India In a Trap on Iraq

As the beat of America’s war-drums against Iraq gets louder, the Indian government finds itself in an untenably contradictory situation: should it support a United Nations-endorsed attack against Iraq’s "terrorist" Saddam Hussein regime, as part of US President George W. Bush’s "global war against terrorism", which it zealously and unconditionally welcomed a year ago? Or … Continue reading “India In a Trap on Iraq”

Can We Afford This War?

A casual analysis of the world economy shows it rapidly deteriorating into recession, with a possible depression on the horizon. Unemployment is sharply rising with price inflation rampant, despite official government inflationary reports. The world’s stock markets continue to collapse, even after trillions of dollars in losses have been recorded in the past 2 years. … Continue reading “Can We Afford This War?”

A Global Balkans

When the New York Times published the current government’s "National Security Strategy of the United States" last week, the American Empire – already a painful reality – became official. According to one review, "the 31-page document asserts American dominance as the lone superpower – a status no rival power will be allowed to challenge. And … Continue reading “A Global Balkans”

AL GORE, WARMONGER LITE

If you read only the headlines about Al Gore’s speech on Iraq, one would have to think that he has suddenly been catapulted to the head of the antiwar movement – and also acquired a backbone, along with some principles. The Los Angeles Times averred that “Gore Assails Bush’s Stance on Iraq“: further North, Carla … Continue reading “AL GORE, WARMONGER LITE”

Will War Wreck the Economy?

Larry Lindsey, the president’s chief economic adviser, whom I did not previously suspect of idiocy, has provided the latest validation of what I think I’ll start calling Bock’s Law. It has been my observation that going into government, especially in a high-visibility job, lowers a person’s IQ by at least 50 points. Maybe it only … Continue reading “Will War Wreck the Economy?”

SMEARING THE GERMANS

The comment by the German Minister of Justice that President Bush was focusing on Iraq to divert attention from domestic problems – "That’s a popular method. Even Hitler did that" – came in the midst of an all-out propaganda offensive by the War Party to paint the antiwar opposition as "anti-Semitic." On the nation’s campuses, … Continue reading “SMEARING THE GERMANS”

On the Eve of War, Once Again

On the eve of another war, Norman Mailer has it right: "We are a conservative property-loving nation obsessed with the passion to destroy other nations’ property." Sure enough, the four horsemen of the apocalypse – war, famine, disease and death will be strewn across Iraq for second time by the world’s most powerful nation. And … Continue reading “On the Eve of War, Once Again”

Let’s Not Be Beastly To the Germans

Like all sensible Tories there’s only one result I really wanted to see from the German federal election, and that, of course, was an SPD/Communist coalition. As of the time of writing, it looks as if Chancellor Schröder’s just going to scrap back in with the detestable, and slightly unsettling, Greens, but still, that’ll do. … Continue reading “Let’s Not Be Beastly To the Germans”

America, Meet Your Leaders

Poor President Bush. He apparently wants to invade Iraq more than anything else in the world. And just when he thought he had sufficient support to do so, foreign leaders started backing out. So he went to the U.N. and gave a stirring speech – saying Saddam Hussein must allow weapons inspections or the U.S. … Continue reading “America, Meet Your Leaders”