Month: March 2005

Unlike most neoconservatives, UN Ambassador-designate John Bolton didn’t start out his political career on the center-left – either as a liberal, social democrat, or socialist. When Irving Kirstol, regarded by many as the “godfather of neoconservatism” described a neoconservative as a “liberal who has been mugged by reality,” he wasn’t describing John R. Bolton. In … Continue reading “Bolton’s Baggage”

JERUSALEM – The initial reactions bordered on the euphoric. Lebanese citizens were pouring into the streets of Beirut in open defiance of Damascus, and Israelis were cheering. Talk in Israel of a democratic, Syria-free neighbor to its north abounded. Some even speculated Lebanon might be the next Arab country – after Egypt and Jordan – … Continue reading “Israeli Euphoria Over Lebanon Wearing Off”

NEW YORK – Violence in Iraq claimed the lives of 23 journalists and 16 media support workers in 2004, making it the most deadly year for press freedom in a decade, according to the annual report of the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). At least 22 journalists were also abducted by insurgents, and … Continue reading “Iraq Toll Makes 2004 Worst Year for Press in a Decade”

The Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena, who was wounded by American soldiers as her car approached the Baghdad Airport, believes she was shot at deliberately. I doubt that is true. Of course, our government would kill an Italian journalist if it had a reason to do so, but I can’t think of one. I don’t use … Continue reading “A Stupid War to Die In”

Just one week ago, conventional wisdom both here and in European capitals was that President George W. Bush’s second term would see a modest turn toward multilateralism and a new readiness to compromise on key issues with traditional U.S. allies. Today, however, that particular conventional wisdom is being questioned amid renewed anxiety that the unilateralist … Continue reading “The Bolton Nomination: Unipolarity Reaffirmed”

In the rush of recent news about renditions, extraordinary renditions, the beating to death and systematic abuse of prisoners in Afghanistan, the holding of children as young as 11 in Abu Ghraib prison, the desire of Donald Rumsfeld to transfer large numbers of prisoners in Guantánamo back to their countries of origin, and other tales … Continue reading “False Victories in the War on Terror”

As a playground for foreign policy intellectuals of the right, The National Interest has always been safely ensconced in the neoconservative orbit: perhaps that $200,000 per year from Conrad Black had something to do with it. Founded by neocon godfather Irving Kristol in 1985, and having published the screeds of such harbingers of interventionist wisdom … Continue reading “Realists Rout Neocons”

The U.S. is confronting China with a variety of issues this coming week as Condoleezza Rice makes her first East Asia appearance as secretary of state. Most of these issues are old problems – namely human rights, the Taiwan Straits, North Korea, and the trade deficit, among others. But the recent joint statement after the … Continue reading “Proxy Wars”

In announcing the president’s decision to nominate John Bolton to be ambassador to the United Nations, Condi Rice noted that, as undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, Bolton "has held primary responsibility" within the Bush-Cheney administration "for stemming the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction." Bolton’s principal achievement? "John helped build a … Continue reading “Another “Intelligence” Fiasco”

Freedom and democracy are on the march. So, says President Bush. And, surely, something is on the march. Though from the look of that Beirut crowd of 500,000, roaring for Sheik Nasrallah of Hezbollah, it may be premature to call this democracy. A day after that monster rally in a land of 4 million, the … Continue reading “The Unpredictability of Revolutions”