The peculiar U.S. political debate this past week — focused on an apology for an inexcusable blunder, rather than on the long-term viability of prosecuting the war — can only be described as surreal.

Read more: Hamid Karzai, Quran Burning, Obama, Afghanistan, Afghanistan War, Afghanistan Troop Withdrawal, Afghanistan Troop Drawdown, War in Afghanistan, World News

from Jeffrey Laurenti

via http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeffrey-laurenti/afghan-withdrawal_b_1311869.html

As the government reportedly begins a ground assault in the Baba Amr district of the city, El Mundo reporter Javier Espinosa makes it to Lebanon.

A Spanish journalist escaped to Lebanon on Wednesday after being trapped in the besieged Syrian city of Homs, as opposition activists reported the start of a long-anticipated government ground assault on a rebel enclave there.

from By Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times

via http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/middleeast/la-fg-syria-journalist-20120301,0,3105472.story?track=rss

As the government reportedly begins a ground assault in the Baba Amr district of the city, El Mundo reporter Javier Espinosa makes it to Lebanon.

A Spanish journalist escaped to Lebanon on Wednesday after being trapped in the besieged Syrian city of Homs, as opposition activists reported the start of a long-anticipated government ground assault on a rebel enclave there.

from By Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times

via http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/middleeast/la-fg-syria-journalist-20120301,0,3105472.story?track=rss

Kofi Annan has urged the importance of the international community speaking “with one voice” if it is to have an impact on the Syrian regime.

from (author unknown)

via http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/world-middle-east-17216175

Charges against the seven, including Sam LaHood, son of transportation chief Ray LaHood, haven’t been dropped, but lifting the travel ban soothes relations.

from By Jeffrey Fleishman, Los Angeles Times

via http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/middleeast/la-fg-egypt-americans-20120301,0,5571675.story?track=rss

Iraqi government places death toll at nearly 70,000 since 2004, support grows for Palestinian Hana Shalabi’s prison hunger strike, another Bahraini dies from inhaling tear gas fired by regime forces, and more.

from (author unknown)

via http://www.linktv.org/video/7383