Under growing political pressure at home, President Barack Obama inched closer Monday toward committing U.S. military power to at least protecting areas under rebel control, if not ending the 42-year reign of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. For the first time in the three-week-old crisis that looks increasingly like a civil war, Obama spoke about taking …
Continue reading “Obama Inches Closer to Libya Intervention”
Last week Secretary of State Hillary Clinton testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and I had the opportunity to raise some of my concerns regarding U.S. foreign policy and the costs of our interventionism around the world. Many observers claim that the recent overthrow of governments in northern Africa and the Middle East will …
Continue reading “Buying Friends Creates More Enemies”
After news that a “Day of Rage” in Iraq had not only drawn tens of thousands of Iraqis demanding jobs, clean water and electricity, but the wrath of security forces—at least 29 dead, a hundred journalists rounded up and beaten and police firing into crowds—one official had this to say: “[The security forces] generally have …
Continue reading “Iraqi Protests Make Washington Squirm”
Reports that Bradley Manning is being held nude every night at the Quantico brig and is forced to stand naked in the hallway while he waits for his clothes shows the inconsistency of Manning’s treatment with basic American values of due process, fair trial, and human dignity. Here is how his lawyer, David Coombs, describes …
Continue reading “Punished for Seeking a More Perfect Union”
Before the United States plunges into a third war in the Middle East, let us think this one through, as we did not the last two. What would be the purpose of establishing a no-fly zone over Libya? According to advocates, to keep Moammar Gadhafi from using his air force to attack civilians. But if …
Continue reading “It’s Their War, Not Ours”
At least three Iraqis were killed and four more were wounded in light violence. The day was also marked by light protests, and some demonstrators may have suffered from beatings.
Talking about secretaries of defense… Oh, we weren’t? Well, let’s. After all, they’re in the news. Take former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, who, on leaving government service—and I hope you don’t mind if I mangle a quote from Gen. Douglas MacArthur here— refused to die, or even fade away. Instead, he penned Known and …
Continue reading “(N)ever Again”
Hundreds of Jewish activists from J Street visited congressional offices on March 1 to talk about Israel and the settlements and to present a pro-peace agenda against the dominant views of the most powerful lobby in Washington, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). The visits followed their second major convention with representatives from all …
Continue reading “J Street Offers Alternative to AIPAC”
As the usual suspects started howling for Western intervention in the Libyan revolution – in the name of “humanitarianism,” of course – the objects of their concern made it clear they didn’t want or need any such “help.” US Defense Secretary Robert Gates was right on the mark when he described this howling as nothing …
Continue reading “Brits Bollix Benghazi Caper”
Updated at 7:45 p.m. EST March 6, 2011
At least 20 Iraqis were killed and 42 more were wounded in the latest attacks. The worst attack, which took place in Basra province, may have been targeting U.S. soldiers. Harassment of demonstrators also continued in Iraqi Kurdistan. Also, tomorrow marks the one-year anniversary of national elections, but much work remains to be done in the new government.
