The Dulles Brothers and Their Legacy of Perpetual War

I was intrigued by the 2015 release of David Talbot’s The Devil’s Chessboard: Allen Dulles, the CIA, and the Rise of America’s Secret Government. But it also reminded me of a 2014 book I had been wanting to read titled The Brothers: John Foster Dulles, Allen Dulles, and Their Secret World War by Stephen Kinzer. … Continue reading “The Dulles Brothers and Their Legacy of Perpetual War”

Protecting al-Qaeda

In the weeks leading up to the agreed upon cessation-of-hostilities (CoH) agreement between the US and Russia, it was John Kerry’s diplomacy that was instrumental in “downgrading” the truce from a more forceful and legally binding “ceasefire” agreement to the less intensive “cessation-of-hostilities” now taking effect.  As described by Kerry: “So, a ceasefire has a … Continue reading “Protecting al-Qaeda”

Back to the Future: Afghanistan, Iraq, and Now Libya

The 2016 presidential campaign so far has given us a Hillary Clinton, the former Secretary of State, who takes no responsibility for Islamic State’s rapid gains in Libya in the wake of the American-led "coup-by-air" to remove Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, and a Republican Party who wants to blame President Obama for the … Continue reading “Back to the Future: Afghanistan, Iraq, and Now Libya”

Nuclear Annihilation of a Radical Message on Israel

There were some lovely, moving moments in the memorial service of Concepcion Picciotto at Luther’s Place Church on Saturday. Concepcion is known – with William Thomas, who died a few years ago – for leading what is apparently the longest protest in U.S. history: Against nuclear weapons in Lafayette Park, in front of the White … Continue reading “Nuclear Annihilation of a Radical Message on Israel”