Month: November 2013

At least 18 people were killed in shootings and bombings across central and northern Iraq. Nine more were wounded.

Originally posted at TomDispatch. Given how similar they sound and how easy it is to imagine one leading to the other, confusing omniscience (having total knowledge) with omnipotence (having total power) is easy enough. It’s a reasonable supposition that, before the Snowden revelations hit, America’s spymasters had made just that mistake. If the drip-drip-drip of … Continue reading “Mistaking Omniscience for Omnipotence”

Controversy continues to follow Edward Snowden around, with the American people nearly evenly divided on whether he is a hero or a traitor even as the Obama Administration and Congressional leaders insist that he is a criminal and there will be no clemency for him. It should be no surprise to anyone that the debate … Continue reading “The Two Snowdens”

If Bibi Netanyahu succeeds in closing down Obama’s diplomatic path to Iran, only the road to war remains open. Which is exactly what Bibi wants. For what terrifies Tel Aviv, and rattles Riyadh, is not a U.S. war with Iran, but the awful specter of American rapprochement with Iran, a detente. Thus, when France’s foreign … Continue reading “A Deal With Iran – or War With Iran?”

At least 15 Iraqis were killed and 30 more were wounded in the latest violence. No major attacks took place, but a riot broke out at an oil field.

Originally posted at TomDispatch. It was exactly 95 years ago: the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, the moment when major hostilities in the charnel house that was World War I ended. In 1919, November 11th officially became “Armistice Day” in the United States. As it happened, though, major … Continue reading “Veterans Day, 95 Years On”

Today I am a somewhat overweight, bearded suburban dad entering a comfortable middle age, but it was not always thus. Seven short years ago I was a lean, clean-shaven, heavily armored combat medic in Iraq, and today, November 11th, everyone is apparently required by law to remind me of the things I did in my … Continue reading “I Should Be Dead”

Entangling alliances lead to war, and nothing underscores this axiom more dramatically than the recent failure to come to some sort of agreement with Iran on limiting its nuclear program. The United States long ago concluded "with high certainty" that Iran abandoned any effort to build a nuclear weapon in 2003 – and yet here … Continue reading “‘Peace Scare’ in Geneva”

At least 14 people were killed and 62 more were wounded. The worst attacks took place in Mosul, but rare bombings were reported in the far south, too.

At least 14 Iraqis were killed and 18 more were wounded in Saturday’s attacks.