Month: November 2015

The United States and its NATO allies offered a ritual of NATO unity after Turkish officials presented their case that the shoot-down of a Russian jet occurred after two planes had penetrated Turkish airspace. The Turkish representative reportedly played a recording of a series warning the Turkish F16 pilots had issued to the Russian jets without … Continue reading “The Real Reason for Turkey’s Shoot-Down of the Russian Jet”

In contrast to most Republican candidates, who have given us general platitudes about "getting tougher on terrorism" or vague promises to use more ground troops in Iraq or Syria, Hillary Clinton has proposed a more concrete program for battling ISIS; unfortunately most of it is bad. The centerpiece of her proposal is to set up … Continue reading “Hillary’s Plan To Combat ISIS Won’t Work”

At least 97 people were killed in Iraq. Iranian pilgrims streamed across the border illegally .

There is no such thing as "international terrorism". To declare war on "international terrorism" is nonsense. Politicians who do so are either fools or cynics, and probably both. Terrorism is a weapon. Like cannon. We would laugh at somebody who declares war on "international artillery". A cannon belongs to an army, and serves the aims … Continue reading “The Reign of Absurdiocy”

The downing of a Russian warplane by the Turks raises several questions, which can all be rolled into one big one: In the war against ISIS, which side is Turkey – and NATO – on, anyway? Now let’s list the subordinate issues that cause us to question what’s really going on in Syria: How can … Continue reading “The Phony War on ISIS”

At least 79 were killed in Iraq as security forces are making slow progress in Anbar province.

Rainwater has exposed a new mass grave in Sinjar. Witnesses to the executions estimate the grave contains about 123 bodies. It has yet to be excavated, because it has been booby-trapped with explosives. It is the sixth mass grave found so far. At least 58 were killed and 29 were wounded in recent violence: A … Continue reading “58 Killed across Iraq; Over 120 Found in Mass Grave”

I still remember that smug look on his face, followed by the matter-of-fact remarks that had western journalists laugh out loud. “I’m now going to show you a picture of the luckiest man in Iraq,” General Norman Schwarzkopf, known as “Stormin” Norman, said at a press conference sometime in 1991, as he showed a video … Continue reading “Forget ISIS: Humanity Is at Stake”

War tends to perpetuate itself. As soon as one brute gets killed, another takes his place; when the new guy falls, another materializes. Consider Richard Nixon’s intensification of the American war on Cambodia. In hopes of maintaining an advantage over the Communists as he withdrew American troops from Southeast Asia, Nixon ravaged Vietnam’s western neighbor … Continue reading “The Perils of Endless War”