Is Defeat Now an Option?

“Is the United States now going to cut and run in Iraq?” asks Bronwen Maddox, foreign editor of the London Times. While the answer from President Bush remains a defiant “No!” the question is now being raised by the most hawkish of his backers. And understandably so. For John McCain’s call for sending 10,000 more … Continue reading “Is Defeat Now an Option?”

Two Thousand Dead – and for What?

These are not the halcyon days of George W. Bush. With his approval rating below 40 percent, his reputation as a decisive leader ravaged by Katrina, his conservative base shattered by Harriet, and his closest aide facing indictment, the president is said to be shouting at and blaming subordinates for the lost opportunities of his … Continue reading “Two Thousand Dead – and for What?”

Media, Democrats Complicit in Rush to War

While President Bush and his War Cabinet bear full moral responsibility for Iraq, they could not have taken us to war without the complicity of the “adversary press” and “loyal opposition.” Today, this town is salivating over the prospect that Karl Rove and “Scooter” Libby will be indicted for outing Joe Wilson’s wife as a … Continue reading “Media, Democrats Complicit in Rush to War”

Faith-Based War

“This is a very positive day … for world peace,” said President Bush, following the referendum on a new Iraqi constitution. “Democracies are peaceful countries.” Considering that Iraq is perhaps the least peaceful country on earth, the statement seemed jarring. It should not be. For it reflects a quasi-religious transformation in George W. Bush – … Continue reading “Faith-Based War”

Who Lost New Orleans?

Even the disasters and tragedies that at first unite us in grief or anger – Pearl Harbor, 9/11 – end up dividing us. New Orleans will be no exception. Books are yet being written on how Kimmel and Short, the commanders at Pearl, were scapegoated. Had we not broken the Japanese code? Did not FDR … Continue reading “Who Lost New Orleans?”

The Democrats’ Dilemma

In June, I ventured a prediction: “A Eugene McCarthy will appear soon to pressure and challenge Hillary Clinton in 2008, if Hillary does not convert herself into an antiwar candidate….” Observing the Cindy Sheehan protest, I updated the prediction just last week: “September could see the coalescing of an antiwar movement that … divides [the] … Continue reading “The Democrats’ Dilemma”

Sharon: Hero and Goat of Gaza

To see Jewish settlers evicted from homes they have lived in for decades, taking weeping wives and children back to Israel, is heart-wrenching. To see Israeli settlers spit in the faces of Israeli soldiers and call them “Nazis” evokes only disgust. Who do these people think they are? Were it not for the Israeli army, … Continue reading “Sharon: Hero and Goat of Gaza”

The Silent Majority, Then and Now

When he flew off to San Clemente, Calif., in the summer of 1969 for his August vacation, Richard Nixon was riding a wave of popularity. He had announced the first troop withdrawal from Vietnam. He had met the Apollo 11 crew of Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins on touchdown in the Pacific. He … Continue reading “The Silent Majority, Then and Now”

Is the Iran Crisis for Real?

Are the Iranian mullahs close to acquiring the bomb? Has Iran violated the Non-Proliferation Treaty by restarting its conversion of yellowcake into uranium hexaflouride? The answer to both is no. By a recent U.S. intelligence review, Iran may be 10 years away from a bomb. And under the NPT, Iran is allowed to enrich uranium … Continue reading “Is the Iran Crisis for Real?”

Is America’s War Winding Up?

Is America preparing to pull out of Iraq without victory? Are we ready to leave that war-ravaged land without any assurance a free, democratic, pro-Western Iraq will survive? Is President Bush willing to settle for less than we all thought? So it would seem. For it is difficult to draw any other conclusion from the … Continue reading “Is America’s War Winding Up?”