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WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 (UPI) -- Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl was investigating the man who allegedly planned the Sept. 11 airplane hijackings and attacks on New York and Washington when he was kidnapped and murdered in Pakistan, according to two former Central Intelligence Agency officials. Bob Baer, a former case officer in the agency's Directorate of Operations, said he provided Pearl with unpublished information about Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, who has since been accused by American officials of being one of the masterminds of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and a top aide to Osama bin Laden. Mohammed is...

Recently, there have been calls in the United States to "talk" to Syria. However, the problem is not so much talking to Syria, in a manner equivalent to having a cup of coffee with someone of the opposite gender. The real issue is that the West is looking for a long-term meaningful relationship with the possibility of compatibility or even marriage. But Syria is already married to Iran, a sugar daddy too well-heeled to give up. Besides, it wouldn't be long before Syrian President Bashar Assad would ask to borrow the keys to Lebanon, dent the car, and refuse to...

<p>US General David Petraeus, head of the coalition forces in Iraq, accused Iran's secretive Quds Force Thursday of helping an armed network that killed five US soldiers in January in the Shiite shrine city of Kerbala. Petraeus acknowledged in Washington that a complex and "very tough" situation existed in Iraq, but also accused Iran's Quds Force of helping an Iraqi network to murder five US soldiers in Kerbala.</p>

US President George W Bush has vowed to cut off Iranian and Syrian support to "terrorists" in Iraq in an aggressive warning that appeared to leave the door open to US strikes on the two countries. As he unveiled his new strategy for the Iraq war, Bush accused Iran of supporting elements intent on attacking US troops in the war-torn country. Success in Iraq was linked with success in stabilising the broader region, Bush said, adding: "This begins with addressing Iran and Syria." "These two regimes are allowing terrorists and insurgents to use their territory to move in and out...

George Clooney's production company is reportedly facing legal action over allegations from a French screenwriter that his Oscar-winning oil thriller "Syriana" was plagiarized. Stephanie Vergniault is reportedly suing Section Eight, as well as the movie's other makers -- Warner Bros. and director Stephen Gaghan -- for copying at least 15 scenes from her own script, "Oversight," developed between 1997 and 2003, according to published reports. Gaghan has claimed inspiration from C.I.A. agent Robert Baer's book "See No Evil," but Vergniault is vehement that the similarities to her film project are even more pronounced and is looking for a $2.45 million...

Last night, I decided to see the movie "Syriana". I went in with an open mind and tried to rate the movie like I would for any other. On a scale of 1-10, I gave it 7 1/2. Why? The plot was interesting and honestly, it was not an inconceivable one. Sometimes, it is really "all connected". Sometimes, I had problems following the flow of the movie because it would jump around between the major characters too much. The script did not always identify some of the minor characters either and that led to a little confusion while trying to...

Site requires membership to pull up story but here is excerpt... Grandson Wants Russian Authorities to Investigate Stalin’s Death Joseph Stalin’s great-grandson has appealed to the Russian authorities with a request to investigate the circumstances of his great-grandfather’s death, news agencies reported Thursday. “When Stalin was disposed of, Khrushchev, who imagined himself to be a statesman, was able to come to power. His so called activities were nothing but a betrayal of the interests of the state that he headed,” Jacob Jugashvili said in a statement. The betrayal committed in the Kremlin should be judged in the Kremlin, too, he...

Clooney film faces censorship (But You Know The New York Slimes...) by Julia Wheeler The film which won George Clooney an Oscar may be banned in one of the countries where it was shot because of political sensitivities. Syriana was partly filmed in the United Arab Emirates. The authorities there are still deciding whether the film, which is a political thriller, will be shown.

Nothing tells you more about Hollywood than what it chooses to honor. Nominated for best foreign film is "Paradise Now," a sympathetic portrayal of two suicide bombers. Nominated for best picture is "Munich," a sympathetic portrayal of yesterday's fashion in barbarism: homicide terrorism. But until you see "Syriana," nominated for best screenplay (and George Clooney, for best supporting actor) you have no idea how self-flagellation and self-loathing pass for complexity and moral seriousness in Hollywood. "Syriana's" script has, of course, the classic liberal tropes such as this stage direction: "The Deputy National Security Advisor, MARILYN RICHARDS, 40's, sculpted hair, with...

Nothing tells you more about Hollywood than what it chooses to honor. Nominated for Best Foreign Film is "Paradise Now," a sympathetic portrayal of two suicide bombers. Nominated for Best Picture is "Munich," a sympathetic portrayal of yesterday's fashion in barbarism: homicide terrorism. But until you see "Syriana," nominated for Best Screenplay (and George Clooney, for Best Supporting Actor) you have no idea how self-flagellation and self-loathing pass for complexity and moral seriousness in Hollywood. The "Syriana" script has, of course, the classic liberal tropes such as this stage direction: "The deputy national security adviser, MARILYN RICHARDS, 40s, sculpted hair,...

Nothing tells you more about Hollywood than what it chooses to honor. Nominated for best foreign-language film is "Paradise Now," a sympathetic portrayal of two suicide bombers. Nominated for best picture is "Munich," a sympathetic portrayal of yesterday's fashion in barbarism: homicide terrorism. But until you see "Syriana," nominated for best screenplay (and George Clooney, for best supporting actor) you have no idea how self-flagellation and self-loathing pass for complexity and moral seriousness in Hollywood.

WASHINGTON -- Nothing tells you more about Hollywood than what it chooses to honor. Nominated for best foreign film is ``Paradise Now,'' a sympathetic portrayal of two suicide bombers. Nominated for best picture is ``Munich,'' a sympathetic portrayal of yesterday's fashion in barbarism: homicide terrorism. But until you see "Syriana,'' nominated for best screenplay (and George Clooney, for best supporting actor) you have no idea how self-flagellation and self-loathing pass for complexity and moral seriousness in Hollywood. "Syriana's'' script has, of course, the classic liberal tropes such as this stage direction: "The Deputy National Security Advisor, MARILYN RICHARDS, 40's, sculpted...

US actor and director George Clooney said this morning he was proud to be denounced as unpatriotic for questioning US policy because he wanted to be on "the right side of history." Interviewed on BBC television's Newsnight about his latest films Syriana and Good Night, and Good Luck Clooney said that not only did he accept the right to be attacked for his views but he even relished them. Clooney, who has weathered attacks since opposing the 2003 Iraq invasion, said at one point that it was "frustrating" to be listed as a "traitor" on a set of playing cards,...

January 8, 2006 -- THE would-be ruler of an oil-rich Arab state is planning a policy reform that includes allowing girls to go to school and signing an oil contract with China. But days before he takes over, he is assassinated when a remote-controlled bomb destroys his bulletproof limousine in the middle of the desert. Who would want such an enlightened prince out of the way? The answer given in "Syriana," the Hollywood blockbuster starring George Clooney, is simple: The murder was planned and carried out by the CIA, the dirty-tricks arm of the United States of America.

Arab Analysts Give Nod to Favored Oscar Contenders News Analysis, Jalal Ghazi, Pacific News Service, Jan 06, 2006 Editor's Note: Arab media are lauding several Hollywood films that portray Muslims and Arabs with newfound depth, sympathy and fairness. SAN FRANCISCO--For many years big budget Hollywood movies depicted Arabs as terrorists or greedy oil barons, but since Sept. 11, 2001, and the war in Iraq, it seems such films are finally falling out of fashion. Arab analysts and media are lauding portrayals of Arabs and Muslims in the recent films "Syriana" and "Munich," and the smaller budget independent film "Paradise Now."...

The would-be ruler of an oil-rich Arab state is planning a policy reform that includes allowing girls to go to school, and signing an oil contract with China. But days before he takes over he is assassinated when a remote controlled bomb destroys his bulletproof limousine in the middle of the desert. But who would want such an enlightened prince out of the way? The answer given in “Syriana”, the new Hollywood blockbuster starring George Clooney, is simple: The murder was planned and carried out by the CIA, the dirty-tricks arm of the United States of America. But why would...

The film "Syriana" is based on the true story of a CIA operative sent to assassinate Saddam Hussein, and the agent's near murder by Palestinian terrorists from Hezbulah. But in the hands of actor/producer George Clooney, Americans are shown to be greedy and corrupt while suicide bombers are presented as freedom fighters.

Syriana” is a mess of characters and ideas, a vague picture of undefined ideologies, and a poor excuse for a “more-truth-than-fiction” exposé on the long reach of the oil business. Only an audience’s fear of being made to feel foolish could possibly garner this film either acceptance or praise. Evidently the same goes for critics as a slew of reviews have come out in favor of the movie, which is one of the worst of the year. This is the sophomore directing effort of screenwriter Stephen Gaghan who received praise for penning 2000’s critical favorite “Traffic”. Unique in that the...

I'd Love to Change the World with Syriana Syriana, the movie, released in 2005 is an excellent example of the Hollywood Politics of the unElectable. The plot addresses an issue of continuing crucial political concern, the global politics of oil, and presents an analysis of the problem. Syriana determines that unscruplous oilmen, sleazy influence-peddlers, and top level CIA administrators combine to squeeze every drop of oil from Middle East countries while simultaneously seducing Arab princes into a lifestyle of excess to the detriment of the liberalization of their helpless, good-hearted people. These evil American forces prevent Middle Eastern countries from...

Films show terrorists as people USA Today allows only the headline and the link, but paraphrasing, the article describes how movies like Syriana, Munich, and the Showtime series "Sleeper Cell" show terrorists in a sympathetic light. Farther down in the article, George Clooney says it's because of the public's "displeasure" with the Iraq war. I would suggest that it goes a few steps further. These movies are intended to turn the public against the war against terrorism, and they are trying to drum up sympathy for the terrorists. Do click on the link and read this.