The War Party Unhinged

Washington’s hawks are in a dither over the Iraqi constitution, as Eli Lake reports in the New York Sun, and the divisions illustrate the character and motives of the War Party, separating the everyday scoundrels from the truly villainous. Gauging the various reactions among today’s neoconservatives to the prospect of an “Islamic Republic of Iraq” … Continue reading “The War Party Unhinged”

Does Anyone Know What We Are Doing in Iraq?

President Bush is out of touch with the American people, the U.S. military, and international political reality. With every poll showing smaller and smaller minorities approving of Bush and his war in Iraq, with top U.S. generals sending signals that they want to reduce U.S. troops in Iraq, and with the world at large viewing … Continue reading “Does Anyone Know What We Are Doing in Iraq?”

A Six-Party Mess

According to the New York Times; “Pakistan’s president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, confirmed Tuesday for the first time that a Pakistani nuclear scientist had provided North Korea with centrifuge machines that could be used to make fuel for an atomic bomb, a Japanese news agency reported.” State Department spokesman Sean McCormack promptly claimed Musharraf’s confirmation “reinforces … Continue reading “A Six-Party Mess”

What Are We Fighting For?

Over the last four years, the message sent by neoconservatives to the rest of the nation has been clear: Get behind the Bush administration’s “war on terror” or be prepared to face the consequences. But when the grieving mother of a fallen U.S. soldier tops the neoconservative most wanted list of treasonous, terrorist-sympathizing, America-haters, you … Continue reading “What Are We Fighting For?”

A United Iraq Is a Western Joke

Iraq has always been ruled by a strong central authority, whether the rulers were the Turks, the British or the Ba’athists. The reason is that the differences are too wide and too deep to be bridged by political compromise. Compromise requires that all the parties agree to the same basic premise. The easiest example is … Continue reading “A United Iraq Is a Western Joke”

The Achilles Heel of Torture

Extraordinary renditions, torture, abuse, humiliation, detention without charge or end, an obsession with protecting American officials (and military men) from future foreign or domestic criminal charges for their acts – these are the cornerstones of foreign policy under George Bush, and they have produced horror stories galore. His is a presidency that has made the … Continue reading “The Achilles Heel of Torture”

Iraq and the Cardboard Democrats

Memo To: Gary Hart From: Jude Wanniski Re: The Leadership Vacuum. As you know, Gary, I did publicly announce my vote for Sen. John Kerry in last year’s presidential election, even though I had earlier in the year characterized him as a "cardboard candidate." Now and then, when he wasn’t programmed by his campaign consultants … Continue reading “Iraq and the Cardboard Democrats”

The Peace Movement: Right Before the War, Right Today

As Cindy Sheehan supporters continue their vigil in Crawford, and Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.) plans hearings on her resolution calling on the administration to begin planning an exit strategy for Iraq, it’s useful for the growing number of concerned citizens to recall that their friends, neighbors, and family members opposed to the war were right … Continue reading “The Peace Movement: Right Before the War, Right Today”

Iraq: The Democrats Are
Just As Bad

Terry Michael, the founder-director of the Washington Center for Politics and Journalism, bemoans the “nondebate” over the Iraq war that takes place in the “mainstream” media: “The most influential interpreters of our public affairs are accepting, rather than expanding, a noose-tight frame the Washington political culture is enforcing to limit permissible discourse on the war … Continue reading “Iraq: The Democrats Are
Just As Bad”

For Immediate Withdrawal

President Bush’s speeches this week before a couple of carefully selected military audiences indicate that even the administration is becoming aware that in terms of domestic opinion we may be getting close to a tipping point in terms of support for the Iraq war. Polls show that a majority of Americans now believe the invasion … Continue reading “For Immediate Withdrawal”