The Disappointments of War in a World of Unintended Consequences

by Tom Engelhardt It may be hard to believe now, but in 1970 the protest song “War,” sung by Edwin Starr, hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. That was at the height of the Vietnam antiwar movement and… Continue Reading

Washington’s Twenty-First-Century Opium Wars

by Alfred W. McCoy After fighting the longest war in its history, the United States stands at the brink of defeat in Afghanistan. How can this be possible? How could the world’s sole superpower have battled continuously for 15 years,… Continue Reading

How to Avert Real Change in Election 2016

by Andrew Bacevich To judge by the early returns, the presidential race of 2016 is shaping up as the most disheartening in recent memory. Other than as a form of low entertainment, the speeches, debates, campaign events, and slick TV… Continue Reading

How to Succeed at Failing, Pentagon-Style

by Nick Turse There’s good news coming out of Iraq… again. The efforts of a 65-nation coalition and punishing U.S. airstrikes have helped local ground forces roll back gains by the Islamic State (IS). Government forces and Shiite militias, for… Continue Reading

Enduring Bases, Enduring War in the Middle East

by David Vine Amid the distractions of the holiday season, the New York Times revealed that the Obama administration is considering a Pentagon proposal to create a “new” and “enduring” system of military bases around the Middle East.  Though this… Continue Reading