Ivan Eland

Ivan Eland is a senior fellow at the Independent Institute and author of Recarving Rushmore: Ranking the Presidents on Peace, Prosperity, and Liberty.

Politics Gets in the Way of Obama’s Perceptiveness

President Barack Obama recently expressed a reluctance to send U.S. forces to Yemen and Somalia, two "failed states" where al-Qaeda is active. Obama seemed to realize that such a U.S. military presence might make the terrorism problem worse. If he understands this effect in these two nations, why doesn’t the same principle apply to the … Continue reading “Politics Gets in the Way of Obama’s Perceptiveness”

Learning the Wrong Lessons From the Attempted Bombing

The botched attempt by a Nigerian, apparently trained in Yemen by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, to conduct a suicide bombing on a plane as it neared Detroit has highlighted the U.S. government’s overzealous, ineffective, and even counterproductive efforts to overcome terrorism. Although Homeland Security chief Janet Napolitano’s stance that "the system" worked buckled under … Continue reading “Learning the Wrong Lessons From the Attempted Bombing”

Obama’s Peace Prize Continues Tradition of Dubious Choices

President Barack Obama has been primarily criticized for winning the Nobel Peace Prize so early in his term that he hasn’t yet done anything to deserve it. Only a few commentators, including the president, seemed to sheepishly realize the irony of his receiving the prize shortly after escalating one war and while continuing to fight … Continue reading “Obama’s Peace Prize Continues Tradition of Dubious Choices”

Pay for the War, or Just Call It Off?

Congressman David Obey (D-Wis.), the powerful chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and an opponent of President Barack Obama’s Afghan War escalation, recently proposed a special "temporary" income surtax to fund the war. Although his intentions are good, this proposal should be rejected. Obey’s proposal is inconvenient for proponents of the escalation – most prominently, … Continue reading “Pay for the War, or Just Call It Off?”

Government Terrorism Lists Are a Holiday Turkey

As the holiday travel season rolls around again, the government’s terrorism watch list and no-fly list get ever more bizarre. Of course, for starters, the list has always been unconstitutional, because the government does not have probable cause to believe the vast majority of those on the list have committed a crime (otherwise they could … Continue reading “Government Terrorism Lists Are a Holiday Turkey”

Civilian Trials for 9/11 Suspects Aren’t Enough

The Obama administration’s decision to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the self-described mastermind behind the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and four alleged co-conspirators in civilian court is a laudable return to the rule of law from the Bush administration’s kangaroo military commissions, which convened offshore in Guantanamo to avoid giving defendants full legal rights under domestic or … Continue reading “Civilian Trials for 9/11 Suspects Aren’t Enough”

Why Most Counterinsurgency Wars Fail

In recent history, very few counterinsurgency wars have ended in success. Guerrillas are often outgunned by a wealthier invading power, but they do have two powerful advantages. One is that they are fighting on their home turf, which they usually know much better than the invader. Guerrilla warfare at the strategic level is defensive, even … Continue reading “Why Most Counterinsurgency Wars Fail”