A North Korea-Pakistan Connection?

A little over two weeks after North Korea shocked the world by admitting that it has a clandestine nuclear weapons acquisition programme, some more dismaying facts have come to light. The most stunning of these may be the world’s first instance of the actual transfer, from one state to another, of advanced know-how to make … Continue reading “A North Korea-Pakistan Connection?”

ATTACK OF THE OXYMORONS

When I was a little boy, no more than ten years old, I steadfastly refused to go to sleep at night without first putting the theme from the movie Exodus, by Ernest Gold, on the old record player. The soaring chords, the majestic crescendos, the uplifting arpeggios were my introduction to the heroic sense of … Continue reading “ATTACK OF THE OXYMORONS”

The Once Controversial Question of War Finance

With regard to the war or “war,” the hot-and-cold rhetoric of the Bush II administration, lo! these many months, has been wonderful to behold: first they say that “we” must launch an aggressive war against Iraq now, or “we” are doomed. Tomorrow will be too late! Then they say that, on the other hand, the … Continue reading “The Once Controversial Question of War Finance”

NEOCONS OF THE LEFT

Certain people are touchstones – your reaction to them is a defining moment, a means of identifying who you are and what you believe. My friend Pat Buchanan is one of those polarizing types (we have that in common), and the reaction to his new magazine, The American Conservative, is certainly defining something important about … Continue reading “NEOCONS OF THE LEFT”

NEOCONS OF THE LEFT

Certain people are touchstones – your reaction to them is a defining moment, a means of identifying who you are and what you believe. My friend Pat Buchanan is one of those polarizing types (we have that in common), and the reaction to his new magazine, The American Conservative, is certainly defining something important about … Continue reading “NEOCONS OF THE LEFT”

Empire’s Playground

The Serbs are arming Saddam Hussein’s drive for world domination. Huh? If it sounds like a plot of a pathetic spy caper, that’s because it does. But even Hollywood flacks, who habitually insult the intelligence of American moviegoers, would never dare stoop this low. It just wouldn’t sell. Unsurprisingly, this particular plot was written in … Continue reading “Empire’s Playground”

David Frum’s Guide to Mythology

You’ve got to love being right wing in Britain – why here it verges on being a semi-respectable position. We don’t have a New York Times to make us feel emotionally insecure about our belief system, and indeed, unlike both America and Canada for example, we even have a national Conservative party. All in all, … Continue reading “David Frum’s Guide to Mythology”

WARMONGERS, LEFT AND RIGHT

The resounding success of the recent antiwar demonstrations called by the International A.N.S.W.E.R. coalition has the pro-war forces in a panic, and this has given rise to an unlikely alliance between the limousine liberals over at Salon.com, the born-again wacko "Christian Zionists" of WorldNutDaily, and frothing-at-the-mouth ex-Commie-turned-rightwing-nutball David Horowitz. We might call it the pinko-brown … Continue reading “WARMONGERS, LEFT AND RIGHT”

Destroying the Hostages to Save Them?

So when will the invasion begin, now that Vladimir Putin, president of Russia, who not only demonstrably has weapons of mass destruction, including hundreds of the nuclear weapons that are the only ones worthy of the term, has used poison gas on his own people? Or do such criteria not apply to permanent members of … Continue reading “Destroying the Hostages to Save Them?”

I AIN’T MARCHIN’ ANYMORE

Okay, so I marched in the San Francisco antiwar demonstration, October 26th, against my better judgement: and I’m glad I did. I did it because this was considered a test of antiwar sentiment, and I felt obligated to attend, but I had a good time in spite of myself. It was a colorful crowd, as … Continue reading “I AIN’T MARCHIN’ ANYMORE”