Jon Basil Utley

When 46 Republican senators vote against the torture of prisoners (total vote 90-9) and President Bush threatens his first veto in five years in order to thwart them, many Americans must wonder about the political and philosophical divide. Top-ranking generals supported by former Secretary of State Colin Powell sent a letter of support for the … Continue reading “Torture, the GOP, and the Religious Right”

New Orleans, of course, showed up Washington’s unpreparedness for emergency response. But there’s an even far greater threat on the horizon: government radiation limits and the true risks from a "dirty bomb." Realistic radiation health limits need to be properly understood by first responders and affected citizens. Otherwise, panic may do economic destruction far, far … Continue reading “Radiation Limits, Dirty Bombs, and Chaos”

An extraordinary two-day conference in Washington (much of it on C-Span) sponsored by the New America Foundation,”Terrorism, Security & America’s Purpose” featured a host of scholars, elected officials, intelligence experts, journalists, an others, from Tom Clancy and Grover Norquist to George Soros and Ted Sorensen. Though perspectives varied widely, it is clear that experts from … Continue reading “Landmark Conference Critiques War on Terror”

As gas prices continue to soar, both reflecting and promoting bad foreign and domestic policies, it’s time to recognize that there is another way. We don’t have to be imperialists, bombing and attacking oil-rich nations. We don’t need to invade and occupy much of the Muslim world. We don’t need to fear the consequent terrorism … Continue reading “Alaskan Oil a Key to Keeping Our Freedoms”

The Cato Institute and the Objectivist Center on Friday offered a full-scale inter-libertarian debate on war. Topics included "Principles Guiding Military Intervention," "Has the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq Advanced America’s Interests in the Middle East?," and "Reflections on the Iraq War." Luncheon speaker was Nick Gillespie, editor of Reason magazine, on "Why Libertarians Should … Continue reading “Libertarians Face Off on Intervention”

Three years and half a trillion dollars later America is losing the war on terrorism. The 9/11 Commission has warned that more and worse acts of terrorism are to be expected. Bin Laden’s planning always assumed that we, in reacting to him, would help him carry out his objectives. Well, we did. In his dreams … Continue reading “36 Ways the US Is Losing the War on Terror”

This book is the definitive study of how a small group of dedicated imperialists took over America’s foreign policy. Loaded with footnotes and bibliography, it follows those who made the current disaster in America’s relations with most of the world. Chickenhawk academic intellectuals in Washington think tanks, with visions of military glory, knowing little of … Continue reading “America Alone: The Neo-Conservatives and the Global Order”

“It all began when the Berlin Wall came down in November 1989, effectively ending the Cold War and prompting the Pentagon to undertake a search for a new set of principles, in part to prevent Congress, then controlled by the Democrats, from slashing the defense budget. The key participants were Cheney, Wolfowitz and Colin Powell … Continue reading “Was It All Planned? Iraq and Empire-Builders”

Cui Bono was the Latin legal term in old Rome for investigating a crime.  Who benefited from 9/11 is the question? No one would accuse Bush of the strategy used by Roosevelt at Pearl Harbor to get America into the Second World War.  But for others in Washington the question of Who Benefited may be … Continue reading “Cui Bono on 9/11?”

Cui Bono was the Latin legal term in old Rome for investigating a crime.  Who benefited from 9/11 is the question? No one would accuse Bush of the strategy used by Roosevelt at Pearl Harbor to get America into the Second World War.  But for others in Washington the question of Who Benefited may be … Continue reading “Cui Bono on 9/11?”