U.S. and the World
U.S. Plans to Control Part of Afghan Prison after Handover
The United States intends to retain partial control of its largest prison in Afghanistan, not only to detain Afghans suspected of fighting the American military, but also to possibly hold detainees from Guantánamo Bay.
The plan calls for the... read more
Bipartisan Senate Bill Would Give U.S. Right to Shut Down Foreign Piracy Web Sites
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators want to go after overseas websites that traffic in pirated entertainment, such as movies and music.
The effort, known as the Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act, seeks to put file-sharing we... read more
Why Did the Saudi Royal Family Agree to Buy $60 Billion of U.S. Weapons It Doesn’t Need?
Saudi Arabia hasn’t fought a war since the 1930s, and already spends about 13% of its GDP on defense—so why would it agree to buy even more weapons as part of the richest arms sales ever by the U.S. government?
One possible explanation, acco... read more
Workers Who Make Our Clothes and Shoes—Far, Far Away—Halt Mass Strike
More than half of the garment workers in Cambodia, where retail goods are manufactured for the West, temporarily ended their mass strike this week after industry officials agreed to more talks with union representatives.
On July 27, police i... read more
Are Petraeus-Praised Night Raids Losing Afghan Hearts and Minds?
U.S. Army General David Petraeus has touted all kinds of numbers to show progress being made in the Afghanistan war as a result of stepped up night raids on homes and businesses. But there’s one figure he left out that indicates the attacks may ... read more
U.S. Soldiers Charged with Killing for Sport in Afghanistan
A dozen American soldiers from the U.S Army’s 5th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division stationed in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, have been accused of randomly murdering civilians and/or covering up their actions.
Five soldiers face char... read more
Plan to Make U.S. “Policeman of the World”…Literally
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have demonstrated the ability of the U.S. military to take control of a foreign nation, but not necessarily the ability to maintain order once large-scale fighting concludes. With soldiers unable to properly poli... read more
Medal of Honor to be Awarded for Secret War Heroics 42 Years Ago
Richard Etchberger’s heroics during the Vietnam War are only now being acknowledged by the U.S. military due to the fact that the Air Force sergeant wasn’t supposed to be in the country where his death took place.
Etchberger was part of a se... read more
Communists and Evangelicals Join to Fight Sex in China
When it comes to slowing population growth, Communist officials in China have decided to seek help even from Christian missionaries preaching abstinence.
After rejecting earlier entreaties from religious groups, Chinese officials are allowing ... read more
Ship Captains Sue ExxonMobil over Pirate Attack off Nigeria
Two men who captained the supply ship Fast Servant are suing ExxonMobil and the company they worked for, Edison Chouest Offshore, claiming a fuel tracking system installed on their ship led to pirates attacking and injuring them off the coast of N... read more
Human Rights Watch Accuses European Companies of Fighting Unions in U.S.
Unionizing in Europe is one thing, but it’s quite another for European firms doing business in the United States. Human Rights Watch (HRW) claims many European companies that publicly embrace workers’ rights have actually undermined American emplo... read more
CIA Training Spies for Sudan’s Dictator
Accused of committing genocide against your own people? Officially branded as a terrorist state? Have you harbored Islamist radicals, including Osama bin Laden?
No problem, the CIA is willing to work with you.
Such is the case with the gov... read more
The Battle with China for Rare Earth Elements Continues
Concerns over America’s lack of rare earth minerals production has prompted Congress’ research arm to raise the question: Is the United States’ national security and economic well-being vulnerable to supply disruptions, particularly from China?
... read more
Qaddafi Offers to Keep Black African Immigrants Out of Europe…for $6 Billion a Year
In an attempt to prey on anti-immigration sentiments, Libya’s dictator, Muammar Qaddafi, has offered to stop illegal immigration from Africa to Europe—for $6.3 billion a year. In an address made in Rome, Italy, Qaddafi warned of Europe becoming to... read more
Did Illegal Logging Add to the Flooding Disaster in Pakistan?
Illegal logging and deforestation have compounded the flooding disaster in Pakistan, where heavier than normal rains during the monsoon have wreaked havoc on large areas of the country. Experts blame Pakistan’s “timber mafia” for stripping hillsid... read more
The $40 Million Prison that was Never Used
As the United States downsizes its commitment in Iraq, it leaves behind billions of dollars in wasted reconstruction efforts, such as the $40 million spent to partially build a prison north of Baghdad that sits abandoned.
Work on the prison in... read more