Why The Neutralist? The term Isolationist implies a narrow Fortress America outlook and is used as an epithet. The term Neutralist does not indicate someone hiding out from the world. No one calls the Swiss isolationists. The Wilsonian world view is old, tired and wrong. Our interventions have been less and less successful and now the failure can no longer be covered up.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

"Since 5:45 a. m. we have been returning the fire..." was it a Patrick Clawson moment?

The words of the title are the words of Adolph Hitler before the Reichstag.  His operatives had contrived a fake Polish attack and he used it as the immediate cause of the war.  His words:

I will provide a propagandistic casus belli. Its credibility doesn't matter. The victor will not be asked whether he told the truth.
Are the sentiments of an aggressive foreign policy.  No decent person would agree that they express a moral sentiment, but some people have assimilated the message.  In fact, one man on Planet Think Tank has been so bold as to, in a way, channel it.

Of course, no one would ever say something like "I follow the Hitler method" because Dolph didn't invent it.  Any one who has ever wanted war and did not want to appear to be the aggressor had to at least make it appear that they had been attacked.  Der Fuhrer took it all the way by dressing his men and having them feign an attack on German border positions.  We would not do that.

Except  maybe Patrick Clawson thinks we should,

One can combine other means of pressure with sanctions. I mentioned that explosion on August 17th. We could step up the pressure. I mean look people, Iranian submarines periodically go down, some day one of them might not come up, who would know why? We can do a variety of things if we wish to increase the pressure... We are in the game of using covert means against the Iranians. We could get nastier.
Left out of the quote, he did say he was not advocating that, nudge, nudge, wink, wink.

It's pretty obvious that there is a desire for war on the part of neocons though they usually don't say that.  Thus it is refreshing to see some honesty even on the part of a chickenhawk wonk.  There is no hypocrisy in the sense of Rochefoucauld's aphorism.  Not a pretense at all to any virtue.

His sinecure is safe.  He will be able to continue to perform his duties as deputy director for research at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP).  No one will cross the street to avoid being associated with a war mongering nut case.

The Neutralist Institute is thinking of starting a subsidiary think tank inspired by the need to keep watch on Clawson types.  So far the only name we have come up with is Boyish looking clowns who want wars someone else will fight Watch.  It is overlong and needs work.  We are open to suggestions.

Hat tip to Sic Semper Tyrannis.  Also see Zerohedge,  Quote above from Business Insider.

Saturday, September 22, 2012

The Seance

The year is 2112 and a seance is in progress.  A medium and several attendees are holding hands and the medium feels the spirit of a deceased person is trying to contact them.

"Oh spirit, we do not ask your name, but do tell us about yourself."

"I was the prime minister of a middle-eastern nation a hundred years ago."

"Oh spirit, why do you speak to us?"

"I come to warn you."

"Warn us of what?"

"Iran is within months of have weapons grade fissile material."

The Persians are close to getting nukes and always will be according to some.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

The Whole Truth

Was it the movie by that Copt?  Was it pre-planned?

Who knows?

Who really cares?

Let's just cut to what we do know.

I was about to read an article on one of the cutting edge web sites (aren't we all?) when it hit me that no one was bringing up one fact.

If Gadhafi were still in power the ambassador and the other victims would be alive today.

Without US Intervention, He would still be in power.

You are permitted to draw your own conclusions about the mindless foreign policy of the Bush-Obama administration without interference from the Neutralist.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Ringing endorsement of the Neutralist at LRC Blog

Okay, they did not mention The Neutralist at the LRC Blog, but c'mon folks, read between the lines,

Title of post by Laurence Vance:


The Answer to Libya (and Everywhere Else)


The post itself:

Simple: neutrality and nonintervention.

We grant  Mr. Vance our not-coveted Neutralist of the Week award.

Keep up the good work LV.

Come back Muammar

All is forgiven.

American foreign policy will always be dopey.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

The Empty Pantsuit

how could this happen?  How could this happen in a country we helped liberate, in a city we helped save from destruction?  This question reflects just how complicated and, at times, how confounding the world can be.
Lassie, if you are just finding out how complex the world is, maybe you should be back teaching chick studies at Wellesley.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0912/81108_Page2.html#ixzz26J7lI9Bk