Imperial Hubris

Wars of the American Global Frontier

"Obama has issued executive orders creating sanctions on Syria. Sanctions are regarded by some as an act of war, by others as a mild form of war, and by others as force short of war. I see them in the Syrian case as part of an ongoing pattern by which Obama and company are seeking, by a variety of means and pressures up to and including military force, to alter Syria’s politics fundamentally. It is a form of war. Just as 4th generation war is a new form of war, so is the subversion of other countries. This was what the USSR was always accused of doing during the Cold War. The only thing missing at present is a name for this activity and era in which the US has been doing the same kind of thing." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWars of the American Global Frontier

Israel: The missing link in Syria puzzle

"For that past four or five years, Israel has been threatening Iran with military attack almost every other day, with Washington, London and Paris nervously obliging. The American military, however, are painfully aware that there’s some truth to former Prime Minister Mahathir’s words. They don’t want to fight yet another Israeli war this time in Iran. So, they have been acting as a brake which is reflected in Obama’s increasing 'caution' regarding Iran, going so far as to dispatching his military top brass to Israel to calm Netanyahu down, trying to make sure Israel does not launch a unilateral 'preventive attack' on Iran that will drag the US into a massive conflict in the Middle East." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIsrael: The missing link in Syria puzzle

U.S. denies missile test in the Mediterranean linked to Syria

"A missile test in the Mediterranean carried out by Israel and the United States on Tuesday had no connection to possible US military action against Syria, the Pentagon said. The joint military exercise, which came as Washington weighed punitive strikes against the Syrian regime, had been previously scheduled and was designed to assess Israel’s missile defenses, Pentagon spokesman George Little said in a statement. He added that the United States and Israel cooperate on various ballistic missile defense development programs 'to address common challenges in the region.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingU.S. denies missile test in the Mediterranean linked to Syria

A Century of Lies: The Rationales for Engaging in Foreign Wars

"If President Barack Obama and his administration are not lying in the lead-up to a probable bombing campaign of Syria it will be a rare exception among US Presidents, particularly since their public duplicity concerning war dates to at least the early twentieth century. Indeed, being forthrightly dishonest to the American people concerning the rationales for engaging in foreign wars has become a century-old White House tradition. The historical record of past presidents’ prewar and wartime hucksterism is unambiguous, greatly contributing to the immense bloodshed and destruction that continues under the country’s reckless international leadership to this day." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingA Century of Lies: The Rationales for Engaging in Foreign Wars

Obama Has Decided That It Is Safer To Buy Congress Than To Go It Alone

"The White House will bribe, cajole, and intimidate the Congress. The regime’s argument will be that with America’s prestige and credibility on the line, Congress must support the President. The President and Secretary of State have made unequivocal statements of Assad’s guilt and their determination to punish Assad. Given Washington’s insanity, the way Washington punishes Assad for (allegedly) killing Syrians with chemical weapons is for Washington to kill more Syrians with cruise missiles. If this doesn’t make sense to you, you don’t belong in Obama’s government or in the American media, and you could never be a neoconservative." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingObama Has Decided That It Is Safer To Buy Congress Than To Go It Alone

Bill Bonner: Is it time to choose sides in Egypt?

"Is there a bigger jackass than John Bolton? He makes no mention of his own role in causing the regional chaos in the Middle East. He was a major war monger, arguing for the invasion of Iraq is now on track to cost the US more than $5 trillion... And who gained? Only Islamic terrorists...and the defense industry. Now he says we should go into Egypt on the side of the military. Why? He doesn't like the Muslim Brotherhood. How many brothers has he met? We don't know, but he gives the impression that he thinks they are bad people. Facing off against him in the WSJ is Elliot Abrams. We couldn't make much sense of Mr. Abrams' argument other than that he thinks the military rulers are bad people." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBill Bonner: Is it time to choose sides in Egypt?

Signs of a Shift Among Egyptian Protesters to Antigovernment, From Pro-Morsi

"As tens of thousands gathered in the streets of Cairo for the ninth Friday of protests against the takeover, few carried the posters of Mr. Morsi’s face that were once the banner of the Brotherhood’s 'anti-coup' coalition. Instead, almost everyone held a sign with a logo memorializing the mass killing by security forces of hundreds of Morsi supporters on Aug. 14. In at least one march by thousands of demonstrators in the neighborhood of Mohandiseen, many carried signs opposing both the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist movement behind Mr. Morsi, and the new government installed by General Sisi." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSigns of a Shift Among Egyptian Protesters to Antigovernment, From Pro-Morsi

As Egyptians Ignore Curfew, Talk of a U.S.-Brotherhood Conspiracy

"When the conversation turns to politics, the predominant topic is a surprise to American ears: the conspiracy between the United States and the Muslim Brotherhood to destroy Egypt. The 'people’s committees,' which sprung up in Egyptian neighborhoods as a counterweight to the Muslim Brotherhood, in theory were disbanded last week. But that did not stop self-appointed guardians in the Zaki Street market of the Maadi neighborhood from repeatedly demanding identity documents, letters of permission and, especially, proof of not being affiliated with Al Jazeera, the pan-Arab news network, which is reviled because it is owned by Qatar, a strong supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAs Egyptians Ignore Curfew, Talk of a U.S.-Brotherhood Conspiracy

Egypt Crumbling: “The Most Important Event so Far of the 21st Century”

"The Saudi-Russia-China alliance is designed to break the Egypt-U.S. relationship. The new alliance reflects how U.S. influence is waning in the Middle East. After many decades of driving events in the Middle East — and spending incalculable national treasure — the U.S. is about to lose big. New alliances in Egypt reflect Saudi-Russian-Chinese efforts to help keep hard-line Islam under control. The Saudis fear Brotherhood-style religious fervor. Russia wants to control the spread of hard-line Islam in its southern regions — Chechnya comes to mind — while China has issues with hard-line Islam in its western regions. And the U.S.? There’s no sense of consistency coming from Washington." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingEgypt Crumbling: “The Most Important Event so Far of the 21st Century”

Lawmaker: Lindsey Graham ‘a community organizer for the Muslim Brotherhood’

"According to The State, state Sen. Lee Bright (R) slammed Graham for fulfilling Obama’s request to visit the country alongside Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), saying that instead of listening to constituents’ concerns during the congressional recess, Graham 'has instead chosen to take his time to be a community organizer for the Muslim Brotherhood.' Bright, one of three Republican challengers for Graham, told the Associated Press that his trip to Egypt with McCain would fuel the country’s recent instability. 'They are outsiders, trying to come in and tell them how to operate internal affairs in their country,' Bright said to the AP." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingLawmaker: Lindsey Graham ‘a community organizer for the Muslim Brotherhood’