Revolutionary Change in Egypt: Internal or Made in USA? - by Stephen LendmanUS imperial policy includes regime change, affecting foes as well as no longer useful friends. Past targets included former Philippines leader Ferdinand Marcos, Iran's Shah (Mohammad Reza Pahlavi), and Iraq's Saddam Hussein, among others. According to some reports, Mubarak is next - aging,... Continue Reading →

Political Prisoner Ameer Makhoul Update - by Stephen LendmanA previous article discussed him in detail, accessed through the following site:http://sjlendman.blogspot.com/2010/10/israels-persecution-of-ameer-makhoul.htmlFollowing former prime minister Ariel Sharon's dictum that, "This is our land, and we'll settle it and build on it in order to prevent the creation of a Palestinian state," Palestinians have been ruthlessly persecuted, imprisoned,... Continue Reading →

Revolutionary Middle East Change - by Stephen LendmanDemocratic Middle East birth pangs may have legs enough to spread regionally, including in Occupied Palestine.Officially launched in Cairo in 1959, the General Union of Palestinian Students (GUPS) offers hope, driven by a commitment for Palestinian liberation. With more than 100 chapters and over 100,000 members, it's organized... Continue Reading →

Middle East Intifadas - by Stephen LendmanInitially in Tunisia, popular revolt spread regionally across North Africa and the Middle East, erupting in Algeria, Jordan, Egypt and Yemen. On January 27, Al Jazeera reported revolutionary fervor in Egypt, saying:"On Thursday, protesters hurled petrol bombs at a fire station in Suez, setting it ablaze. They tried but... Continue Reading →

Salah Hamouri: One of Thousands of Israeli Political Prisoners - by Stephen LendmanIn March 2005, French/Palestinian Hamouri was arrested, tortured and imprisoned for allegedly co-conspiring with Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) members to assassinate Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, ultra-Orthodox Shas party's spiritual leader and former Israeli Chief Rabbi. At age 91, he's very... Continue Reading →

Chicago's Mayoral Race: Rahm Emanuel's Eligibility At Issue - by Stephen LendmanOn February 22, Chicago's mayoral primary will be held. If no candidate gets over 50% of the vote, an April 5 runoff will follow, the winner's term running from May 16, 2011 - May 18, 2015. Democrats dominate city politics. The last Republican mayor... Continue Reading →

Political Prisoner Ahmad Sa'adat Update - by Stephen LendmanA previous article discussed his background, activism and status in detail, accessed through the following link:http://sjlendman.blogspot.com/2010/07/ahmad-saadat-palestinian-prisoner-of.htmlExtensive information on him can be found on:http://www.freeahmadsaadat.org/As General Secretary of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), he was sentenced in 2002 to 30 years in prison "for a... Continue Reading →

America's Dire State of the Union - by Stephen LendmanLike last year, Obama's address was empty rhetoric, signaling business as usual with a twist - more than ever embracing reactionary extremism, promising harder than ever hard times on Main Street.Last year, an earlier article discussed his first State of the Union address, accessed through the... Continue Reading →

Mass Street Protests in Egypt - by Stephen LendmanAn August 2009 Council on Foreign Relations Steven Cook report headlined, "Political Instability in Egypt," saying:Facing possible instability, (m)ost analysts believe that the current Egyptian regime will muddle through its myriad challenges and endure indefinitely (with) enough coercive power to ensure" it. It's also "entering a period... Continue Reading →

Lebanon's Hezbollah-Led Government - by Stephen LendmanIt's official, or nearly so, Haaretz, on January 25 headlining, "Hezbollah's PM pick wins majority backing as Hariri supporters hold 'day of wrath,' " saying:Hezbollah-backed Najib Mikati, a Sunni billionaire, became new prime minister after getting 68 votes, a majority in Lebanon's 128-member parliament. Caretaker PM Saad Hariri got... Continue Reading →