Military Confidence in Bush Hits New Low

Although morale among members of the professional corps of the U.S. military remains generally high, the military’s confidence in President George W. Bush and other civilian government leaders slipped substantially during 2005, according to a major new survey released Monday by the Military Times. The survey, the third in an annual series, found that approval … Continue reading “Military Confidence in Bush Hits New Low”

Time to Talk to Tehran

Does President Bush intend a preventive war, early this year, to effect the nuclear castration of Iran? Or are we rattling sabers? What makes the question urgent are German reports that CIA Director Porter Goss has been in Ankara, Turkey, negotiating for U.S. use of bases for air strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites. Over the … Continue reading “Time to Talk to Tehran”

US Headed for Confrontation With Iran

I‘ve been embarrassed a few times in the past with my predictions (for example, that it was going to be U.S. President John Kerry in 2004), but I’ve also been right on a few occasions (for example, my book, Quagmire: America in the Middle East, was published in 1992). So let me put my credibility … Continue reading “US Headed for Confrontation With Iran”

The New Iraq War Strategy

Seymour Hersh’s latest article in the New Yorker is over a month old by now, and therefore would seem a little like old news. But like so much of his reporting, Hersh’s article contains at least a few nuggets that ripen with time and take on more importance as events play out in Iraq. Two … Continue reading “The New Iraq War Strategy”

The Political Folly Awards of 2005

[Note to readers: TomDispatch returns in the New Year full of hope and with as complete an account as possible of the Political Folly Awards of 2005, sponsored, of course, by the full TomDispatch team. It was a resplendent event – you had to be there to fully appreciate it (and to catch the parties … Continue reading “The Political Folly Awards of 2005”

Nuclear Back-Scratching

Fifteen years ago – on the eve of the disintegration of the Soviet Union – Congress authorized financial and technical assistance to the Russians to help them secure, store, and dismantle excess Soviet nuclear weapons and to peacefully dispose of the excess weapons-grade materials recovered thereby. Furthermore, under the 1997 U.S.-Russia Trilateral Agreement with the … Continue reading “Nuclear Back-Scratching”

US Military Still Runs With Dreaded Wolf Brigade

Despite the U.S. command’s announcement last week that it would seek to curb abuses by Iraqi commando units, the U.S. military has been extremely tolerant of the most abusive unit of all – the notorious Wolf Brigade – because it regards it as highly effective against the insurgents. As reported in a front-page New York … Continue reading “US Military Still Runs With Dreaded Wolf Brigade”

Peace and Prosperity in 2006?

The ongoing war in Iraq, hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and congressional scandals all served to make 2005 a tough year for America. We can hope and pray that 2006 is a happier and more peaceful year for our nation. All Americans, regardless of their views on the Iraq war, can share the hope that the … Continue reading “Peace and Prosperity in 2006?”

Beware the New Year

With Patrick J. Fitzgerald working full-time to bring the corruption at the heart of the Bush presidency to light, and other investigations into the dark heart of this administration making substantial progress, the prognosis for 2006 may seem unnaturally bright – especially if, like me, you’ve been following every twist and turn of Fitzgerald’s probe. … Continue reading “Beware the New Year”