Month: November 2004

The conflict in Iraq has become a holy war. In both directions. On the surface, the most prominent headline on the New York Times front page Nov. 10 was simply matter-of-fact: "In Taking Fallujah Mosque, Victory by the Inch." Yet it’s not mere happenstance that American forces have bombed many of Fallujah’s mosques. For public … Continue reading “A Distant Mirror of Holy War”

With the purpose of “liberating” that city so January elections can be held there, the U.S. military began the third invasion of Fallujah on Monday. With the invasion now underway, it would be wise to stop and consider the fruits borne by U.S. “liberation” efforts. One of the main rationales offered for war in Iraq … Continue reading “Death and Democracy”

Often it is said that we should understand genocide to prevent it. This is wrong. Understanding is not the key. An explanation is: specifically, explaining genocide as due to unlimited power. Let’s first consider the Holocaust, which is the paradigm case of genocide. Scholars and historians have tried to understand the Holocaust in terms of … Continue reading “A Libertarian Explanation of Genocide”

Today Abu Talat meets me, and he is in a somber mood. He’s down because last night after the curfew began at 9:30 p.m., US military helicopters were circling his neighborhood until 3 a.m. "How can we live like this," he asks while holding up his hands, "We are trapped in our own country." He … Continue reading “Prayers for Vengeance”

Two, three, or four young Palestinians are killed by Israeli forces every day now (we call it “restraint”), but none of them could win even a fraction of the attention given to Yasser Arafat, the dying old leader. The endless stream of words occasioned by Arafat’s long dying and death is a good opportunity to … Continue reading “How to Remember Arafat”

RAMALLAH – For almost four decades, Yasser Arafat was Mr. Palestine to many in this fractured homeland. Yasser Arafat represented the Palestinian people, wherever they are, as the head of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), which was accepted by the Arab League as "the sole legal representative of the Palestinian people." He had an iron … Continue reading “Just What Mr. Palestine Ruled Over”

Wednesday’s appointment by U.S. President George W. Bush of his longtime friend, White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales, as the next attorney general puts Democrats and civil-rights activists in something of a quandary. Gonzales, who, if confirmed, will replace John Ashcroft, widely considered to have been one of the most right-wing members of Bush’s cabinet, is … Continue reading “Bush Pick for Attorney General Bedevils Foes”

BAGHDAD – A military victory for U.S. forces in Fallujah seems set to lead to a huge political loss for the U.S.-backed interim Iraqi government. Strong anti-government reactions have set in already as reports come in from Fallujah of bombed hospitals, high civilian casualties, and denial of access to medical care. The political fallout could … Continue reading “Pyrrhic Victory in Fallujah”

As the armor and artillery attack Fallujah, few observers of that conflict can doubt that the assault will cost hundreds if not thousands of civilian casualties. As the preparations mounted, public opinion was softened by an artillery bombardment of lies. The American forces talk about precision bombing, but we should discount it. A 500-pound bomb … Continue reading “From Saving Lives to Taking Them”

TORONTO – Fears are rising among groups that lobby for the Palestinian cause that Canada might be abandoning its traditional middle-of-the-road position on the Israeli-Palestine conflict. Ottawa could squander an opportunity to play a constructive role in resurrecting the Middle East peace process if the ruling Liberal government abandons that evenhanded stance for a pro-Israel … Continue reading “Groups Fear Canada Tilting to Israel”