Middle East
Unresolved status of Kirkuk heightens tensions in Iraq
By James Cogan, April 10, 2009
The long brewing confrontation over the “disputed territories”—the areas of northern Iraq claimed by the autonomous Kurdish Regional Government—is set to erupt this month with the release of a...
Obama stages surprise visit amid renewed bloodshed in Iraq
By Bill Van Auken, April 8, 2009
President Obama staged an unannounced visit to Baghdad Tuesday afternoon as a series of car-bombings and renewed clashes between Sunni militias and Iraqi security forces contradicted claims of “succ...
Israel’s military police dismiss allegations of misconduct in Gaza
By Jean Shaoul, April 8, 2009
Israel’s military advocate has closed down the military police’s criminal inquiry set up to investigate allegations by Israeli soldiers of misconduct by the Israeli Defence Forces and serious viol...
Obama pursues US strategic interests in Turkey
By Bill Van Auken, April 7, 2009
In his two-day visit to Turkey, President Obama sought to distance himself from the disastrous foreign policy legacy of George W. Bush while pursuing the same strategic interests of US imperialism tha...
Workers Struggles: Europe & Africa
April 3, 2009
The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to contribute to this regular feature.
Israel: Netanyahu threatens war on Iran, spurns “two-state solution”
By Bill Van Auken, April 2, 2009
Sworn in Tuesday as prime minister in the most right-wing government in Israel’s history, Benyamin Netanyahu threatened a military strike against Iran and signaled a break with the so-called “two-...
Iraqi government turns on Sunni “Awakening” militias
By James Cogan, March 30, 2009
Amid the ongoing claims of victory in Iraq, American forces and the pro-US government have come into conflict with predominantly Sunni Arab militias that were bribed into ending their resistance to th...
Turkish municipal elections dominated by economic, political crisis
By Sinan Ikinci, March 27, 2009
Municipal elections scheduled for March 29 in Turkey are bringing into sharp relief the impact of the global economic crisis and the internecine warfare between two factions of the ruling elite, the I...
Labor joins Netanyahu coalition as evidence of war crimes in Gaza mounts
By Chris Marsden, March 26, 2009
The decision of the Labor Party to join the coalition led by Benjamin Netanyahu allows Likud to form the most right wing government in Israel’s history.
Obama’s “carrot and stick” approach to Iran
By Peter Symonds, March 25, 2009
The US administration made a much publicised gesture toward Iran last Friday with the release of a video by President Obama to mark Nowruz, the Persian New Year. While the tone was conciliatory, the e...
Economic conditions worsen in Iraq
By James Cogan, March 23, 2009
After six years of occupation and repression, millions of Iraqis now face a further deterioration in their appalling living standards due to the collapse in world production and trade.
Israeli troops detail Gaza atrocities as demand grows for war crimes probe
By Bill Van Auken, March 21, 2009
Testimony by Israeli soldiers detailing atrocities in which they participated or that they witnessed has fueled demands for an international war crimes tribunal to investigate the Israeli siege of Gaz...
