Syria: Mission Possible
There’s no grand, exciting solution to the war in Syria. It’s going to take an endless parade of meetings where people sit and talk. And talk. And talk.
What Comes After Empire?
Let’s say the U.S. actually curbed its military adventurism, reeled in the Pentagon budget, and closed its global network of bases. Then what?
A Kumbaya Moment for the Middle East? Hardly.
Despite Washington’s move toward detente with Iran, other regional conflicts — especially in Israel-Palestine, where an “intifada of knives” is underway — are looking as volatile as ever.
Why Should the U.S. Accept Syrian Refugees? Because It Helped Displace Them.
Washington is one of the most active players in Syria’s civil war, but it’s accepted effectively 0 percent of the conflict’s refugees.
Is Putin Really as Foolish as We Are?
Putin’s attempt at “shock and awe” in Syria has all the hallmarks of failed U.S. interventions of the past
The Moral Case Against the TPP
The TPP doesn’t just put jobs at risk. It rewrites the rules of business for big corporations—just ask Pope Francis.
Mouth Wide Shut
Under Obama, whistleblowers face a total of 751 months behind bars — compared to 24 months for all other whistleblowers combined since the American Revolution.
The Middle East’s New Nakba
The chain of events set into motion by the U.S. invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq is reaching its logical conclusion — the disintegration of multi-ethnic states and a great expulsion of innocents.
Standing Before Congress, Pope Francis Calls Out the ‘Industry of Death’
In his speech to U.S. lawmakers, the “People’s pope” condemned the arms trade, war profiteering, and even the war on terror itself.
After Obama: Clinton vs. Sanders
Hillary Clinton just laid out a hawkish foreign policy vision in a major speech. How do her views stack up against those of Bernie Sanders, her challenger from the left?
What America Owes the Refugees Pouring Into Europe
Here’s how the U.S. can leverage its wealth, safety, and diplomacy to serve the refugees it helped to create.
China and the Opportunity Costs of September 11
The world’s two major powers lost a decade that could have been spent hashing out responses to climate change, the arms trade, and the global recession.
North Korea’s Sorry Politics
South Korea should focus less on extracting apologies from North Korea and more on pursuing pragmatic projects with Pyongyang.
The Middle Passage
For the refugees pouring into Europe, their journeys can be just as deadly as the war zones they’re fleeing.
Trump Takes on the World
Donald Trump’s not-so-veiled racism, crude economic populism, and male bravado make him the closest thing the U.S. has to an authentic European-style fascist.