No Paulism of any flavor for me; social democrat not libertarian. But I think that the political imagination in the US needs expanding. We need new ways to think "state."
“In dealing with the State, we ought to remember that its institutions are not aboriginal..." One of the best ways to grasp that the state is only one possible form of sociopolitical org. among others is to read about stateless societies, ie. Evans-Pritchard, The Nuer. Can usually be found at good used book stores in University towns!
Re. Challenge 2, Elections in Egypt: according to Ron Nixon NYT 4/14/11, same American sponsored NGOs investigated by Egyptian army now were there under Mubarak promoting democracy & training activists; indirect role in Arab Spring. If so, how can the Arab Spring have come as a surprise to the US (see your Ten Myths)? Now that outcome elections will be political Islam in Egypt, prob. Libya, etc. relations with Israel will be affected. Will US policy re. Israel change or will US try to rein in political Islam e.g. by supporting Egyptian army? Will it look the other way while Assad continues repression? Will it support MB victory at polls in Libya?
No Paulism of any flavor for me; social democrat not libertarian. But I think that the political imagination in the US needs expanding. We need new ways to think "state."
“In dealing with the State, we ought to remember that its institutions are not aboriginal..." One of the best ways to grasp that the state is only one possible form of sociopolitical org. among others is to read about stateless societies, ie. Evans-Pritchard, The Nuer. Can usually be found at good used book stores in University towns!
Re. Challenge 2, Elections in Egypt: according to Ron Nixon NYT 4/14/11, same American sponsored NGOs investigated by Egyptian army now were there under Mubarak promoting democracy & training activists; indirect role in Arab Spring. If so, how can the Arab Spring have come as a surprise to the US (see your Ten Myths)? Now that outcome elections will be political Islam in Egypt, prob. Libya, etc. relations with Israel will be affected. Will US policy re. Israel change or will US try to rein in political Islam e.g. by supporting Egyptian army? Will it look the other way while Assad continues repression? Will it support MB victory at polls in Libya?