Tag Archives: dictatorship

A Work of Tremendous Evil

Posted on July 11, 2022 by Joel D. Hirst

This book has been called the most dangerous book ever written. Julius Evola was said to have inspired Mussolini, whose spiritual power he feared. It inspired Goering and Goebbels. More recently, it is often on the tongue of Aleksandr Dugan, … Continue reading →

Posted in International Affairs | Tagged | 2 Comments

Venezuela’s ALBA: A Reflection 7 Years On

Posted on March 5, 2019 by Joel D. Hirst

Seven years ago, as a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, I wrote my (and perhaps the…?) hallmark book on the Bolivarian Alliance of the Americas: Hugo Chavez’s grand plan. At the time I received a lot of push-back, … Continue reading →

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“Defeating Dictators” – A Book Review

Posted on November 24, 2018 by Joel D. Hirst

There are many kinds of books. Yes, I know, I am stating the obvious of course. However for me its always helpful when I read a book to try and place it within the panoply of other books seeking to … Continue reading →

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Venezuela and the Plastic Sheeting People

Posted on April 17, 2018 by Joel D. Hirst

Yesterday I came across a little video on Twitter produced by the U.S. Government’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance describing an aid package to Venezuela’s refugees living in camps in Brazil and Colombia. There are upwards of 700,000 now in … Continue reading →

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Sorry, You’re Not a #Resistance

Posted on March 10, 2017 by Joel D. Hirst

Words matter – they transmit meaning to help us make sense of the world around us and communicate our intentions and fears and needs to others. Consequently, one of the things that frustrates me most about the US over the … Continue reading →

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Leopoldo’s 1001 Nights

Posted on November 17, 2016 by Joel D. Hirst

1001 nights. Of course our mind goes naturally to that most famous of collections; stories from the Islamic Golden Age. Opulence and intrigue and exotic luxury. Leopoldo Lopez’s 1001 nights have, unfortunately, been much less grand. Leopoldo Lopez is the … Continue reading →

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As Venezuela Goes ‘Rouge’

Posted on September 14, 2016 by Joel D. Hirst

The human race as an entity does not learn well. We are not very teachable – are we? We aren’t quick to identify patterns, likenesses; those times when your gut tells you ‘Wait, I’ve seen this before somewhere’. Maybe this … Continue reading →

Posted in International Affairs, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 16 Comments

Focus Instead on the Pawns

Posted on May 12, 2016 by Joel D. Hirst

A line of young men and women stand, dressed in white and blue and red and gold, arms stretched high while they chant – always the chanting. They have come in the hundreds, thousands – in the hundreds of thousands … Continue reading →

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The Suicide of Venezuela

Posted on April 23, 2016 by Joel D. Hirst

I never expected to witness the slow suicide of a country, a civilization. I suppose nobody does. Let me tell you, there’s nothing epic about it. We who have the privilege of travel often look down in satisfaction at the … Continue reading →

Posted in International Affairs, Travel, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 736 Comments

“In Order to Live” by Yeonmi Park – A Book Review

Posted on January 16, 2016 by Joel D. Hirst

I struggled with what to write in this book review. What can be said about North Korea that hasn’t already been said? Their fat bombastic leader with a bad haircut making outlandish threats. State media falling for a not-to-subtle parody … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Review, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments