JP Sottile

President Donald J. Trump’s peace deal between countries-not-at-war added another buyer when he announced the opening of normalized relations between Israel and Sudan. On its face, it’s a good thing. Sudan got de-listed as a “state sponsor” of terrorism and the US agreed to lift its sanctions on the economically challenged nation. Israel moved a … Continue reading “Sudan Enters the Outside-In Accords”

We are seeing a lot of hyperbole about the start of “World War 3” and a lot of speculation about how this will play out … so, let me pump the brakes a bit. Here goes … No, there was no legal or constitutional justification for this strike. Sorry, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, this does … Continue reading “The Real Message Behind Trump’s Syrian Strike”

The Military-Industrial Complex has loomed over America ever since President Dwight D. Eisenhower warned of its growing influence during his prescient farewell address on Jan. 17, 1961. The Vietnam War followed shortly thereafter, and its bloody consequences cemented the image of the Military-Industrial Complex (MIC) as a faceless cadre of profit-seeking warmongers who’ve wrested control … Continue reading “America’s Military-Industrial Addiction”

Americans are really counting on President Trump’s vaunted team of generals who are widely regarded as “the adults in the room.” Chief of Staff John Kelly, National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster and Secretary of Defense James “Mad Dog” Mattis make up the much-touted troika that stands between Trump’s itchy Twitter finger and the big red … Continue reading “Trump’s Generals Fatten the Pentagon”

It was a stolid prelude to what will no doubt be “must-see” TV when he speaks to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday about North Korea and Iran. And it was a far cry from the way America’s leading “America Firster” spent the campaign lamenting how unfair the U.N. is to the poor schlemiel we … Continue reading “How the UN Covers for US Aggression”

When was the last time you heard of an Iranian running down people on a London bridge? Or stabbing Parisians? Or attacking Canadians? Or murdering American club-goers? What was the last terrorist plot you can recall being “inspired” by Iran or by an Iranian proxy or by Shia Islam? How many of the 9/11 hijackers … Continue reading “The Iranian Question (and the Same Old Saudi Answers)”

Bill Maher thinks he knows exactly why they hate us. In the world according to Bill, all those agitated Muslims on the receiving end of multiple interventions, numerous “double-tap” drone strikes, countless tons of falling bombs, the systematic imprisonment of “rendered” individuals and the widespread use of lawless torture are, simply put, the outgrowth of … Continue reading “Bill Maher’s Muddled Attacks on Islam”

The Israeli lobby wins again! That’s the obvious takeaway from President Barack Obama’s historically large, but not quite unprecedented $38 billion “aid package” to Bibi Netanyahu’s supposedly intransigent government. In Israel, the ten-year deal is seen as a solid, but not complete victory for Bibi. In the U.S., the deal looks like it’s the cost … Continue reading “Obama’s Gift to Israel – and Lockheed”

What’s a Neocon To Do? Bill Kristol is downright despondent after his failed search for an alternative to Donald Trump. Max Boot is indignant about his “stupid” party’s willingness to ride a bragging bull into a delicate China policy shop. And the leading light of the first family of military interventionism – Robert Kagan – … Continue reading “Why Neocons Are Now Supporting Hillary Clinton”

Who says nothing is made in the USA anymore? Certainly not the well-heeled denizens of the State Department’s diplomatic corps. And they should know. That’s because they’re stationed on the frontlines of the ongoing battle to preserve Uncle Sam’s dominant market share of the global weapons trade. Luckily for the Military-Industrial Complex, it turns out … Continue reading “Next Time Someone Says Nothing Is Made in the USA Anymore, Show Them This”