Free Republic

The Western Alliance was already fraying long before the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran began earlier this month. But the collective refusal of European leaders to even entertain the idea of assisting the U.S. in keeping the Strait of Hormuz open – and their personal insults against President Donald Trump – may have fractured the relationship beyond repair. As Iranian forces continue to attack shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint through which 20-30 percent of all global crude oil flows, President Trump has called on European nations to form an international coalition to help reopen the strait....

The well understood norm in the media is that people don't really want new information so much as they want confirmation of their own cherished views. Psychologists who study reactions to news find that information is processed by people with strong views in ways that reinforce their views. Those who work in the news-and-information media understand that point without the need for controlled experiments. Their base readership, viewership or listenership is generally confined to a like-minded audience. Liberals may tune in to Rush Limbaugh if they are committed political animals who want to know what to be outraged about from...

Saudis Desperate for Russian Help 19 April 2002 Summary Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al Faisal traveled to Moscow April 18 to seek Russia's help in countering a belligerent U.S. agenda against Iraq. But Saudi Arabia has little to offer Russia and will likely leave empty-handed, so Riyadh will have few options left but to ally with rogue nations Iran and Iraq. Analysis Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al Faisal traveled to Moscow April 18 to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov. The three talked about Iraq, the recent Saudi-proposed Israeli-Palestinian peace plan and Moscow's...