At this moment it is hard to locate the limit of what either of the two main political parties in the U.S. will do to avoid losing.
PATRICK LAWRENCE: Portents of Chaos
Tag: James Mattis
Pentagon Tried to Recruit Vietnam as Ally Against China
Trump’s Pernicious Military Legacy
Michael Klare says it’s impossible to overstate the significance of the Pentagon’s shift in posture during the term of the outgoing president.
The Impossible Dream
The former national security adviser reveals a national goal that is simple and blunt: American dominance of the world, writes Michael Brenner.
BOUNTYGATE: Scapegoating Systemic Military Failure in Afghanistan
The story of the alleged “bounty scheme” grew up in the context of top U.S. brass blaming Russia for America’s defeat in Afghanistan, says Scott Ritter.
UPRISING: Hundreds of Thousands March in US for Racial Justice and Police Reform, While Tense Days Lie Ahead; Protests Lead to Minneapolis Vow to Abolish its Police Force
UPDATE: If they are sustained, the protests can lead toward more repression, or genuine reform, such as Minneapolis pledging to dismantle its police force on Sunday, writes Joe Lauria.
PEPE ESCOBAR: Empire of Chaos in Hybrid War Overdrive
The Trump administration’s foreign policy may be easily deconstructed as a crossover between The Sopranos and late-night comedy, writes Pepe Escobar.
COMMENTARY: Send the Mad Dog to the Corporate Kennel
“Mad Dog” Mattis was famous for quipping, “It’s fun to shoot some people.” It remains a supreme irony that Mattis was widely considered the only “adult in the room” in the Trump administration, argues Ray McGovern.
Don’t Hold Your Breath on US Troop Withdrawal from Syria
It would be nice to think the president has final say on foreign policy, given the U.S. Constitution. But the misleading troop withdrawal announcement, followed by Trump’s boastful tweet, suggests the exact opposite, says Patrick Lawrence.
Seven Days in September
A new book, an anonymous Op-Ed and an Obama speech in the first seven days of September appeared to reveal dangerous insider moves against a dangerous, but constitutionally elected president, writes Joe Lauria.