Tag: U.S. Foreign Policy

New Travel Ban Includes Chad. Why?

Trump’s latest list of travel banned from countries he deems unworthy now includes the African nation of Chad leaving experts scratching their heads, some calling it “sheer stupidity.” “It makes no sense whatsoever. In fact I wonder if there wasn’t some sort of mistake made,” John Campbell, a former US ambassador to Nigeria, told BuzzFeed …

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Happy Independence Day!

For  South America, at least…(not here)

Ron Paul Educates U.S. Media on War/ForeignPolicy

Congressman Dr. Ron Paul educates the Orwellian U.S. News Media about War and Foreign Policy.


How about some truth on Foreign Policy?

All this hyperventilating over Iran is yet another case of a fabricated “crisis” foisted upon the American people and the World.  How about some truth?

Nothing’s changed. Bush got his third term, and that’s why there will never be prosecutions.

(Cross-posted from www.progressive-independence.org.)

Paul Krugman says that prosecuting the previous regime for war crimes is about recovering America’s soul, and as usual he’s absolutely right.

the only way we can regain our moral compass, not just for the sake of our position in the world, but for the sake of our own national conscience, is to investigate how that happened, and, if necessary, to prosecute those responsible.

What about the argument that investigating the Bush administration’s abuses will impede efforts to deal with the crises of today? Even if that were true – even if truth and justice came at a high price – that would arguably be a price we must pay: laws aren’t supposed to be enforced only when convenient. But is there any real reason to believe that the nation would pay a high price for accountability?

For example, would investigating the crimes of the Bush era really divert time and energy needed elsewhere? Let’s be concrete: whose time and energy are we talking about?

Tim Geithner, the Treasury secretary, wouldn’t be called away from his efforts to rescue the economy. Peter Orszag, the budget director, wouldn’t be called away from his efforts to reform health care. Steven Chu, the energy secretary, wouldn’t be called away from his efforts to limit climate change. Even the president needn’t, and indeed shouldn’t, be involved. All he would have to do is let the Justice Department do its job – which he’s supposed to do in any case – and not get in the way of any Congressional investigations.

I don’t know about you, but I think America is capable of uncovering the truth and enforcing the law even while it goes about its other business.

Still, you might argue – and many do – that revisiting the abuses of the Bush years would undermine the political consensus the president needs to pursue his agenda.

But the answer to that is, what political consensus? There are still, alas, a significant number of people in our political life who stand on the side of the torturers. But these are the same people who have been relentless in their efforts to block President Obama’s attempt to deal with our economic crisis and will be equally relentless in their opposition when he endeavors to deal with health care and climate change. The president cannot lose their good will, because they never offered any.

“Riveting” – U.S. Presidents and the Middle East

The present, National Security Archive Electronic Briefing Book No. 265 Posted – January 5, 2009, looks mighty interesting, especially reading the few documents they have linked there.

Details inconsistent policies and influence of foreign leaders

New Patrick Tyler book narrates: “A World of Trouble: The White House and the Middle East–from the Cold War to the War on Terror”