Thailand election preview

BANGKOK: The IHT has the story on Thailand’s pending election, scheduled this Sunday. While it is certainly encouraging to see an election taking place, hold no illusions: deposed Prime Minister Thaksin’s party is still effectively banned in many parts of the country. Thailand has been controlled by a military junta since a September 2006 coup…

Blackwater in Iraq: Poor oversight sets the stage for deadly abuse of power

WASHINGTON: On September 17, 2007, in western Baghdad, private contractors hired to protect a convoy of U.S. State Department officials opened fire on nearby cars. When the smoke cleared, the Iraqi government reported that 17 civilians were dead and demanded that their American employer, Blackwater USA, leave Iraq. Subsequent investigations by Congress describe a pattern…