Tag: iran

Bipartisan Support for World War III

The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) is surely one of the more bizarre pro-Israel think tanks doing business in Washington. Its sage advice pops up here and there, most recently in The Wall Street Journal, where it advocated giving Israel tanker aircraft so its warplanes can fly to Iran, bomb the hell out of that country’s … Continue reading “Bipartisan Support for World War III”

Provocations Against Iran Follow a Rich Tradition

The apparent Israeli-U.S. covert operations to inhibit Iran’s missile and alleged nuclear weapons programs — using assassinations, computer worms, faulty parts, exploding factories, etc. — very likely has a secondary objective as well. When Iran haplessly and publicly vows revenge and retaliates — as it seemingly has with ham-handed attempts to assassinate the Saudi Arabian … Continue reading “Provocations Against Iran Follow a Rich Tradition”

Israeli Attack on Iran: Easier Said Than Done

Despite renewed media speculation regarding possible Israeli attacks against Iran’s nuclear facilities as early as this spring, skepticism that such a campaign could actually be successfully carried out remains relatively high, raising the question of whether there is more bark than bite to Israeli threats. It cannot expect a repeat of 1981 when the Israeli … Continue reading “Israeli Attack on Iran: Easier Said Than Done”

On to Tehran – or Is It Damascus?

Our War Party has been temporarily diverted from its clamor for war on Iran by the insurrection against the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad. Estimates of the dead since the Syrian uprising began a year ago approach 6,000. And responsibility for the carnage is being laid at the feet of the president who succeeded his … Continue reading “On to Tehran – or Is It Damascus?”

Buck Fever: Crosshairs on Iran

We all like to believe that we have a firm grasp on reality, that what happens in the world around us and how we perceive it are in perfect harmony; that not much "gets by us." A now famous psychology experiment, available on YouTube, demonstrates how faulty this belief is:  A dozen students are milling … Continue reading “Buck Fever: Crosshairs on Iran”

If You Have to Ask Why, the Answer is Usually ‘Money’

One major problem with writing political commentary is that it’s often difficult look at something that seems … well, crazy … and find a rational explanation for it. It’s easier to just write off what looks like craziness as craziness and move on. But in the real world, there is in fact method to most … Continue reading “If You Have to Ask Why, the Answer is Usually ‘Money’”

The World Turned Upside Down

When the British Army of Lord Cornwallis boarded its ships to depart from Yorktown after being defeated by the Continental Army and the French under the command of General George Washington, a regimental band supposedly played an old ballad called “The World Turned Upside Down.” The music was intended to convey that the established order … Continue reading “The World Turned Upside Down”

Obama’s Super-Bowl Fumble on Iran

Before President Barack Obama’s interview with NBC’s Matt Lauer, aired before the Super Bowl on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu probably hoped that, if Obama discussed Iran, he would give him the strong backing that Israeli leaders crave, freeing them to lash out at Iran — militarily, if they so choose. Few could have … Continue reading “Obama’s Super-Bowl Fumble on Iran”

US Oblivious to Unintended Consequences of Foreign Policy

Since World War II, the impulse of the American foreign policy elite has been to intervene in trouble spots abroad and apparently let God sort out the consequences. The ill effects of such interventions are usually plain to see — if nothing else, after the episodes are over — but the arrogance of the elite … Continue reading “US Oblivious to Unintended Consequences of Foreign Policy”