Philip Giraldi

Philip Giraldi, a former CIA officer, is a contributing editor to The American Conservative and executive director of the Council for the National Interest.

What 2016 Might Look Like

Many traditional conservatives, libertarians, and progressives who are no longer mesmerized by the Obama persona are beginning to realize that the 2012 elections might be the last chance to right the ship of state. Either we Americans can continue down a fear-driven path that will lead to our transformation into a police state with a … Continue reading “What 2016 Might Look Like”

Robo-Death: Made in the USA

If it is actually true that those whom the gods seek to destroy they first make mad, it would seem that the insanity process has at its epicenter the White House. How else to explain the various bits and pieces of counterterrorism policy that have been revealed over the past two weeks? A Sept. 15 … Continue reading “Robo-Death: Made in the USA”

Biggest Losers in Palestine Veto? The American People

If the Palestinian application for United Nations full membership actually takes place Friday and the United States uses its Security Council veto to stop the process, it will be the final step in a predictable and preventable tragedy playing out. Some are arguing that Washington might actually abstain, thereby gaining considerable favorable sentiment from much … Continue reading “Biggest Losers in Palestine Veto? The American People”

Clueless Republicans Demand More Militarism

While the Republicans who are running for president seem to have grasped the truth about the economic abyss that the country is peering into, there continues to be an air of unreality whenever the discussions turn to foreign policy and national security issues. Perhaps it is fortunate that the leading candidates rarely venture into those … Continue reading “Clueless Republicans Demand More Militarism”

A 10-Year Reckoning

This weekend will mark the 10th anniversary of 9/11, the day that changed the United States forever. There will be remembrance ceremonies in many cities and towns. In many cases, they will be accompanied by military displays, to remind everyone that the America of George W. Bush and Barack Obama responded with anger, striking first … Continue reading “A 10-Year Reckoning”

Israel Wages Lawfare Against Gaza Flotilla

I have already reported how “lawfare,” which was defined by Air Force Deputy Judge Advocate General Maj. Gen. Charles Dunlap following 9/11, is becoming the new hot button for defenders of Washington’s and Tel Aviv’s foreign policies. Using the law itself to subvert existing constitutional arrangements and, ironically, to undermine legal restraints has been around … Continue reading “Israel Wages Lawfare Against Gaza Flotilla”

Whose Congress and State Department?

August is generally a quiet month for news, but riots in Britain, continuing conflict in Libya and Syria, and concerns that Israel and the United States might be preparing some military moves against Iran have generated a bit of unease. Israel has also decided to take advantage of the summer holidays to help along the … Continue reading “Whose Congress and State Department?”

Rick Perry and the Neocons

The only change anyone can believe in in Washington is that nothing ever changes. The choice between Republican and Democrat in 2012 will likely boil down to who will be making what kind of cuts in social programs to support continuous warfare overseas. Only Ron Paul stands out from the pack with his commitment to … Continue reading “Rick Perry and the Neocons”

Big Brother Has Arrived

Leading neoconservative Richard Perle has said that one of the many reasons he admires the Israelis is the moral clarity that they exhibit on the issue of terrorism. What exactly that means is not itself clear, but it would appear to be a carte blanche for any and all Israeli punitive responses to groups that … Continue reading “Big Brother Has Arrived”

Rick Perry Abuses His Office for Israel

Jean-Jacques Rousseau described the reciprocal relationship between a government and its people as a “social contract.” Even from the first legal code by the Babylonian Hammurabi, one learns that the principal benefit that government bestows on the people is the promise of justice. By the time of the Roman Republic, the principle of equal justice … Continue reading “Rick Perry Abuses His Office for Israel”