Month: July 2006

Seeing a major opportunity to regain influence lost as a result of setbacks in Iraq, prominent neoconservatives are calling for unconditional U.S. support for Israel’s military offensives in Gaza and Lebanon and "regime change" in Syria and Iran, as well as possible U.S. attacks on Tehran’s nuclear facilities in retaliation for its support of Hezbollah. … Continue reading “Energized Neocons Say Israel’s Fight Is Washington’s”

When Israeli Chief of Staff Brig. Gen. Dan Halutz said, “Nothing is safe [in Lebanon],” he was only stating the obvious. “[It’s] as simple as that,” he said. Lebanese ports, air and sea, power plants, television stations, bridges, roads, neighborhoods, and homes, even fleeing families, women and children, all came under Israeli attack. No one … Continue reading “Lebanon and
Goyette’s Second Law”

President Bush will soon ask Congress to "not veto" a U.S.-Russia "civil" nuclear deal. "Not veto," because Russia is a "have-nuke" signatory to the Treaty on Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Hence, the U.S.-Russia deal – unlike the U.S.-India deal – will not require modification of the Atomic Energy Act or the repeal of other … Continue reading “To Nuke or Not to Nuke”

Here we go again – another “serious escalation” has begun in the Middle East, or so BBC World was telling audiences throughout Sunday. So what prompted the BBC’s judgment that the crisis was escalating once more? You can be sure it had nothing to do with the more than 130 Lebanese dead after five days … Continue reading “Israelis Are Dying:
It Must Be an Escalation”

The G-8 summit is taking place at a fortuitous global moment when Russia and the United States are facing challenges of different natures. Russia is struggling to emerge as a superpower. In the pursuit of that objective, it is encountering a lot of problems. However, things are looking up for Russia, since the chaos of … Continue reading “Russia and the Making of a Multipolar World”

By declaring that "Israel has the right to defend itself," the Bush administration is tacitly approving Israel’s pounding Lebanon into rubble and re-invading Gaza. Since 9/11, the administration has tried to cast its "war on terror" as broadly as possible, including an invasion of Iraq and the labeling of groups that focus their attacks only … Continue reading “Israeli-Arab War: Terrorism on Both Sides”

The old adage, "fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me" does not apply to Americans, who have shown that they can be endlessly fooled. Neoconservatives deceived Americans into an illegal attack and debilitating war in Iraq. American neoconservatives are closely allied with Israel’s Likud Party. In the past, some neocons … Continue reading “We’re Being Set Up for Wider War in the Middle East”

So, as the world spins on a dime, where exactly are we? As a man who is no fan of fundamentalists of any sort, let me offer a proposition that might make some modest sense of our reeling planet. Consider the possibility that the most fundamental belief, perhaps in all of history, but specifically in … Continue reading “The Middle East Aflame and the Bush Administration Adrift”

I spent part of July 4 reading an antiwar book from the mid-1960s. Hey, call me a party animal. And what I learned gave me a perspective on today’s antiwar movement. Unfortunately, the mid-1960s’ movement makes today’s look weak by comparison. So here are some of the highlights from the book, some comparisons to today’s … Continue reading “The 1960s Antiwar Movement Revisited”

Listening to Newt Gingrich bloviate on Meet the Press, advocating U.S. intervention on Israel’s behalf against Syria and Iran – and the pathetic Joe "Me Too" Biden effectively agreeing with him – one can only wonder how or why anybody listens to these crazies. As Newt, the megalomaniacal has-been, gleefully declares that "World War III" … Continue reading “Will We Go to War for Israel?”