Author Archives: Harry Katz

“A nightmare with no end in sight”

That’s how retired Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez described the war in Iraq in a speech on October 12, 2007 to luncheon of military reporters and editors.   It’s a veritable machine-gunning of American leadership and policy.  Some of the more pity quotes: … Continue reading

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Book Review: To the Castle and Back

In December 1989, when the Communist government was driven from power in Czechoslovakia, the crowds demonstrating in the squares of Prague chanted “Havel na Hrad!” or “Havel to the Castle!” They were calling for the playwright turned dissident Václav Havel … Continue reading

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We’re all Zapruders now

This article from the International Herald Tribune casts an interesting light on the recent protests in Burma.  (I’m going to use the old name of the country since the new name, Myanmar, was imposed by the military junta.)  The article notes … Continue reading

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Protests Grow in Myanmar

  Photo: Reuters This report in the New York Times and elsewhere talks of growing protests led by Buddhist monks against Myanmar’s military regime.  Yesterday the protestors were greeted by Aung Ssn Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Prize winner and leader … Continue reading

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“Sir, I don’t know, actually.”

Listening to and reading about General David Petraeus’ report to Congress this week has been completely depressing. When asked by Senator John Warner (R.-Va) if his strategy in Iraq was making America safer, Petraeus responded, "Sir, I don’t know, actually. I’ve not … Continue reading

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Sunday NYT: Challenging the Generals

Looks like others are picking up on the theme started by Lt. Col. Paul Yingling in his article A failure in generalship, published in the Armed Forces Journal.  (My previous post on this here.) Paul Kaplan’s article Challenging the Generals … Continue reading

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Economist: Martyrs or traitors

The June 21 leader from the Economist magazine echoes some of the points I made last week (I’m making no claims for originality of insight).  "…Western policy is in danger of strengthening the wrong side by making the Islamists look … Continue reading

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Hamas feared US-sponsored coup?

Over at the Guardian, Jonathan Steele claims that Hamas’s seizure of control of the Gaza Strip was aimed a pre-empting a Fatah-led, US-sponsored coup against it.   Steele presents Hamas as a victim of sinister US, Israeli and Fatah plotting all stemming … Continue reading

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NYT: Brothers to the Bitter End

Further to my previous post, Fouad Ajami writes a dirge for the Palestinians in the New York Times.  "The Palestinian ruin was a long time in coming. No other national movement has had the indulgence granted the Palestinians over the last … Continue reading

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WSJ: Fatah isn’t the answer

This commentary by Michael Oren in the Wall Street Journal summed up my thoughts pretty neatly.  Following the military takeover of the Gaza Strip by Hamas, there seems to be a headlong rush on the part of the US, Israel and … Continue reading

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