Foreign Policy ~ National Gazette

Selling the Iraq War under false pretenses

by Dan Croak

Dick Cheney sums up in 80 seconds exactly what resulted from our military actions in 2003-2007. If the administration knew this was going to happen, at the very least how could they betray the trust of the public by not giving us a fair opportunity to weigh the true costs?

Articles

Keep Them Fearful

by Anna O'Leary

05.01.07 | Jon Stewart analyzes American politicians in a serious interview with Bill Moyers.

Mike Gravel, Fiery Unknown

by Dan Croak

05.01.07 | The only Democratic candidate to receive much media attention after the South Carolina debates was former Senator Mike Gravel. In this video, he talks about political courage and excoriates current Senators and Congressmen, particularly Harry Reid for not doing enough to end the war in Iraq.

Criminalising the consumer

by Dan Croak

04.30.07 | It is trivial to download music and videos from iTunes and then transfer it to your iPod. Digital Rights Management is easy to manuever around and ineffective. How will copyright owners protect their intellectual property in coming years now that DRM has been proven to be more a hindrance than a help?

Saudi Terror Attacks Foiled

by Anna O'Leary

04.30.07 | The Saudi Arabian authorities have announced the arrest of 172 people accused of plotting to attack a range of targets in the kingdom, including oil facilities and military bases inside and outside Saudi Arabia. The latest swoop against presumed al-Qaida-affiliated militants comes just over a year after an attempt to blow up the Abqaiq crude processing facility, which supplies almost 10% of the world's oil, was foiled on February 24th 2006.

Israel's Failed War in Lebanon

by Anna O'Leary

04.30.07 | The Winograd Commission - appointed by the Israeli government and led by a former Supreme Court judge - on Monday April 30th issued a report on the first five days of Israel’s war in south Lebanon last summer. It was sharply critical of prime minister Ehud Olmert and defence minister Amir Peretz, saying the Israeli leadership was a "failure" and "not ready for war."

Time to Double Down on Online Gambling

by Anna O'Leary

04.30.07 | If market expectations are any guide, the United States will likely end up allowing its citizens to gamble online. In the hours after a recent WTO ruling was announced, stocks in online gaming companies lifted. Investors clearly see the writing on the wall, even if the U.S. government does not.

China's New Economic Model

by Anna O'Leary

04.29.07 | As China invests more of its vast savings in a myriad of domestic projects, the economics of relationships with other countries will begin to change. There will be less calls of "unfair competition" and positive effects on prices and incentives, for economics is really a positive-sum game.

Africa's Horn Ready to Blow

by Anna O'Leary

04.29.07 | Africa's most volatile region appears to be coming apart at the seams. New outbreaks of violence in Somalia and Ethiopia raise fears of a wider war and create a perfect haven for terrorist groups.

Farm Subsidies: The Dirty Truth

by Dan Croak

04.27.07 | Economists regularly argue against the heavy subsidies given to American farmers. However, the American public support the subsidies by a wide margin.

Sweden's Balancing Lessons for Europe

by Anna O'Leary

04.27.07 | Sweden's government employs a unique mix of social protections for its citizens and Western-style economic liberalization. The MicKinsey Global Institute examines Sweden in comparison to neighbors such as Denmark.

British guns

by Anna O'Leary

04.27.07 | Britain's gun laws are believed to be effective in curbing gun violence. The evidence, however, does not support the claim.

It's not the uninsured, Stupid

by Dan Croak

04.27.07 | Today marks the beginning of Cover the Uninsured Week. Funded by a conglomeration of unions corporations and foundations the goal of this campaign is to provide health insurance to all of the estimated 47 million Americans who lack it.

Iranian assimilation in Beverly Hills

by Ben Spaulding

03.14.07 | Amidst America's great debate regarding immigration, long-time Americans cry out for immigrants to assimilate and to be part of society. However, in Beverly Hills there is a fascinating situation where legal immigrants from Iran have been members of society for years. Yet some "Americans" seem to be afraid of this "foreign force."

From Venezuela, With Love

by Dean Howarth

03.14.07 | There is a new successor to Fidel Castro and Communist ideals. His name is Hugo Chavez and his role in Latin America is growing due to a combination of factors. Dean Howarth explores Venezuela's oil leverage, Chavez' close relations with Bolivia, Cuba, and Iran, and his willingness to exercise eminent domain over American companies' property.

Grey Tuesday in America

by Dean Howarth

03.05.07 | On February 27th, world economic markets took their biggest losses in recent memory. Trying to unravel the causes is like trying to un-do the Gordian knot, but Dean Howarth breaks it down. He may not be Alexander the Great, but his analysis cuts as cleanly as the ancient Greek commander's sword.

Help NOT required

by Charlotte Blackman

02.28.07 | 160,000 households in England are legally homeless. Why? The break up of a relationship, the loss of a job, an addiction, the death of a partner, an accident, mental illness. A little understanding is crucial when you hear how ostracized homeless individuals feel.

Iraq War De-Escalation Act of 2007

by Dan Croak

02.06.07 | Last week, Senator Barack Obama introduced binding legislation reversing President Bush's plan for a "surge" of US troops in Iraq. The Democratic leadership in Congress has so far ignored this legislation, instead focusing on yet another nonbinding resolution. Meanwhile, the press has been virtually absent on coverage of this legislation, which would bring home every U.S. soldier in Iraq.

Unity in a Freethinking Society

by Greg Croak

11.09.06 | Is it possible to have a united society while still encouraging free thought?

The Mood of the Majority

by Greg Croak

11.09.06 | Americans have always hoped that America was "a city on a hill." But it seems now, in some ways, that we don't really have an American identity. We are always changing and can't stick to our guns.

Transforming the Power Grid into the Electranet

by Dan Croak

05.01.07 | Already half a million Americans are without power for at least two hours each day, and experts warn that unless the United States makes changes to its electrical grid, more and more Americans could be left in the dark.

Rent Extraction

by Dan Croak

04.28.07 | Politicians often introduce legislation designed to scare wealthy industries into contributing to their campaigns. The process is called "rent extraction" and the bills introduced are alternatively called "milkers," "fetchers," or "cash cows."

The Reform of Health Care

by Dan Croak

04.28.07 | The early Presidential campaigning season is replete with complaints, discussions, and proposals concerning the health care system, widely regarded as broken. It is true that health costs are rising faster than the inflation rate. But rising costs, even of "essential" products and services, such as food, health care, and national defense, do not necessarily demonstrate the existence of a problem.

Western Europe Fears Wave of Immigrants After Addition of Two New EU States

by Jack Parsons

01.04.07 | With the New Year two more nations, Bulgaria and Romania, were inducted into the European Union, bringing the total membership up to 27 countries. Fears of a new influx of Eastern Europeans heading into the West seeking work on 1st January proved irrational.

Fallout of Spy's Death Proves Radiation Poisoning

by Jack Parsons

11.28.06 | The substance that killed Alexander Litvinenko, the KGB defector who frequently spoke out against the Russian secret service and president, has been identified as polonium-210, a highly radioactive chemical. The British Government and Scotland Yard have held emergency meetings, sealed off five locations across London and carried out medical tests on several individuals for fear others may be harmed by traces of the poison. However, the spy’s mysterious death has yet to be solved.

Russian Defector Dies

by Jack Parsons

11.25.06 | The former KGB spy who was posioned last week has died in a London hospital - his cause of death still unknown.

Russian Ex-Spy Poisoned In London

by Jack Parsons

11.20.06 | A Russian spy, who defected to Britain in 2000, claims he has been poisoned by his former Government and lies critically ill in a hospital bed.