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We are, by now, quite used to the practice of pinning our various overseas interventions with some tag line, some felicitous phrase that seems to sum up the official rationale for war. The "new war" – as the networks have unimaginatively dubbed it – is no exception, but I’m afraid the process seems to have … Continue reading “OPERATION INFINITE ARROGANCE”

For traditional rivals of the US, the tragedy in New York and the ensuing “War on Terrorism” have provided a chance to wipe the slate clean and establish a New World Order. Russia and the various -stans, especially Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have offered up their land to the Western coalition, in return for – … Continue reading “A Chance for a New Friendship?”

Author’s note: I am in transit, and so this column – written before the horrific events of September 11 – will have to do. To all of my readers who wrote in, expressing support – and criticism: thanks. I will address the latter in the next installment of "Behind the Headlines," scheduled for this coming … Continue reading “AMERICAN IMPERIUM”

Amazingly, there was one columnist who predicted the World Trade Center attack, a prescient bit of punditry that, if I were the FBI, would immediately cause me to call him in for at least a few questions. It was in the weeks leading up to New Year’s Day, 2000 – remember the terrorist-mania that gripped … Continue reading “THE CASSANDRA COMPLEX”

One moment before the Sons of Light wage war on the Sons of Darkness, when the former are purported to be “the Judeo-Christian Culture,” whereas the latter, “the Arab-Moslem Culture,” is identified with suicide bombers as its inherent, constitutive trait, let us commemorate the first suicide bomber, who prayed to God to die killing thousands. … Continue reading “Dancing in the Streets”

Examine the following three quotes. It is as though they were written by the same pen; as though all three had received their marching orders from a higher authority. The first quote, attributed to Charles Krauthammer, appeared in The Washington Post on 21 September, titled "Voices of Moral Obtuseness": "Let us look at American policies. … Continue reading “‘Voices of Moral Obtuseness’ or ‘Voices of Immoral Bigotry’?”

I now have received over a thousand emails in response to my articles on the terrorist attacks. I regret that I can’t reply individually to them. Nor is it possible even to reply in print to many of the thoughtful suggestions, complaints, or proposals that readers have offered. But there is one common theme I … Continue reading “The Overlooked Flaw in Retaliation”

So many impressions crowd against one another as the war clouds gather. Perhaps it is a blessing that the Bush administration seems to be going about the business of planning reprisals or attacks with a fair amount of deliberation. There might be time to sort through the blizzard of information to develop a coherent attitude. … Continue reading “Impressions Amid the Winds of War”

A few hours after the disaster on the 11th, Chinese CCTV was carrying the news. The Twin Towers burned, people fled and gaped and planes blew up against the side of the buildings over and over – in slow motion and at normal speed. My Taiwanese friend Ol’ Vic chided CCTV for being late and … Continue reading “Watching the Disaster”

In my previous article, I pointed out that killing innocent people is terrorism, no matter who does it – freelance terrorists, an international conspiracy, a foreign government, or our government. It would be wrong for our government to respond to this week’s tragedy by committing further acts of terrorism against innocent foreign people. Find the … Continue reading “Retribution”