Empire in the Balkans: Hypocrisy Rampant

Next to the ever-present irony and all-pervading lies, hypocrisy is a major fixture of the Balkans nowadays. Besides the usual discrepancy between words and deeds common to politics, there is also a frequent discrepancy between words themselves, a sure sign that those who speak them have as much commitment to principles as a windsock.Like Master, … Continue reading “Empire in the Balkans: Hypocrisy Rampant”

Spinning a Spy Scandal

Israel’s internet amen corner is going ape-sh*t this morning [May 12], with James Taranto of the Wall Street Journal’s "Best of the Web" and his blogger-clone, Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit, both taking out after the Israeli "art students" story – and, of course, poor little me. Oh, what fun – it’s a hoot seeing these … Continue reading “Spinning a Spy Scandal”

Behind Enemy Lines: Fact or Fiction?

  Behind Enemy Lines:Fact or Fiction? by Stella L. Jatras 5/14/02 Behind Enemy Lines is being released on VHS and DVD by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment after an unsuccessful box office showing and less than favorable reviews.  The war film was released two months earlier than scheduled in theaters throughout the country in order … Continue reading “Behind Enemy Lines: Fact or Fiction?”

U.S. Wades Into More Imperial Outposts

U.S. Wades Into More Imperial OutpostsWell, let’s see. The Brits have declared "Operation Snipe" (if nothing else you have to acknowledge a certain understated Brit sense of humor there), the latest two-week effort to round up al Qaida remnants, to be successfully completed. From the news reports there’s little evidence that the operation accomplished much … Continue reading “U.S. Wades Into More Imperial Outposts”

Gibraltar: It’s Ours, and We’re Keeping It

If justice were a more common habit, then Jack Straw would have been lynched on his recent visit to Gibraltar. The Foreign Secretary would have been left dangling from the end of one of the colony’s ornate lampposts, Barbary Apes gleefully swinging from his lifeless limbs, with some one iconic image winging its way round … Continue reading “Gibraltar: It’s Ours, and We’re Keeping It”

The Fearmongers

Although Warren Buffet gets first prize for the most irresponsible statement by a public figure in recent days – for saying that a future nuclear attack on the United States is “a virtual certainty” – Senator Bob Graham (D-Florida) comes in a close second. According to Graham, members of Hezbollah, the Lebanon-based “Party of God,” … Continue reading “The Fearmongers”

Happy Mother’s Day…But Quiet, We’re at War Now

Happy Mother’s Day! Today Mom becomes "Queen for a Day," like the name of that old TV show. Newspaper and TV ad sales will soar and florists and department stores will be bless whoever dreamed up the holiday. To them, the Day means Sales! To the rest of us it stands for nothing more than … Continue reading “Happy Mother’s Day…But Quiet, We’re at War Now”

There’s a Better Target than Iraq

The Bush administration appears to be gearing up for an all-out attack on Iraq – because George Bush has said "I made up my mind that Saddam needs to go." The politicians justify this invasion of another nation with all sorts of reasons – such as Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait, his supposed possession of "weapons … Continue reading “There’s a Better Target than Iraq”

Images Worth a Thousand Lies

Given the pervasiveness of mass entertainment in the United States, and the dominance of US-made entertainment in the world markets, one should not underestimate the impact American popular culture has on world events. History may be written by government-paid scholars and crooked journalists, but its vastly simplified form is burned into the minds of the … Continue reading “Images Worth a Thousand Lies”

With Neighbors Like These

They raise their children to hate. That’s what we’re told about the Palestinians. Watch the TV news. Listen to the radio. Pick up the dramatic US news magazines. Ask the intellectuals and the political pundits. Palestinian mothers willingly sacrifice their own children to the cause. In school, the teachers reinforce the hatred the children learn … Continue reading “With Neighbors Like These”