Recovering Iraq from ISIS presents a number of interesting military and political problems.

First problem: most of the towns along the Tigris (and highway 1)are “contested,” but how well contested? On paper, Iraq’s national army has air power and vastly greater numbers, but getting those greater numbers to the fight, past the uncontested ( Read more... )

A quick look at the ( GOP field. )

There seem to be a lot of voices in this country clamoring for their government to do something about the spate of mass violence, mainly against strangers, that has made so many headlines this year. There also seem to be a nearly-equal number of voices calling for government to do nothing or even less than it is already doing, and for people to be ( Read more... )

We know that democracy is subject to( discontent and incoherence... )

Last week, we were treated to a marvel of pageantry, bombast, and good old American flim-flammery...right up until the end, anyway, when it careered between whimsical wishful-thinking and acute psychotic break. (And that was the nominee ( Read more... )

With Gingrich out, his managers have to somehow make Mitt Romney seem interesting for three months.

The more I look at 'Stand Your Ground,' the more I think the buffoons that thought it sounded like a good idea must be anarchists. I say buffoons, because brainless dickbag chucklefucks would be overly prejudicial against their obvious lack of cerebral function ( Read more... )

Let's grant that, and begin.

It is also the art of creating relationships( ... )

Or any other state, for that matter ( Read more... )

Let's assume for a moment that Newt Gingrich, egomaniacal old queen, will suddenly come down with a case of the Humbles and gracefully bow out of his campaign for more money and handjobs (he won't ( Read more... )