Month: May 2017

New reports of chemical weapons use came out of Mosul on Sunday.

ISIS/Daesh shot down a military helicopter near Mosul.

The present Israeli government coalition consists of 67 (out of 120) members of the Knesset. Each member wants to be elected again (and again and again). In order to be reelected, he or she must attract the attention of the public. How? The simplest way is to propose a new law. A bill so outrageous, … Continue reading “A Curious National Home”

Now that the Palestinian Islamic Movement, Hamas, has officially changed its Charter, one should not immediately assume that the decision is, in itself, an act of political maturity. Undoubtedly, Hamas’ first Charter, which was released to the public in August 1988, reflected a degree of great intellectual dearth and political naïveté. “Allah is great, Allah … Continue reading “Should Hamas Rewrite the Past?”

For a journalist – especially one covering government and politics – the most suspicious, least trustworthy word in the language ought to be: “classified.” As the drama continues to swirl around Russiagate, or whatever the central controversy of the Trump administration winds up being known as, that word keeps popping up, teasingly, seductively: “It appeared … Continue reading “Classified America: Why Is the US Public Allowed To Know So Little?”

Militiamen launched an operation west of Mosul.

Enemies of the United States come and go, but the longer they espouse revolutionary ideals and thus defy the United States, the longer they stay enemies. Eventually, U.S. officials try other strategies, such as engagement, to undermine or win over these adversaries. Currently, the US does not recognize/have diplomatic relations with only three countries – … Continue reading “America’s Ready Supply of Enemies”

The level of lunacy we’ve reached can be measured by the brouhaha over the presence of Russian photographers in the Oval Office during Sergey Lavrov’s visit: no US photographers were allowed, but the Russians somehow got in and the Paranoid Brigade went into overdrive. They may have planted “bugs” there! No, this wasn’t nutjob Louise … Continue reading “Shut Down the ‘Russia-gate’ Farce”

Originally posted at TomDispatch. Here’s a footnote to America’s present wars that’s worth pondering for a few moments. The U.S. Air Force is running out of ordinary bombs, smart bombs, and in some cases missiles. No kidding. The air war over Syria and Iraq that began in August 2014 and is now two-and-a-half years old … Continue reading “The Hazards of Military Worship”

New graves were discovered in Anbar province, but the bodies have not been exhumed yet.