Philip Giraldi

Neoconservative pundits have a tendency to assert that something is true even if it is not and then repeat the assertion over and over again to give it credibility. Repeating a statement without subjecting it to any critical analysis is generally regarded as little more than a rhetorical gimmick. Last week’s New York Times featured … Continue reading “Neocons Stay on Message”

President George W. Bush has succeeded in convincing many of America’s European allies to tighten sanctions against Iran to inhibit its nuclear program. He has also reiterated that he prefers negotiations to end the impasse with Tehran but that "all options" remain on the table, a clear threat to use military force if all else … Continue reading “Remaking the Middle East”

There are a lot of bad things that one might say about Iran. The rule of the mullahs would be an unpleasant experience for most people, so much so that few outside of Hezbollah apparently want to emulate it. Opinion polls that attempt to assess favorable versus unfavorable impressions among the world’s nations invariably place … Continue reading “Iran Accusations Merit Skepticism”

Eleven days ago I wrote an item for The American Conservative blog that asserted that the U.S. National Security Council had decided to proceed with plans to attack Iran in light of Tehran’s reported interference in Iraq and in Lebanon. Those who have been following the issue know well that planning to attack Iran is … Continue reading “The Fourth Estate Fails Again”

The war drums are again beating. It’s beginning to look like the neocons have cranked up their useful idiots in the Bush administration for a fall offensive, target Iran. And maybe also Syria, Lebanon, and the Palestinians. The bad guys’ list, which is remarkably similar to a roll call of Israel’s enemies, seems to have … Continue reading “Condi Stomps the Mullahs”

Poor Jimmy Carter. All he wanted to do was talk peace. But all he got was the shaft, from the Bush administration, the secretary of state, the Israeli government, the mainstream media, and the presidential candidates. White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe denounced his meeting with Hamas representatives from Gaza as not “useful.” Condi Rice intoned … Continue reading “Jimmy Carter Gets the Point”

The considerable buzz in conservative circles about Barack Obama, best exemplified by Andrew Bacevich’s article "The Case for Obama" in The American Conservative, has largely focused on his potential as the only candidate who might actually end the war in Iraq. Maybe he would or maybe he wouldn’t, but it is dead certain that neither … Continue reading “Obama Meets The Lobby”

It has sometimes been noted that the neoconservatives, conspicuously absent on the battlefield, excel at the Washington infighting that enabled their ascent in the first place. Marine and Army combat units are justifiably proud of never leaving a comrade behind on the battlefield. Neocons adhere to a somewhat different philosophy, namely putting the boot in … Continue reading “Neocon Valor Is an Act of Feith”

It is difficult to imagine that a plan concocted by the plump and studious Fred Kagan deep in the bowels of the American Enterprise Institute can be taken seriously, but life offers many surprises. The Bush administration and putative Republican presidential candidate John McCain are effusive in their praise of the grand illusion offered by … Continue reading “Surging in All Directions”

As bad as the past eight years have been, it may be fruitful to remember what U.S. national security policy was like under Bill Clinton, as it is very possible that Washington will soon be returning to that gold standard for underachievement. Under Bill, Serbia was bombed in 1999, killing more than 500 civilians in … Continue reading “The Clinton Years Revisited”