Jeremy Scahill, author of Dirty Wars, interviewed by Democracy Now!'s Amy Goodman & Juan González

Support hard-hitting investigative reporting
on Democracy Now!

Continue to site Donate Now

Arab Spring Topics

Democracy Now! is following the popular uprisings across the Middle East and North Africa.

Newest First | Oldest First
  • Button3

    Egyptians Fill Tahrir Square for Largest Protest Since Fall of President Mubarak

    Hundreds of thousands of Egyptians have gathered in Cairo’s Tahrir Square for what could be the largest demonstration since the uprising that toppled former president Hosni Mubarak. They say there has been little progress on reforms promised in the five months since the uprising. In Suez on Monday, riots were sparked by a court order to release seven policemen charged with killing demonstrators. On Tuesday, the courts acquitted three former...
    Jul 08, 2011 | Story
  • Button4

    As Debt Talks Threaten Medicare, Social Security, Study Finds U.S. Spending $4 Trillion on War

    As part of ongoing debt negotiations, the White House has proposed slashing more than $4 trillion from annual budget deficits over the next decade—twice what Obama had proposed earlier. While much of the talk in Washington centers on taxes, Social Security and Medicare, far less attention is being paid to the growing cost of the U.S. wars overseas. A new report from Brown University has estimated the true cost of the U.S. wars in Iraq, Afghanistan...
    Jul 08, 2011 | Story

  • "WikiLeaks, Wimbledon and War" By Amy Goodman

    Last Saturday was sunny in London, and the crowds were flocking to Wimbledon and to the annual Henley Regatta. Julian Assange, the founder of the whistle-blower website Wikileaks.org, was making his way by train from house arrest in Norfolk, three hours away, to join me and Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Žižek for a public conversation about WikiLeaks, the power of information and the importance of transparency in democracies.
    Jul 06, 2011 | Columns & Articles
  • Assange_arabspring

    WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange on Role of U.S. Cables in Helping Stir Arab Spring

    Earlier this year, WikiLeaks released the largest trove of classified U.S. State Department cables in history, exposing the U.S. role in propping up unpopular regimes in the Middle East and supporting human rights abuses against opponents. During a July 2 discussion moderated by Democracy Now!’s Amy Goodman, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange highlighted the importance in releasing the information documented in the diplomatic cables, the impact...
    Jul 06, 2011 | Story

  • Watch: Full Video of WikiLeaks' Julian Assange & Philosopher Slavoj Žižek With Amy Goodman

    In one of his first public events since being held under house arrest, WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Julian Assange appeared in London Saturday for a conversation with Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Žižek, moderated by Democracy Now!’s Amy Goodman. They discussed the impact of WikiLeaks on world politics, the release of the Iraq and Afghanistan war logs, and Cablegate — the largest trove of classified U.S. government records in history. [includes...
    Jul 05, 2011 | News
  • Greek_uk_protest

    Hundreds of Thousands of Greek and British Workers Stage Strikes as Governments Push Austerity Cuts

    More than 750,000 British public sector workers staged a 24-hour strike Thursday in a standoff with the government’s plans to reform public sector pensions. The reforms come as the government tries to trim its deficit and would require public workers to work longer, pay more toward their pension, and receive less upon retirement. Meanwhile, in Greece, thousands of workers staged a 48-hour strike, and many took to the streets after the Greek...
    Jul 01, 2011 | Story
  • Sharif

    Fierce Street Battles in Egypt as Families Demand Justice for Loved Ones Killed During the Uprising

    In Egypt, nearly 600 people have been reported injured in Cairo’s Tahrir Square after security forces attacked a large group of protesters overnight with tear gas and rubber bullets. Tensions erupted over the lack of accountability and justice for the nearly 1,000 people people killed during the 18-day popular uprising that led to the fall of former president Hosni Mubarak. Many of those attacked in the ongoing clashes are family members...
    Jun 29, 2011 | Story
  • Syria_bahrain_button

    Obama Limits Criticism of Ongoing Arab Spring Violent Crackdowns in Syria, Bahrain

    The Obama administration has issued minor criticism of human rights abuses against peaceful protests by President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria and the monarchy in Bahrain. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton just recently said the conflict in Yemen would end only if President Ali Abdullah Saleh "steps down." We speak with University of Michigan Professor Juan Cole about why the United States has not been more vocal in supporting...
    Jun 22, 2011 | Story
  • Saudi_button

    Aiming to Preserve Autocratic Mideast Rule, Saudi Arabia Helps Crush Uprisings in Bahrain, Yemen

    While the United States remains heavily involved in the Libya conflict, it has been noticeably silent on the violent suppression of popular uprisings against autocratic regimes in Bahrain and Yemen, both of which are close allies of Saudi Arabia. In March, Bahrain called in Saudi troops to help crush massive pro-democracy protests. We discuss the role of Saudi Arabia in recent regional uprisings with Toby Jones, assistant professor of history...
    Jun 16, 2011 | Story
  • Button1_syria

    Syrian Troops Pursue “Scorched Earth” Policy; Videos Document Children Tortured to Death

    The Syrian army has taken control of the northern town of Jisr al-Shughour following what state media has described as heavy fighting by "armed groups," who residents say are mutinous soldiers defending the town. Our guest Neil Sammonds, Syria researcher for Amnesty International, is interviewing refugees who have fled the violence by crossing into Turkey. They tell him Syrian military forces have destroyed houses, burned crops, slaughtered...
    Jun 13, 2011 | Story