Blog

My running commentary on events: local, national, and international. Areas of special interest include Israel, Iraq, and dissidents in the Muslim world.

Mithal al Alusi survives assassination attempt last night in Iraq

February 14, 2012

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February 14–Human rights advocate and former Iraqi Parliamentarian Mithal al Alusi contacted me by...

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Americans’ support for Israel is grassroots

February 6, 2012

Just came across this excellent piece, written about a month and a half ago by Elliot Abrams.

How disturbing, and how illogical, are recent words by none other than eminent mideast affairs columnist Thomas Friedman discrediting AIPAC and the...

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Congrats, Mitt, on another job well done

February 3, 2012

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Congrats to Mitt Romney, whose victory in Florida’s primary was hard earned. To me, it seems pretty clear that, for Republicans, Romney is the sensible choice. The man has been successful at virtually everything he has ever touched,...

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Some Jews still support Obama as Israel stares down nuclear threat

January 30, 2012

By some accounts, most American Jews are planning to vote for President Barack Obama in 2012. And Democrats seem to be mounting a massive public relations effort to shore up Jewish support in advance of the election.

In editorials, on blogs...

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Countering Iran should be top priority in deciding whom to elect president

January 22, 2012

Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported that President Obama, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, and other top US officials delivered a string of messages to Israeli leaders warning them of “dire consequences” if...

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How blessed we were – and are

January 16, 2012

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It’s become a cliche to say that our nation needs a unifier. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t true. On this Martin Luther King day, I’ve been thinking about Dr. King’s legacy as a unifier.

How easy it is, in this...

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Go Steelers! (and Tim Tebow)

January 8, 2012

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Today, the Pittsburgh Steelers face off against the Denver Broncos. And yes, I know Tebow plays for Denver.

Normally this is a political blog, and I was all set to write about the Republican candidates’ debate earlier tonight, when a...

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Why Iowa matters (though we’re not sure yet for whom it will matter most)

January 4, 2012

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With Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney neck-in-neck in the wee hours on Wednesday, looks like the Iowa caucus is up for grabs. At the moment, 18 votes separate these men. Can’t wait to see what’s being reported later this...

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U.S. headed for showdown with Iran? This commentator has another theory

December 30, 2011

On Wednesday, Iran’s navy chief said that the Islamic Republic could close the Strait of Hormuz, a shipping channel vital to transporting one third of the world’s crude oil, adding that doing so would be “very easy” for his...

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Alusi says, U.S.: “Don’t be the power to help Tariq al-Hashemi; speaks of precarious times for middle east Christians

December 25, 2011

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In the aftermath of the U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq and with upheaval in middle eastern nations from Egypt to Syria, Christians are more vulnerable than they have been for decades.

This Christmas Day I spoke with my source in Iraq,...

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