It’s easy to confuse the cast of nations. A good starting point is to sort out the Sunni – Shia split, though the mix of minorities in these nations makes the picture more complicated. This five-minute audio also explains some of the distinctives of Shia faith.
I hear a lot of complaints about the dysfunction of our current political system and make a few of them myself, but there is hope. When the best of the right and the best of the left can be combined in a way that makes sense, we can make progress The best historical example of this is the Tennessee Valley Authority. It took political leadership and a blending of ideas, but the impact was enormous, and the TVA still works today. The issue of poverty in America demands this sort of cooperation and creative thinking. It’s possible!
Are there historical precedents for the phenomenal success of Donald Trump’s preidential campaign. Looking at how Trump resonates with so many people brings to mind Huey Long’s political dynasty in the 1930’s. He was able to gain a great deal picturing himself as an outsider who understands the common man. He made very appealing promises to gain support and was willing to say just about anything to gain and hold power. FDR thought Huey Long could defeat him. We’ve been here before.
I always begin my public presentations with the sort of joke I think is funny. Here’s the sort of things my audiences put up with. They expect it.
Iran is dealing with serious external problems. ISIS despises the Shia. This makes the U.S. and Israel seem less evil to Iran’s leadership. They also have to deal with Turkey and other actors. Iran’s interests are not the same as Russia’s even though they both support Assad. But more of the transition is taking place internally, particularly the demographics and rights of women. There is pent up demand for products and services Iran cannot provide for its citizens. McDonalds in Tehran?
Where is ISIS coming from? ISIS’ apocalyptic vision will not go away just by defeating ISIS militarily. ISIS would welcome a ground war that would fit their idea of a grand battle between good and evil. ISIS’ warped vision is very attracted to the disaffected and alienated. If we defeat ISIS militarily, who will occupy that territory?
The Iraqi armed forces have retaken Ramadi. The American strategy of training and use of special forces is paying off. The real question is whether Iraq can hold on to Ramadi. Most of the Sunni Anbar Province is still under Sunni control. Still, this is a significant tactical victory, but whether it is a strategic victory remains to be seen. For the long term, developing a power sharing agreement is a critical need.
Collisions between Russia and Turkey in Syria have longstanding historical precedents. Irdogan’s ambition includes rebuilding the old Ottoman empire. Shooting down the Russian warplane overlooked the fact that Putin cannot be intimidated. The conflict between Russia and Turkey is likely to escalate with further sanctions. This is essentially the Czar and the Sultan with a centuries-old history of conflict. This isn’t going away anytime soon.
I wrote an article in 2009 that I’m republishing now. Unfortunately, not much has changed.
Our system of refugee resettlement is vastly different from Europe’s and very difficult for refugees to navigate. This video explains how the U.S. refugee resettlement process works. It would be the least likely way that a terrorist would be able to come here. Our greatest terrorist threat in the U.S. remains the lone wolf domestic terrorist.