Yes, it’s true. On his way out the door, Israel’s PM is asking American taxpayers to shell out a billion dollars to “replenish” the vaunted “Iron-Dome” missile defense system. In addition to some $4 billion of annual US aid (mostly military) he now wants another billion for more ammunition. Palestine... Still Waiting for Justice When... Continue Reading →
Blog
How “Iron-Dome” has Transformed Prospects for Middle East Peace: An Analysis of Israel’s Missile Defense System and What it Means for Peace (written around 2014)
Sky Watcher What follows is extensive analysis of the vaunted “Iron-Dome” defense system. I have been thinking about what I call “Iron-Dumb” for some time, and I was happy when Obama made the point in Jerusalem that, “we’ve invested in the Iron-Dome system to save countless lives.” Of course, he also noted that, “no... Continue Reading →
Refocusing American Activism in Support of Justice for Palestinians
Broken Madonna, Obvara Ceramics, Gilbert Schramm By Gilbert Schramm (5/23/21) Reader beware. I am not a theologian and I rarely discuss theology. Recent events, however, have led me to some thoughts I believe are worth sharing. The recent brutal violence directed against Gaza is one of those events. As the news coverage went on, I... Continue Reading →
Wait and See the Carnage on the PBS Newshour
By Peter Miller, Guest Contributor With permission of (Nick_ Raille_07 / Shutterstock.com) This was sent to the PBS Newshour on May 16th, after Biden failed to demand a ceasefire in the latest round in Gaza: I was very disappointed in the discussion by David Brooks and Jonathon Capehart concerning the latest carnage in Gaza, the West... Continue Reading →
Gaza, May 20, 2021: An Update and Some Simple Truths
By Gilbert Schramm The brutal, ongoing violence in Gaza has brought on the usual handwringing and nonsense. Yet strangely, in some ways, there seems to be a bit of a breakthrough. It is long overdue. In some quarters, the admissions now made by pundits, policy wonks and reporters would have been unthinkable a few years... Continue Reading →
Gaza in Ruins…Again
In the last week there has been a major escalation of violence in occupied Palestine. Some 350 Palestinians were seriously injured in protests last night. A local doctor reported injuries consistent with an intentional effort by Israeli “security forces” to maximize harm. Israel also apparently launched about 130 airstrikes against Gaza, leaving over 20 people... Continue Reading →
Biden Gives Hope a Shot in the Arm: America Could Score Three Big Wins
With President Biden at the helm, America can score a dramatic diplomatic coup. We could leave a lasting mark for the better—both in purely humanitarian terms, but also in terms of restoring a national image that the Trump regime left badly damaged. The pieces are in place and the time is right. We should help... Continue Reading →
Trump Leaves US in a Sad State
Today is Pearl Harbor Day. On this day in 1941, 2403 Americans died. On 9/11/2001, about 3,000 Americans died. In both cases, Americans pulled together to make sure this could not happen again. Huge effort and trillions of dollars were expended. How times have changed. Now, with a daily death toll rapidly reaching 3,000, we... Continue Reading →
Elections: Georgia on My Mind
Although I live in Oregon, on the other side of the continent from Georgia, I love Democracy, my country, and my state just as much as I’m sure Georgians love theirs. If I were a native of Georgia at this point, I would be outraged. I would be outraged whether I was a Democrat or... Continue Reading →
QAnon: An Ugly Silhouette of Fear and Hatred Against the Surge of the Pandemic
Bird of Ill Omens (aka Vinnie the Vulture, Pandemic Pal) On October 22, 2020, the US saw the largest reporting of new Covid-19 cases since the start of the pandemic. Over 77,000 new cases were reported. In the Presidential debate that same evening, Trump once again repeated the falsehood that American had “turned the corner”... Continue Reading →
Mind-Cast 