The Ultimate Painting for Understanding Modern Jewish History
By Barry Rubin May 14, 2013
The painting below is Moritz Oppenheim’s “The Return of the Volunteer from the Wars of Liberation to His Family Still Living in Accordance with Old Customs.” It was the painting I wanted to have on the cover of my book, Assimilation and its Discontents, but was overruled by the publisher in favor of a post-modernist monstrosity. [Assimilation and [...]
As Benghazi Scandal Builds, Libya Falls Apart
By Barry Rubin May 13, 2013
Even as the Benghazi scandal is growing in the United States, the situation in Libya is deteriorating further. Ignoring the actual threat of revolutionary Islamist militias—and attributing problems to a video—plus the botching of the investigation of the attack—due to the cover-up–has also led to a mishandling of post-attack U.S. Libya policy. As a result, [...]
Trying to Figure Out Syria: An Interview
By Barry Rubin May 13, 2013
Here’s a program on the Canadian Broadcasting Company interviewing me about Syria and the extremely complicated situations and very difficult options facing intervention into that civil war. But I should add that this debate is largely academic. The United States and Europe aren’t going to intervene in Syria, at least not to do more than send more [...]
If You Think America Should Go to War in Syria You Haven’t Been Paying Attention
By Barry Rubin May 10, 2013
“You should be careful what you wish for, as the reasons for war get confused. One person can be very clear in their motives, but others can have different agendas.” –Dougray Scott I am amazed at the current U.S. debate over Syria. Those urging intervention may be driven by humanitarian good intentions, to end the fighting and [...]
Why the Benghazi Issue is Overwhelmingly Important
By Barry Rubin May 9, 2013
There is something terribly and tragically and importantly symbolic about the Benghazi attack that may be lost in the tidal wave of details about what happened on September 11, 2012, in an incident where four American officials were murdered in a terrorist attack. This point stands at the heart of everything that has happened in [...]
New Articles: Israel elections; Arab armies; China’s policy; Lebanon
By Barry Rubin May 9, 2013
The following articles from the GLORIA Center are now available on Scribed and now you can also embed them in your blog: CHINA’S STRATEGIC SHIFT TOWARD THE REGION OF THE FOUR SEAS: THE MIDDLE KINGDOM ARRIVES IN THE MIDDLE EAST THE RISE OF NATIONALISM AMONG IRANIAN AZERBAIJANIS: A STEP TOWARD IRAN’S DISINTEGRATION? ISRAELI-AZERBAIJANI ALLIANCE AND IRAN [...]
The Demise of the Anti-Israel Card
By Barry Rubin May 8, 2013
For decades in the Middle East the most reliable political tool often seemed to be the Israel card, the idea that by condemning Israel, blaming it for the Arab world’s problems, and claiming that those who were insufficiently militant on the issue were traitors. But the Israel card doesn’t work anymore, at least not in [...]
Obama’s Unprecedented Claim: America Equals Government
By Barry Rubin May 7, 2013
In his speech at Ohio State University, President Barack Obama used the word “together” four times. Yet each time he did so it was used to define collective endeavor as merely that of government. Thus, while trying to turn American history and even the Constitution into precedents for his goals and policies, Obama is actually reversing them, [...]
Syria: The Empire Strikes Back
By Barry Rubin May 6, 2013
“My opponent’s reasoning reminds me of the [man] who, being asked on what the world stood, replied, `On a tortoise.’ But on what does the tortoise stand? `On another tortoise….There are tortoises all the way down.” –Joseph Barker (1854) Given recent military gains for the Syrian regime, obituaries of dictator Bashar al-Assad have proved [...]
How the Palestinians Have Trapped Themselves and Dragged the West Along
By Barry Rubin May 5, 2013
“Everything reactionary is the same; if you don’t hit it, it won’t fall. This is also like sweeping the floor; as a rule, where the broom does not reach, the dust will not vanish of itself.” –Mao Zedong, The Little Red Book It is amazing how many massive revelations pass people by completely. Consider this [...]
