YES, NSA. THERE IS A BETTER WAY.

I just watched a fascinating interview with National Security Agency Director, General Keith Alexander, where he answers critics of the NSA’s counter-terrorism surveillance programs with a challenge at the 15:09 mark: “Can somebody come up with a better way of doing it?” Here’s my way: starve the terrorist beast. I admit that my way […]

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AND THE US DRONE SHOW

Shortly after Pakistan’s hottest young human rights export, Malala Yousafzai, warned President Obama that current US drone attacks in support of the global War on Terror are killing civilians and fueling terrorism, Amnesty International reviewed a subset of US drone attacks in Pakistan and released a report [PDF] with a takeaway that the organization […]

ROBOT SOLDIERS – OH, THE POSSIBILITIES

OilPrice describes how companies are developing four-legged android soldiers that can move fast, take plenty of punishment, and of course reliably carry out its programmed instructions to hunt and kill targets. The piece also talk about the implications. Almost makes you wish we remain in the drone age… For those of you who […]

ARE THE US-IRAN TALKS GOING TO MAKE IT?

There’s a chance that an agreement can be reached between the US and Iran about the latter’s nuclear program, but any successful negotiation will obviously depend on how far-reaching the demands are. And that’s why I’m afraid negotiations will ultimately fail. Cast aside the conspiracy theorist’s argument for a moment about Iran’s place […]

OBAMA SAID WHAT?

President Obama’s speech to the UN General Assembly is possibly the most gangsta prose ever uttered by a sitting American President. In the President’s own words, but with my added emphasis: let me take this opportunity to outline what has been U.S. policy towards the Middle East and North Africa, and what will be […]

MY 29 PROBLEMS WITH OBAMA’S SYRIA SPEECH

You’ve heard President Obama present his case for military action against Syria by now. I was silent because – and this is probably a character flaw I need to address – I thought everyone can read between the lines and know that the speech was hogwash. I could be wrong in my assumption, […]

SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 – WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?

Tomorrow’s 12th anniversary of the September 11 attacks reminds me of two events during the past year that involve America at peace and at war. On the peace front, the United States have been in negotiations with the Taliban. Yup, the same Taliban who macked Afghanistan; played conflicted host to Al-Qaeda and 9/11 mastermind, Osama […]

‘LIMITED’ SYRIA STRIKE – IT DEPENDS

I call President Obama’s weekly address today the REPURPOSED MUSHROOM CLOUD SUPPOSITION FOR ACTIVE US MILITARY DETERRENCE. Scary how I’m able to write that like someone who’s fluent in government-talk. Anyway, we’ve heard something like this speech before, folks. A “limited strike” on Syria does not mean the military operation will […]

EGYPT – SOMEBODY’S GETTING PLAYED

I talked about why the US will not completely cut off aid to Egypt’s junta despite its continued murder and imprisonment of political opponents, but what does the Egyptian military think about this? I’m not 100 percent sure, but there are some pieces of evidence that make me think we’ll soon find out and that […]

EGYPT AND ETHIOPIA’S WATER WAR

In case you didn’t get the notice, water is the new oil, and we could see a war between Egypt and Ethiopia over the not-so-slick stuff flowing through the Nile River. Hearing Egyptian President Mohamad Morsi’s version of the story – a version that I’m sure is partially driven by the prodding of his government colleagues and his desire […]