Reminder: ‘The US Is Surrounding China With Military Bases, Not Conversely’
February 25, 2014
The geopolitical tensions arising between China and its smaller neighbors are complex. There are ways to mitigate them and ways to exacerbate them. For the U.S., however, it’s a much simpler question. Considering the maritime and territorial disputes are none of our business, and we have no right to meddle in regional disputes half a world […]
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Interventionism in Ukraine: The Destructive Logic of Great Power Competition
February 25, 2014
The international debate over what is happening in Ukraine is a partisan one. Some criticize Russia for nefariously seeking to keep Ukraine in its orbit. These folks denounce the Ukrainian government and security forces for their corruption and violence against protesters. Others accuse the West – the U.S. and the European Union – of meddling […]
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Defense Budget Cuts – Not So Much
February 24, 2014
It’s true that the devil is in the details. It is especially true, though, with legislative budgets. I wrote earlier about the Pentagon’s suggestions for $45 billion in cuts to its own budget and how much of it targets the bloated benefits plans for members of the military. Yay for cutting the defense budget. But […]
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Four Options in Afghanistan
February 24, 2014
After initially agreeing in principle to a Status of Forces Agreement that would govern the presence of U.S. troops in Afghanistan beyond 2014, President Hamid Karzai has refused to sign the deal. The White House had been scrambling to get an agreement signed by this month, but now U.S. officials have reportedly ceased all direct […]
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The Unsustainable Fiscal ‘Crisis’ of the Military’s Bloated Benefits
February 24, 2014
The Pentagon is planning cuts to the defense budget that are causing controversy on Capitol Hill, the New York Times reports. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel plans to shrink the United States Army to its smallest force since before the World War II buildup and eliminate an entire class of Air Force attack jets in a new spending proposal that […]
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Egypt’s Military Resigns, Awaits Inevitable ‘Election’ to Continue US-Backed Dictatorship
February 24, 2014
Almost every brutal regime in the world, no matter how depraved, needs at least a veneer of popular legitimacy. Egypt’s ruling military junta, which ousted a democratically elected government back in July and has imposed harsh crackdowns ever since, is angling for just such “legitimacy” by “resigning” ahead of national elections. The Los Angeles Times: […]
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Arizona Anti-NSA Legislative Panel Vote Monday – Arizonans Calls Needed
February 23, 2014
From NullifyNSA: ARIZONA ACTION ALERT. SB1156 NEEDS YOUR HELP – make calls Sunday night and Monday AM in support. We just received notice that SB1156, the Arizona 4th Amendment Protection Act will have a rules committee hearing and vote on MONDAY at 1pm. Your calls are needed now – overnight and into the morning – […]
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Ron Paul On Staying Out of Ukraine and Granting Clemency to Snowden
February 21, 2014
Via Reason‘s Matt Welch, Ron Paul appeared on Fox Business’s The Independents to talk about staying out of Ukraine’s business and seeking clemency for Edward Snowden: Watch the latest video at video.foxbusiness.com Watch the latest video at video.foxbusiness.com
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Oxfam the First Target of Israel’s ‘Media Blitz’
February 20, 2014
A quick timeline of the backstory: Late last month, international charity Oxfam split with “ambassador” Scarlett Johansson over her involvement with SodaStream, an Israeli company with a factory in the occupied West Bank settlement of Ma’aleh Adumim. SodaStream accused Oxfam of having joined the BDS (Boycott, Divest, Sanction) movement against Israel. A week and a […]
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Dying and Killing in Vain
February 20, 2014
A recently commissioned Pentagon review corresponds with earlier intelligence assessments in predicting that once the U.S. draws down in Afghanistan, the Taliban will surge. The Guardian: Afghanistan will require tens of thousands more troops costing billions more dollars than Nato envisioned at a fateful 2012 summit, according to a new Pentagon-sponsored review. The review, released […]
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