Month: February 2005

The 9th Nuclear State?

North Korea has again caused shock and dismay in much of the world by declaring that it has manufactured nuclear weapons for “self-defense.” It claimed it took this step because the United States’ policy of “hostility” and said it was suspending its participation in the six-nation talks aimed at halting its nuclear weapons program. The … Continue reading “The 9th Nuclear State?”

Syria in the Crosshairs

I walked into the Arab grocery store just in time to see Michael Young – opinion editor at Beirut’s Daily Star newspaper and a contributing editor at Reason magazine – declaring on television that Syria will almost certainly be blamed for the assassination of Rafik al-Hariri, a former Lebanese prime minister. The store owner, a … Continue reading “Syria in the Crosshairs”

Iraq Invasion the ‘Biggest Cultural Disaster Since 1258’

CARACAS – One million books, 10 million documents, and 14,000 archaeological artifacts have been lost in the U.S.-led invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq – the biggest cultural disaster since the descendants of Genghis Khan destroyed Baghdad in 1258, Venezuelan writer Fernando Báez told IPS. "U.S. and Polish soldiers are still stealing treasures today and … Continue reading “Iraq Invasion the ‘Biggest Cultural Disaster Since 1258’”

Hariri Killing Sure to Bolster US Hawks

Whether or not Syrian President Bashar Assad was behind Monday’s assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, the car bombing is sure to strengthen forces inside the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush who have long argued for "regime change" in Damascus. Before the bombing that killed Hariri, half a dozen of his … Continue reading “Hariri Killing Sure to Bolster US Hawks”

That Fin de Siecle Feeling

In the early morning of Feb. 9, Tokyo informed Beijing’s embassy here that the Senkaku Islands would be administered by the Japanese coast guard. In that small story in the Christian Science Monitor are some interesting portents. Few other newspapers bothered to report what undoubtedly seemed to editors a trivial matter. It may in fact … Continue reading “That Fin de Siecle Feeling”

Conservative Sycophants Lose Credibility

The conservative media will never recover from its role as Chief Sycophant for the Bush administration. Journalists who demanded that Clinton be held accountable for a minor sex scandal (Monica Lewinsky) and a minor financial scandal (Whitewater) now serve as apologists and propagandists for the Bush administration’s major war scandals. The Republican House of Representatives … Continue reading “Conservative Sycophants Lose Credibility”

Bin Laden’s Indispensable Ally

Michael Scheuer, author of Imperial Hubris: Why the West Is Losing the War on Terror, discusses precisely that topic with Scott Horton. Interview conducted Feb. 12, 2005. Check out Scott’s other interviews with prominent antiwar and libertarian personalities. Listen to Streaming Audio Download MP3 Michael Scheuer is a recently retired CIA analyst who has also … Continue reading “Bin Laden’s Indispensable Ally”

Elliott Abrams: A Fallen Hawk Soars Again

Elliott Abrams, a figure from the Ronald Reagan-era Iran-Contra scandal who describes himself as a “neoconservative and neo-Reaganite,” is moving to center stage in U.S. foreign policy as head of President George W. Bush’s Global Democracy Strategy. In his new position, Abrams will oversee the administration’s promotion of democracy and human rights while continuing to … Continue reading “Elliott Abrams: A Fallen Hawk Soars Again”

Caught in the Muddle: Round Two of Bush vs. North Korea

Hope springs eternal that the Bush administration, in its new postelection configuration, will finally get serious about the North Korean nuclear crisis. According to the most optimistic assessment, the new appointments at the State Department – Condoleezza Rice, Robert Zoellick, Christopher Hill – will leaven the administration’s hardline policy with a measure of pragmatism. This … Continue reading “Caught in the Muddle: Round Two of Bush vs. North Korea”