in bocca al lupo to the dog star

Red flags can signify many things. There is one in particular that reflects the old maxim: Revenge is a dish best served cold. On 4 January the Iranians hoisted their red flag on the top of Jamkaran Mosque, in Qom, Iran in response to the assassination of their favorite son, Major General Qasem Soleimani. He was targeted in what has turned out to be an act of treachery by the Trump administration, which we will examine in due course, and in what will probably come to be known as one of the greatest blunders of foreign policy strategy in recent US history. If this already sounds like an apologist piece, read on, because appearances are often deceptive and as is usually the case, there is more to this than meets the eye. Continue reading “Soleimani”

Friday marked a sombre anniversary in American history. It was one of those days that remains as a sharp memory. It was the day in 1963 that President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas. It was 12:30 in the afternoon. In North Carolina it was 1:30 on a Friday afternoon. I was in the 1^st grade and we had finished lunch not long before. The announcement came over the intercom. The teachers were in shock and tears. We students didn’t really know what had happened, except that it was bad. What was an assassination? The teacher had to explain it to us, after she composed herself. Shortly thereafter we were all sent home. Today, I am remembering Kennedy and his legacy, as are many in the US. Next year will mark another important milestone for the US, and we will get to why later. Continue reading “Remembering Kennedy”