U.S. and the World

U.S. Invasion of Iraq was Death Knell for Women’s Rights

Sana Majeed spoke of an incident back in 2005, when a group of men in black confronted her on the street for wearing inappropriate clothing and not covering her hair. “Islamist parties started to control Iraq and that was the worst nightmare Iraqi women have ever faced,” Majeed, who now wears a black abaya and head scarf, told Reuters. “Religious parties and militia have stolen free life from Iraqi women.” read more

U.S. Military Accused of Blocking Afghan Investigation into Civilian Murders

Afghanistan’s government suspects that members of an elite U.S. Army unit were involved in the mysterious disappearance and deaths of 17 civilians. The Afghans vanished from Wardak province after being detained by U.S. Green Berets between October 2012 and February 2013. Bodies of 10 of the men were eventually discovered in shallow graves outside the U.S. base that housed Operational Detachment-Alpha, or A Team. read more

Opium Crop in Afghanistan Hits Record High

Farmers dedicated more acreage to opium production: about 209,000 hectares this year versus 154,000 hectares in 2012 and 193,000 in the peak year of 2007. Two more provinces began producing opium (Balkh and Faryab), bringing the total in Afghanistan to 19 provinces—out of 34, which means more than 50% are now supporting the illicit drug trade. Almost half of the production takes place in Helmand Province. read more

NSA and GCHQ Infiltrated OPEC’s Computer Network

The spying uncovered that Saudi Arabia was secretly producing more oil than it claimed, which undercut the organization’s goal of inflating oil prices. The NSA learned that the Saudis were releasing inaccurate totals about the country’s oil production, which confirmed suspicions by officials in the Central Intelligence Agency, the State Department and the Department of Energy. read more

U.S. Creates Hardships for Foreigners Seeking Asylum by Barring Employment

Under current law, asylum seekers are prohibited from working legally for up to 180 days after filing their applications. However, the report shows that the wait is often much longer, sometimes lasting years, because the government can “stop the clock” if it determines an applicant has done something to delay proceedings. HRW says it is unclear “what stops and restarts the clock”— a practice that impacted more than 260,000 asylum seekers in 2011 alone, or 92% of all pending cases. read more

Afghan Interpreters Who Helped U.S. Troops Face Visa Denials

With American troops planning to pull out next year, the interpreters say insurgents intend to kill them and their families for supporting the U.S. occupation. But the State Department has repeatedly rejected the visa applications of these men, saying there is no serious threat against them. The interpreters beg to differ. read more

Is CIA Too Good at Drone Assassination to Pass the Baton to the Pentagon?

The military is not legally permitted “to conduct hostile actions outside of a declared war zone,” such as Pakistan, wrote Lubold and Harris, so “keeping the drones with the CIA…offers legal cover.” Years of quiet Pakistani government approval for U.S. drone strikes has been with the understanding that they were purely covert. There’s also the notion that “after years of conducting drone strikes, the CIA has developed an expertise and a taste for them,” Lubold and Harris found read more

Border Patrol Rejects Government-Commissioned Advice to Stop Shooting Rock Throwers

CBP has killed 20 people, including Hernandez, since 2010. Eight died in rock-throwing incidents, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. The Border Patrol considers rocks deadly weapons. They were the most common type of assault on agents two years ago, when 339 incidents were recorded. In 33 cases, agents responded with gunfire, and resorted to less-than-lethal force (which includes pepper spray and batons) 118 times. read more

U.S. Citizen Sentenced to Death for 1971 War Crimes

A Bangladesh war crimes tribunal has sentenced an American citizen to death for helping lead a militia group responsible for murdering nearly 20 intellectuals during the country’s war for independence 42 years ago. read more

U.S. Leaves behind a Booming Opium Market as it Exits Afghanistan

The United States spent $7 billion to wean Afghanistan off growing poppies in order to stem the heroin trade coming out of the war-torn country. But that money has little to show for itself. U.S. drug enforcement agents have been surprised to find a high level of collaboration within Afghan drug groups, unlike the usual violent rivalries found between cartels in Southeast Asia and elsewhere. read more

U.S. Universities Help Chinese Dictatorship Spread Propaganda

China subsidizes the programs, and in return, the Chinese government dictates what can—and cannot—be taught at the CIs. At the University of Chicago’s CI, school officials don’t even dare hang a photo of the Dalai Lama, whom the Chinese government considers a threat because of his Tibetan independence views. “CIs are managed by a foreign government, and accordingly are responsive to its politics,” Marshall Sahlins wrote at The Nation. read more

The Faceless Enemy in Iraq and Afghanistan that Has Harmed U.S. Vets: Burn Pits

At the hundreds of military bases set up in both countries, the U.S. military often resorted to disposing of waste by burning it in open-air pits. Everything from human waste to dead animals to plastics to asbestos and more were thrown into them, doused with jet fuel, and ignited. The result was thick, black plumes of smoke that filled the air with not just foul smells, but extremely unhealthy particles inhaled by soldiers. read more

Human Rights Group Cites Systematic Violation of Human Rights by U.S. at Guantánamo

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights claimed “there was a general and systematic violation of human rights” in Guantánamo, according to Rodrigo Escobar Gil, one of the body’s seven commissioners. As many as 46 detainees were force-fed through nasal tubes. read more

U.S. to Lose Oversight of Afghanistan Reconstruction Projects worth Billions

Once the U.S. removes its remaining 40,000 troops from Afghanistan, only about 20% of the country will be accessible to U.S. government overseers, according to the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR). “It’s difficult even for Afghans to inspect some of these projects,” a U.S. reconstruction specialist told the Post. “If they’re walking around with a camera and a notebook, they’ll draw attention to themselves as someone connected with Western money.” read more

Immigration Agents Stalk Court Houses to Arrest People When They Pay Traffic Tickets or Get Married

Among those apprehended in the raids—which have also taken place in Santa Clara—was Gurvinder Singh, an Indian national, who had arrived in court to marry his partner, Kuldeet Kaur. He was told he was being arrested due to having entered the U.S. illegally through Mexico, in spite of the fact that he was in the middle of immigration proceedings and had never missed a court appearance. read more

Americans Pay Much More for Broadband Internet than Users in other Developed Countries

And it’s not just premium high-speeds that put the U.S. so much above other countries in terms of cost. Lower to medium broadband services can average $99 in San Francisco and $70 in New York City, compared to $38 in London, $35 in Paris and $15 in Seoul. “Americans pay so much because they don’t have a choice,” Susan Crawford, a former special assistant to President Barack Obama on science, technology and innovation policy, told BBC News. read more