Month: May 2011

Bored to Death in Afghanistan (and Washington)

One day in October 2001, a pilot for Northwest Airlines refused to let Arshad Chowdhury, a 25-year-old American Muslim (“with a dark complexion”) who had once worked as an investment banker in the World Trade Center, board his plane at San Francisco National Airport. According to Northwest’s gate agents, Chowdhury writes in the Washington Post, … Continue reading “Bored to Death in Afghanistan (and Washington)”

Israel in a Post-American Era

In 1918, the United States proved militarily decisive in the defeat of the Kaiser’s Germany and emerged as first power on earth. World War II, ending in 1945, produced two truly victorious nations, the Soviet Union of Joseph Stalin and the America of Harry Truman. Out of the Cold War that lasted from Truman to … Continue reading “Israel in a Post-American Era”

Thursday: 37 Iraqis Killed, 110 Wounded

Three bomb blasts rattled the northern city of Kirkuk just days after U.S. troops handed over a provincial base to their Iraqi counterparts and a day after the highest ranking al-Qaeda leader was captured in Samarra. At least 37 Iraqis were killed and 110 more were wounded in those attacks and others across the country.

Renewing the PATRIOT Act: Who Will Protect Us From Our Government?

“It is the responsibility of the patriot to protect his country from its government.”—Thomas Paine Those who founded this country knew quite well that every citizen must remain vigilant or freedom would be lost. This is the true nature of a patriot—one who sounds the clarion call when the Constitution is under attack. If, on … Continue reading “Renewing the PATRIOT Act: Who Will Protect Us From Our Government?”

Some Questions for Bibi

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives in the United States today for a much anticipated visit. He will do a little fund-raising, will speak before Congress and at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) annual conference, and will meet with President Barack Obama. Netanyahu can expect the visit to go smoothly, with an adoring … Continue reading “Some Questions for Bibi”

Across-the-Board Spending Cut Proposals Go Mainstream

With yawning federal deficits and the need to once again raise the U.S. government’s staggering debt north of the current $14.3 trillion ceiling, both feuding parties, as usual, lack the political courage to cut welfare to their own supporters. For example, Republicans protect the defense budget, the vast majority of which has nothing to do … Continue reading “Across-the-Board Spending Cut Proposals Go Mainstream”

What We’re Up Against

As Antiwar.com struggles with another fund-raising campaign – which seems to be failing even as I write – I was struck, Tuesday morning, by cartoonist Ted Rall’s piece detailing the slide in his career: “In the late 1990s my cartoons ran in Time, Fortune and Bloomberg Personal magazines and over 100 daily and alternative weekly … Continue reading “What We’re Up Against”

Israel Prepares to Confront Historic Shifts

JERUSALEM—Back in August 2000, just weeks after the failed Camp David peace summit and weeks before the outbreak of the second Palestinian Intifada uprising, Marwan Barghouti, leader of the Fatah armed forces, laid out his alternative strategy for ending the Israeli occupation. Haranguing a crowd of frustrated Palestinians, he declared: “We shall march with our … Continue reading “Israel Prepares to Confront Historic Shifts”