Just a bit of business

by Kevin Potvin

Overlooked by critics searching for why the US is so intent on stirring up massive trouble in the Middle East are the staggering business profits that country's arms and banking businesses have earned after 25 years of the US government mucking things up there

What emerges from those investigations is the sense that the opportunity for big Western businesses to make profits from the conflict was too tempting to pass up, even if playing both sides risked spreading an unpredictable Islamist revolutionary movement throughout the region. Possibly, it was that potential Islamist revolution that Western businesses used to shake down their clients.

The Second Battle of Fallujah

by William Kay

Failure to close the cordon around the city allowed insurgents to take the fight to the Americans in a dozen or more other cities, and the powerful devastation by American guns spreads country-wide

Mao learned the hard way that the guerrilla army must suppress the impulse to stand their ground and fight protracted battles. Keep running away and keep booby-trapping your trail. Break into small groups and blend into the civilian population. Force the enemy down to small patrols, convoys and sentries.

An alternative union movement

by Larry Gambone

Developments in unionism in Europe may come to deeply affect British Columbia, ripe for change after two decades of deceit and betrayal

This is no small ultra-left sect but is rather a trade union that represents about one million people.

United Church brass reject unions

by Reverand Kevin Annett

The church, known for its strong support of unions, bars the door when the organizing drive comes looking for them

"It's just not a fit" Sinclair said to national reporters, referring to unions representing clergy. "It would disrupt and harm the traditional covenant between ministers and their congregations."

Proliferate for peace

by Kevin Potvin

Since the Americans have inadvertently made it clear to every country in the world that only a credible nuclear defence will stop it from invading, and since every invasion by America further endangers Canada and the world, perhaps Canada's interests are better served now by encouraging nuclear proliferation

On the one hand, the attack on Iraq was made necessary by US officials issuing the false claim that Iraq was soon to acquire nuclear weapons; on the other hand, the attack was made possible by the true claim that Iraq did not (at the moment) actually have nuclear weapons.

Videogames take over

by Chris LaVigne

They bring in the most money, they attract the best talent, and they draw the most enthusiastic audience. This year marks the beginning of the videogame age, for better or worse

More than ever, though, videogames are fulfilling their potential to not only tell deep and meaningful stories, but to allow gamers to interact with these stories and explore their intricacies for themselves.

Welcome to the underworld

by Michael Nenonen

Friendly fascism is upon us and soon we shall all know what oppression feels like

Bush ran in 2000 on a platform of isolationism and small government, rather than imperialism and Big Brother. We could therefore tell ourselves that the American people were, for the most part, innocent of the crimes of their leaders. We can't tell ourselves this anymore.

Requiem for a hope

When Toronto-area Liberal MP Carolyn Parrish burst onto the scene calling Bush a bastard and supporters of missile defence idiots, we thought we heard the distinctive call of one from our own tribe. But alas, it was not to be: Parrish is a girl after her own heart

Books we're reading this month

reviewed by Kevin Potvin

Active Faith and World Out of Balance

Turner's Movies

reviewed by Scott Turner

A Night to Remember and Titanic

Letters to the Republic

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