The ‘Bitter Truth’: Empire and the Death of Liberalism

Daniel McCarthy, editor of The American Conservative, has started a bit of a controversy with his essay "Why Liberalism Means Empire," the thesis of which is that the "happy accident" of the liberal state was made possible only by the existence and beneficence of the British empire. Liberalism, says McCarthy, is dependent on the protective … Continue reading “The ‘Bitter Truth’: Empire and the Death of Liberalism”

China Is a Paper Tiger

The rise of China as America’s chief rival on the international stage has long been a staple of our foreign policy pundits’ alleged wisdom. The Chinese, simply by virtue of their enormous population, have been deemed the inheritors of the earth. China, we are told, has been in the process of overtaking us in terms … Continue reading “China Is a Paper Tiger”

They’re Making Up Stuff

It’s hard to keep the American people engaged with foreign affairs: notoriously "isolationist," we just can’t stay interested in the various overseas "threats" our rulers would have us in a panic over. While Al Qaeda was Washington’s biggest "success" in this regard – the 9/11 attacks really got everyone’s attention and managed to keep Americans … Continue reading “They’re Making Up Stuff”

How John McCain Wound Up Canoodling With Terrorists

Did Senator John McCain, a leading advocate of arming Syria’s Islamist revolutionaries, meet with members or allies of the Islamic State in al-Sham [the Levant] (ISIS) during his trip to Syria on May 27 of last year? McCain and his defenders deny it, and McCain’s longtime advisor, Mark Salter, is accusing Sen. Rand Paul – … Continue reading “How John McCain Wound Up Canoodling With Terrorists”

A Murderous ‘Modernity’

Editorial Note: This is the text of a speech given at the Casey Research Summit, 2014, “Thriving in a Crisis Economy.” Part I was posted here on Monday: the second and final part is published here today. Ticking at the heart of American society all through the 1920s was the mechanism of false prosperity, which … Continue reading “A Murderous ‘Modernity’”

Apocalypse Now – Or Apocalypse Later

Editorial Note: This is the text of a speech given at the Casey Research Summit, 2014, "Thriving in a Crisis Economy." Part I appears here today: Part II will be published here on Wednesday. I’ve been a libertarian since I was a teenager, and so I’m quite used to the idea of the apocalypse – … Continue reading “Apocalypse Now – Or Apocalypse Later”

Anarchy in Washington: Is Anybody in Charge?

The President pledges "no combat troops" in Iraq. The head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin Dempsey, says he may recommend combat ground troops in the battle against ISIS. The President, in a speech, reiterates "no ground troops," and "no combat troops." While Hillary Clinton, Obama’s presumptive heir, waits in the wings as … Continue reading “Anarchy in Washington: Is Anybody in Charge?”

The McKeon Amendment – A Lend-Lease Act for Terrorists

Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon, R-California, has done President Obama’s dirty work for him by submitting an amendment to the bill that allows the government to continue functioning which would authorize and fund the training of Syrian rebels by the US military – a key part of Obama’s vague plan to go after the Islamic State … Continue reading “The McKeon Amendment – A Lend-Lease Act for Terrorists”

A Note to My Readers

I’m working on a special project this week so no column today: more about the project later. I’ll be back at my regular stand on Wednesday, so please watch this space. NOTES IN THE MARGIN You can check out my Twitter feed by going here. But please note that my tweets are sometimes deliberately provocative, … Continue reading “A Note to My Readers”