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Tag Archives: syria
Turkey Shoots Down Russian Jet: Part 2
Yesterday’s post noted that none of the seven major news outlets I had looked at regarding Turkey’s shooting down a Russian fighter mentioned the nuclear dimension to the risk. Today’s New York Times and Wall Street Journal coverage bring the number to nine. They also provide some important details that help explain what happened. Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged martin hellman, NATO, nuclear risk, nuclear war, russia, stanford, syria, Turkey
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Turkey Shoots Downs Russian Jet: What Happens Next?
Today’s news that Turkish fighters shot down a Russian jet, killing at least one of the pilots, is unlikely to lead to a nuclear crisis … but there is a chance that it could. If Russia had shot down one of the Turkish planes – or were to do so in a future such encounter – we would be bound by Article 5 of the NATO Treaty to treat it the same as an attack on one of our own aircraft. Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged cuban missile crisis, martin hellman, NATO, nuclear risk, nuclear war, nuclear weapons, russia, syria, Turkey, war and peace
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NBC Fell for Syrian False Flag Operation: Increased Nuclear Risk
Bias in our media’s international reporting is one of the greatest risks to our national security. Read on to find out why I say that, and to see the latest example to come to light. In this new instance, NBC’s Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel fell hook, line, and sinker for a false flag operation which blamed Syrian President Assad for Engel’s harrowing kidnapping, when in fact, it was Assad’s opponents who were at fault. Engel blamed not only Assad, but also Iran for his kidnapping. While he has now retracted those allegations, it’s hard to repair the damage. “Confirmation bias” causes his initial, false accusations to find a more prominent place in the American psyche than his retraction because we emphasize evidence which confirms our current beliefs, no matter how wrong they might be. Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged critical thinking, martin hellman, media bias, nuclear risk, Richard Engel, stanford, syria
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Creating Chaos: Time to Learn From Our Mistakes
Yesterday’s New York Times had an article noting that the head of the UN Mission in Libya fears “the country is very close to total chaos.” Islamic fundamentalist insurgents took control of Tripoli last summer, forcing what remains of the government into exile in Tobruk, and things have only gotten worse since then. Back in 2011, when we started military action which eventually led to the murder of Muammar Gaddafi, I warned of Libyan Blowback, Libyan Delusions, and the largely overlooked nuclear proliferation incentives we created by attacking a regime Pres. Bush had welcomed back into the family of nations when it gave up its nuclear weapons program in 2003. Yet, with most American officials still maintaining that “Assad has to go,” we seem not to have learned our lesson. Continue reading
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Tagged afghanistan, critical thinking, libya, martin hellman, nuclear proliferation, nuclear risk, stanford, syria, war and peace
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Turkish False Flag Operation?
According to a recent New York Times article Turkey appears to have considered using a false flag operation to drum up public support for attacking Syria. If true – and the statement from the Foreign Ministry mentioned below seems to indicate that is the case – this is one more reason to be careful in accepting drumbeats to war. For other examples, see this blog’s series on Avoiding Needless Wars. The first installment on the first Gulf of Tonkin incident has links to the other nine at the end. Here’s the gist of the Times article: Continue reading
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Tagged critical thinking, false flag operation, martin hellman, stanford, syria, Turkey, war and peace
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Why Russia Resists a UN Resolution on Syria
The mainstream media has largely failed to mention one of the main reasons Russia has been resisting a UN Security Council Resolution which would allow the use of force if the US believes that Syria has failed to meet its obligations. Back in March 2011, Russia allowed UNSC Resolution 1973 which authorized “all necessary measures” to protect Libyan civilians. The West then used that resolution as the basis for air attacks leading to regime change and Gaddafi’s murder — an interpretation of the resolution with which Russia strongly disagrees. Continue reading
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Tagged libya, martin hellman, nuclear risk, russia, stanford, syria, un resolution, war and peace
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Avoiding Needless Wars, Part 8: Syria
There are strong indications that President Obama will take military action against Syria, even though several key questions have not been answered: What good will an American attack do? What harm will an American attack do? How certain are we about who is responsible for the recent chemical weapons attacks? And, do we have any options other than doing nothing or attacking Assad? Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged Assad, chemical weapons, critical thinking, martin hellman, nuclear risk, stanford, syria, terrorism
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Censorship in Russia?
The American mainstream media tends to give the impression that Russia under Putin is not that different from the good ole USSR. Having visited the Soviet Union a number of times prior to Gorbachev’s reforms and keeping abreast of the Russian press today, I know how false that picture is. Before censorship was lifted, the only honest political discussions I could have with my Russian friends was when no other Russians were present, and we were out of range of any possible, hidden microphones (e.g., in my hotel room). Compare that to an article in yesterday’s Moscow Times, which reads in part: Continue reading
Why Russia is Obstinate on Syria
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has described Russia’s refusal to support a UN resolution on Syria as “despicable.” But, as usual, there’s another perspective. Continue reading
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Tagged despicable, hillary clinton, martin hellman, nuclear risk, russia, syria, un resolution, war and peace
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Defusing the Nuclear Threat 