US naval ships who were shadowing the Somali pirates who had captured two American couples were negotiating with two of the kidnappers, who had come aboard one of the Navy vessels, when the pirates unexpectedly launched a grenade at the … Continue reading →
I was doing some research on the Iranian Revolution last night, and came across this terrible incident, which I’d never heard of before: On August 19, 1978, in the Cinema Rex fire, the Cinema Rex in Abadan, Iran, was set … Continue reading →
Does this sound like the statement of a group with little clout and few followers? [emphasis mine]: Egypt’s largest opposition group, the Muslim Brotherhood, said it would begin talks Sunday with the government to try to end the country’s political … Continue reading →
In my previous post for today, I called those who discount the jihadist intent of the Muslim Brotherhood fools and useful idiots. But it occurs to me that they might instead be knaves. Or both. It’s the age-old question—although what … Continue reading →
Ever since the turmoil in Egypt began, I’ve been saying that no one knows what will happen there. That is still my position. But amidst all the speculation, I think we discount the possibility of an Islamist state at our … Continue reading →
Although no one is officially saying it yet, today’s bombing at Moscow’s Domodedovo airport that killed 35 people and wounded scores of others was almost certainly the work of terrorist suicide bombers from the northern Causcasus region of Chechnya and/or … Continue reading →
The Iranian English-language PressTV says the Mossad did it, because of course no Muslim ever would. Lebanon Shiite Muslim leader Sheikh Abdel Amir Kabalan blames the Zionists. But to Andrew Sullivan, it’s Bush’s fault.
Continue reading →…continues. No surprise who’s behind it: Tensions have been running high between Egypt’s Muslim majority and minority Christians. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom said in November that 10 Coptic Christian homes and several businesses were burned and looted … Continue reading →
Every now and then I check to see how al Megrahi—the convicted Lockerbie bomber released from prison by Scotland a year and a half ago (how time flies!)—is getting along. When he was allowed to go home to Libya in … Continue reading →
Julian Assange is in police custody in England pending a hearing on his Swedish rape charges. The judge has denied bail. There are a few surprises here. One is that the British have had the will to follow through on … Continue reading →
This comment from “bubonicplacebo” appeared on one of the recent Wikileaks threads here: Of course, when the story was all about hacked e-mails concerning climatology, the usual conservative knuckleheads were focused on discussing the merits of the find, rather than … Continue reading →
…is some sort of hero, motivated by an interest in transparency? Think again. And then think some more. [NOTE: I’m having trouble figuring out a category under which to file posts on Wikileaks and Assange. I don’t have a category … Continue reading →