Let’s be abundantly clear about something. Jonathan Pollard is a traitor to the United States of America, and should spend the rest of his life paying for his crimes. He inflicted catastrophic damage on American national security, he betrayed the trust of those who thought well of him and gave him access to sensitive intelligence, and if he is at all remorseful about his actions, I have yet to hear of it. And even if I do hear about it, I’ll have no reason whatsoever to believe it.
Pejman Yousefzadeh
Pejman Yousefzadeh
Scribbling, scribbling, scribbling on the Internet.
From July, 2015
More Reasons to Dislike the Nuclear Deal with Iran
My desperate attempt to convince myself that the nuclear deal with Iran is a good one is–I am sorry to report–in the process of failing miserably. I wish that I could report otherwise, but alas, those accursed facts keep getting in the way, and keep me from liking this deal. Oh, don’t think that I will give up on my effort to feel optimistic that the nuclear agreement with Iran is a triumph of American diplomacy. I am not a quitter, after all. But stubborn as I am, and as much as I would like to persevere in my effort…
No, Same-Sex Marriage Does Not–and Should Not–Lead to Polygamy
Of all of the arguments against same-sex marriage that I have encountered, the most ridiculous has got to be the argument that if we accept same-sex marriage, we have to accept polygamy as well. The argument is absurd for a number of reasons. Let’s focus on two of those reasons. The first reason the argument is absurd is that it relies on the slippery slope, which as we all ought to know, is a conditional fallacy. When you run into the slippery slope, it is really best to do a 180 degree turn and run the other way as fast…
Quote of the Day
“How can anyone be allowed to paint a swastika on the statue of Marianne, the goddess of French liberty, in the very center of the Place de la République?” That was what the chairman of one of France’s most celebrated luxury brands was thinking last July, when a tall man in a black shirt and a kaffiyeh leapt to the ledge of Marianne’s pedestal and scrawled a black swastika. All around him, thousands of angry demonstrators were swarming the square with fake rockets, Palestinian and Hamas flags, even the black-and-white banners of ISIS. Here, barely a mile and a half…
Bad News for Scott Walker Haters
There are a lot of people in Wisconsin and elsewhere who are made crazy by Scott Walker, as the photo accompanying this blog post makes clear. After all, Walker has won three elections in four years, including triumphing in a failed recall election that was launched by people who believe that elections should only have consequences when their side wins. I imagine that the Scott Walker haters were delighted when an investigation started to determine whether conservative groups in Wisconsin were illegally coordinating with Walker’s campaign during the recall effort. I also imagine that gag orders associated with the investigation…
Japan Says Goodbye to Pacifism
Count me as a supporter of Japan’s decision to cast aside pacifism and to become the military counterweight to China that the United States needs and wants it to be, as well as becoming a country that can provide for its own defense needs without excessive reliance on the United States. To be sure, I don’t want Japan to use this moment to sweep war crimes under the rugs (as it is wont to do much too often, alas), but I do happen to believe that Japan can both become a serious and responsible military power, and at the same…
Yes, I Most Certainly Have Concerns about the Nuclear Deal with Iran
I would like to think that the nuclear deal with Iran is a good one. I would like to think that it will succeed and prevent Iran from ever becoming a nuclear power. I would like to think that it will increase regional stability and security, and that in doing so, it will increase global stability and security. I would like to think that those who staff the Obama administration–from the president on down–will be able to point to the agreement decades from now and say “we did good. We made the world safer. We have every reason to be…
I’m Sure that in Yale Law School Classes, They Discussed what a Subpoena Is . . .
But maybe the putative next president of the United States was absent that day:
Your Shot and Chaser of the Day (Mitt Romney Continues to Be Vindicated)
Shot: Governor Romney, I’m glad that you recognize that al-Qaeda is a threat, because a few months ago when you were asked what’s the biggest geopolitical threat facing America, you said Russia, not al-Qaeda . . . The 1980s are now calling to ask for their foreign policy back because the Cold War’s been over for 20 years . . . I know you haven’t been in a position to actually execute foreign policy. But every time you’ve offered an opinion, you’ve been wrong. That was President Barack Obama in his final presidential debate with Mitt Romney, and yes, the incumbent president of…
What Is the Difference Between Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush?
Well, there are many differences, of course, and few–if any–make Hillary Clinton look good. But one difference worth noting is that Jeb Bush is remarkably accessible and substantive, and Hillary Clinton is remarkably not:
