Reprinted from Bracing Views with the author’s permission. Many wise people have noted this. Early in the 19th century, Alexis de Tocqueville wrote in Democracy in America that war is “the surest and shortest means” to “destroy the liberties of a democratic nation.”...
Reprinted from Trita Parsi’s Substack: Over the past few weeks, META’s censorship of my account has reduced my Reel Views by 68%, regular views by 27%, followers by 52%, and engagement by 21%. I am by no means the greatest victim of META censorship, but I am in a...
There are plenty of dramatic examples of mighty nations — even empires — accepting defeat and actually finding longterm strategic success in loss. Japan in 1945. Nixon going to China amid U.S. failure in the Vietnam War. President Trump is approaching that very moment...
Reprinted from John's Substack: On 23 June 2026, I was on “Judging Freedom” talking with the Judge about: the ongoing negotiations to end the Iran war; President Trump’s antics, which certainly do not facilitate the negotiating process; and Israel’s foolish and...
Matt Kroenig has wanted the U.S. to attack Iran for more than a decade. Now that he got the war he wanted and it failed, he is reduced to arguing this: To be sure, the United States did not register a knockout punch against the Islamic Republic, but to continue the...
That title of mine is certainly repetitive of me (me, me), but how can you not be repetitive in the distinctly repeated world of Donald J. Trump (Trumped, Trumped)? I mean, twice already and who really knows what’s to come? Here’s the question nobody seems to be...
Reprinted from Bracing Views with the author’s permission. An argument the Trump administration is using to justify massive increases in war spending is that the U.S. military is short on munitions. What a surprise! After the Iran War, attacks on Yemen and Somalia,...
Rome ruled mankind, but it was also its cesspool and its seeping ulcer. It reeked of death and corpses. Death’s shadow lay over its decomposing life... All that passed for life in this capital of the earth seemed suddenly like some kind of mad processional for...
Reprinted from Trita Parsi's Substack: Tom Switzer had John J. Mearsheimer and me on his podcast earlier this evening to discuss the latest in the US-Iran talks. John and I agree that the structure of the situation leaves neither side with any choice but to seek a...
Reprinted from Bracing Views with the author’s permission. I love getting The New York Times daily summary of the news. It makes for great hilarity. Here’s today’s example: Top News Lebanon Emerges as Weak Link in U.S.-Iran Deal to End War The conflict between Israel...
