Gareth Porter, independent historian and journalist for Inter Press Service News Agency, discusses Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s persecution of Sunni Awakening Councils, the U.S. military’s cooperation with Iraq’s government in quelling a Sunni 'Sons of Iraq' uprising and how a new outbreak of sectarian violence could give the U.S. occupation a new lease on life.

Gareth Porter, independent historian and journalist for Inter Press Service, discusses the latest campaign promise broken by Barack Obama, the semantic removal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq by calling them 'advisory and assistance' brigades and Obama’s inability to say 'no' to the military or to be truthful about his equivocations.

Gareth Porter, independent historian and journalist for Inter Press Service News Agency, discusses the Obama administration’s attempted duplication of Gen. Petraeus’s Iraq 'success' in Afghanistan, the difficulty foreign occupiers have in overcoming the Pashtunwali code, the possible changes in U.S. military planning when the Quadrennial Defense Review is completed and Saudi Arabia’s diplomatic attempt to separate the Taliban and al Qaeda.

Gareth Porter, independent researcher and journalist, discusses Obama's extended withdrawal plan that keeps tens of thousands of troops in Iraq indefinitely, the political calculation behind the change from a 16 to 19 month withdrawal timetable and the incremental victory won by the generals and Pentagon officials who want to stay in Iraq for the long term.

Gareth Porter, independent researcher and journalist, discusses the continuing struggle over control of the Iraq war narrative, the influence of retired general Jack Keane on the Bush Administration's Iraq policy, the surprising strength and stability of the Iraqi government and why General Petraeus's proposal for an extended Iraq withdrawal is a ploy get more time to scuttle the SOFA agreement.

Independent historian and journalist Gareth Porter briefly discusses his article last week, 'Generals Seek to Reverse Obama Withdrawal Decision' and his follow up 'Petraeus Leaked Misleading Story on Pullout Plans' his interaction with a General Petraeus go-between who leaked a different account of the reportedly contentious meeting between President Obama and Generals Odierno and Petreaus, and a subsequent White House denial of the account

Gareth Porter, author of the article 'Generals Seek to Reverse Obama Withdrawal Decision', discusses the rift within the military on the issue of troop withdrawal from Iraq, the apparent attempt by Robert Gates and Generals Petraeus and Odierno to undermine Obama’s planned Iraq withdrawal timeline, the NIE Iran report and the Iranian nuclear hedging strategy and the fight over control of the foreign policy narrative and who ultimately is to blame for historical failure.

Gareth Porter, independent historian and journalist for IPS News, discusses the Bush/Olmert plan to force Hamas to take all power in Gaza in order to try to provide an excuse for undoing the election results of 2006, how Hamas followed by and Israel broke the cease-fire of June, 2008, backlash against Bush's capitulation to every Israeli demand, implications of Obama's appointment of Jim Jones for National Security Advisor, the military's push to rename all the combat forces in Iraq and stay...

Gareth Porter, independent historian and journalist, discusses his recent visit to Iran to determine the receptivity of government officials to U.S. diplomatic overtures, the divide in Iranian opinion over Obama, how U.S. interference abroad allows defiant nationalistic governments stay in power, Obama's potential to learn from his foreign policy mistakes despite the influence of hawkish advisers and how Iran's increased regional influence and friendly relations with Iraq make nuclear...

Gareth Porter, author of the important new article 'Documents Linking Iran to Nuclear Weapons Push May Have Been Fabricated' at RawStory, discusses the latest labyrinthine developments in the 'stolen laptop' documents story, how the weight of evidence indicates the documents are forgeries in the 'Nigerian yellowcake' tradition, the two oft-confused but very different IAEA investigations of Iran’s nuclear program and a future expose on Israeli involvement in the affair.

Gareth Porter, independent historian and reporter for IPS News, discusses the Status Of Forces Agreement being negotiated with Iraq, Bush's abetting of the Iranian influence in the Iraqi government, last week's massive demonstrations against the occupation, Russia and the soon to expire UN mandate, the longstanding canard of Iran's nuclear ambitions the waning likelihood of an attack on Iran and the situation in Pakistan.

Gareth Porter, independent historian and reporter for IPS News, discusses the build-up to the invasion of Afghanistan, why the neocons didn’t care about al Qaeda, 'The Getaway,' why the marines had no real ability to get to Tora Bora in time to catch bin Laden, the thinking behind the neocons’ Clean Break policy and pre-9/11 determination to invade Iraq, the various degrees of stupidity and nefarious planning in the administration of the Iraq occupation, and the would-be horror of a John...

Gareth Porter, independent historian and reporter for IPS News, discusses the probable MEK-NCRI/Israeli origins of the supposed 'Smoking Laptop'; origin of all contemporary 'outstanding questions' related to Iran’s nuclear program, some reasons why the accusations based around it do not stand up to scrutiny, and the National Intelligence Council’s warning to the White House against the ratcheting up of the war inside Pakistan.