Month: February 2007

When a prime minister has just lost a war, is dogged by corruption allegations, and sees his popularity ratings in free fall, what can he do? Why, he can initiate provocations. A provocation diverts attention, generates headlines, creates the illusion of power, radiates a sense of leadership. But a provocation is a dangerous instrument. It … Continue reading “Israel’s Provocations:
The Method in the Madness”

Updated at 12:34 a.m. EST, Feb. 14, 2007 At least 72 Iraqis were killed or found dead today and 62 more wounded. Many of the casualties occurred during a suicide truck bombing in Baghdad, which came a day after a similar attack in the capital killed over 70 people. Also, three American soldiers were wounded … Continue reading “Tuesday: 72 Iraqis Killed; 62 Iraqis, 3 GIs, 2 Britons Wounded”

President Vladimir Putin of Russia recently bluntly lashed out at U.S. foreign policy. At an international security conference with U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates in attendance, referring to U.S. actions in the international arena, Putin said, “Today we are witnessing an almost uncontained hyper use of force in international relations – military force.” He … Continue reading “A Foreign Policy Only
Tarzan Could Love”

An understated headline moved me yesterday; it was atop AP’s explosively formed story about the “explosively formed penetrators” traced to Iran that are killing our troops in Iraq: “Democrats Skeptical of Starting Row With Iran.” Yawn. Webster’s: “row” – “a noisy disturbance or quarrel.” Yawn. What about starting another unwinnable war – this time with … Continue reading “Wake Up!
The Next War Is Coming”

“A soft answer turneth away wrath,” teaches Proverbs 1:15. Our new secretary of defense, Robert Gates, seems familiar with the verse. For his handling of Saturday’s wintry blast from Vladimir Putin at the Munich security conference was masterful. “As an old Cold Warrior, one of yesterday’s speeches almost filled me with nostalgia for a less … Continue reading “Does Putin Not Have a Point?”

Two weeks ago I discussed how Congress and the administration use our fiat money system to literally create some of the funds needed to prosecute our ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. We’ve already spent more than $500 billion in Iraq, mostly through supplemental spending bills that are not part of the normal appropriations and … Continue reading “Congress Racing to Spend
$1 Trillion on Iraq”

Listen to the Foxes, Not the Hedgehogs Found this pretty narcissistic. Hadar was remiss not to at least acknowledge the analytical framework provided by Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky for understanding how people working in media are subject to a kind of natural selection process which favors the self-interest of media owners. They describe in … Continue reading “Backtalk, February 13, 2007”

Updated at 12:25 a.m. EST, Feb. 14, 2007 On the first anniversary of the Golden Dome bombing, at least 138 Iraqis were killed or found dead today and another 209 were injured in separate events. One extensive bombing occurred at a market in the capital. A GI was killed in Fallujah by a roadside bomb … Continue reading “Monday: 138 Iraqis, 3 GIs Killed; 209 Iraqis Wounded”

As Iraq slides into the abyss [.pdf], and the domestic reverberations of the conflict shake American politics, the question of who lied us into war is being raised – and not just by Democrats. There is a growing suspicion that we didn’t just get the intelligence wrong – and a growing clamor to retrace our … Continue reading “Real Special”

If “reporters” covering the Scooter Libby trial for alleged perjury and obstruction of justice had bothered to read President Bush’s Executive Order 12958 of March 28, 2003 – entitled “Classified National Security Information” – they would know that it does not give the vice president the authority to declassify anything. In particular, it does not … Continue reading “Secrets Bush and
Cheney Can’t ‘Declassify’”