What happens when Assad wins the war in Syria?
There are many significant consequences to this outcome, and it’s crucial that we understand them Given the unexpected pace of events in recent weeks, the end of Syria’s seven-year agony appears to be very near. It is now all but…
Why It’s Time to Rethink Our Pointless Standoff with Russia
The following column was filed June 5, 2016, and not published. Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s widely respected foreign minister, dropped a big one here over the weekend. After an hourlong conversation with John Kerry Friday, Lavrov asserted in nationally televised remarks…
SYRIA.
Salon did not publish the following column. It was filed November 27th, the day after Thanksgiving and three days after Turkish pilots shot a Russian jet out of the sky near the border between Syria and Turkey—by what evidence has…
It’s Paul Krugman vs. Noam Chomsky: This is the history we need to understand Paris, ISIS
Krugman mocks idea that US imperialism’s at root of all evil. But scars of our meddling are key to the Middle East Two remarks a few days apart lead straight to the question posed in this space after last Friday’s tragic events…
We brought this on ourselves: After Paris, it is time to square our “values” with our history
The West’s behaved horrifically in Middle East for decades. We can’t be surprised by Paris. Let’s look in a mirror Another horrific attack emanates from the shattered, shredded Middle East into the beating hearts of Western civilization. It is impossible…
Putin might be right on Syria: The actual strategy behind his Middle East push — and why the New York Times keeps obscuring it
There’s actually common sense and historical vision behind the Putin plan. Not that our media covers it honestly One sentence in a news report the other day on Russia’s assertive new campaign to subdue Islamic extremists in Syria simply will…
Obama Paid a High Price to Get Turkey to Fight ISIS
The war against the Islamic State just widened to include Turkey as a combatant. The Obama administration has long tried to persuade the Islamic government of RecipTayip Erdoğan to get into the fray, but the vital question still needs to be…
Europe’s Big Choice on How to Beat Militant Islam
We’re now “post-Paris” exactly as we were “post-9.11” 13 autumns ago. And Europeans face the same vital question Americans did then: Militant Islam manifests itself as a crisis in our societies. How will we weight civil liberties and security in…
Here’s how we defeat the vulgarians: Bill Maher, wrong-headed neocons, and the real answer to “radical Islam”
We need an honest response to Charlie Hebdo. Start by remembering how 9/11 felt before Bush hijacked it for war A lot of garbage has spewed from people unworthy of our attention since the attacks in Paris last week, and…
After Charlie Hebdo, There’s One Good Way Forward
There is only one way to honor the victims of political or ideological violence properly. We give meaning to meaningless tragedy by turning it to positive purpose. This is the task in response to the horrors inflicted on Parisians last…
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