Antiwar.com

Beyond the day-to-day news out of Palestine or Macedonia, Sudan or Indonesia, a question keeps nagging at some of us. Why is it that politicians, and particularly American politicians, seem so compliant and lackadaisical about the ramifications of endorsing war as a means of doing business? Never mind whether sending somebody else’s children to be … Continue reading “War on X … When the Metaphor Becomes Too Real”

In an excellent recent article, leading Palestinian intellectual Edward Said cites the "astounding result" of a poll conducted among US citizens by the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee, according to which less than three or four percent of the sample had any idea that there was an Israeli occupation. This seems to confirm a general rule: as … Continue reading “The Ideology of Occupation”

In today’s China, there is a Internet-bar on every street corner. If the bar isn’t full, then it must be lunchtime or the Chinese basketball team must be busy beating the Americans. (China won, I saw it happen….) Millions of Chinese pay 2 yuan an hour to chat over OICQ, listen to music, watch Hong … Continue reading “China’s Internet Generation”

The death of Ian Collins, a British soldier killed in Macedonia by some kids flinging rocks, has mobilized the British media behind a campaign of anti-Macedonian vitriol: “Macedonian mob kills British soldier” said the lead story in the Telegraph. “Boy gang incited to ambush NATO men” averred the [UK] Times. “Macedonia’s campaign of hate leaves … Continue reading “WHO KILLED IAN COLLINS?”

Asa Hutchinson, who left his job as a Republican Congressman from Arkansas to take the position, was confirmed as head of the Drug Enforcement Administration by a 98-1 vote, probably as a courtesy to a congressional old boy. While he has made a few noises suggesting that he is open to some minor reforms in … Continue reading “Sticking with an Andean Disaster”

Secretary of State Colin Powell’s Asian tour was supposed to garner support from longtime allies and to patch up relations with recent rival and growing power, the People’s Republic of China.But those hawks Rumsfeld and Armitage went along for the ride and while in Canberra discussing the Echelon spy system and containment policies, the US … Continue reading “China’s Expansionism”

A recent report by the Macedonian Information Agency, filed August 24, gives us the flavor of what life is like in NATO’s latest target: “Relatively calm Thursday night in Tetovo, without armed provocations by the Albanian terrorists. Yet the atmosphere was tensed, as the terrorists continued terrorizing, driving out the Macedonian inhabitants from their homes, … Continue reading “KOSOVO REPLAY”

America’s military and diplomatic relationship with Croatia in the 1990s evolved with little or no public or media attention. This study will focus on illustrating how this relationship developed and will demonstrate that Washington’s move to consolidate a new security architecture in the Balkans was premised on furthering and strengthening America’s strategic presence in Eurasia. … Continue reading “How ‘Operation Storm’ Destabilized the Balkans”

PERILS OF THE ETERNAL RETURN Historian George M. Dennison suggests that already by the coming-of-age of the first post-Revolutionary generation, Americans had begun losing touch with the political doctrines and practices of the Revolution.1 Chief among these was the notion that political institutions were meant to serve actual people and were subject to modification, as … Continue reading “Irrepressible Conflicts Everywhere”

I go to a great gym, right here in Pacific Heights, San Francisco, and, because I’m such a regular, I’m pals with a lot of the guys who go there: they know what I do for a living, and often ask: “So, what’re you writing about today?” For the past couple of weeks, the most … Continue reading “WHY ARE WE IN MACEDONIA?”