THE SOVIET SAUDI UNION

The critical insight about the Soviet Union that led to its downfall was — as I explained in countless “Reagan Doctrine” briefings during the 1980s — that the Soviet Union didn’t simply possess an imperialist empire of colonies beyond its borders: it was itself a colonial empire within its borders.

The Soviet Union was composed of nations and peoples — Latvians, Lithuanians, Estonians, Ukrainians, Georgians, Azeris, Uzbeks and others — that were free and independent before Soviet Russians colonized them, and would be so again if they had the chance.

Thus the ultimate goal of the Reagan Doctrine was not (more…)

It’s Not About Immigration and It’s Not About Jobs

Well, if Bush’s immigration reform proposal isn’t about either, then what is it about? Special interest politics, of course. Please pardon the redundancy — for all politics in the US today is about special interests.

This fact may be an ineluctable flaw inherent in mature democracies, due to what economists call “marginal disutility.” A smaller group of people with a large incentive will be far more politically motivated and thus pandered to by politicians than a larger group of people with a small incentive.

This is what makes government subsidies almost impossible to get rid of. The folks who get (more…)

Black Sea-American Lake

The Greeks called it the Euxine Sea. Jason and the Argonauts sailed across it to steal the Golden Fleece from the King of Colchis. The great city of Byzantium was built at its entrance, which became Constantinople, which became Istanbul.

The 20th Century didn’t hear much about the Black Sea because, except for its southern Turkish shore, it was a Soviet lake. Early in the 21st Century, however, to the chagrin of the Russians and the joy of non-Russians who populate its shores, George Bush is transforming the Black Sea into an American Lake.

Along the western shore lies Bulgaria, (more…)

THE ALLAH THAT FAILED

Let’s say there’s this fellow named Moe. He makes a living as a highway bandit robbing travelers. Any victim who gives him any trouble he kills. Moe has a special hatred for Jews. “Kill Jews wherever you find them,” he tells the members of his gang.

At age fifty, Moe tells his best friend that he fallen in love with his daughter and wants to marry her. She is six years old. They are “married” and Moe starts having sex with the little girl when she is nine years old.

Moe tells his gang that God talks to him. As (more…)

Whatever Happened to Never Again?

It wasn’t that long ago that a good many European Jews swore an oath: Never Again. Never Again will Nazi-like anti-Semitism be tolerated. Never Again will Jews be meekly herded down a path that leads to Zyklon-B showers.

So in response to the explosion of anti-Semitism in France, what is the advice of France’s chief rabbi, Joseph Sitruk? Replace yarmulkes with baseball caps.

“I ask young Jews to be alert, to avoid walking alone, to avoid wearing the yarmulke in the street or in the subway and consequently becoming targets for potential assailants,” Rabbi Sitruk cautions. “I ask them (more…)

THE INTELLECTUAL’S CURSE

None of all the momentous events that occurred in 2003 — the recovery of the US economy, the invasion of Iraq and military overthrow of Saddam’s regime, the capture of Saddam, the capitulation of Libya’s Kaddafi, you name it — was the most important. The single most important event of 2003 is the one that didn’t occur: there was not one single successful terrorist attack in the United States.

This is the single greatest achievement of the year — and note the identifier achievement. This is not a lucky accident — although luck and chance played a role as in (more…)

TO YOUR HEALTH

The older you get, the more staying in shape is like being the Red Queen of Wonderland: You have keep running faster and faster to stay in the same place.

I want to wish you all a healthy and strong 2004. I can’t tell you how to achieve this, however, because I’m not you and we all have our individual differences and preferences. What I could do is tell you what works for me. This means I don’t have to insert any boilerplate blather about “consult your physician before doing any of this stuff.” You get to make up your (more…)

The First Day of Christmas

Merry Christmas! Wait — that was yesterday, wasn’t it? Nevertheless, today, December 26, is the First Day of Christmas. Ancient Christians celebrated “The Holidays,” as our militant secularists insist on referring to them now, starting with the day after the birth of Jesus and ending on January 6th, the visit of the Magi in Matthew 2:11 known as the Epiphany. Start with 12/26 and end with 1/6 and you get: the Twelve Days of Christmas.

You may be really tired of hearing Christmas songs by now, including this one, yet you may still be wondering what the heck partridges in (more…)