Month: February 2002

A Note from the editor: Matt Welch‘s analysis of conflicting claims over the effect of sanctions on Iraq, published in Reason magazine, is typical of the "war-blogger" mentality: preening arrogance and pretensions to a strict just-the-facts standard. When he isn’t sneering at Noam Chomsky, and otherwise critiquing the politics of sanctions critics, he accuses the … Continue reading “Re: The Politics of Dying Children by Matt Welch”

In my last column, I pointed to the probable genesis of the mysterious anthrax letters – a clique of former US scientists, including one in particular who had been fired from his US government job at Fort Detrick’s biowar research lab – and complained that a government cover-up was in the works. The piece was … Continue reading “The Plot Sickens”

Last year, The Daily Telegraph sponsored a conference in London on the contentious subject of Star Wars – or to foreign policy bores like you and me, National Missile Defence. We will straight-away pass up on the cheap shot about, ‘uh, which nation’s that then, that’s going to be defended?’ and instead consider the enthusiastic … Continue reading “Not So MAD Then?”

The “trial” of Slobodan Milosevic couldn’t have come at a better time. As the US rampages through Afghanistan, bombing friend and foe alike, openly gearing up for an excursion into Iraq – all the name of a holy “war on terrorism” – the double standard operating here is almost comically obvious. THE RAPE OF YUGOSLAVIA … Continue reading “Go, Slobo, Go!”

To date, 272 officers and soldiers of the Israeli army have signed the initiative to refuse to serve the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestinians, while thousands of other Israeli citizens have expressed their support. Those that have signed are not pacifists nor are they particularly radical. They are well- trained combat officers and soldiers who … Continue reading “Occupation Begins To Crack”

The news that the US government has set up a special department, the “Office of Strategic Influence,” to plant false news items has liberals and journalists (or do I repeat myself?) in a funk: this is terrible, they whine, why it’s unprecedented. To which the only possible reply is: Oh really? DISINFORMATION: A SHORT HISTORY … Continue reading “Anthrax Cover-Up?”

The annual dinner of the American Enterprise Institute, attended by the elite opinion-makers, the movers and shakers of the conservative movement, was a truly solemn event. Norman Podhoretz, editor of Commentary and a renown neoconservative, was scheduled to address the crowd. The gravity of the occasion was underscored by Christopher Demuth’s gushing introductory remarks, wherein … Continue reading “Pope Poddy’s Papal Bull”

A joint Senate and House select committee is planning an investigation not just into possible lapses by the CIA and other government intelligence agencies immediately prior to September 11, but into the "intelligence community’s" response to terrorism over the past 16 years. While the investigation might unearth a few interesting tidbits, it is unlikely to … Continue reading “CIA: Avoiding Reform”

Mark Steyn is a right wing Canadian journalist, which is interesting enough in itself, but not the reason we’re going to spend a little time with him. He’s also Conrad Black’s bestest friend in the whole wide world, which is reasonable enough as Lord Black likes selling newspapers, and Mr. Steyn is a very talented … Continue reading “A MORALITY TALE”

My theory that the events of 9/11 blew a hole in the space-time continuum and transported us into a world where up is down, and nonsense is reason – advanced here, here, here, and (presciently) here – seems confirmed beyond all doubt by the news that US planes are raining dollars on Afghanistan. And, no, … Continue reading “World of Unreason”