If the best course of action is to avoid war, then the second-best course, with war already raging, is to end it. Chris Trotter writes – THE LOGIC OF WAR is pitiless and relentless. Once embarked upon, warfare creates needs and imposes priorities that cannot be ignored without imposing unsustainable costs on one’s own military […]
The Grim Logic of Israel’s War
The Grim Logic of Israel’s War
24 Jun 2025 Leave a comment
in defence economics, economic history, International law, laws of war, war and peace Tags: bombing of Germany, Gaza Strip, Iran, Israel, Middle-East politics, World War I, World War II
Omissions in BBC report about strike on Iran state TV building
19 Jun 2025 Leave a comment
in defence economics, industrial organisation, war and peace Tags: Iran, Israel, media bias, Middle-East politics, war against terror
In the early hours of June 17th the BBC News website published a report by David Gritten headlined “Israel bombs Iran state TV during live broadcast” which opens as follows: [emphasis added] “Israeli aircraft have struck the headquarters of Iran’s state broadcaster in Tehran, after the Israeli military told residents of the area of the […]
Omissions in BBC report about strike on Iran state TV building
BBC can’t verify a Hamas tunnel visited by international journalists
15 Jun 2025 1 Comment
in defence economics, International law, laws of war, war and peace Tags: Gaza Strip, Israel, media bias, Middle-East politics, regressive left, war against terror
Previously we discussed BBC coverage of the May 13th strikes adjacent to – rather than ‘on’ – the EU founded and Hamas ministry of health run European Hospital in Khan Younis, including two items produced by BBC Verify: BBC NEWS WEBSITE REPORTING ON STRIKES AROUND THE EUROPEAN HOSPITAL BBC VERIFY’S AGENDA-DRIVEN RETURN TO THE EUROPEAN […]
BBC can’t verify a Hamas tunnel visited by international journalists
Initial BBC News website coverage of events in Iran and Israel
15 Jun 2025 1 Comment
in defence economics, economics of media and culture, war and peace Tags: Atomic bomb, Iran, Israel, media bias, Middle-East politics, regressive left, war against terror
On the morning of June 13th the BBC News website’s ‘Middle East’ page had little to offer its visitors in the way of reporting on the strikes that Israel had carried out in Iran in the early hours of that day. Coverage on that page itself was limited to a live page: In the ‘updates’ […]
Initial BBC News website coverage of events in Iran and Israel
The Unprecedented Nature of Israel’s Strikes on Iran
13 Jun 2025 Leave a comment
in defence economics, International law, laws of war, war and peace Tags: Atomic bomb, Iran, Israel, Middle-East politics, regressive left, war against terror
BBC News prioritises ‘aid yacht’ propaganda over factual information
11 Jun 2025 1 Comment
in defence economics, International law, laws of war, war and peace Tags: Gaza Strip, Israel, Middle-East politics, regressive left, useful idiots, war against terror
Visitors to the BBC News website on the morning of June 9th found no fewer than three items relating to the topic of the UK flagged one-boat agitprop which had set off from Italy nine days earlier. Two reports appeared in the ‘updates’ section, both of which originally described the vessel using the word “aid”. […]
BBC News prioritises ‘aid yacht’ propaganda over factual information
Will the Haredi parties really force an election?
11 Jun 2025 Leave a comment
Unless it gets pulled from the agenda, the Knesset (parliament of Israel) may begin the voting process as soon as 11 June on a measure that would set an early election. This effectively could force an early end to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition of right-wing and religious parties. The two Haredi parties, United Torah […]
Will the Haredi parties really force an election?
BBC News framing of Israeli strikes on Hizballah assets in Beirut
11 Jun 2025 1 Comment
in defence economics, International law, laws of war, war and peace Tags: Israel, Lebanon, Middle-East politics, regressive left, useful idiots, war against terror
On the eve of the 2025 Pessach holiday a rocket was fired from the Gaza Strip, triggering alarms in towns in southern Israel. The following afternoon – the first day of that holiday – a missile was launched from Yemen, triggering sirens in central Israel and that was followed by another rocket attack from the […]
BBC News framing of Israeli strikes on Hizballah assets in Beirut
Should Israel let Greta get to Gaza?
09 Jun 2025 1 Comment
in defence economics, International law, laws of war, war and peace Tags: Gaza Strip, Israel, Middle-East politics, useful idiots, war against terror
As you surely know, the “Freedom Flotilla,” which is a boat called the Madleen carrying a bunch of activists (most notably Greta Thunberg), is heading to Gaza with a bit of aid for civilians. (I heard it was enough aid for about a dozen Gazans, but I don’t know for sure.). Israel has vowed to […]
Should Israel let Greta get to Gaza?
“This is a circus”: The unmitigated bullying from Piers Morgan
07 Jun 2025 1 Comment
in defence economics, laws of war, liberalism, war and peace Tags: free speech, Gaza Strip, Israel, Middle-East politics, regressive left, war against terror
Some time ago I was on the Piers Morgan “Uncensored” show for half an hour, talking about why biological sex is binary (see my post about this here). I now realize how fortunate I was, because I knew in advance that Morgan agreed with me and I didn’t face what Natasha Hausdorff faces below (and […]
“This is a circus”: The unmitigated bullying from Piers Morgan
San Diego State University Professor Celebrates Israeli Being Eaten by Shark
01 Jun 2025 Leave a comment
in economics of education, liberalism, Marxist economics, politics - USA Tags: free speech, Gaza Strip, Israel, Middle-East politics, political correctness, regressive left
A San Diego State University professor is under fire this week after celebrating the death of a former Israeli soldier who was eaten by a shark. Chicano studies Professor Roberto Hernández joyfully reported the death and mocked the victim as others joined him in the macabre celebration.
San Diego State University Professor Celebrates Israeli Being Eaten by Shark
Once again, pro-Palestinian protestors at the University of Chicago violate campus rules but don’t get punished
19 May 2025 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, economics of education, law and economics, politics - USA, property rights Tags: free speech, Gaza Strip, Israel, Middle-East politics, regressive left
If you’ve read about the various pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel protests across American campuses, one thing you’ll notice is a general reluctance to punish demonstrators when they violate university rules. Of course protests are usually fine if they conform to First Amendment principles (though some schools don’t hold those principles), but they’re never fine when they […]
Once again, pro-Palestinian protestors at the University of Chicago violate campus rules but don’t get punished
“Why Won’t You Call Hamas Terrorists?” Piers Morgan vs Jeremy Corbyn Deb…
17 May 2025 1 Comment
in defence economics, economics of crime, International law, law and economics, laws of war, war and peace Tags: Gaza Strip, Israel, Middle-East politics, regressive left, useful idiots, war against terror
More Gaza narrative promotion from the BBC’s Fergal Keane
16 May 2025 1 Comment
in defence economics, International law, law and economics, laws of war, war and peace Tags: Gaza Strip, Israel, Middle-East politics, regressive left, war against terror
For the past nineteen months the BBC’s Fergal Keane has been a man on a mission. On his periodic trips to Israel, Keane and his team have produced multiple reports presenting a monochrome and highly limited view of the conflict from the perspective of Palestinians, with most playing heavily on the emotions of readers or […]
More Gaza narrative promotion from the BBC’s Fergal Keane
Oregon Law Professor Accuses Oregon Law Review of Anti-Israeli Discrimination
14 May 2025 Leave a comment
in defence economics, discrimination, economics of education, politics - USA, war and peace Tags: free speech, Gaza Strip, Israel, Middle-East politics, political correctness, regressive left
The University of Oregon has long faced controversies over the alleged political bias on its campuses, including celebrating the career of a professor who physically attacked pro-life students as a model of activism. It has been criticized for monitoring off-campus speech and unconstitutionally censoring dissenting faculty. Now, Law Professor Ofer Raban is accusing the Law […]
Oregon Law Professor Accuses Oregon Law Review of Anti-Israeli Discrimination
Utopia, you are standing in it! 
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