Charley Reese

This is the last Charley Reese column, as the author is retiring. All of us at Antiwar.com will miss his insights and wish him well. Years ago, the first time I saw my friend Brother Dave Gardner after he had survived a plane crash, the comedian smiled and said, "The devil like to got me." … Continue reading “Goodbye”

The International Herald Tribune recently published an article about a new Army medical book on trauma wounds. The reporter said that "the gruesome photographs illustrate the grim nature of today’s wars, in which more are hurt by explosions than by bullets, and body armor leaves many alive but maimed." That’s a naive statement. Probably since … Continue reading “Discovering Sin”

Despite all the blather about democracy, we did not invent it, do not support it and have, during the recent administration, become less democratic than we were before. We are and always have been too large a country for a true democracy. That’s why the Founding Fathers created a republic. In a true democracy, the … Continue reading “The Republic, Slip-Sliding Away”

If Barack Obama’s idea of ending the occupation in Iraq is to transfer most of the troops to Afghanistan, he won’t have accomplished much. He’s right that we should not be in Iraq, but we also shouldn’t be in Afghanistan. Our sole interest in Afghanistan should be to get Osama bin Laden. After that, we … Continue reading “Quagmire Exchange”

Hopefully, the next president, whoever he is, will have sense enough to realize that an anti-missile site in Eastern Europe is not worth rekindling the Cold War with Russia. Though the press pays little attention to it, the Bush administration has already practically wrecked relations with Russia by insisting on adding the Eastern European countries … Continue reading “Pull the Plug on the War State”

Teddy Roosevelt was the first president to leave the continental U.S. It’s too bad he wasn’t also the last. Politicians and celebrities with an urge to see poverty only need to visit the Mississippi Delta or some of the neighborhoods in American cities. If they yearn for more exotic poverty, all they have to do … Continue reading “America First”

One gets the impression that there are some people in Washington who believe that Israel or the U.S. can bomb Iran’s nuclear reactors, fly home, and it will be mission complete. It makes you wonder if perhaps there is a virus going around that is gradually making people stupid. If we or Israel attack Iran, … Continue reading “America Is the Rogue Nation”

It’s time for another pop quiz on America’s favorite region of the world – the Middle East. Let’s get started with the subject of nuclear weapons. Which country in the Middle East actually possesses nuclear weapons? Israel. Which country in the Middle East refuses to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty? Israel. Which country in the … Continue reading “Middle East Pop Quiz”

President George Bush and his tag-along buddy John McCain are repeating almost word for word about Iran the pattern of lies and threats they used to justify the war against Iraq. Our intelligence agencies have said that Iran gave up the pursuit of a nuclear weapon three years ago. President Bush makes speeches as if … Continue reading “Bush and McCain’s Iran Insanity”

Have you ever wondered how human beings can be so cruel? And how cruelty crosses all the boundaries – national, racial, and ethnic? I have. Rereading an autobiography published in 1941 by a communist agent reminded me of the dark side of human nature. The book, Out of the Night, was written – under the … Continue reading “The Long Night”