Clearing out the backlog

This is everything which has accumulated in my reading list over the last few days. I’m going to try to keep a semi-regular update of such on here even if it’s mostly done to let my phone’s browser dump its memory cache. I’ll maybe edit posts to include excerpts as I finish articles, I might just leave you to notice such things on Facebook.

Notes on Nationalism -George Orwell

The Islamic Republic of Iran is doomed – Ray Takeyh, Politico EU

“Even though Iran’s relentless imperialism is denounced by the protesters who do not want to see their nation’s assets wasted in Arab civil wars, the hard-liners aren’t likely to change course. This was always a revolution without a border, and given the collapse of the regional state system, the Islamic Republic sees unique opportunities to project its power. Tehran is too proud of its Hezbollah protégé in Lebanon, too invested in the Syrian civil war and too involved in the murky politics of Iraq to dispense with foreign adventurism just because it is becoming a financial burden. Imperialism has always been tempting to revolutionaries despite the fact that its costs usually outweigh its benefits. The revamped conservative regime in Iran is likely to be even more aggressive in enabling its allies.”

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jan/03/north-korea-kim-jong-un-us-winter-olympics?utm_source=Fareed%27s+Global+Briefing&utm_campaign=1de4530bd1-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_01_03&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6f2e93382a-1de4530bd1-83378205

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2018/01/03/why-nuclear-war-with-north-korea-is-less-likely-than-you-think/?utm_term=.81b5f29a1ccc&wpisrc=nl_cage&wpmm=1

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2018/01/03/this-is-what-orrin-g-hatchs-retirement-means-for-the-senate/?utm_term=.36183dc281f6&wpisrc=nl_cage&wpmm=1

https://newrepublic.com/article/146462/can-obamacare-survive-without-individual-mandate

https://newrepublic.com/article/146459/america-not-retreat-its-rogue-superpower

https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2018/01/iran-khamenei-reaction-protests-shamkhani-kowsari.html?utm_campaign=20180103&utm_source=sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Daily%20Newsletter

https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2018/01/iran-reformist-reaction-protests-unrest-tajzadeh-abtahi.html?utm_campaign=20180103&utm_source=sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Daily%20Newsletter

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/trump-is-right-to-tell-iran-the-world-is-watching/2018/01/02/6af0280a-f00c-11e7-b390-a36dc3fa2842_story.html?utm_term=.2a510f5bb6f5&wpisrc=nl_opinions&wpmm=1

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/01/02/donald-trump-foreign-policy-analysis-dangerous-216202

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/01/01/where-we-can-agree-on-iran-216205?utm_source=Fareed%27s+Global+Briefing&utm_campaign=f1da46054d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_01_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6f2e93382a-f1da46054d-83378205

“One clear takeaway from these protests is that, as outsiders, we don’t know enough. The causes of the protests are not monolithic, their scale is significant but not necessarily determinative, the trajectory is uncertain, the leadership unclear and the regime’s response is likely to be repressive. We must approach these protests with humility in understanding their ultimate meaning and impact. They are big, bold, widespread, impressive and heartfelt—but we have no idea if these protests will mushroom into a genuine threat to the regime. We hope so; any prospect of shortening this Iranian regime’s lease on life should be welcomed. If this movement could lead to the end of Khamenei’s regime, it would be a boon mostly for Iranians but also for Lebanese, Iraqis, Syrians, Yemenis, Israelis, Palestinians, Saudis, Emiratis—and for Americans.”

https://www.firstthings.com/article/2017/04/american-carnage

https://newrepublic.com/article/146350/president-islamophobe

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/united-states/2017-06-11/where-go-here?cid=nlc-fa_fatoday-20171226

https://khn.org/news/why-do-people-hate-obamacare-anyway/

https://www.lawfareblog.com/its-time-congress-needs-open-formal-impeachment-inquiry

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/10/29/john-boehner-trump-house-republican-party-retirement-profile-feature-215741

https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2017/12/chapter-7-un-sanction-iraq.html?utm_campaign=20171227&utm_source=sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Daily%20Newsletter

https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2017/12/libya-un-elections-rival-political-factions.html?utm_campaign=20171227&utm_source=sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Daily%20Newsletter

https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2017/12/russia-mulls-scenarios-mideast-mediator-trump-jerusalem.html?utm_campaign=20171228&utm_source=sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Daily%20Newsletter

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/middle-east/2017-03-04/coming-islamic-culture-war?cid=nlc-fa_fatoday-20171228

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/united-states/2017-02-28/good-foreign-policy-invisible?cid=nlc-fa_fatoday-20171228

https://www.vox.com/2017/12/14/16756872/paul-krugman-economics-policy-ezra-klein