As I observe the back and forth between the United States and Iran, I am reminded of that hilarious Monty Python skit where one knight chops off both arms and both legs of his opponent. The defeated knight suggests they call it a draw. That appears to be the attitude of the surviving Iranian leadership. […]
It is interesting to reflect on how difficult it is to recognize greatness in one’s contemporaries. For example, think of Abraham Lincoln. One reporter covering the memorial events at Gettysburg in late 1863 described Lincoln’s address as dull and inconsequential. A year and a half later, immediately after Lincoln’s assassination, William Lloyd Garrison Jr. called […]
Wreck of the Sea Venture 1609 Samuel Jordan was evidently the first Jordan to settle in English America. Some reports say that Samuel was born in Lyme Regis, Dorsetshire, England, and his birth year is given as 1575 or 1578. Other sources indicate that he was born in the adjoining county of Wiltshire. Samuel was […]
Trump’s March 19th press conference with the Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was priceless. A Japanese reporter questioned Trump as to why European nations and Japan weren’t forewarned about our plans to attack Iran. Trump smiled and responded with the observation that no one knows better about surprise than Japan, an obvious reference to the […]
On Wednesday mornings I participate in a discussion group. There are six or seven of us, and we communicate on-line rather than in person. During our most recent session I was asked for my evaluation of the Iranian situation. I said that I remained cautiously optimistic. Here I give a more complete explanation of my […]
The Charlestown Retiement Community, which is now my home, has a number of clubs and activities. One of these is the Civil War Roundtable. Sometime in the near future I hope to give a brief presentation to the group telling them about my own family’s Civil War experiences. Much of the information I present here […]
I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop in Iran. That will be when the Iranian people rise up and overthrow the brutal regime that has held them captive for the last 47 years. I do not know that it will actually happen. I can only hope it does. The popular demonstrations that took […]
I recently read books by James R. Clapper and James Comey to get their input on events occurring during the last year of the Obama administration and the first months of President Trump. The most obvious contrast between their accounts and more recent statements by Trump supporters concerns the extent to which Russia interfered in […]
The United States and Israel must bring the war with Iran to end as quickly as possible. The longer it continues, the more likely it is that unpleasant consequences will arise. We had a brilliant plan for waging the war. I am confident that we must also have a plan for peace. The Iranian military […]
We Americans should avoid boastful arrogance. It is proper for us to take pride in the skill and bravery of our armed forces, but I believe we should show compassion for those Iranian soldiers and sailors who were led by their mad leaders into the path of death and destruction. I do not doubt these […]
Jordans-Journey 