February 4, 2012 Far-called our navies melt away— On dune and headland sinks the fire— Lo, all our pomp of yesterday Is one with Nineveh and Tyre! Rudyard Kipling 1897 “Recessional” The poet laureate of British imperialism might write the same stanzas today about its successor, the American Empire, which, […]

Last Monday, Egyptians celebrated the first anniversary of the revolution that overthrew the 30-year Mubarak regime. By contrast, America’s reaction this historic event was tellingly muted. Egypt contains a quarter of the Arab world’s people.  In Egypt, the US had a golden opportunity to encourage  genuine democracy. Instead, it long […]

The sinking of the giant Italian-American cruise liner “Costa Concordia” is among the most amazing and bizarre events in modern nautical history. Having long, long ago been harbor master of Montego Freeport, Jamaica, and operations director of a line of West Indies freighters, I watched this Italian drama with professional […]