Far East Cynic

While I was out.

He seized his axe, which he had made very sharp, and as the leader of the wolves came on the Tin Woodman swung his arm and chopped the wolf’s head from its body, so that it immediately died.

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USS Liberty

As I have mentioned I travel to the land of milk and honey quite a bit. One of the messages I continually hear is about how Israel is surrounded and always under attack. And I don’t really dispute it-having been on the road twice when the sirens went off and

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Israel’s Memorial Day.

Today is Yom Hazikaron (Yom Hazikaron l’Chalalei Ma’arachot Yisrael ul’Nifgaei Peulot Ha’eivah-  literally, “Day of Remembrance for the Fallen Soldiers of Israel and Victims of Terrorism”). This is Israel’s Memorial Day. Yom Hazikaron is the national Remembrance Day observed in Israel for those who fell since 1860 when Jews were first allowed

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The Israeli election

I wanted to provide some commentary on the Israeli election. I think it’s needed-especially when you read the trash that passes for informed commentary in American outlets. Right wing outlets are crowing about the election as a “rebuke” for President Obama and they are calling it a “landslide” election for

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The chance of precipitation just went up.

Not rain falling, but bombs. Dropped from Israeli planes. The western powers signed an interim agreement with Iran last night. As expected a certain, rather stubborn group of folks is not happy about that one bit: Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu characterized the agreement signed with Iran early Sunday morning as

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No upside-only down sides.

To attacking Syria. All the usual suspects are lining up telling us how we have to "do something" in Syria. I really don't understand why. Apparently a lot of other Americans don't understand why either, judging by polls that say a majority of Americans are opposed to any intervention in

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Some recent thoughts on Israel

I spent the last two weeks in Israel pretty much covering the country from Beersheba to the Sea of Galilee. So there was little time to post. It was a good trip-and I will have to post my pictures soon. I also, in my spare moments was attacking two different

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Meanwhile-over in the land of Milk and Honey.

Neither of which, interestingly enough, I have ever really found in my journeys through Israel. For some reason, it is always imported from some where else. ANYWAY………. Today is Election Day in Israel. Since the results of the election will have a direct impact on the complexity of my job

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Better to laugh than to cry.

At least in Israel anyway-its a way to keep one's spirits up till Hamas finally gets the message that shooting missiles at Israelis is a shitty way to advance their cause. I am a daily reader of Haaretz.  ( I have also been struggling to learn Hebrew, but the less said

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Can’t believe I missed this.

Neo-con (knee-o-kon), -a person or persons having a warped and antiquated viewpoint of the world, who,- when in a position of power- commits your country to a seemingly endless series of wars. Each one more disastrous than the one that preceded it. Said neo-cons never seem to know how to finish said wars,

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