John McCain is on the war path. McCain labels Iraq’s hostilities as an existential threat to America. Here Pat Buchanan lays out sound reasoning why McCain is wrong. As the Islamic warriors of ISIS rolled down the road from Mosul, John McCain was an echo of French Premier Paul Reynaud, when word reached Paris that […]
Kurds Control Kirkuk
Anti-Sunni Kurds are now in complete control of Kirkuk, Iraq. The BBC reports on the developing situation in Iraq. Iraq’s Kurds have long sought to incorporate Kirkuk into their autonomous region in the north. Parts of Kirkuk province were overrun by the Sunni Islamists this week, and some of the civilians fleeing Mosul and other […]
Al-Qaeda Overrun Mosul
Iraq is in turmoil with the government unable to slow down the insurgent rampage. The Fiscal Times reports on the deteriorating situation in Iraq here. Fighters for the al Qaeda-linked Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) took Mosul today, giving the militant group control of Iraq’s second largest city and setting the country on a […]
Are America’s Vital Interests Imperiled in Syria?
Should America intervene in Syria? Congress has certainly not authorized intervention. In fact, Pat Buchanan correctly writes that an unprovoked attack on Syria would be an impeachable act. As Pat notes, the Washington Post has opined that we must address the “growing threat…to vital U.S. interests.” But take a look at your globe for a fact […]
Iraq Exploding in Conflict
Here Al-Jazera America explains the deterioration in Iraq and the shocking fact that Iraq does not have a single fighter plane to defend its air space. When President Barack Obama told Americans the United States was wrapping up its military footprint in Iraq after seven years of bloodshed, more than 4,000 U.S. troop deaths and hundreds of billions of […]
Iraq Is Coming Apart. What Should America Do about It?
On February 11, the Cato Institute will host a policy round table in Washington to answer this vital question. Here are the details. You can either attend in person or watch on line. Featuring Douglas Ollivant, Senior National Security Fellow, the New America Foundation; Harith Hasan, Author of Imagining the Nation: Nationalism, Sectarianism and Socio-political Conflict in Iraq; […]
Making Sense in Iran
Iran is unlikely to attempt to build a nuclear weapon because the immediate, worldwide outrage would make such a move beyond stupid. No way Iran comes out a winner in such a setting. The Geneva Accord can be a first step in bringing Iran back into the world economy. Pat Buchanan runs down a menu […]
Iran Nuclear Deal Worthy of a Carefully Constructed Test?
Tom Friedman thinks so. I find myself agreeing with Mr. Friedman’s worldview about sixty percent of the time. As for Bibi Netanyahu and King Abdullah? Their credibility rating is far below Mr.Friedman’s. Never have I seen Israel and America’s core Arab allies working more in concert to stymie a major foreign policy initiative of a […]
Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani Was Elected to Engage the West
To date Rouhani is off to a reasonable start. The ball is now in Rouhani’s court to convince hard-line skeptics in the West that he can fully deliver on his election promises. Pay no attention to the constant carping of Saudi King Abdullah who has never impressed me as having the best interest of Americans […]
Israeli President Shimon Peres Optimistic on Iran Nuclear Deal
Cautious optimism is warranted, says Israel’s Nobel Laureate Peres. In agreement with Peres is another Nobel laureate, Egypt’s Mohammed ElBaradei, a pro-democracy leader and a former IAEA director. Leaders in Bahrain and the UAE also praise the agreement. Here Al Jazeera America outlines the mixed global reactions over the Geneva accord. Israel feels especially threatened […]