How the CIA Tricked the World’s Best Writers
Joel Whitney talks about his book Finks, which exposes the agency’s corruption of American culture during the Cold War. “The past is a foreign country,” L.P. Hartley famously wrote as he opened The Go–Between. There is a pretty tristesse in…
At Stake in Climate Talks: America’s Global Leadership Role
The final week of climate negotiations begins today and a lot is at stake. Of the 195 nations in attendance, two have more to gain or lose than any others. One of these is the Marshall Islands. Anebok, one of…
They still want a new Cold War: What the New York Times won’t tell you about Syria, Putin and the new battle against ISIS
We despise the foreign leaders a compliant media villainizes. It’s worth looking for the real motivations It is perverse to find good in the tragic events that took place in Paris 10 days ago, but they did force Washington and…
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…
In a Single Weekend, Tragedy in Paris, a Sign of Hope in Vienna
Buried in all the moving, hard-to-fathom accounts of the savage assaults in Paris Friday are a few home truths. French President François Hollande didn’t hesitate to term the attacks an act of war, and he’s sadly right: The terrorists’ war…
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…
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…
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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