Barack Obama is a smart guy. So why has he spent the last four years executing such a dumb foreign policy? True, his reliance on “smart power” — a euphemism for giving the Pentagon a stake in all things global — has been a smart move politically at home. It has largely prevented the Republicans… Continue reading Dumb and Dumber
It’s election time in the United States, and once again Washington doesn’t care about Korea. I realize that this is a difficult pill for Koreans to swallow. Koreans naturally believe that, since Korea is at the heart of East Asia and East Asia is at the heart of the global economy, American politicians and voters… Continue reading Korea and the 2012 Elections
When North Korean leader Kim Jong Un recently watched a concert that included Disney figures like Mickey Mouse, it was big news. Foreign analysts rushed to the conclusion that the young leader was presiding over a shift in Pyongyang’s attitudes about the West. After all, Mickey Mouse is a symbol of American imperialism and Western… Continue reading North Korea and Disneyland
My latest book, Crusade 2.0: The West’s Resurgent War against Islam, will be published this March by City Lights Press. You can order it here. Next book event: Firedoglake Book Salon, August 4, 2012 Some background information In his offical response to the attacks of September 11th, George W. Bush invoked the Crusades, tapping into… Continue reading Crusade 2.0
All Over the Map: The Best of World Beat Now available at Smashwords for $4.99 And at Barnes and Noble. Foreign policy analyst John Feffer looks at global affairs in the Obama era. This collection of more than 125 Foreign Policy In Focus columns covers war, peace, terrorism, global economics, culture, democracy, and the environment.… Continue reading All Over the Map
As a pundit, I’ve had my share of uncomfortable moments. I’ve been in front of the cameras and suddenly blanked on the name of a former South Korean president or the precise year when North Korea conducted its first nuclear test. Such embarrassing lapses, for a Korean expert at least, are comparable to forgetting your… Continue reading Playing the Pundit
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Ambitious Washington pundit Peter Peters is an expert on everything, even things he’s never heard of before. His slick media appearances put him on the fast track…until one of his interviews blows up in his face. Written by John Feffer Directed by Doug Krehbel Starring John Feffer as… Continue reading The Pundit
South Korea is at the cutting edge of global technology. It is one of the most wired countries, and its biggest cities have the fastest Internet connections in the world. Whether it’s cell phones or genetic engineering, Korean scientists and companies set the pace. Korean culture, too, is thoroughly up to date, from K-pop sensations… Continue reading South Korea: Stuck in the 20th Century?
If North Koreans simply knew more about the world outside – or received more accurate information about their own society – they would transform their country. This is an operating assumption behind much of the policy thinking in Washington and Seoul. Both governments pour money into radio stations that beam information into North Korea. Civil… Continue reading The Limits of Information in North Korea
In March 1990, I entered East Germany for the start of nearly seven months of travel throughout Eastern Europe. In my backpack, I carried an early version of a laptop and a cutting-edge portable printer. I had a simple agenda: talk to people, write reports, and send them back to my employers by snail mail.… Continue reading The 250