Distracted by Books and Dragons
Source: Law & Liberty
by Rebecca Richards
“The Feast of St. George is a red-letter day for lovers of flowers and literature.” (04/23/26)
Category: Opinion
A New Nobel Prize for War
Source: The American Conservative
by Doug Bandow
“With the Middle East in flames, President Donald Trump’s desperate lobbying campaign for the Nobel Peace Prize looks ever more bizarre. Of course, his claim to have ended and prevented numerous wars is more fantasy than reality. Worse, his surprise bombing of Iran amid negotiations, twice, demonstrated that his goal is anything but peace. Moreover, his proposal for a massive military buildup with no connection to American security suggests he is preparing even more reckless wars of choice. … However, it would be a shame to disappoint someone so desperate for public acclaim. It is time to create a Nobel War Prize, to denounce rather than praise the year’s most ostentatious warmonger or warmongers. Although 2026 is far from over, Trump would be a strong favorite this year.” (04/23/26)
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/a-new-nobel-prize-for-war/
Can the United States Be Trusted? History Says No!
Source: CounterPunch
by George Katsiaficas
“Sadly, the history of nations that defeated the US provides Iran’s current misgivings with even more reasons not to trust anything Washington might promise. Soon after signing peace agreements with both North Korea and Vietnam, the United States of America immediately violated them. In short, the US cannot be considered trustworthy, no matter who is president. Whether Democrat or Republican, presidents come and go, but US dishonesty and deception remain steady.” (04/23/26)
https://www.counterpunch.org/2026/04/23/can-the-united-states-be-trusted-history-says-no/
The EU still has no guts when it comes to Israel
Source: Responsible Statecraft
by Eldar Mamedov
“Despite rampant human rights violations, European elites refuse to break pact giving Israelis access to business and over a billion euros through 2027.” (04/23/26)
A Delusional Trump, Backed by Israel, Drives the Iran War
Source: Common Dreams
by Jamal Kanj
“The closure of the Strait of Hormuz following the temporary ceasefire is the culmination of an American policy defined by strategic incoherence. At the center stands Donald Trump, whose shifting positions, confused war objectives, and conflicting actions have not only failed to ease regional tensions but have actively deepened them. Nowhere is this clearer than in Trump’s threats to blow up the whole country, including its bridges and power plants. At the same time, he touted a military ‘big day’, presenting potential war crimes as diplomatic tool, aggression as diplomacy, and destruction as leverage. Trump’s inflated, almost delusional, promises ahead of potential talks come across less as statesmanship and more as a calculated sales pitch to the American public.” (04/23/26)
https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/delusional-trump-iran-war
Cultifying the US Military
Source: Paul Krugman
by Paul Krugman
“When Americans sign up to serve the nation under arms, they agree to temporarily forego many of the freedoms of civilian life. They must wear uniforms, not street fashion. They must eat Army or Navy food. They must salute officers and obey orders. They must, in other words, adhere to military discipline. It won’t surprise you to learn that Hegseth is completely hypocritical on this subject. He says that your body, your faith, and your convictions are not negotiable. But he has banned most beards from the U.S. military and cracked down on religious exemptions.” (04/23/26)
https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/cultifying-the-us-military
Taxing Ownership
Source: Law & Liberty
by John O McGinnis
“In an AI age, wealth taxes are not merely bad tax policy. They are downright dangerous.” (04/23/26)
How to Save the Planet Without Screwing Over Poor People
Source: Persuasion
by Quico Toro
“When I talk to climate people in rich countries, I find a lot of concern about capitalism, about our alienation from nature and the way capitalist consumption unbalances our relationship with the natural world. Which figures: when you talk to first-world people, you hear a lot about first-world problems. Most climate activists don’t seem very worked up about poverty in the developing world, probably because they just haven’t spent a lot of time with poor people in poor countries, and they just don’t think about them very often. The results are unsurprising. First-world climate activists tend to favor policies that risk making poverty in the developing world worse, and they don’t seem much troubled by this.” (04/23/26)
https://www.persuasion.community/p/the-kind-of-climate-activism-that
From Shakespeare to Smith: Why Credit Exists in Every Western Society
Source: The Daily Economy
by Iain Murray
“Credit is not an artificial construct imposed by financiers or states. It arises because modern commercial life cannot function without it.” (04/23/26)
Resist Beginnings: The Ancient Roman Maxim Behind the American Revolution
Source: Tenth Amendment Center
by Michael Boldin
“America was built on a foundation that constitutional violations are a deadly disease. Give government an inch – and they’ll take a few thousand miles, and never stop. And before too long, it’ll get to a place where it’s no longer a Republic, but a long slow coup. Or, as the Declaration of Independence put it, eating ‘out our substance.’ Our rights. Our money. And everything in between. The solution? The ancient Roman principle behind the American Revolution.” (04/22/26)