IN THIS ISSUE
- Top News
- Opinion and analysis
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This week’s top news:
GOP Filibusters Hagel Nomination: Senate Republicans on Thursday temporarily blocked the nomination to secretary of defense of former Sen. Chuck Hagel, with Democrats coming just one vote shy from blocking a filibuster.
In State of the Union, Obama Misleads on Foreign Policy: In his State of the Union speech on Tuesday night, President Barack Obama misleadingly spoke about the negotiations with Iran, the drone war, and the gradual resolution of the war in Afghanistan.
US Drones Killed 894 in Tiny Pakistan Agency: In the past five years, 147 distinct US attacks have killed 894 people in the North Waziristan Agency, including 35 women and 24 children. The vast majority of the other victims were local tribesmen. Well over 200 people, again overwhelmingly civilians, were wounded in the attacks.
Pentagon Creates Medal to Honor Drone Operators: The award seems a far cry from what soldiers are traditionally honored for, which is sacrificing their lives in war-zones while killing people their government tells them to. In this case, only the latter applies.
US Air Strike Renews Attention to Afghan Civilian Deaths: The Tuesday night US air strike which killed 10 civilians has brought new attention to the long-standing problem of NATO killing civilians in occupied Afghanistan, and shows again that repeated efforts to prevent such killings haven’t been successful.
Obama: Libya Still Poses ‘Extraordinary Threat’ to US Interests: The statement was an extension of the “emergency” situation the Obama Administration has imposed on Libya since February 2011. Today’s statement extends this emergency for yet another year.
Kerry: US Planning ‘New Options’ for Move Against Syria’s Assad: Secretary of State John Kerry says that he and the rest of the State Department are hard at work developing “new options” for the Obama Administration to use in a move against the Assad government in Syria.
Opinion and Analysis:
- Justin Raimondo wrote about the evil of the drone war, the Hagel confirmation process, and the death of the Australian Mossad agent.
- Kelley Vlahos uncovered the burgeoning drone industry in the military industrial complex.
- Phil Giraldi analyzed the growing Christian Zionist foreign policy.
- Ivan Eland parsed through the Obama administration’s secret, extra-legal targeted killing program.