"Juan Cole 2016.04.27 11:36
I consider warmongering to be, like, actually launching a war, sending troops in, armored convoys, etc. etc. Can’t see that he did any of that; his two military actions were to save the Kosovars from murderous ultra-nationalist Serbs and to try to kill Bin Laden. Both were very worthwhile."
despite its posting not providing the courtesy of a "reply" function and its snarky elocution ("...like, actually launching a war..."), seems to present a rather skewed and selective recollection of the Clinton administration's deployment of modern war-making. While the joining of NATO's belated efforts to end the genocidal "ethnic cleansing" in Serbia under the leadership of Gen. Wesley Clark certainly is deserving of praise, the notion that the Clinton administration was a wholly humanitarian enterprise not driven by NeoLiberal economic warmongering is revisionist fiction; and no amount of snarky obfuscation or dissembling serves any honest discussion well.
The stage that is being set for our 2016 election is not one that represents the interests and concerns of an informed electorate, rather it is a pseudo-political circus being orchestrated by competing brands of political snake-oil with identical ingredients; the only distinction being the coloring additive. The only thing unique this time around is that there is no "lessor evil" to choose from.
As Usual,
EA
"Bill Clinton was many things but not by any means a war monger."
Prof. Cole, despite my genuine appreciation of your informed and cogent opinions, especially on matters concerning U.S. policy towards the middle east, this broad-brush declaration that Bill Clinton was "..not by any means a war monger." seems to seriously ignore his historical advocacy and actions in support of the use of military power to implement covert NeoLiberal colonialism in concert with the more overt NeoConservative practitioners of empire building and the resulting loss of hundreds of thousands of innocent lives. How does one not consider such behavior "any means" of war mongering?
"Work is love made visible." KG
As Usual,
EA
Re: Juan Cole Feb @ 0611
Prof. Cole, while I agree with your resolute "No" in answer to Riccardo Cabeza's query, and your closing contention that...
"Syria, even if it comes back together, will be weak for a long time and in no position to champion Palestinians."
,
your contention that...
"Vlad has excellent relations with Israel and like a million Israels are Russians and so are a ghost constituency for him."
seems a bit convoluted; if not factually at odds with the historical and present conditions that define not only the events underpinning Jewish European Apartheid in Palestine, but the decades long attempts of neighboring governments - Jordan, Syria, Iran, and Lebanon - to assist and protect the indigenous Palestinian people and refugees.
As I think you understand, aside from and despite the current problems in Syria, its people and government continue to provide refuge for tens of thousands of Palestinian people displaced by the conditions of Apartheid violence inflicted upon them by extremist factions controlling the Israeli government.
As Usual,
EA
Both Tom Engelhardt & Nick Turse continue to be conveyors of reliable factual information for those who prefer it over the hapless dissembling of government propagandists and their corporate media lapdogs.
Re: truth first Feb 8 @ 0351
Your hyperbolic closing statement
"Americans have no idea of the country they might have had if they had not embraced killing from the get-go."
speaks not of the millions of U.S. citizens, both past and present, that represent the opposite of your cynical and exaggerated rhetoric; those of us who abhor our government's misdeeds in our name, past and present, and continue to seek and foment a more perfect just and peaceful world for all people. The corruption of our government, including the abuse of the use of our military and economic power, is not due to the will of the citizens, writ large, it is attributable to a distinct minority of our people who employ greed and corrupt practices to achieve private wealth and power at the expense of the life and liberty of the majority of us.
As Usual,
EA
Beings much, if not all, of the information collected was amassed using authorities either not authorized by existing law or by using convoluted legislation intentionally designed to circumscribe existing legal prohibition against government intelligence agencies engaging in domestic spying, dating back more than 60 years, why should any of the fruits of such secret illegal government activity be retained at all; especially at the continued expense of the public's privacy and treasure?
"Work is love made visible." KG
As Usual,
EA
Re: Dr. Cole:
While I have no disagreement with the informed substance of your observations in the body of this writing, I do believe that the two basic prongs of your seemingly intended thesis, the unbalanced bias of U.S. corporate media and intentional lack of veracity and dishonesty of Netanyahu, are somewhat overwhelmed by lengthly digressions.
At the onset of your article you alluded to a pertinent part of the statements made by Netanyahu on Sunday that have, at this writing, been published and broadcast by virtually every major U.S. corporate media outlet.
“Secondly, Iran is going to have sanctions lifted, including crippling sanctions, pretty much up front. And that’s going to have billions and billions of dollars flow into the Iranian coffers, not for schools or hospitals or roads, but to pump up Iran’s terror machine throughout the world.
And it’s a military machine that’s now engaged in conquest throughout the world in Iraq and Syria and Yemen, around the borders of Israel elsewhere.”
To me, the most flagrant, and likely intentional, mischaracterization is "..Iran is going to have sanctions lifted, including crippling sanctions, pretty much up front."
Of course, as you correctly attest, such propagandistic misinformation could possibly be exposed and debunked by a more informed, fair, and unbiased media; BUT simply and haplessly beating that rhetorical drum does not, and will not, alter the media landscape in any meaningful way; especially if the, ostensibly more enlightened, alternative media continues to allow itself to be constrained by parameters set by private interests.
Simply stated, Netanyahu's characterization of the effect of the tentative agreement on sanctions is an intentional lie; he knows it, the corporate media pundits and "experts" know it, and, of course, all of the parties involved know it. This lie can not be debunked by delving into Netanyahu's imagined nonsense about how Iran is going to spend the fake windfall he claims the agreement provides; this digression is nothing more that allowing he, and his syncophants to control the narrative.
We need an enlightened and informed Progressive journalism to form and colless around the reporting of unvarnished factual information and opinions; one that inspires and evokes informed and intelligent responses from its viewers and readership, not one that is merely a collection of tribal fan clubs masquerading as viable alternatives.
As Usual,
EA
"Baker blocked the creation of Palestine by threatening to cut funding to agencies in the United Nations. As far back as 1988, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) issued a "declaration of statehood” and changed the name of its observer delegation to the United Nations from the PLO to Palestine.
Baker warned publicly, "I will recommend to the President that the United States make no further contributions, voluntary or assessed, to any international organization which makes any changes in the PLO's status as an observer organization."
Dr. Cole:
It is my understanding that there is a distinction between the colonialist politics of Zionists, such as Netanyahu and his fellow travelers, and the entirety of "the country" of Israel; a distinction that is comparable to the prevailing political division in the U.S., which is also founded upon the conflation of pseudo-religious rhetoric with political reasoning.
As Usual,
EA
Dr. Cole:
Over the past several years I have come to trust the literal accuracy of your translations of various public statements made by Persian leaders; many of which expose, intentional and unintentional, flaws and misconceptions fostered by less credible interpretations. So, regarding this article's ostensible reliance on "BBC translations...quotes", I find myself wondering if your translation of the speech comports with that of the BBC; and, rather or not it does, how is such a reference to be regarded as credibly informed, in light of the BBC's consistent misreporting of past statements?
I, for one, would very much enjoy reading your translation of the entire document before venturing to offer any "informed comment".
"Work is love made visible." KG
As Usual,
EA
Re: Robert N. Schwartz - Mar 13 @ 1:31 AM
Having read your comment carefully several times, and trying to discern what lies beneath your polemic rhetoric and sectarian proselytizing, it occurred to me that you may not actually realize that the human quest for "..love, tolerance and understanding." is not limited to, or historically founded upon, any monotheistic sectarian belief system; be it Judaism, christianity, or islam. Modern understanding of human history has provided factual anthropological and archeological evidence that when sectarian dogma is imposed upon thriving secular human societies, aforesaid "tolerance and understanding" descend into avarice and hatred, and the ultimate decline of social and political order.
My hope is that humankind will indeed revisit enlightened understanding and reason, join together in putting an end to the death and destruction of this dark period of human history, and pursue the quest for peaceful tranquility for all.
"Work is love made visible." KG
As Usual,
EA
Dr. Cole -
Could you expand a little more on how it was that a Kurdish leader, Saladin, replaced a Shiite government in Egypt with a Sunni regime?
Also regarding:
But the ghost of the Iran-Iraq War of 1980-1988 looms over this campaign. Qasim Sulaimani got his military start fighting in the Iran-Iraq War. A non-ideological technocrat, Sulaimani only cares about winning battles, not about what Iranians call “the line of the Imam” or correct ideology.
Much is being "reported" that Sulaimani represents a very strident anti U.S. position; one that continues to spread extremist propaganda in the region. What is your take on this?
As Usual,
EA
Thank you, once again, Professor Cole for cogently and reasonably providing an informed insight for those who prefer thoughtful insights as a foundation for understanding, rather than merely seeking a rhetorical bias that panders to idle conjecture and uninformed preconceptions. These matters of life and death can not be resolved by the lazy-minded extremists of any persuasion, regardless of rather, or not, their hyperbolic behavior is well-intended. Human reason and its prodigy human wisdom, do not spring from dogmatic belief systems which simply provide a means to avoid/replace the work of gathering reliable information, upon which to base understanding and opinion.
"Work is love made visible." KG
As Usual,
EA
Re: Juan Cole Apr 27 @ 11:36 AM
Your response,
despite its posting not providing the courtesy of a "reply" function and its snarky elocution ("...like, actually launching a war..."), seems to present a rather skewed and selective recollection of the Clinton administration's deployment of modern war-making. While the joining of NATO's belated efforts to end the genocidal "ethnic cleansing" in Serbia under the leadership of Gen. Wesley Clark certainly is deserving of praise, the notion that the Clinton administration was a wholly humanitarian enterprise not driven by NeoLiberal economic warmongering is revisionist fiction; and no amount of snarky obfuscation or dissembling serves any honest discussion well.
The stage that is being set for our 2016 election is not one that represents the interests and concerns of an informed electorate, rather it is a pseudo-political circus being orchestrated by competing brands of political snake-oil with identical ingredients; the only distinction being the coloring additive. The only thing unique this time around is that there is no "lessor evil" to choose from.
As Usual,
EA
Re: Juan Cole Apr 27 @ 01:38
Prof. Cole, despite my genuine appreciation of your informed and cogent opinions, especially on matters concerning U.S. policy towards the middle east, this broad-brush declaration that Bill Clinton was "..not by any means a war monger." seems to seriously ignore his historical advocacy and actions in support of the use of military power to implement covert NeoLiberal colonialism in concert with the more overt NeoConservative practitioners of empire building and the resulting loss of hundreds of thousands of innocent lives. How does one not consider such behavior "any means" of war mongering?
"Work is love made visible." KG
As Usual,
EA
Re: Juan Cole Feb @ 0611
Prof. Cole, while I agree with your resolute "No" in answer to Riccardo Cabeza's query, and your closing contention that...
,
your contention that...
seems a bit convoluted; if not factually at odds with the historical and present conditions that define not only the events underpinning Jewish European Apartheid in Palestine, but the decades long attempts of neighboring governments - Jordan, Syria, Iran, and Lebanon - to assist and protect the indigenous Palestinian people and refugees.
As I think you understand, aside from and despite the current problems in Syria, its people and government continue to provide refuge for tens of thousands of Palestinian people displaced by the conditions of Apartheid violence inflicted upon them by extremist factions controlling the Israeli government.
As Usual,
EA
Both Tom Engelhardt & Nick Turse continue to be conveyors of reliable factual information for those who prefer it over the hapless dissembling of government propagandists and their corporate media lapdogs.
Re: truth first Feb 8 @ 0351
Your hyperbolic closing statement
speaks not of the millions of U.S. citizens, both past and present, that represent the opposite of your cynical and exaggerated rhetoric; those of us who abhor our government's misdeeds in our name, past and present, and continue to seek and foment a more perfect just and peaceful world for all people. The corruption of our government, including the abuse of the use of our military and economic power, is not due to the will of the citizens, writ large, it is attributable to a distinct minority of our people who employ greed and corrupt practices to achieve private wealth and power at the expense of the life and liberty of the majority of us.
As Usual,
EA
Beings much, if not all, of the information collected was amassed using authorities either not authorized by existing law or by using convoluted legislation intentionally designed to circumscribe existing legal prohibition against government intelligence agencies engaging in domestic spying, dating back more than 60 years, why should any of the fruits of such secret illegal government activity be retained at all; especially at the continued expense of the public's privacy and treasure?
"Work is love made visible." KG
As Usual,
EA
Kudos to Andrew Cockburn, Juan Cole, TomDispatch, and Informed Comment for this cogent and insightful analysis.
Here is an interesting companion piece by an equally astute, if less well-known, writer.
http://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2015/03/23/isis-the-unintended-consequences-of-the-us-led-war-on-iraq/
"Work is love made visible." KG
As Usual,
EA
Excellent reference!! GG nailed it.
As Usual,
EA
Re: Dr. Cole:
While I have no disagreement with the informed substance of your observations in the body of this writing, I do believe that the two basic prongs of your seemingly intended thesis, the unbalanced bias of U.S. corporate media and intentional lack of veracity and dishonesty of Netanyahu, are somewhat overwhelmed by lengthly digressions.
At the onset of your article you alluded to a pertinent part of the statements made by Netanyahu on Sunday that have, at this writing, been published and broadcast by virtually every major U.S. corporate media outlet.
To me, the most flagrant, and likely intentional, mischaracterization is "..Iran is going to have sanctions lifted, including crippling sanctions, pretty much up front."
Of course, as you correctly attest, such propagandistic misinformation could possibly be exposed and debunked by a more informed, fair, and unbiased media; BUT simply and haplessly beating that rhetorical drum does not, and will not, alter the media landscape in any meaningful way; especially if the, ostensibly more enlightened, alternative media continues to allow itself to be constrained by parameters set by private interests.
Simply stated, Netanyahu's characterization of the effect of the tentative agreement on sanctions is an intentional lie; he knows it, the corporate media pundits and "experts" know it, and, of course, all of the parties involved know it. This lie can not be debunked by delving into Netanyahu's imagined nonsense about how Iran is going to spend the fake windfall he claims the agreement provides; this digression is nothing more that allowing he, and his syncophants to control the narrative.
We need an enlightened and informed Progressive journalism to form and colless around the reporting of unvarnished factual information and opinions; one that inspires and evokes informed and intelligent responses from its viewers and readership, not one that is merely a collection of tribal fan clubs masquerading as viable alternatives.
As Usual,
EA
"Work is love made visible." KG
As Usual,
EA
Dr. Cole:
It is my understanding that there is a distinction between the colonialist politics of Zionists, such as Netanyahu and his fellow travelers, and the entirety of "the country" of Israel; a distinction that is comparable to the prevailing political division in the U.S., which is also founded upon the conflation of pseudo-religious rhetoric with political reasoning.
As Usual,
EA
Dr. Cole:
Over the past several years I have come to trust the literal accuracy of your translations of various public statements made by Persian leaders; many of which expose, intentional and unintentional, flaws and misconceptions fostered by less credible interpretations. So, regarding this article's ostensible reliance on "BBC translations...quotes", I find myself wondering if your translation of the speech comports with that of the BBC; and, rather or not it does, how is such a reference to be regarded as credibly informed, in light of the BBC's consistent misreporting of past statements?
I, for one, would very much enjoy reading your translation of the entire document before venturing to offer any "informed comment".
"Work is love made visible." KG
As Usual,
EA
Re: Robert N. Schwartz - Mar 13 @ 1:31 AM
Having read your comment carefully several times, and trying to discern what lies beneath your polemic rhetoric and sectarian proselytizing, it occurred to me that you may not actually realize that the human quest for "..love, tolerance and understanding." is not limited to, or historically founded upon, any monotheistic sectarian belief system; be it Judaism, christianity, or islam. Modern understanding of human history has provided factual anthropological and archeological evidence that when sectarian dogma is imposed upon thriving secular human societies, aforesaid "tolerance and understanding" descend into avarice and hatred, and the ultimate decline of social and political order.
My hope is that humankind will indeed revisit enlightened understanding and reason, join together in putting an end to the death and destruction of this dark period of human history, and pursue the quest for peaceful tranquility for all.
"Work is love made visible." KG
As Usual,
EA
Dr. Cole -
Could you expand a little more on how it was that a Kurdish leader, Saladin, replaced a Shiite government in Egypt with a Sunni regime?
Also regarding:
Much is being "reported" that Sulaimani represents a very strident anti U.S. position; one that continues to spread extremist propaganda in the region. What is your take on this?
As Usual,
EA
Thank you Dr. Cole for a cogent and interesting update!
As Usual,
EA
Thank you, once again, Professor Cole for cogently and reasonably providing an informed insight for those who prefer thoughtful insights as a foundation for understanding, rather than merely seeking a rhetorical bias that panders to idle conjecture and uninformed preconceptions. These matters of life and death can not be resolved by the lazy-minded extremists of any persuasion, regardless of rather, or not, their hyperbolic behavior is well-intended. Human reason and its prodigy human wisdom, do not spring from dogmatic belief systems which simply provide a means to avoid/replace the work of gathering reliable information, upon which to base understanding and opinion.
"Work is love made visible." KG
As Usual,
EA