Peace and Security
A Missile in Every Pot
What’s Next for U.S.-Libyan Relations?
After Muammar Gaddafi’s demise, the future of Libya’s relationship with the United States remains uncertain.
Defending Bloated Military Spending
The Association of the United States Army packed hundreds of exhibitors into two halls the size of football fields at its annual convention. Companies from around the world came to the event, recently held at the Washington Convention Center, to sell the Army everything from mammoth tanks to micro-thin wires. Corporations such as Raytheon and KBR erected multi-level installations nearly big enough to generate their own zip code, complete with conference rooms and coffee bars.
Gaddafi’s Grim End
Like any good liberal I thought that Muammar Gaddafi, after being captured by rebel forces, should have been read his Miranda rights then taken directly to jail to await trial by a jury of his peers. After being indicted, of course.
A Dagger Pointed at Maryland’s Peace Movement
The sentiment that excessive, inefficient, unnecessary military spending came at the expense of critical health, education, infrastructure needs of county residents seemed reasonable and unanimous. I didn’t sense fear of imminent danger in the room. Plus, remember that this is a non-binding resolution. As Baye explained, “it had no chance to actually end wars or starve the Pentagon.”
Veterans, the Human Rubble of Our Wars
Not long ago President Barack Obama, with great fanfare, presented a Congressional Medal of Honor to Dakota Meyer, a living hero. Presidents don’t often get to do that. Normally the recipients are dead. This one appeared to be a 100 percent all-American boy, and no doubt this set off a new surge of patriotic young men zipping to their recruiters.
Military Spending Belongs on the Table
The battle over the debt ceiling laid bare the need to cut the deficit while foreshadowing a fierce fight in Congress to make actual budget cuts.
Blocking Palestinian Statehood
When President Barack Obama addressed the UN General Assembly in September 2010, he sounded hopeful that by the following year there would be “an agreement that will lead to a new member of the United Nations — an independent, sovereign state of Palestine, living in peace with Israel.” Sure enough, in September 2011, the Palestinians asked the UN Security Council to recognize a state of Palestine — but Obama ordered the U.S. delegate to veto the request. What gives?
The Drug War Spreads the Bloodbath South
In the grotesque wars that pit Mexican armed forces and drug cartels against each other and civilians who get in their way, the Zetas cartel plays a fearsome role. Born of U.S.-trained Mexican special forces who began working as muscle for the Gulf drug cartel, the Zetas rapidly expanded by employing methods aimed at terrorizing opponents and civilians alike: decapitations, public hangings, and mutilations.
We Need an Armistice in the War on Drugs
Repealing Prohibition was easy by comparison. Pressure from “nice” people who wanted to drink legally again was overwhelming. Plus the liquor racketeers were just getting too involved in everyday life. After a while, the moral revolution that had originally fueled the crusade against alcohol finally flagged, and life returned to normal.
