Paragons of Empire

"Rare Bosnia Success Story, Thanks to U.S. Viceroy," blares the New York Times headline on a story celebrating Empire that appeared this Tuesday. It has to be read to be believed, but suffice to say that the author unflinchingly uses terms such as "viceroy," "proconsul" and even "colony" while arguing that a bit of occupation … Continue reading “Paragons of Empire”

Mid-Eastern Terms

Commenting on the Aqaba Summit, in an atmosphere of peace and reconciliation, a senior member of Israel’s ruling junta said it all. Major General Amos Gilad – the Government Coordinator in the [Occupied] Territories – told Yedioth Achronoth (5.6.03): "In Mid-Eastern terms, we have not inflicted any suffering on the Palestinians". Yes: Merely 2.500 Palestinians … Continue reading “Mid-Eastern Terms”

Rise of the Apologists

When I was younger I used to imagine that the natural function of "public intellectuals" – not necessarily people who are smarter than the average Joe, but reasonably intelligent people with a bent for policy analysis and thinking large thoughts on matters of public consequence – was to speak truth to power, or, in the … Continue reading “Rise of the Apologists”

‘The Road to Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions’

Since the start of the war in Iraq four months ago, 212 American soldiers have been killed, including 79 who have died since May 1, when President George Bush declared an end to major hostilities in Iraq. It’s unclear how many Iraqi civilians perished during major combat, but estimates say it is “several thousand.” The … Continue reading “‘The Road to Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions’”

TROTSKY, STRAUSS, AND THE NEOCONS

The War Party is playing defense these days, and for good reason: in Iraq, there is no sign of those “weapons of mass destruction,” and in Washington, Congress is getting ready to launch an investigation into who lied about what – and why. Meanwhile, one American soldier is getting killed every other day, on average … Continue reading “TROTSKY, STRAUSS, AND THE NEOCONS”

Safe Sex in China

This is Ming Ming’s second abortion. She arrived at the Sichuan Province Mother-Child Clinic in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan, at 8 am. After squirming through the crowd of girls surrounding the nurses and making her appointment, she sat down with 13 other young women on the small green plastic chairs outside of the operating … Continue reading “Safe Sex in China”

Mr. Sharon, Tear Down Those Empty Mobile Homes!

Few of us will ever forget where we were when we heard the news. I was driving home from work, listening to National Pinko Radio (Limbaugh was over), when the world as we knew it changed forever. I rushed home to watch it on television, and it was like Berlin ’89 all over again. The … Continue reading “Mr. Sharon, Tear Down Those Empty Mobile Homes!”

An Appointed Congress?

The privately funded and privately constituted "Continuity of Government Commission" has recently proposed that, for the first time in our nation’s history, we should allow the appointment of members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Not only does this proposal fail to comport with the intention of the founders of this nation, but even worse, … Continue reading “An Appointed Congress?”