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.

The ‘Making You Safe’ Lie

Given the fact that the Internet and phone intercepts made by the United States National Security Agency (NSA) are in violation of the First and Fourth Amendments to the Constitution, there is only one nevertheless completely irrelevant argument for the government to make in their defense: that they have made Americans safer. But is that … Continue reading “The ‘Making You Safe’ Lie”

Rand Paul, Defender of the Faith

If Senator Rand Paul truly listened to his father for all those years why does he sometimes act like Mitt Romney? To be sure he has taken some positive positions regarding the surveillance state and the use of drones, though even there he frequently comes out with a zinger that suggests that he is not … Continue reading “Rand Paul, Defender of the Faith”

Don’t Forget Syria

News about President Obama’s program to listen in on nearly all telephone conversations in the United States, which Antiwar.com has been warning about for over two years, has preempted much of the alarming coverage about Syria. But one should not assume that lack of reporting means that the hawks are not continuing their efforts to … Continue reading “Don’t Forget Syria”

National Security by the Numbers

It is inevitable that every time there is an incident that can be attributed to terrorism, no matter what the circumstances, the cry will go up to unleash the police and intelligence services lest there be a recurrence of the event. The Boston Marathon bombing has consequently produced calls for “total Internet surveillance” by the … Continue reading “National Security by the Numbers”

John McCain: War Hero or Something Less?

Two time Medal of Honor recipient Marine Major General Smedley Butler once said “war is a racket.” He might have added that while enriching the few it victimizes and degrades everyone else who is caught up in the meat grinder, soldiers as well as civilians. Consider how accounts of soldiers who are captured and subsequently … Continue reading “John McCain: War Hero or Something Less?”

The New World Order is Unimpeachable

Sinclair Lewis once wrote that if fascism ever comes to the United States it will be wrapped in the American flag and carrying a cross. Lewis might have been describing our contemporary “political Christians,” the mostly evangelicals who believe that Washington has a manifest destiny to make the world behave while simultaneously expunging the constitution … Continue reading “The New World Order is Unimpeachable”

Boston Becomes Toxic

A number of articles about the Boston terrorist attack that I have read recently reminded me that what is either kept out of the media or otherwise hidden is often more important than what actually appears. One was a feature article entitled “Ron Paul Slams Boston Police. Has he Gone too Far?” by Peter Grier … Continue reading “Boston Becomes Toxic”

Gatekeeping for Zion

People like myself who are either paleoconservatives or libertarians generally base their opposition to Israel and its Lobby on the costs of the de facto alliance, both financial and in terms of the wars and political chaos it has triggered. We try to demonstrate how damage to rule of law and actual U.S. interests has … Continue reading “Gatekeeping for Zion”

Kristol Clear

It has been noted ironically by Justin Raimondo at antiwar and also by Scott McConnell over at The American Conservative how the neoconservative dominated American Committee for Peace in the Caucasus, which sees Chechens and other Central Asian Muslim militants as “freedom fighters” against Russian rule, exists side by side with other organizations like the … Continue reading “Kristol Clear”

What Has Bibi Been Doing?

Apart from the Obama trip and a follow-up visit by new Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel Israel has not featured much in the news lately, largely because Benjamin Netanyahu was struggling to form a government in the wake of the January elections, which gave no party a simple majority. Bibi finally cobbled together a coalition shortly … Continue reading “What Has Bibi Been Doing?”