Clinton Pardons Somehow Miss Dr. Wen Ho Lee

Flipping the channels a few nights ago, I stumbled on an interesting story on the WorldLinkTV channel, “Never Fully American,” about the notorious Chinese(-American?) spy, Dr. Wen Ho Lee. Confronted with this disturbing story of yet another hysterical attack by our infamous “Justice” Department that had gone wrong, I quickly scanned the newspaper of a … Continue reading “Clinton Pardons Somehow Miss Dr. Wen Ho Lee”

An Anti-Imperialist’s Reading List: Part One

GOING ALL PEDAGOGICAL I thought that this week I would sketch out a reading list for those wishing to pursue the themes dealt with in this column and at antiwar.com generally. Some of the works listed are popular, some are scholarly, but all contribute to building the framework needed if we are to gain a … Continue reading “An Anti-Imperialist’s Reading List: Part One”

By Jingo!

In 1878, as the Ottoman Empire was collapsing and the Russians were on the brink of liberating the Christian Balkans from the Islamic yoke, British prime minister Benjamin Disraeli moved to block the Russian advance. As Russian troops advanced on Constantinople, Queen Victoria informed Disraeli she felt that she couldn’t remain “the sovereign of a … Continue reading “By Jingo!”

Cold War Follies: There’s No Business Like Show Business

The dawning of the Age of Bush (II) brings with it a fresh crop of hysterics: bogeymen, old and new, are back in the news. Once again, the specter of Saddam haunts the imagination of editorial writers and policy wonks, right and left: we are reminded that, having been bombed back to the Stone Age, … Continue reading “Cold War Follies: There’s No Business Like Show Business”

Dubya’s Foreign Policy Could Depend On Us

In his surprisingly effective inaugural address George W. Bush spent only a nominal amount of time on foreign policy (as distinguished from military policy insofar as they can be distinguished) and filled it mostly with "we’re still engaged; terrorists don’t get any cute ideas" boilerplate. But it seems to me that a Bush administration foreign … Continue reading “Dubya’s Foreign Policy Could Depend On Us”

Taiwan Independence, R.I.P.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Taiwan independence is dead. It died, stillborn. Taiwan independence was the triumph of politics over economics. That is, until the iron laws of The Marketplace turned Taiwan independence zealots’ pipe dream to dust. In retrospect, no other result was possible, or should have been expected. TAIWAN INDEPENDENCE IS DEAD A funny thing happened … Continue reading “Taiwan Independence, R.I.P.”

Inaugural Fireworks Over Iraq?

I hate to say I told you so – really I do, especially in this case – but reports are circulating that US military forces in Europe have been placed on alert status “Bravo” – and are about ready to go into action. Target: the Middle East. According to WorldNetDaily, US and British troops are … Continue reading “Inaugural Fireworks Over Iraq?”

Clinton’s Sad Foreign Policy Legacy

Madeleine Albright, as Agence France-Presse recently reported, closed out her final mission abroad in style. The comfortable converted Boeing 757 used by the Secretary of State for trips abroad, on which la Albright has logged almost a million miles in four years, was stocked with fine champagne and French cheeses for the final Albright trip … Continue reading “Clinton’s Sad Foreign Policy Legacy”