Showing 81 - 90 of 114
Fallout of Trump move on Jerusalem could be 'ugly'
Oped, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 08/12/2017
» "All of us are saying: 'Hey, United States, we don't think this is a very good idea'," said Jordan’s King Abdullah II in 2002, when it became clear that President George W Bush was going to invade Iraq. But Mr Bush didn’t listen, and it turned out to be an extremely bad idea.
Abdullah Saleh's good luck runs out
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 06/12/2017
» Ali Abdullah Saleh seized power in Yemen in 1978, when he was only 36 years old. He lost it in 2012, when the "Arab Spring" was in full spate, and had been trying to get it back ever since. Thirty-four years was not enough. But on Monday, his truly astonishing ability to switch sides got him killed.
Nuclear codes 'the length of a tweet'
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 24/11/2017
» 'The president has absolute authority, unilateral power to order the use of nuclear weapons," said Bruce Blair. The nuclear codes are "the length of a tweet. It would take them one or two minutes to format and transmit that directly down the chain of command to the executing commanders of the underground launch centres, the submarines and the bombers".
Next Middle East war set for Lebanon
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 15/11/2017
» 'When all the Arabs and the Israelis agree on one thing, people should pay attention. We should stop this Iranian takeover," said Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month. So we're paying attention now, and we even know where the next war will start: Lebanon.
Adult supervision a tricky business at the White House
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 12/10/2017
» Here's the scenario. Late one evening Donald Trump is watching Fox News and a report comes on that North Korea is planning to launch a missile that can reach the United States. (Kim Jong-un's regime has said it is going to do that one of these days -- but only as a test flight landing in the ocean somewhere, not as an attack.)
Russian victory reuniting Syria under Assad's rule
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 21/09/2017
» Two years ago this month, the Russian air force was sent in to save the tottering Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad from collapse. The air was thick with Western predictions that Moscow had made a dreadful mistake.
Despite 'total victory', no peace yet in Iraq or Syria
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 22/07/2017
» The shooting was still going on down by the river last week when Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi dropped by and prematurely declared that the battle for Mosul was over. He was misled by the various Iraqi army, police and militia units who were competing with one another to declare victory first, but now it really is over -- and there is little left of Mosul.
Gulf states order Qatar to do as they say, not as they did
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 05/07/2017
» The deadline that Saudi Arabia and its allies set for Qatar to submit to their "non-negotiable" demands has been postponed from Monday to today. Since Qatar has already made it plain that it will not comply -- it says the demands are "reminiscent of the extreme and punitive conduct of 'bully' states that have historically resulted in war" -- the delay is a sure sign that the bullies don't know what to do next.
Silly buggers: Russia, US play chicken
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 23/06/2017
» I don't remember which navy I was in when I first heard the term "silly buggers", but the meaning was clear. It included some sensible exercises like "man overboard" drills, but the heart and soul of the game was high-speed manoeuvres by ships travelling in close company. These sometimes got quite exciting, because ships don't have brakes.
Qatar crisis could turn nasty quick
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 16/06/2017
» Public-spirited businessman Moutaz al-Hayat is flying 4,000 cows into Qatar from the US and Australia to boost milk supply in his country, which is being blockaded by most of its Arab neighbours in the Gulf. It will take 60 flights, and is definitely not cost-effective. But that may not be his biggest problem.