Last month, several Baghdad bombings attributed to ISIS killed more than a hundred civilians and wounded hundreds more. The attacks are a tragic reminder that Iraq is still a nation in turmoil. But they should also be a reason—more than 13 years after the decision to topple Saddam Hussein and undertake nation-building in Mesopotamia—to reevaluate U.S. policy in Iraq.
Chris Hayes interviewed John Kerry on Yemen earlier tonight. He mentioned the recent belated decision to block the transfer of cluster bombs to the Saudis, and pressed Kerry on why the U.S. was arming the Saudis. Kerry’s answer is notable for its repetition of a shamelessly pro-Saudi line:
Authored by Eric Zuesse via Strategic-Culture.org,
First, let's look at where we stand in each of Obama's current 'missions'...
LIBYA
The last time China set up an air defense identification zone, or ADIZ, was in late 2013, when tensions with Japan had escalated so far, many were speculating if the two nations would not engage in limited warfare. Back then, China set up its first ADIZ in the East China Sea in November 2013 to cover the Diaoyu Islands, which Japan calls the Senkakus. Both countries claim the uninhabited outcrops but Tokyo controls them. The ADIZ triggered a backlash from Japan, South Korea and the US.
Nearing the end of his presidency, glorious leader Obama came out today in what was hailed his "economic victory lap."