Neo Culpa

Neo Culpa

As I left work yesterday, on the eve of this referendum on the Bush Administration’s failed, disastrous policies–especially the neocon-led invasion of Iraq, I got a PR email blast from Vanity Fair. “Perle and Adelman Blast Bush Administration….If Given Second Chance, Would Not support Invasion.”

2,800 Americans dead, more than 20,000 wounded and maimed, 100s of thousands of Iraqis dead, and these two neocon thugs are having second thoughts? Shameless doesn’t even begin to describe these characters. (And remember that Mr. Adelman coined the phrase about how it would all be a “cakewalk.”)

In the last couple of hours, people have sent me emails about this forthcoming story, Almost all end up saying, “well, the rats are jumping the ship.” I agreed at first. But then I thought–do not demean the good animal, the rat, by analogy. These two men and their neocon allies are political criminals, not rats, and they have much to answer for, in the court of history, and in the dock of judgment–down the road.

Copy Link
Facebook
X (Twitter)
Bluesky
Pocket
Email

As I left work yesterday, on the eve of this referendum on the Bush Administration’s failed, disastrous policies–especially the neocon-led invasion of Iraq, I got a PR email blast from Vanity Fair. “Perle and Adelman Blast Bush Administration….If Given Second Chance, Would Not support Invasion.”

2,800 Americans dead, more than 20,000 wounded and maimed, 100s of thousands of Iraqis dead, and these two neocon thugs are having second thoughts? Shameless doesn’t even begin to describe these characters. (And remember that Mr. Adelman coined the phrase about how it would all be a “cakewalk.”)

In the last couple of hours, people have sent me emails about this forthcoming story, Almost all end up saying, “well, the rats are jumping the ship.” I agreed at first. But then I thought–do not demean the good animal, the rat, by analogy. These two men and their neocon allies are political criminals, not rats, and they have much to answer for, in the court of history, and in the dock of judgment–down the road.

Hold the powerful to account by supporting The Nation

The chaos and cruelty of the Trump administration reaches new lows each week.

Trump’s catastrophic “Liberation Day” has wreaked havoc on the world economy and set up yet another constitutional crisis at home. Plainclothes officers continue to abduct university students off the streets. So-called “enemy aliens” are flown abroad to a mega prison against the orders of the courts. And Signalgate promises to be the first of many incompetence scandals that expose the brutal violence at the core of the American empire.

At a time when elite universities, powerful law firms, and influential media outlets are capitulating to Trump’s intimidation, The Nation is more determined than ever before to hold the powerful to account.

In just the last month, we’ve published reporting on how Trump outsources his mass deportation agenda to other countries, exposed the administration’s appeal to obscure laws to carry out its repressive agenda, and amplified the voices of brave student activists targeted by universities.

We also continue to tell the stories of those who fight back against Trump and Musk, whether on the streets in growing protest movements, in town halls across the country, or in critical state elections—like Wisconsin’s recent state Supreme Court race—that provide a model for resisting Trumpism and prove that Musk can’t buy our democracy.

This is the journalism that matters in 2025. But we can’t do this without you. As a reader-supported publication, we rely on the support of generous donors. Please, help make our essential independent journalism possible with a donation today.

In solidarity,

The Editors

The Nation

Ad Policy
x