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Chuck Spinney: Uri Avner on Greatest Danger to Israel – Meddling Idiot “Leaders”

The author of this incisive — and entertaining — analysis of (1) Israel’s political condition and (2) its arrogance with regard to pernicious meddling in the domestic politics of it friends is a former member of the Knesset, a hero of the 1948 War, and perhaps Israel’s leading (and most rational) peace activist.  He is …

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Chuck Spinney: Mike Lofgren Reinforces Bill Polk — Get A Brain, Reconnect with Ethics, Leave the Middle East, Ideally All Three

Mike Lofgren Responds to William R. Polk’s, “Intellectual and Political Foundations of 21st Century Jihad. Lofgren retired after 28 years on the congressional staff.  He held senior staff positions in the both the House and Senate Budget Committees, where he specialized in Defense and Foreign Policy.  After he retired, he authored “The Party Is Over: …

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Chuck Spinney: The Intellectual and Political Foundations of 21st Century Jihad Sayyid Qutub’s Fundamentalism and Abu Bakr Naji’s Jihadism

My friend, Bill Polk, a distinguished historian specializing in the Middle East, is busily writing a series of extended essays aimed at increasing our understanding of the conflict in Syria and, by extension, our seemingly  perpetual war with the Islamic world.  I posted the first part of this series, collectively entitled Understanding Syria, on 8 …

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Chuck Spinney: Patrick Cockburn Interviews Muqtada al-Sadr on Iraq — Toxic Mix of Sectarianism, Incompetent and Corrupt Government, and Interference by US, UK, and Iran

The United States bears a moral responsibility for the murderous state of affairs in Iraq, but contemporary American grand strategy has become a self-referencing mix of arrogance, narcissism, and exceptionalism; so it is not surprising that most Americans have dismissed Iraq their minds (as they are now dismissing Afghanistan).  Below is an excellent reminder of the situation …

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Chuck Spinney: Overcoming the Descent into a Neo Dark Age

The below  pdf, from the Cal Tech archives, is Richard Feynman’s commencement address to the graduating class of 1974.  His title, framed with his characteristic wit, is “Cargo Cult Science: Some remarks of science, pseudoscience, and leaning how not to fool yourself.” PDF (4 Pages): Feynman on Cargo Cult Science Feynman’s subject is nature of integrity …

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Chuck Spinney: Emile Nakhleh on Saudi Anger over Losing Influence — Iran Ascendant

Saudi Anger Masks Concern About Loss of Influence by Emile Nakhleh via IPS News, 13 November 2013 Saudi Arabia’s public anger against the United States masks the kingdom’s growing concern about its diminishing influence in the Persian Gulf and the wider Arab world. It has nothing to do with U.S. policy toward the Palestinians, Washington’s …

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Chuck Spinney: Wanna Start a Revolution? Watch Fed Feed Wall Street While Looting Main Street…

…. Read this obscene description of the “let them eat cake” policies of the Fed (and by extension, the President and Congress) that feed Wall Street at the expense of Main Street. Andrew Huszar: Confessions of a Quantitative Easer We went on a bond-buying spree that was supposed to help Main Street. Instead, it was …

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