Znet

The Newsweek story that the Pentagon is considering the "Salvador option" for Iraq has gotten much play in progressive circles, but it left two unanswered questions: First, how credible was the story given that it was based on anonymous sources and denied by the Secretary of Defense?

"I wish he hadn't said Viacom would be better off with a Republican Administration. It was too obvious. We do better when some of these Viacom guys appear from time to time to be attacking us because it makes their support seem more sincere and credible." By Danny Schechter

The day of blood and elections has passed, and the blaring trumpets of corporate media hailing it as a successful show of "democracy" have subsided to a dull roar.

The fifth World Social Forum, the giant civil society gathering under way in the southern Brazilian city of Porto Alegre through Jan. 31, may mark a turning point in WSF history.

With elections just four days away, many Iraqis are still uncertain how they will vote, or even where the polling stations are. By Dahr Jamail

Israel's announcement that it is closing the three checkpoints around the Gaza Strip in the wake of last Thursday's terror attack at the Karni crossing has created the impression that all the crossings have been open recently. This, however, is not the case. By Amira Haas.

Another multinational water privatizer is closing shop in South America's poorest and perhaps boldest country. By Will Braun

The morgues at the hospitals of Baghdad are filling to capacity. At Yarmouk Hospital in central Baghdad, the three freezers reek of decaying bodies, despite the temperature. By Dahr Jamail

For the first time in history, demarcating the beginning of the 21st century, the biggest company in the world was not an oil concern or an automobile manufacturer, but Wal-Mart, a supermarket chain. By Silvia Ribeiro

Resting in a comfortable seat of super-express speeding towards northern Japan, I was admiring the snow-covered beauty of the rural countryside. It was getting dark and the wheels of the train were gently drumming against the rails in a monotonous and reassuring rhythm.

The recent election in Palestine, the first of two scheduled Middle East votes this month to be held under occupation, came complete with the humiliation and indignity that is meted out daily to the long-suffering Palestinian people.

There are over 9 million people worldwide who self-identify as Palestinian.

The mainstream media only focus on the natural causes of disasters like the Indian Ocean tsunamis. What's the wider context? By Mike Davis and Socialist Worker

Palestinian Presidential Elections Under Occupation. By Omar Barghouti

A roundtable discussion with Francis Boyle, Michael Mandel, Liz Holtzman, H. Victor Conde, and Mark Levine. By Boyle et al and Mark Levine.

The devastation of Iraq? Where do I start? After working 7 of the last 12 months in Iraq, I'm still overwhelmed by even the thought of trying to describe this. By Dahr Jamail

Families of some U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq plan a strong protest to mark the second anniversary of the invasion. The group 'Military Families Speak Out' will hold a demonstration in Fayetteville, North Carolina, in the United States March 19. By Dahr Jamail

"I do not agree that the dog in the manger has the final right to the manger, even though he may have lain there for a very long time. I do not admit that right. I do not admit for instance, that a great wrong has been done to the Red Indians of America, or the black people of Australia.

I am among those who accept the necessity for reorganization of the United Nations Security Council; we need a change in composition of the countries that comprise it. At the same time, I should like to recall that this reorganization is not the same as a reform of the United Nations.

"The best way for the American people to send a message to the Bush administration and the world that 'we the people' of the United States do not condone torture is to mobilize to reject the nomination of Alberto Gonzales." By Ron Daniels

Can the public stop the chainsaws from coming? By Geov Parrish

When George W.

For millions of people along the coastal regions of South and Southeast Asia the morning had begun like any other passing day, a step closer to the end of the old year and the beginning of a new one. By Satya Sagar

The exceptional intensity of the emotions- disbelief, compassion, and global concern- displayed at the Asian Tsunami disaster is a prime example of the discourse of compassion and humanitarianism created and fostered by the political climate and media.

Are we on the brink of a new cold war? On both sides of the Atlantic, media commentators see the crisis in Ukraine as comparable to the Berlin crises, involving the US and the Soviet Union, which kept the world on tenterhooks for decades. By Mark Almond; December 27, 2004

It is the week before Christmas, and Santa's helpers are restless. In fact, they have been demonstrating their discontent by striking, smashing their factories, and not turning up for work. By Richard Spencer

Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 911 demonstrated that there is a large global market (half a billion in box office sales to date) for dissenting perspectives that can compete for mainstream movie goers and attention. By Danny Schechter

Do we support the planned Iraqi elections? By Phyllis Bennis

From environmental hazards to sex education, the federal government in the past several years has been twisting science to political ends.

Four years ago Dean Baker and I wrote a book entitled "Social Security: The Phony Crisis" (University of Chicago Press, 2000). We showed that there was no financial, economic, actuarial, or other reason to be worried about the future of Social Security. By Mark Weisbrot