U.S. and the World
House Refuses to Declassify 28-Year-Old Files on Argentina Dictatorship
Survivors of Argentina’s military dictatorship four decades ago will have to wait for any help from the U.S. government in locating lost relatives, thanks to unwillingness on the part of House Republicans.
Representative Maurice Hinchey (D-N... read more
American-Led Mercenary Army Hired by Arab Dictators
Having fled the United States, leaving behind a tainted corporate reputation and a trail of legal battles, the man who created the infamous Blackwater security firm has set up shop in the Persian Gulf region, where he’ll be helping Arab dictator... read more
Dictator of the Month: Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro seized power in Cuba in January 1959, at the age of 31 or 32, and held on until health problems forced him to begin giving up partial control in 2006. He finally retired officially as the leader of the Communist Party of Cuba on April... read more
Now Is It the United States’ Turn to Make China Economically Dependent?
If General Motors once again becomes one of the world’s most successful corporations, it will have China to thank in large part.
By taking advantage of the Chinese’s growing hunger for automobiles and road trips, GM is now the No. 2 seller o... read more
USAID Classifies Kabul Bank Corruption Report…Too Late
Less than two months after it was released to the public, a report on corruption in Afghanistan’s Central Bank has been retroactively classified by the inspector general of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
The now-secre... read more
Harvard-Connected Lobbying Group Confesses to Illegally Helping Gaddafi
The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating a Harvard-connected consulting firm for helping the government of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi without complying with federal law.
Monitor Group, an international consulting firm headquartered... read more
As Military Leaves Iraq, U.S. Doles out Billions to Mercenaries
Private security firms stand to earn at least $3 billion guarding diplomats in Iraq, as the U.S. military gradually downsizes its remaining presence in the country.
In September, the State Department announced a list of eight security compan... read more
Is This the Last World War II War Crimes Trial?
With World War II more than 65 years in the past, it is rare to see trials like the one involving Sándor Képíró of Hungary.
Képíró, 97, faces charges in a Budapest court of committing war crimes while a member of the police force that had si... read more
U.S. Freezes $32 Billion in Gaddafi Bank Accounts; U.K. Adds $19 Billion
Libya’s dictator Muammar Gaddafi has lost control of enormous sums of money that have been stashed away in Western banks, thanks to the efforts of American, British and Swiss officials to freeze assets belonging to the embattled leader.
When... read more
Radio Journalist Attacked after Reporting on WikiLeaks Cable in Honduras
After telling his listening audience this week that American-made weapons intended for Honduras’ military wound up in the hands of drug cartels, radio journalist Arnulfo Aguilar found himself the target of a late-night attack outside his home.
... read more
U.S. Leads Developed World…in Income Inequality
When determining how wealthy a country is, there’s more to it than simply measuring the size of its economy. A nation can have an enormous gross domestic product (GDP), which is used to classify the top developed states in the world, but if much... read more
Syria on Verge of Election to UN Human Rights Council
The United Nations faces a serious embarrassment if the government of Syria, which has spent weeks violently cracking down on protesters, is elected to the world body’s top human rights organization.
Since January, Syria, along with India, I... read more
Iraqi Government Agrees to Controversial $400 Million Payment to Americans Abused by Saddam Hussein
Iraq’s parliament has agreed to a $400 million settlement for Americans who say they were abused by Saddam Hussein’s regime either before or during the Gulf War of 1991.
Some Iraqi lawmakers opposed the deal, pointing out that scores of Iraq... read more
Attack in Kabul Worst to Hit Air Force in 15 Years
Not since the terrorist bombing in Saudi Arabia in June 1996 has the U.S. Air Force lost so many personnel in a hostile attack as it did on April 27, when an Afghan pilot opened fire on American service members at Kabul Air Base.
Eight of th... read more
Bush Administration Considered Pakistan’s Spy Agency a Terrorist Organization
Strained relations between the United States and Pakistan probably won’t get any better in light of the latest WikiLeaks revelation that the Bush administration considered the Pakistani intelligence agency as dangerous as al-Qaeda and other terr... read more
U.S. Weapons Makers on a Record-Setting Roll
Unrest in the Middle East, a major market for arms sales, has not stopped the United States from enjoying a banner year selling military hardware abroad.
The Department of Defense is expecting 2011 arms exports to surpass $46 billion, which ... read more