by Jacob G. Hornberger
Indonesian reaction to the recent bomb blast in Bali that killed 180 people is another example of the consequences of U.S. interventionist policies. According to an article in the Nov. 7 issue of the New York Times, a common perception among educated Indonesians is that the CIA, not Islamic terrorists, set off ... [click for more]
by Sheldon Richman
Some things have been bugging me about President Bush’s efforts to plunge us into full-scale war against Iraq:
If Saddam Hussein’s program to develop weapons of mass destruction is so secret, how did Mr. Bush get aerial photos of all those large above-ground buildings that allegedly house Iraq’s nuclear program? ... [click for more]
by Sheldon Richman
The key word in analyzing the confrontation between the U.S. government and Saddam Hussein is “deterrence.” When we think of that word, we typically attach it to U.S. policies versus other governments. But I do not mean deterrence by the United States of Iraq. That would be nothing new. The ... [click for more]
by Sheldon Richman
The signals coming out of Washington about the impending war against Iraq are ominous. This is not only because it would be an unprovoked and undeclared war against a nation that has not attacked us, but also because of the new reasons being offered.
The Bush administration tried its best ... [click for more]
by Sheldon Richman
The United States will go to war against Iraq. But anyone who thinks the war will be motivated by evidence of Saddam Hussein’s attempt to procure and wish to use evil weapons will be mistaken.
Despite the general claims that President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair have as-yet ... [click for more]
by Sheldon Richman
It has long been clear that little of what government leaders say and do makes no sense unless you understand that they think we are idiots, uninformed, or both.
Could there be better evidence than recent remarks by President Bush and Secretary of State Donald Rumsfeld?
Let’s start with the much-admired Secretary ... [click for more]
by Scott McPherson
As President Bush rushes the nation headlong into another foreign war, an important question should be finally and unambiguously answered: What exactly were those old gentlemen talking about in 1787 when they wrote that Congress, not the president, held the power to declare war?
Are we to believe that they actually ... [click for more]
by Sheldon Richman
President Bush is no Don Corleone. When the Godfather wanted something, he would make an uncooperative person an offer he couldn’t refuse.
Mr. Bush, following his predecessor, makes his adversary an offer he can’t accept.
Former President Clinton did this with President Milosevic of Yugoslavia before launching a war over Kosovo. Clinton made demands — including ... [click for more]
by Sheldon Richman
War increases the burdens of government. If you seek evidence, look around.
Government does not grow only in obvious ways, for example by gaining the power to hold individuals without charge or to monitor their lawful activities. It also grows through the promotion of a culture of sacrifice. In war, more ... [click for more]
by Sheldon Richman
Most people may have long forgotten it, but American males who turn 18 are still compelled to register with the Selective Service System. Failure to do so carries a penalty of up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. What’s more, states have enacted laws barring nonregistrants from getting ... [click for more]
by Richard M. Ebeling
In 1942, Franklin D. Roosevelt declared, “I am perfectly willing to mislead and tell lies if it will help win the war.” Now in wartime it certainly may be necessary for a general or a commander in chief to try to misinform or deceive the enemy about a planned attack or about the defense positions and strength of one’s ... [click for more]
by Sheldon Richman
Once upon a time people who favored an aggressive global military policy for the United States avoided the word “empire.” They instinctively sensed the anti-American ring to it, so they found euphemisms and dismissed charges of U.S. imperialism as delusions from the fevered imaginations of unpatriotic agitators.
Now that has begun to change. First the new imperialists approached the issue ... [click for more]