Peter Van Buren, who had a ‘catbird’ seat’ as a State Department leader of an FOB (forward operating base) during the Iraq war, shares his analysis of the torturous road American foreign policy took to finally hand over control of Iraq to Iran-friendly Shiite politicians. Along the way they succeeded in helping to create ISIS…
Peter Van Buren Peter is a 24 year veteran as a State Department diplomat and ended his service as leading an FOB ( forward operating base) during the Iraq war. The base was used to establish an American presence to spend millions on Iraqi community support. – Ed. In the longer view, the Iraq Wars…
Peter Van Buren Peter is a 24 year veteran as a State Department diplomat and ended his service as leading an FOB ( forward operating base) during the Iraq war. The base was used to establish an American presence to spend millions on Iraqi community support. – Ed. Going forward, Trump is unlikely to pull…
Matthew Hoh I did an interview with Scott Horton a couple of weeks back on Afghanistan and then the United States dropped the largest non-nuclear bomb ever to be used against life in the history of mankind a couple of days later. I know the district it was used in. I was close to Achin in…
Richard Silverstein Steve Bannon gave a speech to a Vatican conference sponsored by a right-wing Catholic organization. It’s eye-opening, not because we ever needed proof that Bannon was an alt-right extremist, but because it sets these disturbing views down clearly on the page for all to read. One of the things that strikes me is…
Beyoncé’s venerable lyric in the 50 Cent Thug Love classic may be about street toughs, but it applies well to our need for really good bad guys to focus our efforts in making the world safe for, er, American business. Let’s let Peter Van Buren explain… – Ed. Peter Van Buren There is a nasty…
by Peter Van Buren This article originally appeared on Peter Van Buren’s We Meant Well blog. -Ed. The next time a candidate or reporter asks during a debate about education or healthcare “But how are you going to pay for that?” I would like the person being questioned to respond “The same way we find…
b. traven It’s coming folks! This time it isn’t WMD but DAD (Dumb Ass Decisions). Having failed for close to 15 years to bring a stable government to Iraq we’re going to try again. This DAD announcement was released on Friday by the Pentagon probably in hopes it would be buried over the weekend. Why…
Peter Van Buren has exposed another authoritarian assault by the Administration on our freedom of expression. This time the victims are not adult whistleblowers who have been sent to prison more than all previous presidencies combined, but our children. Peter has found that they are now trying to enlist teachers in identifying speech by their…
b. traven Istanbul (AFP) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday expressed alarm over reports of a build-up of Russian troops in northern Syria near the Turkish border, saying such movements would not be tolerated. The devil is at work in our fumbling interventions in Syria-Iraq. Why is the Turkish Sunni president Erdogan so…
The Contrary Perspective 