The Metaphysics of Jailbreaks
In the mid-seventies, when I was reporting from Rome for The New Republic, jailbreaks were commonplace. Red Brigades terrorists and other such broke out of prisons throughout the c...
Italians
Syria: The Spanish Civil War All Over Again
History may not quite repeat itself, but the war in Syria — invariably, “the Syrian Civil War” — is eerily similar to the “Spanish Civil War” in the mid-1930s....
Op-eds
The Rise of Germany’s Tea Party
Could a brand-new, anti-euro political movement threaten Merkel's quest for a third term?
Op-eds
Springtime for Salafists
Rampaging Islamist vigilantes are cracking down on free expression -- and ruining Tunisia's Arab Spring.
Op-eds
Our Italian Future
Atop a political volcano.
Op-eds
Going to War?
Fellow PJM columnist Jonathan Spyer, one of the best reporters on things Syrian, now believes that...
Op-eds
From al Qaeda in Italy to Ansar al Sharia Tunisia
Two convicted members of an al Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group in Italy are now senior members of Ansar al Sharia Tunisia. The pair, Sami Ben Khemais Essid and Mehdi Kammoun, were arrested in 20...
Op-eds
It’s Not About Israel, Stupid — It’s About Us
When is the last time any of the four candidates visited Walter Reed Medical Center in suburban Washington? If they did it in recent months, I haven’t seen any press coverage of it. W...
Op-eds
A Great Moment for Europe, Soccer, Italy, and Mario Balotelli
Let’s face it: Canada isn’t a soccer country. Yes, our seven-year-olds join leagues and run around chasing a ball for an hour once a week. Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto have teams i...
Op-eds
Madness in High Places
I am just back from a pilgrimage to Machiavelli’s town, San Casciano, and I’m happy to report that the sort of “virile Christianity” he favored is still alive and active i...
Op-eds
When the State Steals, the People Become Thieves
Friday we sailed around Capri and then across to the Bay of Salerno. Very few boats around, and nary a oee of the luxury yachts so common in those waters. We went to a seaside restaur...
Op-eds
Taxes, Real Cash Money, and Corruption
We’re in Italy, where the new government — headed by the distinguished economist Mario Monti — has three big initiatives: make it easier to fire workers, raise taxes on everyone...
Op-eds
You Cannot Reform a Totalitarian (You’ve Got to Defeat Him)
Back when I was even younger, and living in Rome, the main topic of conversation was of course Communism. Italy had the largest Communist Party outside the Soviet Union, and it was forever on the...
Op-eds
How Do Famous Italians Cope With Meltdown?
Thanks to the ever-vigilant Italian press, in this case the...
Op-eds
U.S. Policy in Syria
Written Testimony for the Record Contributors to this testimony included: Mark Dubowitz (FDD), Reuel Marc Gerecht (FDD), Tony Badran (FDD), Ammar Abdulhamid (FDD), Jo...
Legislative Testimonies
Towards a Post-Assad Syria
Towards a Post-Assad Syria: Options for the United States and Like-Minded Nations to Further Assist the Anti-Regime Syrian Opposition A Discussion Paper Prepared by the Foreign...
Press Releases
Italy Wobbles, and a Demon Appears in the Clouds
As usual, whenever the situation permits, the British press — led by the screaming meemies at the Financial Times — calls for the defenestration of Silv...
Op-eds
The New, Neoconservative, New York Times
At first I thought it was an anomaly, a personal thing. One New York Times columnist has an epiphany. But now there are two of them, two very liberal Tim...
Op-eds
MAD in the 21st Century
Mutually Assured Destruction may have been a sensible policy during the Cold War. It isn’t now.
Op-eds
What’s Up With All the Presidential Gaffes, Anyway?
Big Media doesn’t pay much attention to them, even though Obama makes an amazing number of errors in his public statements. And I think it’s easy enough to understand why the BM...