Thomas Knapp

On the Friday before Christmas – the kind of time politicians pick to do things they hope you won’t notice – US president Barack Obama signed the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act. Along with the usual terrible, horrible, very bad, no good NDAA stuff (all the little mandates involved in continuing to operate the most … Continue reading “Obama’s Christmas Gift to Trump: A Ministry of Truth”

As on most issues, president-elect Donald Trump has been all over the map on military issues throughout his campaign and post-campaign pronouncements. One day he muses about disbanding NATO, the next day he promises to “rebuild” the US military, which is already by far not just the most well-funded war machine, but the most well-funded … Continue reading “Trump on Military Spending: An Encouraging Sign”

“Freedom of expression is a bedrock of American democracy,” the Washington Post‘s editorial board writes in a November 18 jeremiad, “but its irresponsible exercise can distort and destabilize our politics.” The Post‘s editors, mining the bottomless pit of mainstream media excuses for not predicting Donald Trump’s victory in November’s presidential election, think they’ve hit the … Continue reading “The Washington Post vs. ‘Fake News’: Pot, Meet Kettle”

On July 28, London’s Central Criminal Court of England and Wales, aka “the Old Bailey,” announced the conviction of Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary on charges of “inviting support for a proscribed organization” (the Islamic State). He’ll be sentenced, likely to a long stint in prison, in September. On August 18, social networking service Twitter announced … Continue reading “War: The Islamic State and Western Politicians Against the Rest of Us”

When the US government sends $400 million in cash, stacked on pallets, to Iran on the same day the Iranian government releases four imprisoned Americans, it looks an awful lot like ransom. On the other hand, when the US government decides to keep $400 million sent to it by the Iranian government pursuant to an … Continue reading “$400 Million: The Partial Price of Peace?”

On June 12, Omar Mateen killed 49 patrons at Orlando, Florida’s Pulse nightclub. His weapon: A Sig Sauer MCX carbine. On July 3, Abu Maha al-Iraqi killed more than 300 shoppers and diners in Baghdad’s Karrada neighborhood. His weapon: A van packed with explosives. On July 14, Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel killed at least 84 Bastille … Continue reading “The Problem Isn’t Tools, It’s Terror”

In December of 2002, Congress released its report on the “Joint Inquiry into Intelligence Community Activities Before and After the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001.” Part of that report, anyway: 28 pages remained classified until July 15, 2016, when they were finally presented to the public with significant redactions. Why the long wait, and … Continue reading “9/11: 28 Pages Later”

The US State Department’s “Dissent Channel” is a mechanism through which department personnel may disagree with administration policy without fear of job retribution. On June 17, Mark Landler of the New York Times revealed the existence of a recent “Dissent Channel” memo bearing the signatures of 51 diplomats and other department officials and calling for … Continue reading “Syria: Change the (Dissent) Channel”

Today, Americans will seize the opportunity to sleep in an extra day, fire up the family grill, and maybe – probably not, but maybe – wheel out to a family cemetery, lay flowers on graves, and contemplate the memories of their beloved for a few minutes. Veterans’ organizations will parade in celebration of their own … Continue reading “This Memorial Day, Remember the Victims of Democide”

US President Barack Obama’s late March visit to Cuba, continuing his initiative to re-establish friendly relations between the two countries, aroused opposition on both sides of the aisle in Washington. The Republican complaints, of course, are to be expected. If Obama walked across the Florida Strait without wetting the hems of his trousers, Ted Cruz … Continue reading “Obama Visits Havana: Cuba Libre for Real?”