So the greatest progressive candidate in American presidential politics in 40 years visits Israel and the occupation, and what happens the next day? Israel announces more colonies, “settlements.” Why do they do so? Because they are arrogant, because they know…
Last week I commented on the Washington Post’s decision to publish an attack on Arabic instruction, by neocon neophyte Joel Pollak, who sits at the knee of the Dersh. Two others have attacked the piece more effectively than I did–Matthew…
Today’s Times has an Obama-needs-to-give-Israel-tough-love-to-get-a-two-state solution column by Nicholas Kristof. New historian Jerome Slater sent me his take on the column. I’m going to follow that with my take. Slater: At first glance, Nicholas Kristof’s column in today’s New York…
Michael O’Hanlon of the Brookings Institution was a big promoter of the Iraq War (Glenn Greenwald has machicolated him definitively). And today he was on NPR talking about ideology. Reporter Scott Horsley, noting that McCain calls himself an idealist realist,…
Obama’s speech in Berlin was the worst one I’ve ever seen him give. Bland, lifeless, with barely a memorable moment. I guess we’re going to see a lot more speeches like this till the Inauguration. Apparently Obama has to do…
I’m hopeful about President Obama’s Middle East policy. Yesterday he even referred obliquely to Palestinian suffering. Call me naive, but I think he has the unique ability to triangulate the pro-Israel crowd with the pro-Palestinian crowd, and end that bloody…
Dan Fleshler responded to my critique of J Street, and began by pointing out a factual error: There are about a dozen premises worth discussing here, but I do want to point out that the basis of Phil’s complaint is…
Drudge is reporting that Obama’s sunrise visit to the Western Wall set off a mob scene and cries of Jerusalem is not for sale. You’d think this would be an opportunity for journalism and open discussion of American policy. Wrong….
Kudos to the Times’s Somini Sengupta, in a piece on India’s government surviving a no-confidence vote, for stating that a quote she had gotten was in an email. “India may be ‘emerging,’ but it will be a very high-maintenance friend…