Official History Spotlights Iraq Rebuilding Blunders
BAGHDAD — An unpublished, 513-page federal history of the American-led reconstruction of Iraq depicts an effort crippled before the invasion by Pentagon planners who were hostile to the idea of rebuilding a foreign country, and then molded into a $100 billion failure by bureaucratic turf wars, spiraling violence and ignorance of the basic elements of Iraqi society and infrastructure.
The history, the first official account of its kind, is circulating in draft form here and in Washington among a tight circle of technical … more…
Another (Little-Noticed) Setback for Gitmo Prosecutors
There have been two significant developments at Guantanamo Bay today. Five detainees accused of being connected to 9/11 have announced … more…
Audit: US Fails In Tracking Cost of Iraq Contractors
The U.S. has spent about $6 billion on private security contractors and related services in Iraq, although the real tally remains unknown … more…
Iraqi Army Headcount Still Unclear Despite Millions Paid to Private Contractor
On any given day in Iraq, about 140,000 Iraqi soldiers are on duty. But some 1,000 are in jail, 2,000 are in the hospital or recuperating … more…
Gitmo Dismissals Don’t Include One of Most Problematic Cases
The Pentagon yesterday dismissed war crimes charges against five detainees at Guantanamo Bay. The military's short press release gave no … more…
Uighurs Sold to U.S. Military for Bounty?
Seventeen ethnic Uighur men will stay in prison at Guantanamo Bay on Friday despite a U.S. district judge’s unprecedented order that they … more…
Judge Orders 17 Gitmo Detainees Released
A federal judge has just ordered the release of 17 detainees currently held at Guantanamo Bay. The 17 are Uighurs, a Muslim group from … more…
Former Gitmo Prosecutor: Detainee Was Child Soldier and ‘Duped’
Last week, we wrote about the latest resignation of a Gitmo military prosecutor. The officer, Lt. Col. Darrel Vandeveld, complained in an … more…
Military Has Program Similar to Rendition
Rendition has long been one of the most controversial aspects of the U.S.'s counterterrorism fight. At least four dozen terror suspects … more…
Coming This Week: International Edition!
Congress is in summer recess and everyone else in the U.S. seems to be at the beach, their ranch or preparing for the conventions.
So in … more…
$100 Billion to Contractors in Iraq
Sometimes a number best tells the story. Especially if the story is simply that the U.S. has dropped a ton of money on contractors in … more…
January 07, 2009
Former Blackwater Guards Plead Not Guilty Del Quentin Wilber, Washington Post, January 07, 2009
January 05, 2009
White House Considers Pardoning Soldier AP, January 05, 2009
December 29, 2008
Study Criticizes Bush Approach to War Funding Ann Scott Tyson, Washington Post, December 29, 2008
December 15, 2008
War Vet Widows Wrongly Denied Benefits Hope Yen, AP, December 15, 2008
Supreme Court Opens Way for ex-Gitmo Inmates to Sue AP, December 15, 2008
December 08, 2008
Former Gitmo Prosecutor May Be Key in UK Case Paisley Dodds, AP, December 08, 2008
5 Blackwater Security Guards Charged With Manslaughter Del Quentin Wilber, Washington Post, December 08, 2008
Attorneys for Blackwater Guards Lash Out at DoJ Del Quentin Wilber and Julie Tate, Washington Post, December 08, 2008
Sept. 11 Defendents Ask to Plead Guilty Reuters, December 08, 2008
Rising Violence Against Women in Iraq Sudarsan Raghavan, Washington Post, December 08, 2008