Mike Pilewski writes about life, politics and culture in the United States
There was a time when I could have been a consul or an ambassador. No joke. An American consul in Germany said I had the makings of a diplomat, and he tried hard to convince me to join the foreign service. It was a tempting offer: excellent pay, a high level of responsibility, and an opportunity to see the world. … >>
The cold, wet weather that lasted into the early part of August didn’t provide much of an incentive to go outdoors. Fortunately, however, this year has offered some very interesting reality TV. In January and February I found myself watching what I call the Egypt show, a touching soap opera that was on every night. That series ended with a … >>
A few years ago, in the early stages of the Iraq war, some Americans complained that the military action was illegal. This puzzled my brother-in-law. “How can a war be illegal?” he asked me. I was flattered at the chance to show that my years of studying history and political science had not been in vain. I told him about … >>
Of all the villains in the world, Mu’ammer Gaddafi is the one I’ve liked best. That’s because he always follows through. He’s not only talked about a pan-Arab or pan-African union; he’s tried to create one — first by attempting to persuade his neighbors, then by trying to annex two of them. Gaddafi designed the Libyan flag himself: a solid … >>
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been fascinated by the news reports of recent weeks. The demonstrations that toppled regimes in Tunisia and Egypt have spread to Algeria, Jordan, Yemen, Bahrain, Iran, Libya, Lebanon, Oman and even Saudi Arabia. Kuwait took the hint and offered concessions before any protests happened. As George W. Bush said, several years too early, … >>