Mongoose: Azerbaijan – the Next Tarpit

Azerbaijan: Israel’s secret Muslim friend Israel and Azerbaijan are natural allies since “both countries see Iran as an existential threat.” Location explains Azerbaijan’s standing in the world. Situated on the oil rich Caspian Sea, the state is wooed by Western governments seeking an alternative to Russia as a source of energy imports. Israel is one …

Chuck Spinney & Gareth Porter: US to Blame for Rise of Islamic State and Syria Disaster UPDATE 1: WikiLeaks Documents US Perfidy

Below is a very important report describing how a string of US covert operations reaching back to the 1980s has created the bloody shambles in Iraq, Syria and the emergence of ISIS.* The author, Gareth Porter, is one of the finest investigative reporters now operating in the United States.  Most importantly, IMO, Porter ends by …