June 2, 2008 Issue

Cover art by: Cover illustration by Victor Juhasz, design by Gene Case & Stephen Kling/Avenging Angels

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Feature

War of Words

An argument over how US officials should speak about terrorism bodes ill for this political season.
Aziz Huq
Torturing Iron Man

The Pentagon does a star turn in Iron Man, and the summer blockbuster turns the realities of the war in Afganistan upside down. Will anyone notice?
Nick Turse
Daniel Berrigan: Forty Years After Catonsville

In this 2008 interview, neither time nor age had blunted Berrigan’s fierce critique of American empire and his radical interpretation of the Gospels.
Chris Hedges
Bush’s Islamist Enemies List

By conflating Al Qaeda, Hamas and Hezbollah, the President displays his ignorance–and could be laying the groundwork for attacks by Israel on Hamas and Hezbollah.
Mohamad Bazzi
China’s Inauspicious Year

China’s response to the earthquake and other calamities of 2008 challenges the West to rethink its prejudices.
Jeffrey Wasserstrom
The Fight of His Life

Senator Edward M. Kennedy, diagnosed today with a malignant brain tumor, is sidelined at the moment his party is poised to realize the causes and ideals he has promoted for so long.
John Nichols
FDA Puts Medical Test Subjects in Danger

Research subjects in developing countries–often the poorest, the sickest and with the fewest options–become more vulnerable.
Sonia Shah
Wheels Within Wheels

This week in Citizen Kang, a gun is brandished, feelings get hurt, clandestine meetings are suggested, and the watcher is watched.
Gary Phillips
Dollar-Driven Recruiting

The Department of Defense has dramatically increased its military recruitment budget, but where will the troops come from?
Allen McDuffee
Why War, Inc. Works

John Cusack’s War, Inc. takes on a seldom-discussed aspect of the occupation: the corporate dominance of the US war machine.
Jeremy Scahill
Gay Marriage Ruling Launches a Larger Fight

Champagne corks are popping in the Castro and West Hollywood, but elsewhere in America, the fight is just beginning.
Christopher Lisotta
Haiti on the ‘Death Plan’

Protesters decry high food prices–and the savage cost of “free trade” agreements.
Reed Lindsay
Manufacturing a Food Crisis

How “free trade” is destroying Third World agriculture–and who’s fighting back.
Walden Bello
Is the Party Over?

In the past two years, the GOP’s dream of a permanent majority has become a nightmare.
Eyal Press

Editorial

Happily Never After

Gay and ready to tie the knot? Take some advice from a couple of heteros: marriage isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Annabelle Gurwitch
Bring Back Antitrust!

Americans interested in economic justice used to consider antitrust litigation a top priority. Perhaps soon we will think along these lines again.
Harry First
McCain Sells Out Vets

There’s little evidence that John McCain will do anything, if elected, to repair the damage the Bush Administration has done to veterans’ healthcare.
Brian Beutler
Noted.

Jeff Madrick on Clintonomics; John Nichols on the Ron Paul revolt; Ari Berman on superdelegate fence-sitters
The Editors
Obama’s GOP Base

Judging by their voting patterns in the primaries, crossover Republicans may swing the presidential election for Barack Obama.
John Nichols
Burma’s Desperate Hour

The crisis in Burma justifies humanitarian intervention–but it should be carried out by the UN and limited to emergency relief.
The Editors
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Column

Praying for War at the Gas Pump

How have the Saudis thanked George W. Bush for protecting their sorry oil well of a country? Just check the price of gas.
Robert Scheer
A Devil’s Dictionary of Finance

An irreverent lexicon of terms that paved the way to the subprime mortgage meltdown.
Nicholas von Hoffman
Regime-Quakes in Burma and China

Nothing terrifies a repressive regime more than a natural disaster.
Naomi Klein
Good Night and Good Luck

Pundits embrace the fantasy of Hillary Clinton’s candidacy as foolishly as they embraced the Iraq War.
Eric Alterman
Ask President Bush

Mr. President, did you end up with debacle in Iraq?: “Sure did, fits right in my Bible belt.”
Steve Brodner
Competitive Sliming

At least McCain’s being creative.
Calvin Trillin

Books & the Arts

Torturing Iron Man

The Pentagon does a star turn in Iron Man, and the summer blockbuster turns the realities of the war in Afganistan upside down. Will anyone notice?
Nick Turse
Taz Year Thirty

Germany’s leading left daily wins the fight to name a street after a leader of the 1968 student movement.
Paul Hockenos
Why War, Inc. Works

John Cusack’s War, Inc. takes on a seldom-discussed aspect of the occupation: the corporate dominance of the US war machine.
Jeremy Scahill
Back Talk: Tod Papageorge

Photographer Tod Papageorge reflects on the links between American sports and the Vietnam War.
Christine Smallwood
A Wink and a Leer

Nick Cave’s self-lacerating sense of humor helps him avoid being just another pretentious old rocker.
Jess Harvell
Boxed In

Electoral reform in the United States will require federal intervention to empower voters and overcome the challenges posed by state and local autonomy.
Peter C. Baker
Playing Games

Are virtual-world video games just another plaything or a new frontier with vast potential to upend social norms?
Stephen Totilo
The stakes are higher now than ever. Get The Nation in your inbox.

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Letters

Letters

Readers write back on Jeremiah Wright’s church and Henry Siegman’s criticism of Israel; Eric Alterman answers his critics.
Eric Alterman and Our Readers

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June 2, 2008 Issue

Feature

An argument over how US officials should speak about terrorism bodes ill for this political season.

The Pentagon does a star turn in Iron Man, and the summer blockbuster turns the realities of the war in Afganistan upside down. Will anyone notice?

In this 2008 interview, neither time nor age had blunted Berrigan’s fierce critique of American empire and his radical interpretation of the Gospels.

By conflating Al Qaeda, Hamas and Hezbollah, the President displays his ignorance–and could be laying the groundwork for attacks by Israel on Hamas and Hezbollah.

China’s response to the earthquake and other calamities of 2008 challenges the West to rethink its prejudices.

Senator Edward M. Kennedy, diagnosed today with a malignant brain tumor, is sidelined at the moment his party is poised to realize the causes and ideals he has promoted for so long.

Research subjects in developing countries–often the poorest, the sickest and with the fewest options–become more vulnerable.

This week in Citizen Kang, a gun is brandished, feelings get hurt, clandestine meetings are suggested, and the watcher is watched.

The Department of Defense has dramatically increased its military recruitment budget, but where will the troops come from?

John Cusack’s War, Inc. takes on a seldom-discussed aspect of the occupation: the corporate dominance of the US war machine.

Champagne corks are popping in the Castro and West Hollywood, but elsewhere in America, the fight is just beginning.

Protesters decry high food prices–and the savage cost of “free trade” agreements.

How “free trade” is destroying Third World agriculture–and who’s fighting back.

In the past two years, the GOP’s dream of a permanent majority has become a nightmare.

Editorial

Gay and ready to tie the knot? Take some advice from a couple of heteros: marriage isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Americans interested in economic justice used to consider antitrust litigation a top priority. Perhaps soon we will think along these lines again.

There’s little evidence that John McCain will do anything, if elected, to repair the damage the Bush Administration has done to veterans’ healthcare.

Jeff Madrick on Clintonomics; John Nichols on the Ron Paul revolt; Ari Berman on superdelegate fence-sitters

Judging by their voting patterns in the primaries, crossover Republicans may swing the presidential election for Barack Obama.

The crisis in Burma justifies humanitarian intervention–but it should be carried out by the UN and limited to emergency relief.

GET UNLIMITED DIGITAL ACCESS FOR LESS THAN $3 A MONTH!

Column

How have the Saudis thanked George W. Bush for protecting their sorry oil well of a country? Just check the price of gas.

An irreverent lexicon of terms that paved the way to the subprime mortgage meltdown.

Nothing terrifies a repressive regime more than a natural disaster.

Pundits embrace the fantasy of Hillary Clinton’s candidacy as foolishly as they embraced the Iraq War.

Mr. President, did you end up with debacle in Iraq?: “Sure did, fits right in my Bible belt.”

At least McCain’s being creative.

Books & the Arts

The Pentagon does a star turn in Iron Man, and the summer blockbuster turns the realities of the war in Afganistan upside down. Will anyone notice?

Germany’s leading left daily wins the fight to name a street after a leader of the 1968 student movement.

John Cusack’s War, Inc. takes on a seldom-discussed aspect of the occupation: the corporate dominance of the US war machine.

Photographer Tod Papageorge reflects on the links between American sports and the Vietnam War.

Nick Cave’s self-lacerating sense of humor helps him avoid being just another pretentious old rocker.

Electoral reform in the United States will require federal intervention to empower voters and overcome the challenges posed by state and local autonomy.

Are virtual-world video games just another plaything or a new frontier with vast potential to upend social norms?

The stakes are higher now than ever. Get The Nation in your inbox.

Letters

Readers write back on Jeremiah Wright’s church and Henry Siegman’s criticism of Israel; Eric Alterman answers his critics.