The Democratic Delusion

Asked why the Ethiopian government arrested 14 opposition leaders in the wake of postelection unrest – in which government troops, firing into unarmed crowds, killed 26 and wounded dozens – Ethiopia’s Information Minister Bereket Simon would not confirm the arrests, but told Reuters: “Anyone who incites violence, other than those elected, will have to face … Continue reading “The Democratic Delusion”

Shallow Thoughts on Deep Throat

Somewhere during the aftermath of the news that Mark Felt, formerly Number 2 at the FBI, was the fabled "Deep Throat" source for then-Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, I heard former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger pontificating on Fox News to this effect: "’Hero’ is not the first word that comes to … Continue reading “Shallow Thoughts on Deep Throat”

Europe Votes, Neocons Gloat — but Why?

I happened to be in Paris on the same day that the French people rejected the proposed European Union Constitution – a vote that was described by analysts in the French capital as a defeat for U.S.-led globalization and American-style capitalism. After arriving a few days later in Washington, and reading neoconservative op-ed commentaries and … Continue reading “Europe Votes, Neocons Gloat — but Why?”

Throwing America a Life Preserver

Professor Robert Pape’s brilliant new book Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism gives Americans an urgently needed basis for devising a strategy to defeat Osama bin Laden and other Islamist militants. In scholarly and low-key prose, Pape delivers the results of his own extensive research and that done by the University of … Continue reading “Throwing America a Life Preserver”

Backtalk, June 10, 2005

If Pinochet Is Guilty, so Is Bush“Pinochet was called to power. He put down terrorism.”Is this an example of American revisionism? Feeling guilty about America’s role in the Chilean overthrow? Here are some facts you seem to have overlooked.CIA Director Richard Helms told of how President Nixon gave him “the marshall’s baton” to conduct covert … Continue reading “Backtalk, June 10, 2005”

The Only Hope to Avert Civil War

As I travel around this country speaking about my experience as an unembedded journalist in Iraq, calling for an end to the occupation, I am inevitably asked the same question: “If the U.S. military leaves Iraq, won’t there be a civil war?” This, I think, is the wrong question. Since toppling Saddam Hussein in April … Continue reading “The Only Hope to Avert Civil War”

Adieu to the Evil EU

The French may have spurned the European Union’s Constitution for the wrong reasons, but overall their instincts were sound. That the pro-free market Dutch have seconded the non vote with a resounding nee ought to give pause to the collectivist superstate’s illiberal American supporters, the most notorious of whom are concentrated in the Bush State … Continue reading “Adieu to the Evil EU”

Death, Lies, and Videotape

Behind the "Srebrenica" Atrocity Video Several minutes of video footage made public late last week pushed the issue of Kosovo out of the Balkans limelight and focused it firmly on Bosnia. A film showing the execution of six men in civilian clothing by a paramilitary group known as "The Scorpions," procured by a notorious purveyor … Continue reading “Death, Lies, and Videotape”

The Left Must Learn From 2004

Joshua Frank is the author of Left Out! How Liberals Helped Elect George W. Bush. The book is an analysis of the 2004 presidential campaign. Frank’s writings appear regularly on the Internet, and he is a contributor to Dime’s Worth of Difference: Beyond the Lesser of Two Evils. In this interview, we examine what the … Continue reading “The Left Must Learn From 2004”

US Government Versus Amnesty International: A Short History

In what appears to be a concerted effort to discredit independent human rights advocates, the Bush administration and its allies in the media have been engaging in a series of attacks against Amnesty International, the world’s largest human rights organization and winner of the 1977 Nobel Peace Prize. Amnesty International has received support from literally … Continue reading “US Government Versus Amnesty International: A Short History”