On AlterNet: shia

Stories, blog posts, and videos tagged as "shia"

I Was An Innocent Prisoner at Guantanamo Bay

Hussein Latif, Institute for War and Peace Reporting. June 11, 2010.

An Iraqi's tale of an odyssey through war zones, trying to reach the West but ending up in Guantanamo.

Is Iraq On the Brink of Civil War?

Robert Dreyfuss, The Nation. March 1, 2010.

The purging of Sunni candidates from Iraq's upcoming parliamentary elections has raised the specter of civil conflict.

The World Watches as Lebanon Goes to the Polls

Jared Levy, Ali Gharib, IPS News. June 6, 2009.

Many analysts view the elections through the lens of the struggle between U.S. and Iranian regional hegemonic aspirations.

In Baghdad, Many Iraqis Are Resigned to Indefinite Bouts of Sporadic Violence

Abeer Mohammed, Institute for War and Peace Reporting. June 4, 2009.

Few believe the capital is reverting to an earlier era of sectarian violence, but most accept that bloodshed will plague Iraq for years to come.

Iraqi General Election Set For January 30, 2010

Agence France PresseMay 18, 2009.

The general election is expected to be a key test of popular support for the Shiite-led government of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

Afghan President Signs Law "Legalizing Rape"

Jerome Starkey, Independent UK. March 31, 2009.

Karzai rushed the new Shia Family Law through parliament in a shameless bid to win votes in advance of national elections.

The Myth of U.S. Military Dominance in the Middle East

Gareth Porter, IPS News. March 9, 2009.

The notion that U.S. military presence has definitively shaped the region has been thoroughly discredited.

The Afghan Surge: Proof the U.S. Has Not Learned From Its Debacle in Iraq

Patrick Cockburn, Independent UK. February 27, 2009.

More U.S. troops in Afghanistan will spark a backlash in which religion combines with nationalism to oppose foreign intervention.

Iraq Election Results Point to a Big Win for Maliki

Patrick Cockburn, Independent UK. February 5, 2009.

Iraqi voters have rebuffed religious parties and cemented the power of the country's Prime Minister.

What Will Iraq's Provincial Elections Mean for the Country?

Dahr Jamail, IPS News. February 2, 2009.

After a strong turnout and minimal violence, Iraqis are seeking signs of political recovery.

Iraq Election Most Peaceful Since Fall of Saddam

Patrick Cockburn, Independent UK. February 1, 2009.

The last regional poll, in 2005, triggered two years of civil war. This time, there was not a single major attack anywhere in the country.

Baghdad 5 Years On: City of Walls

ZP Heller, Brave New Films. August 7, 2008.

Why the surge isn't as successful as conservatives would have you believe.

Is McCain Lying, Stupid or Both?

Phoenix Woman, Firedoglake. March 20, 2008.

McCain keeps publicly making the false claim that Iran, a majority Shiite country, was supplying the mostly Sunni militant group, Al-Qaeda.

Iraq: 'Surge' Setting up More Violence

Dahr Jamail, Foreign Policy in Focus. March 18, 2008.

The U.S. is arming all sides of the conflict in Iraq.

Iraq: Clashes Between U.S.-Backed Forces Increase

Ahmed Ali, Dahr Jamail, IPS News. March 5, 2008.

Tensions rise in Iraq, as U.S. arms multiple factions.

A View of Iraq From Beyond the Green Zone

Jeremy Scahill, The Nation. February 13, 2008.

Journalist Dahr Jamail talks about the current state of Iraq and why an immediate withdrawal of American troops is necessary.

Who Exactly Is the Enemy in Iraq?

Robert Dreyfuss, TomDispatch.com. November 12, 2007.

Who, exactly, are we fighting in Iraq? Why are we there? Nearly five years later, there are still no answers to the most basic questions about the Iraq occupation.

Hersh: "Hitting Iran is Bush and Cheney's Wet Dream"

Guest Blogger, June 29, 2007.

Amanda Terkel: Seymour Hersh says Bush thinks, "Yes, I may be at 30 percent in the polls, but in 20 or 30 years, they'll appreciate what I've done."

The Most Powerful Iraqi: Who is Muqtada al-Sadr?

Patrick Cockburn, CounterPunch. February 16, 2007.

The Shia cleric al-Sadr draws his influence from channeling the sentiments of the millions of Shia poor, preaching a mixture of militancy against Sunnis and skepticism against Shia elites.

Iraq Is Coming Apart at the Seams

Joshua Holland, AlterNet. October 21, 2006.

As Iraq falls apart, rumors are flying that there will be a Bush-backed coup, an open three-sided civil war and a host of other nightmarish outcomes.