New at the Belmont Club: Why militant protesters dress the way they do. It’s not just style.
Author Archives: Richard Fernandez
Pith Helmet
New at PJMedia VIP: Modern colonialism looks different from its popular stereotype. Consider the Indian Ocean and Africa.
The Forever Man
There’s nothing better because politicians and educators represent a class of occupations where competence is not a qualification.
When Aggression Wears a Mask
New at PJMedia VIP. Hybrid war is conflict in disguise. Would you recognize it if it hit you?
When Hostilities Were Declared
New at the Belmont Club: The contest for the soul of the West has broken out in the open after simmering under the surface for some time. Maybe it’s for the best.
What is your command?
New at PJMedia VIP. Arthur Clarke once observed that a sufficiently advanced technology would be indistinguishable from magic. Now the spellbook lies mysterious and promising on the table.
Dark Wind
New at the Belmont Club. How do you guard against an assassin that can be anybody? Simply an ordinary man driven by a deadly compulsion?
The Big Parade Moves to China
New at PJMedia VIP. How the Kremlin tried to conquer in the West — and surrendered in the East.
Names on a Map
For those to whom the exotic place names in the Western Philippine Sea are just letters on a map, thanks to the proliferation of RoRo-type ferries, there is now the option of visiting these places simply by boarding a bus at a Manila terminal. This is a convenient and cheap way to get a sense …
The Armpits of the World
News that Israel is considering resettling Gazans in South Sudan is a reminder that for citizens of failing states, escape to the first world is becoming less and less an option. “Israel is in discussions with South Sudan about the possibility of resettling Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to the war-torn East African country, part …
A Lifetime of Escapes
New at the Belmont Club. Are we really awake? Or just along for the ride?
The Man With Nowhere To Go
Bowed by the weight of aid boxes he leansUpon the truck and gazes on the ground,The emptiness of ages in his faceAnd on his back the burden of loot.Who made him dead to agency and life,A thing that consumes and that never makes,Resentful and desperate, a brother to the ox?Who loosened and let down this …
The Tourists
So gradually that the press didn’t notice, nontraditional countries took over the mercenary trade. Colombian mercenaries working for North African strongmen have taken over one of the largest refugee camps in the world. “The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have handed over control of the massive Zamzam camp for displaced people to Colombian mercenaries, a …
Humanitarians vs Gangs
An prominent Irish aid worker and 8 others were kidnapped from an orphanage in Haiti. Gena Heraty, from Liscarney, County Mayo is described by the Guardian as a missionary. “Among them was Gena Heraty, an Irish missionary who oversees the orphanage – operated by the humanitarian organization Nos Petits Frères et Sœurs (Our Little Brothers …
What Lies Beneath
Netanyahu reportedly goes all in and decided to take Gaza according to the Jerusalem Post. “The Prime Minister’s Office conveyed the message to IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir: If this does not suit you, then you should resign.” The Israelis may not find any more hostages alive, but perhaps that possibility has simply …
Tale of Two Cities
Morality takes different forms. “A zoo in Denmark is asking for donations of small pets as food for its predators. … That way, nothing goes to waste — and we ensure natural behavior, nutrition and well-being of our predators,” the zoo said. Meanwhile over in Sudan: “‘We’re suffering’: People in Sudan’s el-Fasher eat animal fodder …
The Weapon from Mars
New at PJMedia VIP. The power of the Bomb lay in its nearly supernatural quality; in the ability of magic not megatons to break the enemy will.
The Psychology of War
New at the Belmont Club: The storytelling of war. From the thrill of victory to the pathos of defeat.
Doubt Returns
New at PJMedia VIP. The days when nations sailed with hatches open under sunny skies are over. Fear is rising again and general quarters is sounding in many places.
Corsairs
New at the Belmont Club. The rise, fall and rise again of pirates. The bad old days are back. But what is the West going to do about it?