A surge in US military assistance to combat al-Qaeda in Yemen may strengthen Islamic fundamentalism in the country. Rather, US government aid should assist in sustainable economic development to tackle the root cause of terrorism – poverty.
One year after Israel’s military offensive on Gaza,
residents are still struggling to reconstruct their lives under a crippling
economic blockade. As recent peace demonstrators declared, a lack of
international support for the Palestinian people is contributing to the ongoing
crisis.
Despite overwhelming support among members of the UN for the findings of the Goldstone Report, the US government has refused to acknowledge its validity. This constitutes no less than a formal bipartisan rejection of international humanitarian law, argues Stephen Zunes.
In Iran social networks and new electronic technologies have given people the courage to collectively express their dissent. The new media's ability to limit state control over communication may become an important tool in democratising global politics, argues Henry Giroux.
Lack of international action against Israel's war on Gaza illustrates the grand hypocracy of human rights rhetoric. But civilian groups can now use international law to show
the 'legitimacy gap' of Israeli government tactics in the Palestinian territories, argues Richard Falk.
In the aftermath of the Israeli military operation in Gaza, there is little evidence to suggest that Israel will find greater security, that the Palestinian question is closer to resolution, or that Hamas will silence their rockets, says Paul Rogers.
The rise of Hamas in Gaza can be traced to an overarching Israeli government strategy to paint moderate Palestinian leaders as 'terrorist elements', and an unhealthy alliance between Israel intelligence agencies and government, says Ira Chernus.
