Robert Taft said, “The business of the opposition is to oppose,” but what he meant by that was “loyal opposition.” Along with the ability to compromise, this seems to be a missing element in today’s politics. Loyal opposition carries responsibilities and often leads to effective solutions and policies.
All posts by suzanne
Lessons from Hetch Hetchy for the Keystone Pipeline
How do you balance development, conservation, and competing interest groups? The recent rejection of the Keystone Pipeline reminds me of the Hetch Hetchy Valley controversy. The water supply of San Francisco was at stake. The Keystone Pipeline controversy is not simply a battle between “tree huggers” and oil interests.
Lessons from Tito’s Yugoslavia
There are lessons from the breakup of Yugoslavia after Tito’s death that help explain the chaos in Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Yemen. Tito’s dictatorship was the glue holding the system together. The current discussion is about Islamic terrorism and attempted genocide, but in the breakup after Yugoslavia, Orthodox Christian Serbs attempted genocide against Bosnian Muslims. No one really knows how many were murdered, but in Srebnica alone there are graves holding the bodies of at least 7,800 Bosnian Muslims. Without Sadam holding the system together in Iraq, there was ongoing civil war and the breakup of an artificial nation. The same thing happened with the overthrow of Gaddafi in Libya. The situation with the Assad regime in Syria is still unfolding. These are all nations that were never able to establish a sense of national identity.
Is Putin Overextending?
Russia’s supply lines have to go through the Bosphorus, and the Turks can make that difficult. The Roman Empire learned that there were great dangers in overextending. The frontiers of an empire present significant dangers and choices about what is worth fighting for. Just as Russia overextended itself in Afghanistan, it may be doing the same in Syria. Putin may have gotten himself into more trouble than he imagines.
What Should the U.S. Role Be in the Middle East?
Our interests in the Middle East go back to the earliest days of our republic. There are three essentials that are non-negotiable parts of our foreign policy: sea power, security of Israel, and promotion of democratic values. Given these non-negotiables, a collision of values with Islamist forces is inevitable. This is a summary of part of a presentation I gave this week in a four-part lecture series.
What’s Behind the Knife Attacks in Jerusalem?
The increased violence in Jerusalem, usually knife attacks by lone-wolf individual Palestinians, seems to center around rumors about the site holy to Jews as the Temple Mount, yet also revered by Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif. They believe that the Jews are planning to take over the Haram al-Sharif.
This history goes way back. A similar situation arose in 1929 when about 6,000 Jews said they were going to “the wall” to pray. Rumors spread quickly. There were riots and in some cases outright massacres. This led the Jewish community to organize a self-protection group. That was the beginning of the Haganah, which was the forerunner of The Israeli Defense Force (IDF).
This is a longstanding pattern that is likely to continue. Unfortunately, it escalates fear and mistrust and takes attention away from other important issues.
Collective Amnesia in the Immigration Debate (3)
https://youtu.be/zMxkt7T3Ey8
Abraham Lincoln welcomed immigrants. He saw immigration as a solution to his manpower issues. His Act to Encourage Immigrants was a major factor in the Union victory in the Civil War. We competed with other nations for immigrants. The promotion of our “Streets Are Paved with Gold” national image led to one of the greatest influxes of immigration in world history.
How Strong Is Russia?
Putin’s actions make his objectives clear, but more is involved. Russian ISIS members could cause problems if they return to Russia. But so far, they are still attacking the moderate groups the U.S. has been supporting. A proxy war is developing. Putin still dreams of resurrecting the power of the Soviet Union, but he seems to have forgotten the lessons of the past and the current dilemmas Russia faces
How Does the First Russian Airstrike in Syria Change the Dynamic?
Russia has launched its first airstrike in Syria, not in ISIS-controlled territory, but in Homs in western Syria. It’s very disturbing, but what does it mean? The potential for miscommunication and mistakes is huge. Russia appears to be establishing a military base and possibly a lasting military presence in Syria. What are our options?
What Is Russia Doing in Syria?
New developments are further complicating the situation in Syria. Cooperation between Russia, Iran, and the Assad regime against ISIS presents serious dangers. Russia is reasserting it’s long-term interests in Syria that go all the way back to Czarist days. The step-up of Russian military assets changes the dynamic. What if they DO destroy ISIS? What then? What’s the endgame? What’s our role?