What's really depressing about this opinion piece is that the writer really appears to believe his absurd thesis that Israel must assert its independence from the US by nuking Iran—whereas we have argued again and again and again that Israel is playing US imperialism's fool in preparing aggression against Iran. From the LA Times, Jan. 12 (link added):

Big news is that New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson has brokered a ceasefire in Darfur. The small news is that no, he really didn't. And maybe, contrary to media portrayals, the JEM is correct not to take the bait, given that previous "ceasefires" have only co-opted Darfur's guerilla resistance into instruments of the Sudan regime's ethnic cleansing. From AP, Jan. 12:

We can only hope. How interesting that Iran's opposition lawmakers manifestly have more courage than Washington's Democrats. From the Italian news agency AKI, Jan. 9:

TEHRAN - Iranian reformist lawmakers have started collecting signatures in Parliament to demand the impeachment of the country's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. So far, 38 signatures have been collected out of the 72 required to formally summon Ahmadinejad and request his impeachment. Noureddin Pirmouzen, a deputy with the reformist minority, says it is nonetheless "positive to question" the head of the executive branch.

From BBC News, Jan. 11:

US forces have stormed a building in the northern Iraqi town of Irbil and seized six people said to be Iranians, prompting a diplomatic incident.

Two people were killed and more than 70 injured Jan. 11 as supporters and opponents of President Evo Morales battled with guns, sticks and rocks on the streets of Cochabamba. Fighting broke out when supporters of Gov. Manfredo Reyes Villa entered downtown Cochabamba, which has been occupied since Jan. 8 by thousands of protesters demanding he step down. Reyes Villa is at odds with the national government over his plans to call a referendum on regional autonomy.

From La Jornada, Jan. 10 via Chiapas95 (our translation):

Hundreds of inhabitants of the Sierra de Chiapas blocked trucks and machinery transporting wood from the zone, and initiated a protest vigil in front of the municipal presidency in Motozintla in protest of the timber companies which are exploiting the resouces without any plan for forest recovery.

From El Universal, Jan. 10 via Chiapas95:

Soaring tortilla prices have touched off a budding crisis, threatening the traditional affordability of the nation's most politically sensitive food product.

A little more than a year ago, it was a mysterious sweet smell that mystified New Yorkers. This time a mysterious sinister smell. A psychological warfare experiment? From Reuters, Jan. 10:

A powerful, mysterious smell of gas wafted through much of Manhattan and parts of New Jersey on Monday, forcing building evacuations and a temporary suspension of commuter train service before dissipating by mid-afternoon.