ISIS War Debates I: Why Is This Our Fight?

The Nation, Jan 14, 2016: This war is already lost. None of the US governing class’ shifting war aims—stabilizing the region, defending human rights, ending terrorism, establishing democracy—can be achieved. There is no future “diplomatic” solution that justifies continuing the…

ISIS War: The Case for Cut-and-Run

  In the Post-Paris debate on what the US should now do in Iraq and Syria, there is one important option missing: leave. Despite some testy rhetoric, most of the President’s critics are urging him to do more of what…

Bernie Sanders: A Moment of Truth for Democrats

The politicians, plutocrats and pundits of the Democratic Party establishment have no answer to Bernie Sanders’ blistering critique of their failure to defend the interests of the voters who have kept them in power. Neither have they a substantive case…

TPP Panic; Playing the China Card

Stung by the sudden derailment in the House of Representatives of the rush to pass the Trans Pacific Partnership, the Washington establishment has wasted no time in warning us of the menace of a rising China should the trade deal…

Why Are We In The Middle East?

To placate their pique at his effort to get a non-proliferation agreement with Iran, Barack Obama met last Thursday at Camp David with Saudi royals and leaders of the other five feudal dictatorships of the Persian Gulf. He reaffirmed the…