in which they have a table showing media coverage of nuclear issues in various countries over the last few years, which shows that e.g. Israel has not been covered at all to the same extent as Iran.

EU exports torture equipment

AI released a report saying that some EU states export and even use, torture equipment.

US spending on nuclear bombs

Yes, the US has put aside $2 billion in its budget to modernize again nuclear bombs.

Iran workers

Good article on the workers and trade union movement in Iran, different from but supportive of the Green movement. Many strikes ad other actions are going on.

Karzai impunity

The Karzai government passed a law that gives amnesty to perpetrators of atrocities.
The National Stability and Reconciliation Law was passed by parliament in 2007 by a coalition of powerful warlords and their supporters to prevent the prosecution of individuals responsible for large-scale human rights abuses in the preceding decades. The amnesty law states that all those who were engaged in armed conflict before the formation of the Interim Administration in Afghanistan in December 2001 shall "enjoy all their legal rights and shall not be prosecuted."
After the amnesty law was passed by parliament in 2007, President Karzai said he would not sign it. The chairperson of the AIHRC, Dr. Sima Samar, told Human Rights Watch that she had been offered assurances that he would not enact the law: "The president himself promised me twice that he would not sign the law." Despite this commitment, and similar promises to a range of civil society groups, the law was published in the official gazette. It is not clear when this happened, as the date on the gazetted law is December 2008, while some sources say it was not published until January 2010, when printed copies of the law were received by organizations that monitor the gazette.

Importantly:
The law says that those engaged in current hostilities will be granted immunity if they agree to reconciliation with the government, effectively providing amnesty for future crimes.
"The amnesty law is an invitation for future human rights abuses," said Adams. "It allows insurgent commanders to get away with mass murder. All they need to do is offer to join the government and renounce violence and all past crimes will be forgiven - including crimes against humanity."
Defenders of the amnesty law say that it still allows individuals to bring criminal claims against perpetrators. However, international law requires states to investigate and prosecute crimes against humanity, war crimes and other serious human rights violations, such as extrajudicial killings, torture and enforced disappearances. Such obligations cannot be transferred to individuals.

Also:
The law also says that Taliban who have killed and committed abuses but who lay down their weapons will not be prosecuted--an attempt to encourage reconciliation. This is also impunity.

China and Iran

China has become Iran's most important trading partner, a result of the fact that Western companies have tended to cut links with Iran under pressure from the US. Chinese companies can challenge the sanctions and Washington's threats because China's economy is strong enough--put simply, China doesn't care about Western sanctions.

Iran nuclear

A WP report says that Iran attempted to obtain nuclear bombs from Khan's network (Pakistan). The claims are based on Khan's account.

Censorship in Afghanistan

The Afghan government is not democratic, as seen by its harsh treatment of journalists who challenge its power structures:
Under the Karzai regime, the newly freed media has been suppressed through government statutes and actions, and violent extra-legal autocratic political and religion-based organizations, which the government has been unable or unwilling to control. The content of “Censorship in Afghanistan” makes it clear why it is the first book ever on the topic. Censorship in Afghanistan has been constant, harsh and violent. Any media that discusses censorship and government or religious corruption and misdeeds is punished both physically and economically. TV, radio, and print media have learned that their staffs will be threatened, assaulted, and/or imprisoned, and their property will be confiscated or destroyed, if they present views contrary to or critical of the Afghan power structures (government, religion, and illicit drug industry).

Obama and drones

Spiegel article on Obama's use of drones.

Race and sentencing

A report on racial disparities on sentencing argues that blacks and hispanics are more likely to receive longer sentences than whites.
A related article is here.

Armenian genocide

Stephen Zunes on the Armenian genocide and Congressional resolution.

Iran nuclear

Sahimi on Iran and the latest IAEA report.

Afghanistan power plays

Article about the power plays in Afghanistan ahead of the parliamentary elections.
The US and UK want to form an interim government that would force Karzai to step down, but Karzai has Iran's (and Turkey's and Russia's) support.
Pakistan is a swing card and will support Karzai if he agrees to support Pakistan's interests in Afghanistan, mostly to have Pashtuns in the power elite and to reduce India's influence in Afghanistan.
Pakistan will also consult with the US, which is expanding its AfPak campaign to Central Asia.

Jundallah capture

Article on Jundallah and the capture of its leader by Iran.

And another one describing Jundallah's actions and the fact that it didn't have much popular support among the people it claimed to represent.

Afghanistan drugs

A new GAO report assesses US strategy on drugs in Afghanistan. It says that recently the strategy has become more integrated to the broader counterinsurgency campaign.
It also reports that many (perhaps 33%) of police recruits test positive for drugs.

Afghan women in Parliament

The Afghan Parliament has 25% of women, but many of them are basically puppets of the warlords.

Civilian deaths in Afghanistan

Marc Herold argues that civilian deaths counts by UNAMA underestimate the real toll: in fact, in 2008, the UNAMA captured about 70% of Afghans killed by foreign forces, but in 2009 the figure was under 40%.

Corruption in Afghanistan

A good portion of aid sent to Afghanistan either returns to donor countries or is captured by corrupt Afghan officials.

Gitmo

Article by Andy Worthington on the Uighurs still at Guantanamo.

Haiti

Chomsky on Haiti.

Irish economy

Paul Krugman compares the US and Irish financial crises.

Iran sanctions

The US is enlisting its Persian Gulf allies in its push to sanction Iran even more and bring China to cooperate.
For instance, oil producers in the Gulf have told China that they could increase their supply of oil to Beijing to compensate for the oil China now gets from Iran; also Saudia Arabia has told China that not supporting sanctions on Iran could result in more uncertain sources of energy from the Middle East to China.

Obama and regime change in Iran

Is Obama supporting violent regime change in Iran?

African land grab

Rich countries are grabbing Africa's lands by leasing them to produce food or biofuels, while Africans face hunger problems.

US exports to Iran

The US is exporting a lot of goods to Iran, especially agricultural goods.

But a new GAO report says it is not certain of the exactness of trade data.

The report can be found here.

Despite tense relations, U.S. exports to Iran increased from about $8 million in 2001 to $683 million in 2008, Bush's last year in office. The AP found cigarettes, bull semen, military apparel and a variety of other U.S. goods including musical instruments and brassieres went to Iran, along with medical supplies, corn and soybeans. The exports were sent under agricultural, medical and humanitarian exemptions to the U.S. sanctions.
Iran received about $282 million in U.S. exports last year. Agricultural goods including grain, seeds and plants made up the single biggest share, about $102 million, followed by pharmaceutical products and cereals. In 2008, Iran imported $583 million in cereals from the United States, perhaps due to poor harvests in Iran.

Also, the NYT reported today that the US has given $107 billion in payments, grants, etc. to companies around the world while they were dong business with Iran. That includes about $15 billion given to companies that defied US sanctions on Iran by doing business with Iran in the field of energy. The NYT's point is that successive US administrations, although they have voted sanctions on Iran, have not relaly enforced them, i.e., they have not challenged companies (US and international) that chose to defy the sanctions.

Obama closer to Indonesia's military

Obama will resume training with the Kopassus, an Indonesian military units long invovled in human rights abuses.

Drones' civilian casualties

A new report says that 1/3 of those killed by US drones in Pakistan are civilians; other reports have given a much higher proportion.

India and Pak in Afghanistan

India and Pakistan's proxy war in Afghanistan.

Iraq birth defects

Birth defects in Fallujah are rising.

Pentagon budget ballooning

Article on the Pentagon budget with a report: since 1998, the Pentagon has received $7.2 trillion; the budget has doubled in real terms since 1998. Taking 1998 as a baseline, the Pentagon has received a total boost of $2 trillion over 1999-2010.

Iraqi elections

Interesting article on ATonline analyzing the Iraqi elections.

It focuses on the role and tactics of Chalabi. Main points:

-Chalabi's goal is to ensure that the Shi'ite religious parties continue to dominate Iraqi politics, and he seems to be playing the Shiite sectarianism card as an electoral tactic.
-In the 2009 local elections, Maliki had been successful in playing the nationalist card, which raised fears among religious parties that they could become quite weak; neither did it please Iran, which is close to the Iraqi religious parties. So Chalabi, in Iran, organized for the religious parties (al Sadr and ISCI) to make peace with one another and strengthened the religious movement and organized its comeback. One key strategy here was the anti-Baath campaign, organized by Chalabi.
-This anti-Baath campaign has dealt a blow to the nationalist al-Iraqiya, which include Iyad Allawi.
-This has forced Maliki to back away from its previous nationalist stance: the result was Maliki's loss of much of his own appeal as someone able to rise above sectarianism and project an image of a national leader for Sunnis and Shi'ite alike.

Precursor trade up in Afghanistan

Drug traffickers are increasing imports of precursor chemicals used for processing raw opium poppy in Afghanistan into heroin and morphine, according to a new United States State Department report released on Monday.

Gitmo

Andy Worthington has an excellent summary article of the parallel processes used to process the Guantanamo detainees, under Bush and Obama.

ANP

Article on how the Afghan police is very slow into becoming effective, thanks in part to the State Department's bad management of the contracts (to Dyncorp) to train them.