Michael J. Totten's Blog, page 48

Arabian Labyrinth

The New York Times asked me to review a new book by Karen Elliot House called On Saudi Arabia: Its People, Past, Religion, Fault Lines - and Future. With a title like that it sounds like a homework assignment, but it’s fascinating, actually, and it doesn’t read like a text book at all.

I’ve said everything else that needs to be said in the Sunday Book Review, so here it is:

In Peter Berg’s whodunit “The Kingdom,” a young F.B.I. agent boarding a plane to Riyadh asks a seasoned colleague what Sau...

Rocket Strikes Tel Aviv

A rocket from Gaza struck Tel Aviv today. Air raid sirens in the city sounded for the first time since Saddam Hussein fired Scud missiles at Israel in 1991.

Hamas must think this is awesome, but they should think again. Most of the restraint the Israeli public places on the government in its response to terrorist and missile attacks comes from the liberal population of Israel's largest city. If those people feel threatened, everything changes.

Reminds me of something a left-wing American journa...

Boom

The Israel Defense Forces just killed Hamas commander Ahmed Jabari with a pinpoint air strike. You can watch the video of the air strike right here.

This didn’t just randomly happen out of the blue. Hamas recently decided it was a good idea to ramp up rocket attacks against Israel. Hamas knew Israel was bound to hit back eventually, and it happened today.

The Washington Post published a picture of an Israeli man standing in his living room after a rocket came down through the ceiling.

The IDF is...

Ben Affleck's Masterwork

Argo is one of the best films about the Middle East that Hollywood has ever produced. Set mostly in Tehran during the Iranian hostage crisis of 1979, the story centers on six American diplomats who, after escaping the U.S. Embassy when supporters of Ayatollah Khomeini break in and take everyone captive, take shelter at the home of the Canadian ambassador. The hero is CIA “exfiltration” expert Tony Mendez, played by director Ben Affleck. He flies to Iran posing as a Canadian filmmaker who’s me...

The Petraeus Affair

Now that a few days have passed since David Petraeus resigned from his post as director of the CIA, it appears there isn’t much “there” there. The timing was peculiar and smelled of shenanigans—it happened right after the election and just before he was scheduled to testify before Congress—but the truth is actually rather mundane, even boring for a Washington scandal. Those making conspiratorial hay out of this incident might want to dial it back.

UPDATE: According to this article, Paula Broad...

WHERE THE WEST ENDS now Available for the Nook

My new book, Where the West Ends, is now available for the Barnes and Noble Nook reader. You can also get a trade paperback copy or an e-book for your Kindle, of course.

Petraeus Resigns

David Petraeus has resigned from his job as the director of the CIA, supposedly because he had an affair. Seems a strange reason to resign, though perhaps he really needs to spend some time at home repairing his marriage. With the possible storm coming to Washington over Benghazi I can certainly understand why various theories are being floated about other reasons he may have resigned. But it’s probably best if everyone holds off on that at the moment. Hardly anyone knows if there’s more to t...

Greece Circles the Drain

Times are tough in America, but Greece appears to be on its way to being the second coming of Weimar Germany. If things keep getting worse—and I’m almost certain they will—Greece may be the trouble spot I visit and write about after Libya. And it’s in the European Union!

A sign taped to a wall in an Athens hospital appealed for civility from patients. "The doctors on duty have been unpaid since May," it read, "Please respect their work."

Patients and their relatives glanced up briefly and moved...

Election News You Might Have Missed

You don’t need me to tell you who won the presidential election. But did you know Puerto Rico just voted for statehood?

The referendum is non-binding. Congress still has to approve it. But Congress probably will.

Election Day

Get out and vote. I’m not going to tell you who to vote for. That’s not my job. But I am going to tell you to vote if you haven’t already. It’s your duty.