Month: October 2006

The widely noted dumbing-down of conservatism has elevated the clueless, the vapid, and the downright dangerous to leadership positions in the movement. The radio shouters and boob-tube oracles have reduced the thoughtful philosophy of Russell Kirk, Richard Weaver, and Frank S. Meyer to the braying, mindless sloganeering of Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Ann Coulter. … Continue reading “The War Party, Then and Now”

Anna Politkovskaya’s reporting is of enduring significance for the light it shed on abuses in Chechnya. Yet while her reports were compelling, her untimely death was not the only reason that they were incomplete. Politkovskaya rarely focused on the other side of her story: the fact that human rights abuses in Chechnya did not begin … Continue reading “What Will Come of Anna Politkovskaya’s Death?”

The common wisdom circulating in Washington these days is that the United States is too bogged down in Iraq to consider risky military action against Iran or – God forbid – North Korea. Policy analysts describe the U.S. military as "overburdened" or "stretched to the limit." The presumption is that the Pentagon is telling President … Continue reading “Beware Empires in Decline”

The reported nuclear test by North Korea escalates an already dangerous situation. Diplomatic aftershocks throughout the world highlight the test’s alarming message: we are one step closer to nuclear weapons on the Korean peninsula. A potentially catastrophic arms race in Northeast Asia will likely ensue. U.S. foreign policy has failed. When historians turn their gaze … Continue reading “Halting the Deluge”

PRIZREN, Kosovo – Life in a monastery is normally a challenge. But life in the Monastery of the Holy Archangels is a particular challenge. The original building was destroyed in the 16th century by the invading Turks. The Orthodox Church eventually built a small church, residence, and workshop amid the ancient ruins. In 2004, a … Continue reading “Nation-Destroying
in the Balkans”

Election 2006: A War Referendum Mr. Raimondo, It is a sad triumph of Rovism that the most passionate believers in our nation’s founding principles have been divided into conflicting camps. Thank you for reaching out to end that divide. The real conservatives want freedom and justice, and their real opponents are the imperial Republicans and … Continue reading “Backtalk October 20, 2006”

Updated 11:15 p.m. EDT, Oct. 19, 2006 Today, at least 120 Iraqis were killed and 179 more were wounded in ongoing violence. Three American soldiers were reported killed, one Marine died, and three more soldiers were injured. A Marine died “from enemy action” in Anbar Province today. The U.S. military also reported that an American … Continue reading “Thursday: 120 Iraqis Killed, 179 Wounded; 3 GIs Dead, 1 Marine Killed”

A former Department of Homeland Security official who also worked for George W. Bush in Texas says his old friend exaggerated the threat from Saddam Hussein and only made America less safe by attacking Iraq. Before serving as Bush’s first Homeland Security inspector general, Clark Kent Ervin worked for the former governor in Texas as … Continue reading “Texan Friend of Bush
Rips Iraq War”

Five years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York and the Pentagon, the U.S. public has become increasingly anxious about world events and the role that their country is playing in them, according to the latest "Confidence in U.S. Foreign Policy" survey [.pdf] released Wednesday by a nonpartisan group, Public Agenda, and Foreign Affairs … Continue reading “US Poll Finds Growing Anxiety About World Affairs”

Delusions and Hysteria Rule the Frustrated Balkans It has been eight years since the “Kosovo Liberation Army” openly received NATO support for its separatist war against Serbia; over 14 years since Washington and Brussels recognized the declaration of independence issued by the Muslim-dominated Bosnian government that plunged that country into civil war. In both cases, … Continue reading “The Edge of Madness”