Month: October 2003

The Axis of Hubris

"The path of peace is preferable to the path of war." ~ Yitzhak Rabin, November 4, 1995 President George Bush and the United States are in a serious situation in Iraq for one reason only: neoconservatives will permit no dissent. Neoconservatives used their presidential appointments and Vice President Cheney to silence the CIA and Defense … Continue reading “The Axis of Hubris”

Who Are the Bombers?

Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz’s weekend tour of Iraq appeared to be going splendidly: everywhere he went – even in Saddam Hussein’s former stronghold of Tikrit – Iraqis greeted him with smiles and warm handshakes, no doubt adding to his conviction that the war really was for "liberation" rather than "occupation." Until Sunday morning, that … Continue reading “Who Are the Bombers?”

Get the Product Right First

A Hollywood marketing man, Michael Levine, is pushing what is undoubtedly a good-hearted effort to bridge the gap between the United States and the Muslim world to improve both the intellectual content and the marketing savvy of America’s public relations effort to the world. With all due respect to what is undoubtedly a sincere undertaking, … Continue reading “Get the Product Right First”

A Holocaust in the Making

"Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction." Vice President Dick Cheney, 8-26-02. "For those who say we haven’t found the banned manufacturing devises or banned weapons, they’re wrong, we found them." President George Bush, 5-30-03. When it became obvious that the neoconservatives would succeed in turning the … Continue reading “A Holocaust in the Making”

Lesser-Known Stories from the Only Democracy in the Middle East

The Man Who Had Five Heads Israel’s former Prime Minister Barak and his present successor Sharon made extra-judicial killing – euphemised at first as “targeted assassination”, later as “targeted prevention” – a key element in Israel’s “defence” policy. Gideon Levy of Ha’aretz (14.9.2003) wonders: ”Last week, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) announced that soldiers from … Continue reading “Lesser-Known Stories from the Only Democracy in the Middle East”

OUR ‘FRIENDS,’ THE ISRAELIS

Retired Captain Ward Boston, a former U.S. Navy attorney who was senior legal counsel to the military investigation of the near sinking of the U.S.S. Liberty by the Israelis, in 1967, has finally revealed the truth in a signed affidavit: “For more than 30 years, I have remained silent on the topic of the USS … Continue reading “OUR ‘FRIENDS,’ THE ISRAELIS”

America Versus the World

Do you want to know why President George W. Bush’s focus on the war against terror was redirected to war against Iraq and the Muslim Middle East? Read Professor Claes G. Ryn’s new book, America the Virtuous: Crisis of Democracy and the Quest for Empire. Ryn is a learned, insightful and courageous scholar who ably … Continue reading “America Versus the World”

To ‘Patriotic Fervor and National Cohesion’

I posed this question to students and friends this week: Which is more important to you, China hosting the Olympics or shooting a man into space. Most answers revolved around questions of economics, pride and China’s increasing contact with and role within the international community. Virtually, all answers were given with the qualification: I have … Continue reading “To ‘Patriotic Fervor and National Cohesion’”

Cuba Vote Shows Bush’s Waning Authority

Thursday’s unexpectedly lop-sided vote by the Republican-led U.S. Senate to end a 40-year ban on U.S. citizens travelling to Cuba marks another embarrassing defeat for President George W. Bush. Less than two weeks ago the president announced new measures to make it more difficult for people who travel to the Caribbean island illegally. The 59-36 … Continue reading “Cuba Vote Shows Bush’s Waning Authority”