Month: October 2007

The following is an excerpt from Foreign Agents: The American Israel Public Affairs Committee From the 1963 Fulbright Hearings to the 2005 Espionage Scandal. AIPAC was founded by Isaiah L. “Si” Kenen, springing from the American Zionist Committee for Public Affairs. Kenen registered twice with the U.S. Department of Justice under the Foreign Agent Registration … Continue reading “Where Did AIPAC Come From?”

As the neoconservatives have been wrong about almost everything in the past six years, it would seem logical to assume that their political demise is imminent. But nothing could be further from the truth: the neocons in government, though admittedly declining in number, continue to be supported by a huge and devoted infrastructure in the … Continue reading “Neocons Acquire Another
Front Group”

Updated at 12:25 a.m. EDT, Oct. 9, 2007Polish targets in Baghdad were once again attacked in Baghdad. No casualties were reported this time, but Baghdad was rocked numerous bombings. Overall, 54 Iraqis were killed and 88 were wounded in the latest round of violence. Also, a Marine died in combat today in Anbar province, and … Continue reading “Monday: 2 GIs, 54 Iraqis Killed; 88 Iraqis Wounded”

Ron Paul is breaking through. His call to return to the vision of the Founders, and the principles embodied in the Constitution, is piercing the wall of silence that surrounds the conduct of our disgraceful foreign policy. Andrea Mitchell proclaims him the new Howard Dean, network television takes note of his fundraising prowess and the … Continue reading “The Ron Paul Breakthrough”

Updated at 11:55 p.m. EDT, Oct. 7, 2007Although Iraq was generally quiet today, several bombings rocked Baghdad. Overall, 23 Iraqis were killed or found dead and 20 were wounded so far. U.S. forces were involved in yet another controversial incident in which two first aid workers were killed in Mosul. In Turkey, Kurdish rebels killed … Continue reading “Sunday: 23 Iraqis Killed, 20 Wounded”

Updated at 12:03 p.m. EDT, Oct. 6, 2007At least 33 Iraqis were killed or found dead and another 28 were wounded in the latest round of attacks, which included bombings in Kirkuk and Khalis. Also, two GIs were killed and three were wounded in separate events. Three Britons were also wounded. An IED killed one … Continue reading “Saturday: 2 GIs, 33 Iraqis Killed; 28 Iraqis Wounded”

I was planning to write about Blackwater and a growing distaste for contracting-out, privatizing or outsourcing various operations in wartime to "mercenaries," and I will a bit. But the topic of mercenaries got me to thinking about Machiavelli, who famously advised the ruler in his small masterpiece, The Prince, to avoid mercenaries. "Mercenaries and auxiliaries … Continue reading “Machiavelli’s Real Transgression”

Who’s afraid of the Israel Lobby? Virtually everyone: Republican, Democrat – Conservative, Liberal. The fear factor is non-partisan, you might say, and palpable. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) brags that it is the most influential foreign policy lobbying organization on Capitol Hill, and has demonstrated that time and again – and not only … Continue reading “So Who’s Afraid of the Israel Lobby?”

There are books that change people’s consciousness and change history. Some tell a story, like Harriet Beech Stowe’s 1851 Uncle Tom’s Cabin, which gave a huge impetus to the campaign for the abolition of slavery. Others take the form of a political treatise, like Theodor Herzl’s Der Judenstaat, which gave birth to the Zionist movement. … Continue reading “Two Knights and a Dragon”

With a strong majority of US citizens favoring withdrawal from Iraq within a year and presidential elections set for 2008, Democrats and moderate Republicans continue to face an uphill struggle to force President George W. Bush to change course. But as many Washington insiders have publicly declared, any shift in the White House’s Iraq policy … Continue reading “Three Iraqs Worse Than One?”