Month: March 2003

"I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him." – (Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, Act III, Scene II) Two shots – one in the chest, one in the stomach – abruptly ended the reign of Zoran Djindjic at lunchtime Wednesday, as a yet unidentified sniper assassinated the Prime Minister of Serbia. Djindjic was killed at the … Continue reading “Death of a Manager”

Even I was beginning to worry if I was going to be proven wrong: for the entire nine years that Tony Blair has been leader of the Labour party, I\’ve guaranteed everyone who\’d listen that \’Clare Short will do the dirty on Tony Blair\’, and nothing much happened. She lashed out a few times, in … Continue reading “The Limits of Conservatism”

Once you are able to comprehend the geopolitical agenda of the beltway policy wonks for the Middle East, it should become transparent how incestuous the relationship between the neoconservative left and the liberal left really is. You should also be equipped to forecast exactly what is going to transpire in the Middle East. In fact, … Continue reading “The Neocon-Liberal Left’s Geopolitical Agenda”

War advocates are loudly complaining about the United Nations, which they allege stands in the way of a justified American attack on Iraq. Some say the U.S. should ignore the U.N. and act unilaterally. And yet, much of their case for war against Iraq hinges on Saddam Hussein’s violations of United Nation resolutions. So while … Continue reading “UN Loyalties Expose Hypocrisy for Hawks and Doves Alike”

From the Tuesday, March 11, 2003 Whittier Daily News: "LA HABRA — Antiwar protesters burned and ripped up flags, flowers and patriotic signs at a Sept. 11 memorial that residents erected on a fence along Whittier Boulevard days after the terrorist attacks in 2001 and have maintained ever since." The first question that enters my … Continue reading “‘Antiwar Protesters’ Trash 9/11 Memorial”

When I visited Ramallah last, it wore a shining white frock. Even after days of sunshine, many areas were still covered with snow that hid the ravages of the occupation, destruction and neglect. I was driving slowly and enjoying the landscape, when I tensed instinctively. Through the corner of my eye I saw a group … Continue reading “Black Flags”

As the appalling people who rule us back and fill and improvise on the winding road toward what now seems a virtually inevitable war, it seems almost fruitless to try any more to dissuade our warbent president. Perhaps the Russians or the French, for esoteric diplomatic or power-politics reasons, can delay the introduction of long-planned … Continue reading “Waiting on War”

In their relentless drive to begin the American conquest of the Middle East, the War Party has lost all sense of proportion. This administration and its supporters have completely abandoned whatever sense of prudence they may have once possessed and pulled out all the stops in their campaign to justify their reckless course. Their unforgivable … Continue reading “Reckless Warmongers”

"There’s a word for people who say that democracy can’t work in Arab countries, and that word is racist." – former CIA director James Woolsey Yes, James Woolsey actually said that. It happened during last Tuesday’s Nightline "Town Meeting" on Iraq. Six big shots, three for war and three against, fielded questions from an audience … Continue reading “Woolsey’s Folly”

A couple of weeks ago, the lovely "Shock and Awe" theory was floated as the basis on which the war with Iraq might be conducted, should that long-advertised war finally take place. It was just one of many trial balloons loosed to the winds over the last few months. One imagines some Assistant Secretary for … Continue reading “Awe Shocks”