Don’t let the CIA run wars
Espionage is sometimes called the cloak-and-dagger business. That term no longer applies to the Central Intelligence Agency. It was established to collect and analyze information, and — at times — quietly subvert enemies. Now its main job is killing. Instead of running agents, it launches drone attacks. The CIA is becoming a war-fighting machine: no […]
America’s slow-motion military coup
In a democracy, no one should be comforted to hear that generals have imposed discipline on an elected head of state. That was never supposed to happen in the United States. Now it has. Among the most enduring political images of the 20th century was the military junta. It was a group of grim-faced officers […]
Sacred places for tumultuous times
In our modern age, it is hard to have a purely spiritual experience. The real world of things and events crashes in. Like many travelers, I have found a handful of places that gave me a sense of transcendence. When I need to feel calming energy, I recall the timeless feelings that crept over me […]
It’s far too easy for Donald Trump to start a nuclear war
Wherever the President of the United States travels, a military aide-de-camp carrying “the football” is just a few steps away. It isn’t the kind Tom Brady throws. In the laconic jargon that national security officers use, “the football” is a briefcase that allows the President to launch a nuclear attack. These days “the football” seems […]
Moscow is our friend. Honest.
Millions of people around the world learn English from courses broadcast over the Voice of America. One recent lesson was about the word “enemy.” An announcer introduced it simply: “Do you have an enemy? Hopefully, you don’t. An enemy is someone who hates you, and you hate them back. An enemy threatens you, attacks you or tries […]
