I’m hardly an expert on modern warfare, but this New York Times op-ed is pretty clearly silly and deserving of refutation. Defense consultant Lara Dadkhah is discussing the way that NATO air forces have voluntarily drawn down their airstrikes and are thus tying one hand behind their back. She argues that this is incredibly harmful … Read more
I’m not always wild about The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg, but I think he has a very perceptive post about Israel’s relationship with the United States. He points out that the ultra-conservative governments that have been in power lately have been doing their best to alienate their potential American supporters, particularly young American Jews. Namely, that … Read more
So today the European Union issued its long-awaited statement on whether or not it would bail out Greece. The answer was a clear and unambiguous signal to global financial markets: maybe-kinda-sorta-let’s-see-where-it-goes-from-here-and-then-we’ll-talk. For those who haven’t been keeping score at home, Greece is in quite a bit of financial trouble (much like California), due to government … Read more
How a failing Yemen threatens international security One year before the 9/11 attacks, suicide bombers struck the USS Cole while it was anchored off the Yemeni port of Aden, killing 17 U.S. sailors. In response, the United States and Yemen coordinated a fierce counterterrorism campaign against al-Qaida. By 2004, their combined efforts had virtually eradicated … Read more
What Silvio Berlusconi represents in Italian politics Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has never been known for his subtlety. Facing trials for bribery and tax evasion, Berlusconi and his People of Freedom party recently attempted to pass a law granting judicial immunity to the four highest officials of the state, including the prime minister himself. … Read more
After decades of one-party rule, the Liberal Democratic Party falters In the United States last year, “change we can believe in” became a national catchphrase. In Japan this past August, the slogan of the victorious opposition party was seiken kotai, meaning “political change.” The triumph of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), which won 308 … Read more
Can Latin America’s largest country rise above the hurdles? As cannons blasted confetti down upon a roaring crowd in Rio de Janeiro in October, Latin America’s largest nation celebrated its arrival on the world stage. Like China before the 2008 Olympic Games, Brazil greeted the announcement that it would host the Games in 2016 as … Read more
Reforming foreign aid at home In the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, President George W. Bush made a sweeping commitment to global economic development. In early 2002, he declared, “We fight against poverty because hope is an answer to terror. We fight against poverty because opportunity is a fundamental right to human dignity.” Development … Read more
And what it may mean for the U.S. strategic dilemma With fraud-ridden elections, a growing insurgency, and expanding Taliban influence, Afghanistan is at its most critical crossroads since the overthrow of the fundamentalist regime eight years ago. A report leaked last month revealed that Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top commander of U.S. and international forces … Read more
A closer look at shifting power dynamics in Iran The election crisis in Iran this summer riveted the world with scenes of dramatic demonstrations and a brutal crackdown that left hundreds dead. But the aftermath of the elections marked a subtle shift in the regime’s power structure: the ascent of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard … Read more