Millions of Americans have been persuaded that accepting people from other countries into American life is a bad thing. This view seems to be based mostly on emotional grounds, rather than evidentiary ones. Immigrants are thought to be – variously – criminals, under-educated, unwilling to become like “us.” They supposedly take “American” jobs, unfairly reap […]
I came to my affinity for “ The West Wing” (NBC 1999-2006) later than most. I only began watching after the series had ended, at the urging of a friend, who couldn’t believe I loved “Alias” (I was a CIA analyst; of course, I loved Alias!) but wouldn’t watch what he called “the best show […]
(Plaque at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington, D.C.) Substitute the words “undocumented immigrants” for “socialists,” and you can see where this is going. “First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I […]
Among the most enduring lessons of World War II was the necessity of coherent, integrated, and apolitical decision-making in matters of national security. Victory in that war had required the coordination of diplomacy, military power, industrial capacity, intelligence, and public will. The architects of America’s postwar order—men like George Marshall, Dean Acheson, and Harry Truman—understood […]
The word “partisan” has become a bad word. It also does not make sense anymore. It clouds our arguments, and blinds us to reality. And, if “partisan” makes no sense, then “non-partisan” and “bipartisan” begin to lose meaning. Why? Because we are in a “post-partisan” America. Originating as a military term denoting irregular forces often […]
DATE-TIME GROUP: 301800ZJUNE25 FROM: EMBASSY OF FREDONIA, WASHINGTON, D.C. TO: MFA NAGADOCHES CLASSIFICATION: CONFIDENTIAL // FREDONIAN EYES ONLY SUBJECT: SITREP: U.S. POLICY DEVELOPMENTS (23-29 JUNE 2025) SUMMARY: IN ACCORDANCE WITH MFA DIRECTIVE 1826-APRIL-1, THIS EMBASSY HAS INITIATED A REGULAR SERIES OF ANALYTICAL DISPATCHES REGARDING THE INTERNAL DYNAMICS OF THE UNITED STATES. THE SERIES, DESIGNATED “THE […]
“Among the most enduring lessons of World War II was the necessity of coherent, integrated, and apolitical decision-making in matters of national security. … The architects of America’s postwar order…understood that winning the peace required no less. The National Security Act was their answer…When functioning as intended, the system created by the 1947 Act could […]
Only those trained to assess and report capabilities are the Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) During my 36-year career with the Department of Defense, I had the honor of serving under ten Directors of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). As a Combat Support Agency, the DIA has long stood at the forefront of providing specialized, critical […]
Aerial shot of steaming chemical plants and oil refineries in La Marque, Texas The Big Beautiful Bill (BBB) is going to deal a Big Ugly Blow (BUB) to the renewable energy sector which saw a boom in red states and red districts under President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). In West Virginia – the reddest […]
On this Independence Day, A Call to Reflection During my 20-year military career, I served as an intelligence officer, where my primary mission was to analyze collected information to discern indications that revealed an adversary or target entity’s plans and/or intentions. Indicators are items of information that reflect the intention or capability of an adversary […]