In a recent editorial, pro-war editor William Kristol of the Weekly Standard accused Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s Pentagon of emitting an “inescapable whiff of weakness and defeatism.” Soon, the Empire struck back, with Pentagon spokesman Lawrence Di Rita calling Kristol’s view “nonsense.” Di Rita claims that what Kristol sees as defeatism actually is determination, arguing, “The Iraqi people will defeat the insurgency when they starve it of what it needs most—domestic credibility.” Say what
The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.