Petraeus Spins the Afghan War Mess
Gen. David Petraeus cites progress in Afghanistan, but an ex-U.S. official says that's spin, not reality, reports Barbara Koeppel. September 7, 2010

Banksters Steal Away with the Loot
Wall Street banksters and their accomplices get away scot-free while average citizens pay the price, says Danny Schechter. September 7, 2010

Blair Reveals Cheney's War Agenda
Ex-British PM Tony Blair describes Vice President Cheney's neocon dream of eliminating hostile regimes, writes Robert Parry. September 6, 2010

Must the Bible Remain 'Holy'?
As religious intolerance spreads, Rev. Howard Bess urges Christians to adopt a more critical approach toward Bible study. September 5, 2010

Must-Read Books Before Election 2010
As Election 2010 nears, American voters need the history detailed in Neck Deep and our two other books (at discounted prices), says Robert Parry

Help Us Keep Consortiumnews.com Alive A disappointing mid-year fund drive has left the survival of this 15-year-old investigative news Web site in jeopardy. If you can help, please consider a tax-deductible donation either by credit card online or by mailing a check. (For readers using PayPal, address your contribution to "consortnew@aol.com"). We also will continue to offer the three-book set of Lost History, Secrecy & Privilege and Neck Deep for only $29. We are now only 260 sets short of our goal of 1,000. For details, click here. Again, thank you for your support! Robert Parry, Editor

Make Me Write This Book
You can help lock in Editor Robert Parry's commitment to write a new book by buying a set of his last three at a deeply discounted price. (Click here)

CIA's 'Red Cell' Hypocrisy on Terror
A secret CIA study on U.S.-born terrorists ignores the agency's long history of sponsoring acts of terror, says Robert Parry. September 4, 2010

Recession Snuffs Out New Media Hope
On this bleak Labor Day weekend, News Dissector Danny Schechter reflects on his own lost dream of a media start-up. September 3, 2010

Posturing on the PanAm 103 'Bomber'
US and UK officials still fume over the freed PanAm 103 "bomber" though the Libyan is clearly innocent, writes William Blum. September 2, 2010

WikiLeaks and Defining 'Journalism'
WikiLeaks has been attacked as not a real journalistic entity and thus not deserving of legal protection, but D.H. Kerby objects. September 2, 2010

Will US Really Prosecute WikiLeaks?
The US government's threat to prosecute WikiLeaks for publishing Afghan War documents is anti-democratic, says Ivan Eland. September 2, 2010

The Afghan Pincer Attack on Obama
Afghan War hawks have outmaneuvered President Obama by overrunning his political flanks, writes Melvin A. Goodman. September 2, 2010

How the Right Still Frames Iraq
The Right framed the debate over President Obama's Iraq War speech as the need to thank George W. Bush, says Robert Parry. September 1, 2010

Obama Sugarcoats Iraq War Realities
In "turning the page" on Iraq, President Obama spared those responsible for this war of aggression, writes David Swanson. September 1, 2010

Beck's Washington Monument Myth
Though often spouting US history, Glenn Beck gummed up the story of the Washington Monument, notes Jonathan Schwarz. September 1, 2010

Beck and American Know-Nothings
Fox News' Glenn Beck has become the pied piper of the American know-nothings, as his DC rally showed, says Michael Winship. August 31, 2010

What Obama Won't Say Tonight
In a mock draft of President Obama's Iraq War speech, Ray McGovern suggests a focus on the Afghan War quagmire instead. August 31, 2010

War on Terror: Greatest Covert Op
The "politics of terror" have enabled the US national security elite to gain ever more money and power, declares Douglas Valentine. August 31, 2010

Obama vs. the Generals
As President Obama declares an end to US "combat" in Iraq, a battle looms between him and the Pentagon, notes Rory O'Connor. August 30, 2010

The Christian Right Needs 'Enemies'
Christian fundamentalists have long obsessed on war with "enemies," now the world's Muslims, writes the Rev. Howard Bess. August 30, 2010

Why US Media Is Soft on Wall Street
Big US media is deeply interconnected with the same financial powers that dominate Wall Street, observes Danny Schechter. August 30, 2010

Don't Forget the Bush History
By quickly forgetting the history of George W. Bush, Americans are risking an ugly repeat, starting in November, warns Robert Parry. August 27, 2010

Hawks Box in Obama on Afghan War
President Obama tried to outmaneuver the Afghan War hawks, but now appears to be the one boxed in, says Ray McGovern. August 26, 2010

Karl Rove Exploits Corporate Money
Republican strategist Karl Rove is seizing on a Supreme Court ruling to funnel corporate cash into elections, says Kevin Zeese. August 26, 2010

In Case You Missed These Stories
Once a month, we look back at some of the previous month's special stories. Here's a selection from July.

At War with American Workers
Company demands for a cut in pay for Mott's Apple factory workers is a sign of the economic times, writes Michael Winship. August 25, 2010

Twisting Palestinian Arms for 'Peace'
New Israel-Palestine peace talks confront Palestinian leaders with some unpalatable choices, observes Lawrence Davidson. August 25, 2010

Christian Nationalism's War with Islam
The "Ground Zero Mosque" furor is another skirmish in the Christian fundamentalists' war with Islam, says Rev. Howard Bess. August 24, 2010

Making a 'Mosque' a 'Wedge' Issue
By blurring al-Qaeda's motivations, the Right has exploited an Islamic center to rile up the American people, writes Ivan Eland. August 24, 2010

Fiddling While the US Economy Burns
As the Right bashes President Obama for too much economic meddling, his real failure is in doing too little, says Danny Schechter. August 23, 2010

Turning Iraqi Cities into Slums
The US invasion of Iraq has caused a catastrophic decline in living standards for millions of Iraqis, writes Adil E. Shamoo. August 23, 2010

Spinning the US Failure in Iraq
The withdrawal of the last US combat battalions from Iraq marks a historic failure despite the spin in Washington, says Robert Parry. August 20, 2010

Transocean Questioned on Burma Deal
Transocean, in trouble over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, faces a probe of its work in Burmese waters, reports Thomas Maung Shwe. August 20, 2010

The Tea Partiers' Historical Fictions
Tea Party activists claim they represent America's founding values but they misunderstand the history, notes Jada Thacker. August 18, 2010

Mosque Furor Endangers US Troops
The Right is making political hay over a mosque near Ground Zero, but US troops may pay with their lives, writes Robert Parry. August 18, 2010

Do Religions Reject Gay Marriage?
The last line of defense for opponents of same-sex marriage is that religions forbid it, but Daniel C. Maguire questions that. August 18, 2010

Old-Time Bigotry Alive in America
The screaming over a mosque near 9/11's Ground Zero reflects America's deepseated nativism, observes Michael Winship. August 17, 2010

Making the US Look Small to the World
Right-wing operatives whipping up anger over a Lower Manhattan mosque make America look hypocritical, says Alvaro Vargas Llosa. August 17, 2010

Letting the Banksters 'Settle'
Instead of jail time, the banksters who tanked the global economy are settling for cash payouts, writes Danny Schechter. August 17, 2010

The Truth about Pat Tillman's Death
A documentary recounts how the US government exploited the death of NFL-star-turned-soldier Pat Tillman, says Rory O'Connor. August 17, 2010

Behind a Lethal Israel-Lebanon Clash
A cross-border firing by Lebanese and Israeli troops reveals that regional tensions remain high, writes Lawrence Davidson. August 16, 2010

How Truth Can Save Lives
As the US government attacks WikiLeaks for risking lives, Ray McGovern notes that secrecy and lies can be far more dangerous. August 15, 2010

US Staggers Toward Dysfunction
The dysfunction of the US political/media system is spreading into the economy with terrible results, notes Danny Schechter. August 14, 2010

Gut-Check Time for Progressives
Progressives hoped President Obama's election would mean a new day in politics, but the Right has hit back, says Don Monkerud. August 13, 2010

A Neocon Preps US for War with Iran
Neocon writer Jeffrey Goldberg lays out Israel's case for why the US should join a new war with Iran, observes Ray McGovern. August 12, 2010

Why Israel Wants a US War with Iran
Neocons are beating new war drums, this time over Iran, to boost Israel's regional interests, write Flynt and Hillary Mann Leverett. August 12, 2010

Don't Try These GOP Alibis at Home
When powerful Republicans are in a pinch, they can use crazy alibis that would make anyone else look guiltier, says Robert Parry. August 12, 2010

Manning, Khadr: Cases of Conscience
Two young men -- Bradley Manning and Omar Khadr -- are in jail for reacting to U.S. invasions, writes Lawrence Davidson. August 11, 2010

The Mosque, the Wall, and America
The bitter protests against an Islamic center near Ground Zero remind Michael Winship of the fight over the Vietnam Wall. August 10, 2010

Hard Choices in Iraq and Afghanistan
President Obama must resist pressures to leave behind more US troops in Iraq and to escalate in Afghanistan, writes Ivan Eland. August 10, 2010

The Dual Realities of Israel/Palestine
An ugly part of the Israel/Palestine conflict is the tendency to disparage the other side's grievances, says Lawrence Davidson. August 10, 2010

Is Anti-Tax Rage Fueled by Racism?
When average white Americans want tax cuts for the rich, the disconnect suggests that racism may be a factor, says Jay Diamond. August 9, 2010

Lack of Jobs Kills Hope of Recovery
The dysfunctions of American politics and business have merged in the failure to address joblessness, notes Danny Schechter. August 9, 2010

Reflections on the Ninth of August
In World War II, August ninth was a date of special infamy as Christians put loyalty to state over their faith, writes Gary G. Kohls. August 8, 2010

Pfc. Manning and the Value of Truth
Ex-CIA analyst Ray McGovern speaks in defense of Pfc. Bradley Manning, the young soldier accused of giving secrets to WikiLeaks. August 8, 2010

October Surprise Cover-up Unravels
Die-hard defenders of the October Surprise (1980) cover-up keep citing alibis that have long ago disintegrated, says Robert Parry. August 6, 2010

Letting Torturers Go Free
A first-hand account by a Guantanamo Bay survivor suggests torture was widespread -- and unpunished -- writes Sherwood Ross. August 6, 2010

The Pleasantly Surprising 'Green Zone'
Matt Damon's Iraq War movie, "Green Zone," doesn't shy away from telling some hard truths about official lies, says David Swanson. August 5, 2010

Accusation of October Surprise 'Lying'
Attorney Lawrence Barcella accuses journalist Robert Parry of "lying" about the October Surprise case, and Parry responds. August 5, 2010

Is Iran, like Iraq, 'Asking for War'?
A US media myth about invading Iraq is that it pretended to have WMD, a falsehood that could repeat in Iran, warns William Blum. August 4, 2010

George Shultz's Counterfeit 'Coin'
Though honored by PBS, ex-Secretary of State George Shultz lied when he said "trust is the coin of the realm," says Robert Parry. August 4, 2010

Palin, Summers and the Crisis of Kitsch
Though intellectual opposites, Sarah Palin and Larry Summers are two pieces of a destructive puzzle, writes Phil Rockstroh. August 4, 2010

Obama Warned Israel May Bomb Iran
Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity tell President Obama that he must instruct Israel to forgo any surprise attack on Iran. August 3, 2010

Wall Street's Collapse, 3 Years Later
On the third anniversary of the Wall Street meltdown, few lessons are learned and few crooks punished, notes Danny Schechter. August 3, 2010

GOP Eyes Big Gains Over the Economy
Republican strategy to sabotage President Obama's economic program appears close to political success, says Stephen Crockett. August 3, 2010

Can US Live with a Taliban Revival?
As leaked Afghan War documents underscore the war's futility, Ivan Eland asks whether a deal with the Taliban could work. August 3, 2010

Washington's Ethical Double Standard
Two standards of ethics apply in Washington, one for the well-connected and another for those less fortunate, says Robert Parry. August 2, 2010

WikiLeaks Filled a Journalistic Void
The failure of journalists to serve as the public's eyes and ears opened the door to the Afghan War leaks, writes Mort Rosenblum. August 2, 2010

Making an Example of Charlie Rangel
Amid Washington's corruption, it is Harlem's Rep. Charlie Rangel who is being dragged to the woodshed, notes Danny Schechter. August 1, 2010

Jesus's Unsettling Lessons for America
Many American Christians don't want to hear Jesus's disdain for his era's unfettered capitalism, observes Rev. Howard Bess. August 1, 2010

Help Us Move These Books!
We're often asked, "Why doesn't your information get wider distribution?" There's an implied criticism, that we're not doing enough. But the truth is... (To read more, click here.)

A Monthly Donation for Don North DVD
By setting up a monthly donation of only $10, you can qualify for a gift copy of Don North's DVD "Yesterday's Enemies." For details, click here.

The New October Surprise Series:
At the 30th anniversary of the Iran hostage crisis, Robert Parry reviews the evidence of a history-changing Republican dirty trick. See below:

--How Two Elections Changed America
Secret Republican operations around elections in 1968 and 1980 set the U.S. on today's troubled course, says Robert Parry. November 4, 2009

--The Crazy October Surprise Debunking
To protect the Reagan-Bush-I legacy, Republicans and Democrats created absurd October Surprise alibis, reports Robert Parry. November 6, 2009

--The October Surprise Crystal Balls
A sub-plot of the 1980 October Surprise mystery is how some Reaganites foresaw the U.S. hostage release, says Robert Parry. November 13, 2009

--Key October Surprise Evidence Hidden
A Russian report on the 1980 October Surprise case was apparently kept from the chief congressional investigator, says Robert Parry. May 6, 2010

--The Tricky October Surprise Report
A House task force deceived the American public in clearing Ronald Reagan of a treacherous scheme with Iran, reports Robert Parry. June 17, 2010

--The CIA/Likud Sinking of Jimmy Carter
With the October Surprise cover-up in shambles, the evidence points to a CIA-Likud plot against President Carter, says Robert Parry. June 24, 2010

--Rethinking Iran-Contra
The recent collapse of the long-running October Surprise cover-up shifts the history on the Iran-Contra scandal, writes Robert Parry. July 1, 2010

Hung Out to Dry
From the Archive: Journalist Georg Hodel, who died June 20, described the betrayal of himself and Gary Webb in the contra-cocaine scandal.

Evita, the Swiss and the Nazis
From the Archive: The late journalist Georg Hodel traced the post-WWII trail of Eva Peron to Switzerland in aiding the Nazi exodus to Argentina.

El Salvador: Ghosts at the Polls
From the Archive: Three decades ago today, El Salvador's Archbishop Romero was slain, sending shock waves across the ages. By Don North

Bay of Pigs Meets Black Hawk Down
From the Archive: Newsweek declares "victory at last" in Iraq, but there is a case that the U.S. "loss" dated from the first weeks. By Robert Parry

Al Haig & a 'Green Light' to Chaos
From the Archive: In 1981, Secretary of State Al Haig wrote a 'top secret' memo on a 'green light' to chaos. Robert Parry

Charlie Wilson's Deadly Legacy
Ex-Rep. Charlie Wilson's death is prompting nostalgia over the anti-Soviet Afghan war, but the myth is dangerous as these two Archive stories show:

Reagan's Bargain/Charlie Wilson's War
From the Archive: President Reagan let Pakistan build an A-bomb in a trade-off for Charlie Wilson's anti-Soviet Afghan war. By Peter W. Dickson

Why Afghanistan Really Fell Apart
From the Archive: Contrary to conventional wisdom, the U.S. didn't abandon the Afghan rebels once the Soviets left. By Bruce P. Cameron

Bush Silences a Dangerous Witness
From the Archive: Iraq's hanging of "Chemical Ali" -- like Saddam Hussein in 2006 -- means one less witness on Bush Family crimes. By Robert Parry

George W. Bush's Sci-Fi Disaster
From the Archive: At the first anniversary of the Obama presidency, a look-back at the scene of George W. Bush's departure. By Robert Parry

How Not to Counter Terrorism
From the Archive: Ex-FBI Agent Coleen Rowley warned of flooding the counter-terror analysts with too much data. January 14, 2010

Pinochet's Mad Scientist
From the Archive: Chile's Pinochet dictatorship stands accused of killing a rival with poisons, a mystery with deep roots. By Samuel Blixen.

Israeli Scholar Disputes Founding Myth
From the Archive: In a new book, Israeli scholar Shlomo Sand argues that the Roman-era Diaspora was a historical myth. By Morgan Strong.

Colin Powell's My Lai Connection
From the Archive: The Afghan War escalation recalls Colin Powell's tie to an earlier war and its war crimes. By Robert Parry and Norman Solomon.

Rev. Moon's Troubled Generation Next
From the Archive: The right-wing Washington Times is caught in a messy succession for Rev. Sun Myung Moon's empire. By Robert Parry.

Ronald Reagan's Bloody 'Apocalypto'
From the Archive: An irony of Columbus Day is that crimes of the early conquerors are better known than more recent atrocities. By Robert Parry

PanAm 103 Verdict: Justice or Politics?
From the Archive: The Obama administration won't question the weak evidence in the PanAm 103 bombing conviction. By William Blum

CIA: Osama Helped Bush in '04
From the Archive: Osama bin Laden's pre-election video in 2004 was viewed at the CIA as a bid to boost George W. Bush. By Robert Parry

Bush's Conspiracy to Riot
From the Archive: Today's right-wing disruptions of health-care "town halls" harken back to George W. Bush's riot in 2000. By Robert Parry

The Left's Media Miscalculation
From the Archive: A lookback at that how the American Left squandered its media advantage and aided the Right's ascendancy. By Robert Parry

GOP & KAL007: 'The Key Is to Lie First'
From the Archive: A case study of how Ronald Reagan and the Republicans mastered the Big Lie a quarter century ago. By Robert Parry

The Wedding
From the Archive: An explanation of why Dick Cheney would be so audacious to hide a covert action from Congress. By Robert Parry

America's Matrix
From the Archive: A look-back at how we exposed George W. Bush's deceptions at the start of the Iraq War. By Robert Parry

Rev. Moon, North Korea & the Bushes
From the Archive: A look-back on the Rev. Sun Myung Moon's secret financial ties to North Korean and U.S. leaders. By Robert Parry

5 Things We Could Do with Your Help
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A Cold Rain: Excerpt from Neck Deep
With George W. Bush's inauguration in 2001, the United States was at an ominous turning point, handing the White House and its immense power to a popular-vote loser who disdained democracy. Official Washington was oblivious to the danger, but thousands of Americans braved an icy rain to protest this travesty of the nation's principles.

Lost History: How the Neocons Did It
If you want to know how the neoconservatives got control of the most powerful nation on earth, Robert Parry’s Lost History is a must-read. (To read more, click here.)