Work of Necessity, Work of Choice

At age 11, Saabir Gulmadin began chopping wood to support his family. Now 18, he earns about $1.50 US (120 Afghanis) for every 56 kg of wood he splits. It takes him 2 to 3 hours. "Is the work hard on your body?" I ask. "Ohhh, yes," he says, without...

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William J. Astore on Wars, Secrecy, and Lies

You know an American war is going poorly when the lies come swiftly, as with the Afghan War, or when it’s hidden under a cloak of secrecy, which is also increasingly true of the Afghan War.This is nothing new, of course. Perhaps the best book I read in 2019 is...

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The 21st Century of War

As the second decade of the 21st Century comes to a close, and the corporate press is doing everything in its vast power to keep people’s attention on impeachment, it is easy to overlook that the last 20 years should only be defined by one subject; war. Since shortly...

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A Christmas Tale: Death of a Suitcase

Ralph died on an escalator in a foreign airport on Christmas Eve. I called my black, carry-on suitcase "Ralph" because he was almost like family. Ralph was 30 years old in suitcase years. His zipper had broken, and I managed to fall onto his pull-up handle...

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