So what about Egypt, eh? Is there anything more amazing than the relatively spontaneous gathering of humanity to peacefully declare freedom for itself? This following Tunisia must bring up comparisons to Eastern Europe in the late 80′s and early 90′s. Unlike the “color revolutions” of the 00′s which looked like foreign policy set plays to […]
Tag Archives: US foreign policy
Aw, we were just getting STARTed
After the poetic rhetoric in Prague, it was tempting to think that Obama might be headed in the right direction on at least one issue. I’d be willing to forgive just about all of his sins were he to get significant movement in reducing America’s nuclear arsenal. START has been technically defunct since December and […]
Who needs a police state when the state polices itself?
Last week, Homeland Security approved a program “giving law enforcement officials and others the ability to view data obtained from satellite and aircraft sensors that can see through cloud cover and even penetrate buildings and underground bunkers,” as Joby Warrick reported in the Washington Post. That’s nice, we think. The CIA can use all the […]
First-strike capability doesn’t just describe Hillary’s debate style
The recent Clinton-Obama exchange over nuclear weapons was much scrutinized, especially by the right. ABC News reported it thusly: “Regarding terrorist targets in the Afghanistan/Pakistan region, Obama told The Associated Press Thursday: ‘I think it would be a profound mistake for us to use nuclear weapons in any circumstance.’ He then added: ‘Involving civilians.’ Seeming […]
The Bush Quartet
The war maestro’s magnum opus requires two more wars. As a country founded on the principle of majority rule, most of us have yet to accept that a small cabal of extremists infiltrated and wrested control of our government. Despite Bush & Co.’s violations of our trust, we remain incapable of believing they’d commit an […]
Hubris: something both Democrats and Republicans have in common
The image to the right is a Japanese representation of the “black ships” commanded by Matthew Perry which, in 1853, forced open trade with Japan for US commercial interests. A few may scoff that this sounds like Bush policy. Some of us think that it is US policy no matter who is in charge. What […]
Talking with Persia, spreading out the carpet
By Robert Silvey Shortly after 470 BCE, following years of triumph as the leader of wartime Athens, Themistocles was accused of treachery against the city. He escaped the death sentence and traveled to Persia to visit his erstwhile enemy, King Xerxes, but they did not speak a common language. So their conversation was translated, often […]
Democrats give Dubya billions to pay Halliburton – I mean, for the Iraq war – meanwhile, he announces al Qaeda’s winning…and he thinks Osama’s lonely….
From the “Our elected representatives don’t give a damn what we the people want done as long as they’re not incurring His Majesty George’s displeasure” desk: This just in – George W. Bush has found his missing WMD’s – they were down at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue at Capitol Hill. They have been […]
Realpolitik in Iran: unknown unknowns
The problems of realpolitik are these: their nuances are not ours, and our nuances are not theirs. The Iranians have chosen to hold hostages representing people opposed to George Bush’s policies in the Middle East. George Soros is no friend of Bush. What position does he take now that one of his own people is […]
Likee the capitalist dictatorship model?
A friend of my former father-in-law told me what he considered a humorous anecdote once that has haunted me ever since: I was an active member of an organization of retired executives who traveled to developing countries to serve as business advisers for their budding industries. I’d been particularly successful helping a couple of Latin […]
S&R Honors
Click here to learn more about past honorees...- The time a source has to respond to request for comment? Virtually none?
- Profiling the Tea Party: In defense of the IRS. Sorta. Or not.
- Saturday Video Roundup: “Imagine the Band,” by John Lennon and Wings
- The Rest is Noise (6)—Descent into the Maelstrom
- I hate handguns, but I have still considered owning one
- Mystery Unraveled: How a white, moderate, married, churchgoing, middle-class, middle-aged woman could vote for Obama
- An open letter to Burt Rutan, regarding his WSJ commentary on human-caused climate disruption
- Meet the men of Match.com: Really, guys, are you serious?
- Climate scientists still besieged
- Pelosi on Bush: “He’s not worth impeaching”
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Samuel Smith: I don't think anyone would argue that there are ma…
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Delilah: My perception of the reporter's world has morphed …
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Frank Dilatush: Dr Smith I perceive that you and others here are s…
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fikshun: It's great the way this version removes all sincer…
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