Bolton’s Baggage

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...

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Israeli Euphoria Over Lebanon Wearing Off

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...

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A Stupid War to Die In

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,...

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The Bolton Nomination: Unipolarity Reaffirmed

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...

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False Victories in the War on Terror

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...

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Realists Rout Neocons

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...

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Proxy Wars

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...

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Another “Intelligence” Fiasco

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...

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The Unpredictability of Revolutions

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...

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