When the first group of US-trained fighters were inserted into Syria on Friday, Washington experienced a great shock. Tasked with fighting alongside al-Qaeda's Syrian franchise, the Nusra Front, Washington's newest proxy army in Syria was expected be welcomed by the group. Instead, Washington's proxies, known as Division 30, were attacked by the Nusra Front with several fighters taken hostage. Quoting a senior Obama Administration official, the New York Times reported that Washington "expected the Nusra Front to welcome Division 30 as an ally in its fight against the Islamic State." read on...
Ron Paul has always said that US foreign policy is incredibly simple: do what we say and we will send you money; disobey and we will bomb you. While there is (fortunately) little threat of the US dropping bombs on Israel over that country's hysterical opposition to the recently-agreed Iran deal, the carrot has just become even more gold plated.
According to the New York Times, President Obama called Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week to promise him a massive increase in US military aid -- from the current $3 billion per year to $4.5 billion -- as bribe money to soothe Israeli fury over the possibility of peace breaking out between the US and Iran. read on...
We're with the Iranians because we are both fighting ISIS but we're against the Iranians because they are on the side of Assad. That is why RPI Chairman Ron Paul described our foreign policy as "schizophrenic" in a Newsmax debate on the Iran deal.
On the Iran talks, Dr. Paul reminded the viewers that Reagan believed it was important to talk to the Soviets, a regime that had killed far more people than has the Iranians, and to look for ways to reduce weapons proliferation. So why not talk to Iran? read on...
Nope, it's not a trick question. The number is zero.
A year ago Congress granted a White House request for half a billion dollars to identify, train, and equip "moderate" Syrians to accomplish the dual US goal of defeating ISIS as well as overthrowing those fighting against ISIS, the Syrian government.
As with most foreign policy moves sold by the neocons and interventionists, grandiose promises of success have found themselves at odds with reality. Advocates of the program claimed that it would produce 5,400 US-trained and armed fighters per year. In fact since the money was approved last May, less than 100 are actually being trained and none has yet completed the course. read on...
Defense Secretary Ashton Carter comes (back) to government service via the military-industrial complex. Whether in the "private" sector or in government military positions, Carter has made his fortune (and those of others) pushing an aggressive and interventionist US foreign policy.
Secretary Carter was in Berlin yesterday, pushing the idea that Germany needs to massively increase its military spending to counter what he calls "Russian aggression" in Europe. Currently Germany spends approximately one percent of its GDP on the military and Carter would like to see that amount doubled. read on...
Jeb Bush officially joined the 2016 White House race Monday. He promises to be an outsider -- "not just another member of the club." Don't dare call the third Bush coveting the presidency a blue-blood. He is not "among the pampered elites of Washington."
His mission is to prevent 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue from being "passed on from one liberal to the next."
And echoing his brother's promise of a humble foreign policy, Jeb's main attack on the Obama administration is that "they have failed to be the peacemakers." read on...
The United States is more than $18 trillion dollars in debt, but like a teenager with a credit card it continues to take on financial obligations seemingly without a care in the world. Maintaining a world empire requires the US to hemorrhage wealth to defend its dominant position against any real or perceived upstart nation-threat. Even if that "threat" comes from the world's second largest economy, China, it seems.
Last month President Obama promised to put the US military at the disposal of the despotic, head-chopping Saudi regime. As the Saudi-Iranian cold war heats up, this commitment if honored could run up incalculable costs in dollars and American lives. The US already backs Saudi aggression against Yemen and the Saudi financing of al-Qaeda and ISIS to take down Assad in Syria. Will the US join in a potential global war that may emerge from a Shia-Sunni conflagration? read on...
When thinking about the protection of human rights, Saudi Arabia doesn't immediately come to mind. After all, this year the Saudis are on course to break their own record of 87 decapitations in 2014. It is only June and the Saudi leaders have already chopped off their 84th head. Religious apostasy is a leading offense resulting in decapitation and last year half of all such killings were carried out for non-lethal offenses. According to a news report last year, bringing Christian bibles into the country is considered a capital offense. read on...
CIA Director John Brennan is not known as a big defender of the Constitution. He is regarded as a chief proponent of the CIA's torture program and as " Obama's drone warrior ." He also lied > to the American people with claims that not "a single collateral death" occurred in the CIA's drone program because of the "exceptional proficiency [and] precision" of the targeting.
However even a professional obfuscator can sometimes inadvertently reveal some of the truth. As reported in the Intercept , in a recent appearance on "Face the Nation" the CIA boss admitted that US foreign policy can feed terrorism. read on...
Whenever there is a problem anywhere in the world, the first thing US lawmakers and Beltway foreign policy experts do is urge the US to send weapons. Libyan "freedom fighters" want to overthrow Gaddafi? Send weapons. Eastern Ukraine wants to break away from US-backed government in Kiev? Send Kiev weapons. Jihadists want to overthrow Assad in Syria? Send them weapons. Kurds promise to fight ISIS in Iraq? Send weapons.
The track record of such a policy is obvious for all to see. If anyone is still confused, ask a Libyan or a Syrian Christian about it. Yet the failed approach continues to be the cornerstone of US foreign policy. read on...
