A recent essay of mine was just published on the online edition of Counterpunch, and two longer articles will be forthcoming in the March and April edition of Z magazine. Like many, I was very sad when Counterpunch founding editor Alexander Cockburn passed away last year, but his spirit lives on through the wonderful magazine and website. And as Bruce Springsteen said, "everything dies, baby, thats a fact. But maybe everything that dies someday comes back."
An Irish reader emailed me a startling fact. By joining British troops in a training mission in Mali, the Irish military will be officially partnering with the British for the first time since Irish independence over 90 years ago. There is an odd historical synchronicity to this. Ireland gained independence in the neocolonial moment following the first World War, when a global "mandate" system was set up with the League of Nations, putting the former German and Ottoman colonies--including parts of Africa--that still needed "tutelage" under the imperial thumb on London and Paris. And now it has all come full circle, with Ireland and Britain back together again in a post-modern empire trying to reconquer Africa. Half a thought, to be sure, but a fruitful lead nonetheless. If only I had paid attention more in Irish history class.
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