Limited Strikes, Limited Utility, Unlimited Fallout

We’re almost certainly going to launch punitive strikes against Syria. They’ll almost certainly be ineffective.

United States Knew Saddam Was Using Chemical Weapons Against Iran

United States helped Saddam Hussein launch some of the worst chemical attacks in history against Iran.

Of Course You Realize This Means War

John Kerry’s speech was the crossing of the Rubicon for US military action in Syria.

President Gerald Ford Testifies on Squeaky Fromme Assassination Attempt

The Sacramento Bee has released this remarkable video of President Gerald Ford testifying about the assassination attempt by Lynnette “Squeaky” Fromme.

Monkey Cage Moving to Washington Post

The award-winning political science group blog The Monkey Cage is moving under the masthead of the Washington Post:

Starting at Command and Staff College

Today will be my first day at Marine Command and Staff College.

Syria Intervention Looks Inevitable

Western military action in the Syrian civil war now appears likely.

OTB Caption Contest

Time for the Monday OTB Caption ContestTM

VA Gave Bonuses For Shoddy Claim Processing

The VA created an incentive system that rewarded fast, half-assed claim processing that denied complicated requests.

Justice Ginsburg Has No Plans To Retire Anytime Soon

Once, against Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg makes it clear she isn’t going anywhere.

A Qualified Yes to a Constitutional Convention

Some thoughts on reform.

Don’t Support the Troops?

Virginia Tech English prof Steven Salaita implores us to “Stop saying ‘support the troops.'”

Whoever Wins, America Loses

In both Egypt and Syria, it’s damned if we do and damned if we don’t.

Reduction Of Legal DUI Limit To .05 Looks Unlikely

Don’t expect the Federal Government to push for DUI reform.

Court Holds That Wedding Photographer Cannot Refuse Service To Gay Couples

A case out of New Mexico presents an interesting collision of First Amendment rights and anti-discrimination values.

Syria: What Now?

As President Obama’s red line has been crossed more brazenly, he continues to sound reluctant to intervene in Syria while positioning forces to do just that.

Fukishima ‘Much Worse’ Than We Thought

Everyone knew the Fukushima disaster was bad. We likely underestimated how bad.

Obama’s Failed Middle East Strategy

Walter Russell Mead explains why a well intentioned, carefully crafted and consistently pursued grand strategy failed.

Federal Government Sues Over Texas Voter ID Law

Reports of the death of the Voting Rights Act have been greatly exaggerated.

Court Approves NSA Interception of American Communications

Courts gave the NSA broad powers to intercept overseas communications of Americans . . . 30 years ago.

Joyner and Foust on Manning and Other Stuff

Joshua Foust and I discuss Chelsea Manning and other issues for BloggingHeadsTV.

Just Say No To A Constitutional Convention

Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn is the latest conservative to endorse the foolish idea of a Constitutional Convention.

Chelsea Manning and the Law

Bradley Manning’s announcement that she wishes to begin living life as a woman poses some interesting legal questions.

Yemen Wants Its Own Drones

A headline I never thought I’d see: “Yemen Asks U.S. For Drones To Fight Al Qaeda”

Bradley Manning Wants to Live as a Female Prisoner

Convicted felon Bradley Manning has announced that she’d like to spend her confinement as Chelsea Manning.

Army and Navy Cutting Generals and Admirals Ever So Slightly

The Army and Navy are finally doing something about brass bloat.

West Point Casualties in Post-9/11 Conflicts Historically High

West Point graduates account for nearly one in fifty deaths in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

‘Dueling Banjos’ on One Guitar

Mark Kroos plays both parts of “Dueling Banjos” on a double necked guitar

Of Realpolitik and Red Lines

The Syrian regime may have used chemical weapons again, this time in an even larger and more deadly attack.

Bradley Manning Sentenced to 35 Years

Bradley Manning will be spending a long time at Leavenworth.

Air Force Can’t Find Drone Pilot Volunteers

The Air Force can’t find enough people to volunteer to fly remote controlled planes.