Seventy percent of Americans oppose sending U.S. weapons to Syrian rebels, including 74% of independents, 71% of Republicans and 66% of Democrats. [1] Key Members of Congress agree: the House and Senate intelligence committees have blocked an Administration plan to arm the Syrian rebels as a “covert action.” [2] Now, Vermont Democrat Peter Welch and…
The U.S. Constitution and the War Powers Resolution insist that absent an armed attack on the United States, Congress shall decide when to authorize the use of U.S. military force. But apparently the Obama Administration has different ideas. The Administration has announced that the U.S. will arm rebels in Syria and is considering a “no…
Usually when we write to you, it’s the U.S. government that is blocking chances for diplomacy to prevent, contain, reduce and end violent conflict. But this time it’s different. This time, it’s the French who appear to be standing in the way of peace! The U.S. and Russia have agreed to host a peace conference…
We learned in the run-up to the Iraq war that the New York Times has tremendous power to establish “truth” in the United States—and when the Times wields that power irresponsibly, the results can be catastrophic. Last week, the media watchdog Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting documented a lack of skepticism in New York Times…
It’s breathtaking, isn’t it? After twelve years of war in which justifications for war proved to be lies and claims of easy victory proved false, while the Afghanistan war drags on and Washington cuts Head Start, Meals on Wheels, and cancer clinics, and threatens to cut Social Security and veterans’ benefits, elite media are once…
Republican Senators like Lindsey Graham and John McCain are demanding that the Obama Administration get the U.S. involved militarily in Syria’s sectarian civil war. [1] But after the experience of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, President Obama and U.S. military leaders are right to be wary of these calls. And if we don’t have enough…