Over at Slate, Josh Keating has a rundown of the Obama administration's hilariously convoluted attempts to condemn Saudi Arabia's mass execution of political prisoners without really condemning it: Saudi Arabia is a U.S. ally, obviously and unfortunately, and no one seriously expects the U.S. to take major diplomatic action over this, but these circumlocutions are … Continue reading Overlooking the bad things our pals do

Although there may still be some pockets of ISIS resistance that need to be cleared out, it appears that the Iraqi army has retaken the city of Ramadi. It will take some time to fully secure the surrounding countryside and to clear the city of any IEDs the retreating ISIS fighters may have left behind, … Continue reading Ramadi and its aftermaths

(fifth and hopefully last in a series; see parts one, two, three, and four) Today's 2016 crisis isn't as acute as yesterdays crises, and it's a bit of a long-shot, but it's potentially pretty big: if you're a fan of the Palestinian Authority, you may need to start preparing yourself for a future in which … Continue reading Welcome to 2016: are generators pretty inexpensive these days?

(fourth in a short series: here are part one, part two, and part three) This tweet is so good, I'm stealing it: https://twitter.com/sexypitabread/status/683716453388828672 Now, I am no expert in the details of grazing rights or the Bureau of Land Management and its long history of conflict with western ranchers (or the apparent connection with Mormonism). … Continue reading Welcome to 2016: don’t forget potable water, it’s very important

(third in a short series: here are parts one and two) In "scary things that are happening that don't involve Saudi Arabia or Iran," Kashmiri militants have attacked an Indian air base in Pathankot: A Kashmir-based militant coalition has said it carried out the deadly attack on an Indian air force base. The United Jihad … Continue reading Welcome to 2016: make sure your first aid kit is intact

(second in a short series; here's the first entry) One of the casualties of the total collapse of Saudi-Iranian relations is likely to be any chance of ending the civil war in Yemen, where on Saturday the Saudi-Hadi coalition ended a ceasefire that had been in place, despite periodic violations, since December 15. But maybe … Continue reading Welcome to 2016: I hear dried goods are also very helpful in a crisis

(first in a brief series) Hey, Happy New Year! Isn't the first part of a new year kind of exciting? All the dregs of the past year are gone and replaced with the promise of something new. It's a time of optimism and hope. You haven't had time to break any of your resolutions yet. … Continue reading Welcome to 2016: maybe you should stock up on canned goods