Sheldon Adelson is onto something. Learning from the Brand Israel model, in which virtually everything is for sale, he's going to buy himself his own personal U.S. embassy in Jerusalem. This could become a trend. Putin can find himself an oligarch to buy the Russian embassy in Washington. The Kardashians could buy the U.S. embassy in Armenia. Think how … [Read more...]
Trump Strives to Undo 70 Years of Bipartisan U.S. Mideast Consensus
There are alarming news reports about upcoming Trump cabinet appointments to fill key slots in the national security and foreign policy apparatus. They raise the specter of undoing nearly 70 years of carefully-constructed consensus in U.S. policy toward the Middle East. Presidents hearkening back to Lyndon Johnson have opposed Israeli settlements, and since … [Read more...]
Saudi’s New King: Establishing Legitimacy Through Murder, Hate and War
Since Saudi Arabia's King Salman became monarch last year, he has taken steps to proclaim that he will be a tough, strong, conservative ruler. He has adopted a truculent, provocative approach toward Iran. During hajj, after Saudi negligence murdered perhaps 2,500 worshippers in a stampede, he lied brazenly to the Iranians, who lost nearly 500 dead. He told … [Read more...]
Guns: ‘Somethin’s Happnin’ Here, What It is Ain’t Exactly Clear’
Another mass murder. Another gun assault. How many dead this time? Who did it? Was it terrorism? Was he from a group we hate? Or one which will embarrass us? Was he Muslim? White Supremacist? Anti-Abortion? A settler? Was he mentally ill? These are some of the questions that jump out at us when we first learn this horrid news. We also ask about … [Read more...]
