Peace and Security
Exporting Unrest to Colombia
After shutting down major highways and key trucking routes for nearly two weeks, two million farmers and workers brought the Colombian government to the negotiating table to reform trade policy. Didn't know about that? Well, few in the United States are taking note...
There We Go Again
So we're going to war in Syria. Maybe. We won't know for sure until Congress gets back from the vacation it's taking from its other vacations. One can live in hope, however. What would autumn be without a fresh war in the Middle East to occupy us? I know, the...
Nelson Mandela’s Distinction
The year 2000 marked not merely the end of a century but the end of a millennium, a thousand years of history. The media's desire to fill empty space with naming "the Person of the Millennium" became all the rage. George Will, the unfailingly smug conservative...
Don’t Embarrass Authority
Tell us stuff We need to know, And soon it's off To jail you'll go. Don't get fooled by terms like "classified secrets" or "aiding the enemy." They just cover up the darker sides of our national security state. Pointing out that the emperor is naked isn't dangerous....
When Postal Workers Double as First Responders
America's letter carriers deliver letters and packages to nearly every address in the country six days a week. They also serve their customers in unexpected ways. Letter carriers know and care about their neighborhoods and customers, and they can sense when something...
Et Tu, Buddhist?
Throughout the centuries people have killed each other in vast numbers for the very best of reasons — religion. Oh they've done it for other reasons too — money, politics, geography, skin color, revolution — but never with more enthusiasm than when the cause was holy....
The Border-Industrial Complex
At last, both Republicans and Democrats are beginning to respond aggressively to economic needs. "It has been a tough time," admits one Washington insider, applauding a new spending proposal that "could help out." Unfortunately, he and Congress aren't referring to...
Aiding the Enemy
An Opportunity to Work with Iran
This August, Hassan Rouhani will take office as Iran's next president, and the world will have a new face to confront on the issue of Iran's nuclear program. Rouhani, a moderate cleric, won a landslide victory in Iran's June presidential elections. He'll replace the...
Just Follow the Oil
Like the United States and most other world powers, Iran foolishly wants to be in the nuclear power business. Atoms offer energy diversity and national prestige, plus a lot of bucks for somebody. There are plenty of environmental and safety reasons to oppose the...
