Tag: nuclear weapons

September ‘Surprise’

What did the U.S. government know about the "secret" Iranian nuclear research facility at Qom and when did it know it? That’s the question that isn’t on everyone’s lips, as the chatter about Iranian "intransigence" on nuclear issues reaches a crescendo in the run-up to Oct. 1, the date negotiations with Tehran are scheduled to … Continue reading “September ‘Surprise’”

IAEA Conceals Evidence Iran Documents Were Forged

The International Atomic Energy Agency says its present objective regarding Iran is to try to determine whether the intelligence documents purportedly showing a covert Iranian nuclear weapons program from 2001 to 2003 are authentic or not. The problem, according to its reports, is that Iran refuses to help clarify the issue. But the IAEA has … Continue reading “IAEA Conceals Evidence Iran Documents Were Forged”

The Ever Present Military Option

Last week, retired Air Force Gen. Chuck Wald published an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal declaring "There Is a Military Option on Iran." It’s probably not a coincidence that Wald’s piece was hot on the heels of John Bolton’s "While Diplomats Dither, Iran Builds Nukes." It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the general … Continue reading “The Ever Present Military Option”

The Lessons of August

World Wars and Lessons for Empire The Great War began 95 years ago this month, with the guns of August ending what has been described as Europe’s last summer. And 64 years ago this week, two nuclear weapons used against Japanese cities signaled the end of the Second World War. The first conflict broke the … Continue reading “The Lessons of August”

64 Years Too Late and
Not a Moment Too Soon

As another August 6th approaches, let me tell you a little story about Hiroshima and me: As a young man, I was probably not completely atypical in having the Bomb (the 1950s was a great time for capitalizing what was important) on my brain, and not just while I was ducking under my school desk … Continue reading “64 Years Too Late and
Not a Moment Too Soon”

Middle East Show of Farce

A July 17 article at the Guardian leads with “In preparation for a possible attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, two Israeli missile-class warships have sailed through the Suez Canal 10 days after a submarine capable of launching a nuclear missile strike.” The fifth paragraph begins, “The deployment into the Red Sea, confirmed by Israeli officials, … Continue reading “Middle East Show of Farce”

The Face in the Mirror

[Note for TomDispatch readers: Last year, at my birthday, I wrote “When I’m 64… ,”a post about war and (lack of) peace in my time. Another year has rolled around, as it tends to do, so think of what follows as further scribbled notes, stuffed in an e-bottle, and set afloat, all part of a … Continue reading “The Face in the Mirror”