There are few people in this world who would defend Gaddafi as a sane and viable leader of Libya; but I think there would be even less that would see the logic in the U.S selling guns to someone as psychotic as him and then parading about as world police.

It's the equivalent of a sheriff giving an outlaw a six-shooter and then acting surprised when he starts popping off the town folk. 

The second one U.S plane gets shot down by one U.S surface-to-air missile, all the military big wigs should get together and make a decision once and for all - "we have to stop shooting at tyrants we've given guns to".

What do you think about Libya? What do you think about the obvious contradictions in U.S foreign policy and how do you think they should be addressed? Tell us and remember...Disqus!  . . read more

Since the days of Alexander the Great, binge drinking has been a very popular past time - leading to him apparently killing a friend and burning down Persepolis while drunk.

Those are some Great shoes to fill.

Yet, governments, schools and the media have repeatedly tried to teach us of binge drinking's dangers. 

Dartmouth University has taken the lead, instigating a new nationwide policy to curb heavy drinking by their students.

Pour me another glass.

Binge drinking is defined as "the consumption of five or more drinks in a row by men — or four or more drinks in a row by women — at least once in the previous 2 weeks. Heavy binge drinking includes three or more such episodes in 2 weeks."

Seems I don't know anyone who isn't a heavy binge drinker.

Do you think this definition should be changed or should we change people's attitudes? Or should you follow HPD's no fools guide to drinking a lot but not dying?  . . read more

What do you think about her thoughts? Should the West be fighting such a war? Tell us and remember...Disqus!   . . read more

As well as having the same stature as Napoleon, it turns out that Nicolas Sarkozy has the same grand ambitions of French global supremacy as that famous French dictator.

In recent days Sarkozy has been the first head of state to recognise the Libyan rebels as the official government of Libya and now France has been the first state to bomb Gaddafi.

If we see Nicolas riding on a camel along the Nile with some Egyptian artefacts under arm we'll know that his transition to Napoleon is complete; pity no-one will tell him that France is almost completely irrelevant to world affairs.  

Are you from le grande nation of Europe? Are you finding Sarkozy's new found assertiveness hilarious? Tell us....and remember Disqus!

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U.S Legitimacy has long been on the wane; whether it's been CIA organised coups, backing Middle-East dictators or fighting fake wars - who seriously wants to sit on Uncle Sam's lap?

Believe it or not, the stocks have slipped even lower.

Today it's been announced that Raymond Davis; a CIA contractor in Pakistan accused of murder, has been released after the U.S paid $2million for his freedom.

It's also been announced that they've been flying drones over Mexican airspace to search for leading lights in the drug cartels. 

The complete disregard for sovereignty, justice and life makes me wonder whether the U.S looks out at the world says "these rights aren't for them, they're exclusively for US". 

What do you think about the behaivour of the U.S? Do they have any legitimacy in world affairs or are they just a self-centered joke?

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Russia is back, proud and reassertive, and not about to roll over for America. Especially in Eurasia. For Washington, it's back to the future, the new Cold War, and reinventing the Evil Empire, but this time for greater stakes and with much larger threats to world peace. Conservatives lost their influence. Neocons are weakened but still dominant. The Israeli Lobby and Christian Right drive them. Conflict is preferred over diplomacy, and most Democrats go along to look tough on "terrorism"...

Not a major media hint that Georgia is a U.S. vassal state. That its military is an extension of the Pentagon. That its aggression was manufactured in Washington. That it's well-supplied and trained by America and Israel. That pipeline geopolitics is central. Beating up on Russia as well. Diverting Moscow from any planned intervention against Iran. Even enlisting Russia's cooperation - not to sell Iran sophisticated S-300 air defense missile systems and agreeing to tougher sanctions in return for perhaps Washington deferring on Georgian and Ukrainian NATO admission and recognizing S. Ossetian and Abkhazian independence. Perhaps more as well to put off greater confrontation for later under a new administration.

Clearly, however, the fuse is lit. It has been for some time. It relates to everything strategic about this vital area with its immense energy and other resources as well neutralizing Russia's power as America's top rival and key Eurasian competitor. [More] . . read more

I am confident that if Americans elect John McCain, or the Republicans steal another presidential election, there will be nuclear war in the second decade of the 21st century. The neocon lies, propaganda, macho flag-waving, and use of U.S. foreign policy in the interests of a few military-security firms, oil companies, and Israel are all leading in that direction.

The November election is perhaps the last chance to avoid nuclear war. But the opportunity might already have been missed. The Republicans have chosen as their candidate one of the most ignorant warmongers alive. The Democrats’ choice was between one of the most divisive women in America and a man of mixed race with a funny name. Considering American’s taste for war, the Democratic candidate could fail to defeat the GOP war candidate. [More]

Paul Craig Roberts was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury in the Reagan administration. . . read more

So Israel is going to continue its settlements, having not reached an agreement but “even more hopeful” of one in the future, and the world is again left thinking when is it going to end.

But I want to take the ideas of hope, emotion and aspiration out of it. Let’s remove the human element and let’s talk like rationalist capitalist players.

Mr. Abbas, Mr. Netanyahu and whomever America has sent over this time - you fly halfway across the world, eat, drink, talk, live in expensive hotels and then go back home without a settlement?

That’s called bad business.

You’ve been doing it for years and your shareholders are not amused.

Stop wasting the money of the Israeli, American and the (kind of) Palestinian people.

When people pay for your road-trip, they expect results. If you want it, make it happen.

If you don’t, just say so.

Either way, do what we want and stop wasting our money.  . . read more

During the first half of the Cold War, Taiwan (or the Republic of China) was a symbol of resistance to Communism.

Now it exists as one of many states- separate but not too separate from China- that will rely on outside support for its defence and independence.

Yet, for foreign policy experts the test in relations has existed since Nixon's detente with China, and the more recent honeymoon in Sino-US relations. The problem has come from trying to balance US desires to support a 'free' people in Taiwan and being pragmatic to not offend a vital trading partner in China.

Today, as in forever, China is huffing and puffing with anger as the US sells weapons to what they can consider a dangerous domestic separatist movement- breaking the sacred bounds of state sovereignty.

For us though the next few months will be a fantastic study of realpolitik, how far China's political tentacles spread and how much they are willing to use them to strange the US into submission.   . . read more

Is it really worth the effort?

Yesterday's announcement that U.S. forces will move out of Afghanistan's Korengal Valley (otherwise known as the valley of death) to focus on stabilising metropolitan areas answers these questions with a resounding no.

The terrible price in blood achieved nothing for no-one, and now two countries and their countrymen will be forever linked in knowing that this blindness and wastefulness is but one example where Operation Enduring Freedom should never have been endured.   . . read more