contributions

By George Papanastasiou
In the decades following an invasion of Cuba by the United States, historians would begin recounting the operation by rolling their eyes into the back of their heads. If it were to happen, it would leave the former mortally wounded and the latter in a dizzying state of shock. An invasion would be catastrophic for the same reasons that Vietnam was a catastrophe. And with all its eminence, affluence and power, the United States would end-up losing a lot more than it (…)

"Chávez must die like a dog, because he deserves it"
Martin Sanchez - Venezuelanalysis.com
Caracas, Venezuela. July 28 (Venezuelanalysis.com).- Venezuelan opposition leader, and two time president Carlos Andres Perez (CAP), made a series of statements calling for violence and hinting at an eventual dictatorial period that the Venezuelan opposition must implement if current President Hugo Chavez is to be removed from office. "I am working to remove Chavez [from power]. Violence will (…)

By KAREN BRANCH-BRIOSO
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Over breakfast Tuesday at the Cheers bar, Colorado Democrat Kim Cohen heard her umpteenth speech since arriving at the convention about how Democrats must unite behind Sen. John Kerry.
But in pink-for-peace bandanas, Cohen and several Colorado delegates don’t want to budge from backing Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich’s quixotic anti-war campaign in Wednesday’s roll-call vote at the convention. Even though Kucinich himself urged them to back (…)

By Richard Cohen Back before Jonas Salk developed his polio vaccine in 1952, summer could be a bad time for America’s children. The fear of polio often kept them indoors, away from the beach or out of the pool. So it came as something of a surprise when the government somehow ran out of the vaccine and the secretary of health, education and welfare, Oveta Culp Hobby, uttered one of the great dumb remarks of American history: "No one could have foreseen the public demand for the vaccine." (…)

By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent
Teresa Heinz Kerry has led a parade of Democratic veterans and newcomers who praised John Kerry’s values and said his leadership could unite a divided America and restore credibility to the White House.
On the second night of the Democratic convention, the sometimes outspoken Heinz Kerry described her husband as a fighter who would vigorously defend America, reclaim the country’s moral bearings and "always be the first in the line of fire." (…)

By Derek Gatopoulos - The associated press
Athens will impose a no-fly zone over the city a week before the Olympics and has drawn up contingency plans to shoot down hijacked planes that could be used in a Sept. 11-style attack, a senior Greek air defense official said Tuesday, as authorities received U.S. scanners to check cars and trucks.
"The threats we’re considering include renegade aircraft, missiles ... gliders, kites, remote-controlled planes, unmanned craft and others," Air (…)

WMD was the rationale for invading Iraq. But what was really driving the US were fears over oil and the future of the dollar
by John Chapman
There were only two credible reasons for invading Iraq: control over oil and preservation of the dollar as the world’s reserve currency. Yet the government has kept silent on these factors, instead treating us to the intriguing distractions of the Hutton and Butler reports.
Butler’s overall finding of a "group think" failure was pure charity. (…)

Oscar-winning US film director Michael Moore publicly invited US President George W. Bush on Tuesday to attend the screening of his Bush-bashing documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11" in Bush’s hometown in Texas.
Moore issued his invitation to Bush on his Web site, saying he wanted a chance to thank Bush personally for starring in the film,which will be screened Wednesday night in Crawford, where Bush hashis ranch.
"And let’s face it, you’ve got some of the funniest lines in the film!" (…)

Trade Leaders Meet in Effort to Patch Differences Between Rich and Poor Nations
By Paul Blustein
Ten months after a global trade meeting in Cancun, Mexico, collapsed in acrimony between rich and poor countries, senior world trade officials have gathered here to warnings that the fate of the international trading system is on the line if they can’t compromise this time.
The four-day meeting at the World Trade Organization’s headquarters is intended to advance negotiations for a (…)

By Mallory Langsdon
Four Frenchmen detained in the U.S. military camp at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba for over two years have arrived back in France after Washington handed them over to French authorities.
The men, who had been held without charge, were captured during the U.S. led-war in Afghanistan on suspicion of fighting with the former Taliban regime.
Arriving on Tuesday by French army aircraft at the Evreux military base in northern France, they were taken away in a coach flanked by (…)