by Ron Raskin On January 29, 2002, U.S. President George W. Bush first used the term “Axis of Evil” in his State of the Union speech. This label originally referred to Iran, Iraq, and North Korea. Later, in 2024, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and other leaders used this term again to describe China, Iran, […]
What Makes the “Axis of Evil” Truly Evil? Read More »
By Ron Raskin Since the beginning of humanity, groups have frequently competed over resources, leading to confrontations as part of the struggle for survival. These conflicts often have an interesting side effect: they push groups under pressure to unite, either by choice or by necessity. Over time, these temporary alliances of diverse groups can transform
The Raise of Valores Nations Read More »
by Ron Raskin For those in the West who believe in democracy, it seems natural to expect that all nations will eventually embrace its principles as inevitable. So when a country struggles to establish democracy or abandons it, it can be difficult to accept. The truth is that democracy is a delicate flower—it won’t thrive
Why Democracy is So Challenging – A Cultural Perspective Read More »
By Ron Raskin A year ago, on October 7th at 6:29 AM, Hamas launched its brutal attack on Israel. Since then, while its military capabilities have been destroyed, Hamas still governs Gaza, hostages remain in captivity, Hezbollah’s war machine has been significantly damaged, Israel faces accusations of genocide, and the West has distanced itself from
The Game of The Century: Israel, US and Europe Moves Simply Explained Read More »
By Ron Raskin Since October 7th, tensions have surfaced between the Israeli government and its allies, particularly with the Biden administration. Calls to end the war in Gaza have intensified, often framed around the need for a hostage deal but extending beyond that. The underlying rationale seems to align with what I refer to as
The Ring of Fire and Punching Bag Policy Read More »
By Ron Raskin Empathy is one of the most profound human traits, fundamental to cooperation and the functioning of society. It’s well known that “empathy increases with similarities in culture and living conditions. Empathy is more likely to occur between individuals whose interaction is more frequent”. For most people, it’s very different when someone in
Circles Of Empathy Or The Source Of Inherent Bias Read More »
Or what do politicians actually argue about? By Ron Raskin There’s a heated debate over the difficult choice facing Israel in its Gaza War: Should Israel end the war in Gaza or persist until total victory is achieved? The discussion is so intense that it seems neither side has attempted to understand the other’s perspective.
Is Time Working In Israel’s Favor? Read More »
By Ron Raskin The mass media and our information landscape are saturated with empty slogans. Unfortunately, most people often take these as authentic ideas and intentions, when in reality, they are simply “public messages” that often have little to do with what politicians truly believe. These slogans frequently fuel intense battles between political groups, generating
“A simple message to the public”, or How To Understand What Politicians Really Say. Read More »
By Ron Raskin The century-long Arab-Israeli conflict—which now extends beyond Arab nations to include non-Arab Muslim countries like Iran and has effectively merged with the Jihad movement—has undergone several phases. The period of large-scale conventional interstate wars ended in 1973, followed by a phase of terrorism that peaked with the second intifada from 2000 to
The Asymmetric Nature of Middle East Conflict Read More »
by Ron Raskin There are many perspectives on any political topic, most of which are subjective and influenced by personal feelings or interests. Consider the trolley problem, a well-known series of thought experiments in ethics that explore dilemmas such as whether to sacrifice one person to save a larger number. Now imagine you must choose
Why is Europe Distancing Itself From Israel? Read More »
