Should old acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind? Of course not. As a year ticks into its final hours, old acquaintances are front of mind, sometimes painfully so. It lends a certain melancholy sweetness to the whole ritual. We mark a milestone reached, but we also remember all that we have lost along […]
opinion
Posted inOp-Eds, sj-web
How Trump can make the Syria withdrawal work
President Donald Trump’s Dec. 23 tweet promising a “slow and highly coordinated” withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syria may ease the gnashing of teeth among officials and analysts in Washington, but it won’t end the criticism of his decision. That is precisely why the president should view the hullabaloo that erupted after he announced the […]
advertisement
Posted inOp-Eds, sj-web
Send captured IS fighters in Syria to Guantanamo
WASHINGTON — President Trump’s decision to withdraw all U.S. forces from Syria is already having unintended consequences. The U.S. departure could lead to the release of 1,100 Islamic State fighters now held in detention camps in northeastern Syria — creating a dangerous new terrorist threat to the West. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) — the […]
Posted inOp-Eds, sj-web
Bin Laden appears right on U.S. resolve
Osama bin Laden predicted it and his prophecy appears to be coming true. In his book, “The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11,” Lawrence Wright quotes bin Laden as saying: “Look at Vietnam, look at Lebanon. Whenever soldiers start coming home in body bags, Americans panic and retreat. Such a country needs only […]
Posted inOp-Eds, sj-web
Taking our security for granted amid chaos
Wander the twinkling streets of Manhattan in this holiday season and marvel. Not at the wondrous store windows, dressed-up partygoers and festive music out of every speaker. To those used to it, the spectacle repeats every December. The marvel this year is that the celebrating crowds, thicker than ever, are seemingly oblivious to the dangerous […]
Posted inOp-Eds, sj-web
The myth about American military invincibility
WASHINGTON — The most uncovered story in Washington these days is the loss of U.S. military power — a lesson particularly important in light of recent events: the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis; President Trump’s insane decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria; North Korea’s announcement that it will keep nuclear weapons after all; […]
Posted inOp-Eds, sj-web
The Grinch's message is all about heart
There’s no stopping the Grinch. The latest film adaptation of the Dr. Seuss classic has been cleaning up at the box office, despite justifiably mixed reviews. I’m not a Dr. Seuss fan. When it comes to children’s books, I’m more a Curious George or Peter Rabbit guy. I generally don’t like the doggerel or the […]
Posted inOp-Eds, sj-web
I was arrested for nunchucks. Now, justice.
When news broke last week that a federal judge had ruled a New York law banning possession of nunchucks unconstitutional, I felt vindicated. You see, as a teenager growing up in New York City in the 1980s, I was arrested and thrown in jail for illegal possession of nunchucks. Really. During high school, I got […]
Posted inOp-Eds, sj-web
Waging peace on Earth no easy task
In 2005, I showed up at Camp Lemonnier, the American military base in the East African nation of Djibouti. As I joked in a column published that year, Djibouti is one of Earth’s hard corners few people can pronounce and still fewer visit. Located on the Horn of Africa, Djibouti’s neighborhood is violent. Ethiopia, Eritrea […]
Posted inOp-Eds, sj-web
The self-destruction of U.S. farmers
Not long ago, agriculture was a crown jewel of America’s export economy. Then President Trump happened. He launched his “easy-to-win” trade wars, and our trading partners hit back right where the farm belt hurts. Soybeans have been our biggest farm export and China their biggest foreign market. Last year, U.S. farmers sold almost $14 billion […]