Philip Gold

Dr. Philip Gold is a senior fellow of the Discovery Institute, and director of the Institute's Aerospace 2010 Project. A former Marine, he is the author of Evasion,: The American Way of Military Service and over 100 articles on defense matters. He teaches at Georgetown University and is a frequent op-ed contributor to several newspapers. Dr. Gold divides his time between Seattle and Washington, D.C.

Archives

Of MICE and Men: Rumsfeld for the Defense

Philip Gold
July 1, 2002
On Sept. 10, 2001, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was the man the MICE —— the Military-Industrial-Congressional Empire — loved to hate. Today, after nine months as everybody’s favorite “secretary of war,” the MICE are chewing on him again. The reason, then and now: “transformation,” or Rumsfeld’s attempt to drag America’s defense establishment, kicking and screaming, into the 21st century. The most recent well-publicized example is Rumsfeld’s decision to cancel the Army’s Crusader artillery system, and the frenetic counter-offensive to save it. Congress, miffed that it wasn’t “consulted” prior to the announcement, now appears disposed to cancel the Crusader in a manner designed to save the least possible …

Tribunals are American Way

Philip Gold
December 12, 2001
This war is full of surprises. And among the strangest so far has been the reaction to President Bush’s decision to establish military tribunals to try certain terrorist suspects. To our knowledge, none have so far been held. Procedures are still being worked out by a Defense Department that regards the assignment with considerably less than total enthusiasm. Only suspects designated by the president would be so tried. Only non-citizens would be subject to the tribunals’ jurisdiction. Trials might be secret, but not necessarily. And yet, critics left and right have already dismissed the tribunals as disasters waiting to happen, and worse. Why? One objection is that non-citizens suspected of terrorism are constitutionally entitled to the full protection of the civilian …

What Of Missile Defense?

Philip Gold
December 4, 2001
Philip Gold, Washington Times, subtitle: Book Review: The Phantom Defense: America's Pursuit of the Star Wars Illusion, NULL

Jihadistan 3

Philip Gold
October 1, 2001
When the holocausts of New York and Washington, DC began, our media – strange phrase, our media – did what they always do in first moments of catastrophe. Grimly, cleanly, often at personal risk, they took up their task of reporting, and were magnificent.

Terrorism

Philip Gold
September 12, 2001
Philip Gold, The Washington Times, subtitle: The War of the Ways, NULL

Jihadistan Part II: Defending Against It

Philip Gold
September 1, 2001
In our last episode, we considered the problem of “Jihadistan” – the violent, expansionist Islamic fundamentalism that has created an “arc of terror” from North Africa through the Middle East and Central Asia to the Philippines and Indonesia, and which is now firmly established in Europe and North America. This session, what to do about it. Six items here. First comes the obvious question: Is it necessary or desirable to do anything? Yes, if America genuinely believes that a more peaceful, more democratic world serves everybody’s interests. If you hold that other people’s affairs are none of our business, if you’re willing to buy your oil under whatever terms they care to impose and acquiesce in whatever they do, there are many fine articles in this magazine. Please proceed …

Darwinism in Denial?

Philip Gold
August 23, 2001
Fifteen years or so ago, “nuclear winter” – the theory that the soot and ash of World War III could end human life by darkening the atmosphere and lowering global temperatures – enjoyed its moment in the shade. As science, nuclear winter contained more errors than my last high school chemistry test, but that didn’t deter its supporters. Psychiatrist Robert Jay Lifton wrote that, even if wrong, nuclear winter “serves us well” as an “idea.”

Turning to Sources for Traditionalism

Philip Gold
July 8, 2001
Among the pleasures of taking up space on this page is the chance, from time to time, to report on some accomplishment that might otherwise go under-noticed. When the accomplishment belongs to a friend . . .well, OK, this is a puff piece. But the puffery’s deserved, because the accomplishment’s magnificent. Adam Pruzan works for Toward Tradition, a Seattle-based Jewish/conservative group that fights a two-front war. One front is political. Toward Tradition works with and supports various Christian groups on an array of conservative issues and causes. The other front is more narrowly sectarian. Toward Tradition wants to convince AmericanJews that conservatism, properly understood, embodies traditional Jewish values far more than liberalism – or, more aptly, what liberalism has …

Rumsfeld’s Revolution

Philip Gold
June 30, 2001
A revolution is struggling to be born — a fundamental reordering of America's military. Nothing similar in ambition has been attempted since the ferocious struggles of 1945-47 that resulted in the National Security Act and the creation of the Department of Defense.