I have become increasingly alarmed at just how deeply entrenched Islamophobic views have become within our culture. It seems that many of us have stopped seeking to differentiate between the teachings of a religion and the actions of a few extremists or certain governmental/political regimes. I have often written on these pages that if I have a religion, then it …

STORY HIGHLIGHTS Outgoing head of internal oversight office says there is an "absence of strategic guidance" Ahlenius says "there is no transparency (or) accountability" Ban's spokesman calls his efforts "visionary" on a number of fronts United Nations (CNN) — A departing senior U.N. official has released a rare rebuke of her boss's performance — saying the United Nations is "drifting …

The war in Iraq led to a huge increase in the terrorist threat to the UK, the former head of MI5 has told the Iraq Inquiry. Baroness Manningham-Buller added that the decision to remove Saddam Hussein had caused a "long-term major and strategic problem" for Britain by allowing al-Qaeda time to build a stronghold in Afghanistan unnopposed. She told the …

The global economy, artificially boosted since the recession of 2008-2009 by massive monetary and fiscal stimulus and financial bailouts, is headed towards a sharp slowdown this year as the effect of these measures wanes. Worse yet, the fundamental excesses that fueled the crisis – too much debt and leverage in the private sector (households, banks and other financial institutions, and …

  Americans know that something fundamental is amiss. They sense—rightly—that they are being misled no matter which political party does the leading.   A long misinformed public lacks the tools to grasp how they are being deceived. Without those tools, Americans will continue to be frustrated at being played for the fool.   When the “con” is clearly seen, “the mark” (that’s …