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HOME > USA > FOREIGN POLICY
A Post-Castro Era Looms for Cuba
With a post-Castro Era looming on the horizon, the United States should muster the political will to prepare for February 2018, when neither Fidel nor Raul Castro will remain at the helm of the Cuban state
The State Department releases a report indicating which countries the United States considers 'State Sponsors of Terrorism.' Currently the list consists of four countries: Cuba, Iran, Sudan, and Syria. Cuba remains on its list. It's a serious mistake
The Path to Follow after Syria Crosses the Red Line
Obama's recent announcement that he believes Syria has used chemical weapons ignited a debate. Has the Assad regime crossed the 'red line' the White House laid down? But politicians seem more concerned about credibility than suffering Syrians. So what's next?
When are Goals Ever Truly Realized in International Affairs?
It is, I suppose, too discouraging to face the fact that in international affairs paradox and contradiction rule the world. Policymakers and politicians consistently get what they don't want
Beyond the Post-Cold War World
We have lived in the post-Cold War world since 1991. The post-Cold War world had two phases. The first lasted from Dec. 31, 1991, until Sept. 11, 2001. The second lasted from 9/11 until now. We are now entering a new period
Chuck Hagel, the former Republican senator from Nebraska who survived a stormy confirmation hearing to become the new secretary of defense, had a coming-out party of sorts before the National Defense University
The Deal That America and Russia Must Make Following Chavez's Death
A chess piece has fallen in Latin America. The road to prosperity and peace for the citizens of many countries -- probably even yours -- runs through the recent death of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and a counterintuitive deal between two nations
Chavez: American Nemesis, Latin American Hero
What scared the United States most about Chavez was not his failures or idiosyncrasies. It was his success. So, what happens next? Venezuela held an emotional funeral on March 8 and is planning for April elections
Iraq: Bush's War, 10 Years Later
The 10th anniversary of the American invasion of Iraq seems an appropriate time to look back at how it all happened and what it has wrought, not so much for Iraq as for the United States, which poured its own troops, treasure and world reputation into that colossal misadventure
Drones: Anonymous Murder from a Safe Distance
War is war and murder is murder. The law draws the distinction. The American armed drone is a weapons system of war, not of policemen. Nor has the United States a commission to police the world of its radicals, jihadists and religious fanatics
Evolving United States - Mexico Relations
U.S. - Mexican relations are strategically important to both countries, and Mexico's period of transition has created opportunities to reshape the partnership. The Pena Nieto administration is working with Washington to center primarily on mutual economic possibility
Bring up Iraq -- and expect to end up in an argument. Conservatives are no different from liberals in rehashing the unpopular war, which has become a sort of whipping boy for all our subsequent problems
We've lost a war without being able to surrender -- and thus divest ourselves of the consciousness that got us into it. We are unable to look honestly at what we did and why, and determine not to do it again. Ten years later, how do we get the poison out of our system?
Philip Zimbardo's TED Talk on Abu Ghraib and 'The Psychology of Evil' is up to 2,374,000 hits. Apparently people are hungry to know about the deep psychology of American foreign policy
Bizarre Belligerence on the Korean Peninsula
The news from North Korea has of late been of the frightening variety. What the North Korean leadership is hoping to achieve by its belligerence is anyone's guess, but the aggressive American response has only escalated tension
Settlements Still Blocking Middle East Peace Agreement
Obama's visit to Israel was a great success, but don't expect peace between Israelis and Palestinians anytime soon. So now we may have more cordial relations. But settlements continue to be the main thing blocking any Palestinian peace deal
He Says His Battle Almost Over
Some will say that Tomas Young agreed to die a long time ago. The 33-year-old Iraq war veteran is lying in a bed in Kansas City under hospice care, intent on soon stopping life-sustaining drugs and nourishment. But this is not a preordained event
President Obama should listen to former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, the 'founder' of shuttle diplomacy. Kissinger sees little hope in the 'Arab Spring,' nor is he optimistic about peace in the region following the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood
Basketball Diplomacy, Pyongyang Style
It is really not so odd that we would find Dennis Rodman partying heartily with North Korea's Kim Jong Un. After all, they have so much in common. They both love basketball, self-promotion and keeping the world guessing about their sanity
Kerry Talks Regional Issues With Gulf Arab Leaders
Secretary of State John Kerry says there is a 'finite amount of time' for talks on Iran's nuclear program. Kerry made the warning during talks with Gulf Arab leaders, as he continues his first overseas trip as America's top diplomat
United States and Israel Push The Boundaries of International Law
International law progresses through violations. We invented targeted assassination and we had to push it. At first there were protrusions that made it hard to insert into the legal molds. Now, it is in the center of the bounds of legitimacy
It is more than a year since the last American troops withdrew from Iraq and America's goals in Iraq appear contradictory. Iraq seems to be fading from the US consciousness with extraordinary speed. So where does that leave the US - Iraqi relationship today?
Self-Interested Leaders Roil Chaos in Middle East
The Middle East along with the larger Islamic world are the perfect demonstration of a 'world on fire'. When have we ever seen such widespread turmoil, destruction and death as we are witnessing right now?
Obama's Place in History Already Assured
The overall failure of American foreign policy during the first Obama presidency was foreseeable. He appointed advisers from past administrations representing the conventional liberal views of the period. In military matters, he inevitably was the prisoner of the Pentagon
One Day The World Will Thank Bush For Shaking Up The Arab Region
The worst type of history is that inspired by political rivalry. The Iraq story is no exception; the received wisdom is largely shaped by Democrats vilifying the legacy of George W. Bush. The result is that most of the criticism focuses on the invasion itself and its aftermath
Relations Between Russia and United States Deteriorating
The so-called 'reset' aimed at improving ties between the United States and Russia did bring concrete results. But now, analysts say relations between the two countries are deteriorating again
Latin America Should Not Be an Asterisk
John Kerry's confirmation hearing was a perfect example of what's wrong with U.S. foreign policy -- it was 70 percent about the Middle East and South Central Asia, 25 percent about Russia and China, and 5 percent about Latin America
Obama May Help Latin America -- without trying
Latin America is probably one of the farthest things from President Barack Obama's mind, but there are several - largely domestic - reasons, during his second term, he may become the best U.S. president for the region in recent times
Storm is Brewing in The Treacherous South China Sea
The conflict in the South China Sea may be long running, but there are several reasons why it has become much more dangerous. There can be little doubt that President Obama in his second term will find the South China Sea one of the hottest issues in East Asia
U.S. Congress Could Learn from Mexico's National Accord
The 95-point political agreement signed by Mexico's three biggest political parties may have a positive impact on Mexico, and could teach a lesson of civility to the U.S. Congress as it continues fighting over how to avert a fiscal cliff
Global Governance at Heart of Failed Foreign Policies
Global governance has yet to prove its relevance to any civilization except that of the post-Enlightenment West, and one can question its relevance there. Political identity remains bound to national history -- the fundamental underpinning of sovereignty
New Faces, Old Tensions in East Asia
It is a time of tension in East Asia with growing nationalism, territorial claims between Japan and its neighbours and the persistent challenge of a nuclear North Korea
There are a hundred places in the world that need the help U.S. power and money can provide. But we have to ask, how much can we do and how much do we have the will to do? How effective would diplomacy be?
Avoiding the Wars That Never End
The United States is moving away from the view that it has the primary responsibility for trying to manage the world on behalf of itself and its allies. Instead, that burden is shifting to those who have immediate interests
Militarizing Latin America: Four More Years
After decades of peace and economic development, why is the United States engaged in a major military buildup in Latin America? Why has the U.S. turned a blind eye to two successful, and one attempted, coups in the last three years?
Continuing a Foreign Policy Pivot
President Obama's nominations of Chuck Hagel as secretary of defense and John Brennan as CIA director, coupled with Sen. John Kerry as secretary of state, underline his determination to pivot from the war mentality of former President Bush
President Obama's choice for secretary of defense, Chuck Hagel has a resume most politicians can envy: a clean senatorial record, no ethical lapses and two purple hearts. However, biography isn't policy
When Terrorists 'Killed' in Drone Strikes Aren't Really Dead
Is 'killed by a drone strike' the new 'alive and well'? If you pay close enough attention, it makes you wonder what's really going on. Here's how this charade usually goes
No Reason to Postpone Afghanistan Withdrawal
It's time to accelerate the withdrawal from Afghanistan. Nothing will be accomplished by staying two more years -- except more lost lives, more wasted money. Start bringing the troops home -- now
Name that Foreign Policy Legacy
Under Obama's leadership, Washington is finally coming to terms with the world's multipolarity
U.S. Policy as Global Security Provider Built on Plymouth Rock
The belief that the U.S. could and should assume such a global role and expect positive results derives from an invincible political ignorance and a credulous faith in an historical process leading ever upwards towards democracy
Powering the Pacific 'Pivot' With Leon and Chuck
Will Chuck Hagel follow in Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta's ideological Pacific 'Pivot' footsteps when it comes to the Air-Sea, Cold War style battle in the Pacific?
Korea: The Case for Withdrawal
It's time to start withdrawing American troops from the Korean peninsula and kickstart diplomatic progress in Northeast Asia -- and save the United States billions of dollars a year to boot
Continued American Presence in Afghanistan Recipe for More Disaster
Do the foreign policy officials in office not understand that for American troops to stay in Afghanistan to 'provide security' is to assure insecurity, since the presence of infidel soldiers inspires hostility and resistance?
Iran Willing to Resume Nuclear Talks as Sanctions Bite Hard
Iran says it is prepared to return to talks with major world powers over its nuclear program. As Iran's uranium enrichment program continues, Western countries have tightened economic sanctions against Tehran
Nuclear Deal with Iran Possible If Bad Habits Change
Over the next two years President Obama will have to make a fateful decision on whether to go to war with Iran over its nuclear programme or push the world to accept a deal that is unlikely to satisfy the Israelis
Obama's Latin America Policy May Change -- Slightly
The guessing game about President Barack Obama's second-term Cabinet has already started, and one of the biggest questions is who will replace Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and how that will affect U.S. foreign policy
Afghanistan Project is Money Ill-Spent
Now it can be told: United States government auditors are finally acknowledging that Afghan security forces will be incapable of defending the nation from the Taliban after Western forces withdraw in 2014. What does this mean?
Israel's Netanyahu Continues to Burn Bridges
Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have never been friendly. But then Netanyahu openly supported Mitt Romney for president, the first time an Israeli prime minister has so publicly taken sides
A Date with History: The Cuban Missile Crisis
The mythology of the Cuban Missile Crisis, along with accounts of the cool resolve of President John F. Kennedy in answering Nikita Khrushchev's emollient first letter rather than the tougher second one, has proved surprisingly durable
As long as wars are fought by other people on someone else's soil, Americans can live with perpetual conflict
Principled Pragmatism Beats Bush-style Bluster
Obama has effectively cornered the market on foreign and defense policy, leaving Team Romney on the defensive, struggling to land punches on Obama's record
Romney the Wrong Man to Handle United States Foreign Policy
Mitt Romney certainly has a lot of faith in America's influence in the Middle East. During Monday night's debate, he seemed confident he could end Islamic militancy. It sounds so easy
Ever notice the way certain basic human values quietly transform into their opposite on their way to becoming national policy?
The Moral Equivalent of Nuremberg
Once we begin killing on the pretext of common safety or some other sort of necessity -- once we choose to believe that murder is necessary -- we have to keep committing murder
Afghan Training Mission Continues to Lose Ground
The looming question is: After 11 years, more than 2,000 U.S. military fatalities and at least $1 trillion in expenses, what are the U.S. and NATO leaving behind?
Tension Grows Between Israel and US Over Whether or When To Attack
The question has morphed from 'Should Israel attack Iran to try to stop its nuclear program?' to 'When will Israel attack Iran to try to stop its nuclear program?'
The Election, the Presidency and Foreign Policy
Differences between the U.S. presidential candidates' foreign policy perspectives are less significant than they appear
Could We Have the Wars Without the Manipulation?
Here's a thought: How about using the power of truth to get things done rather than cover and manipulation?
We're a hyper-militarized global empire, dominating if not quite 'ruling' a large swath of the world by brute physical, as well as economic, force
Iran Sanctions: War by Other Means
Now that the talks with Iran on its nuclear program appear to be on the ropes, are we on the road to war? In a sense, we are already at war with Iran
The Unfolding Human Catastrophe in Iran
When the United States and its allies began imposing sanctions on Iran to persuade its leaders to reconsider their policy toward its nuclear program, they promised the world that the sanctions would be 'smart' and 'targeted'
Mitt Romney's Foreign Policy a Puzzle that Doesn't Fit Together
The principal problem with Mitt Romney's foreign policy statements is not that his position swings widely, or that he often reverses himself, according to the audience and the daily news
A Bright and Shining Libyan Lie
Almost everything we have been told about Libya over the last two years is untrue. A free Libya was supposed to be proof of President Obama's enlightened reset Middle East policy
Netanyahu Foolish to Take Sides in American Election
Benjamin Netanyahu is so eager to see Mitt Romney elected president that he's making a fool of himself
China and the United States compete for influence in the Persian Gulf, but they also have overlapping interests in the region
Hillary Clinton Moves to Bear Hug Egyptian Leader
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton heads to Cairo for a two-day visit that aims to give a hearty handshake to the new Islamist president and move to temper any radical moves by his government
Southeast Asia Between the Giants
China's growing regional presence – not to mention its territorial claims – is prompting many Southeast Asian states to reinvigorate their ties with the United States
Playing the Spoiler in Colombia
The United States must stop supporting the perverse Colombian status quo that lies at the heart of the country's prolonged civil war
Despite the unifying power of the monarchy, Thailand remains bedeviled by political tensions and ethnic unrest. These may eventually determine the country's relations with the United States and China
The United States is backing off from the Middle East -- and the Middle East from the United States
War and Bluff: Iran, Israel and the United States
Speeches, rhetoric and emotions aside, intensifying psychological pressure on Iran is more likely than war
America Should Not Apologize for its Values which Clash with a Hostile Islam
Ayaan Hirsi Ali, author of 'Infidel,' the political ideology embedded in Islam that makes no room for any criticism of its foundational father and sacred texts
Romney and Ryan Project Vague Foreign Policy
Mitt Romney's selection of Paul Ryan confirms that this campaign is going to be mainly about domestic issues. Yet foreign affairs is important as the United States staggers forward into the void
Future Challenges in the United States - Philippines Alliance
As part of its efforts to boost its presence within Southeast Asia, the United States has decided to reaffirm its military support for the Philippines. Yet this will not come at the price of heightening tensions with China
The Cuban Missile Crisis at 50
Every president since JFK has tried to learn from what happened back then. Today, it can help policymakers understand what to do -- and what not to do -- about Iran, North Korea, China, and presidential decision-making in general
Tough economic times are often met in Washington with calls for retrenchment. But for decades, long-term forward deployments of U.S. forces and robust alliances have guaranteed stability and uninterrupted trade, the very conditions the United States needs for economic prosperity. The Obama administration gets it
Unlike other economic powerhouses, the United States does little to help its own companies win business abroad, and that timidity has allowed China to devour market share in emerging economies
The Right Way Out of Afghanistan
As the United States prepares to exit Afghanistan, it is overlooking the political elements of the transition. To leave behind a stable government in 2014, Washington needs to push harder for electoral reforms, negotiations with the Taliban, and a regional settlement involving Pakistan
U.S. and Israeli officials have declared that a nuclear-armed Iran is a uniquely terrifying prospect, even an existential threat. In fact, by creating a more durable balance of military power in the Middle East, a nuclear Iran would yield more stability, not less
Shifting United States Foreign Policy Reflective of New World View
The administration's goal has not changed. It continues to be American strategic domination of Central Asia, now to be accomplished by new forms of air, electronic and economic surveillance, persuasion and political control, as well as through targeted violence
Under Putin, Russian Relations with United States Turn Icy Again
Now that Vladimir Putin is Russia's president once again, the result of still another fraudulent election, we should expect ever more hostile relations with Moscow
Wondering when America is going to intervene militarily in Syria? Psst ... this IS the military intervention
Washington should remember the lessons of blowback and avoid intervention in Syria
The Other Case for Intervention in Syria
Syrians face another threat beyond the massacre of its civilians by the Assad regime
An Exit Strategy for Afghanistan
The United States can't abandon Afghanistan, but American troops must leave
Support For Afghan War Has Crumbled -- With Good Reason
American support for the Afghan war has collapsed. Several new surveys show that even most Republicans, from the party that is home to the nation's hawks, now oppose the 10-year-old conflict. And it's no wonder
Romney's Russia Remarks and the Dangers of Dumbed Down
The way the world works now, and the way Russia has inserted itself into absolutely everything, it's impossible to avoid dealing with them on virtually any international issue
The U.S. Embargo Against Cuba: Washington's Sterile Havana Strategy
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Washington's embargo against Cuba. It is a grim reminder of the persistence of one of Washington's most egregious foreign policy blunders
The United States does not intend to desert Asia at a time when China's power is growing
An American soldier's killing of 16 Afghan civilians, including nine children, represents only a moment in this long war, but it is an important moment
The killer walked from his base to one village, then another, leaving behind the lunacy and spiritual wreckage of American foreign policy. Then he walked back to his base and calmly turned himself in
The Future of U.S. - Chinese Relations
China and the United States may not, in the end, be able to transcend the forces pushing them toward conflict. But they owe it to themselves, and the world, to try
Regionalists need a reminder that development doesn't end politics and that contemporary Latin America has its own power dynamics
How to Spot a Growing Military Power
Will Asia's growing economic power be accompanied by a similar rise in its military power? This is a key question for today's policy-makers searching for signs of a shift in the world's military balance
It's no big secret that the United States has lost some economic and political clout in Latin America over the past decade, but United Nations economic projections for 2020 should set off alarm bells
Time for United States to Review Its Cuba Policy
It is past time to change our policy toward Cuba. For over 50 years, the United States has been obsessed with the Cuba of Fidel Castro's time. It is inappropriate for the Cuba of today
Balancing the East, Upgrading the West
The United States' central challenge over the next several decades is to revitalize itself, while promoting a larger West and buttressing a complex balance in the East that can accommodate China's rising global status
By clinging to a paternalistic attitude and an antiquated Washington Consensus, the United States has opened up space for a broad Chinese role in Africa
Pakistan: All-Weather Friendship?
As Pakistan and China reinforce their relationship, questions have arisen around the changing nature of this alliance, the rhetoric that sustains it, and the implications of greater Chinese influence in Pakistan, particularly for the US and India
Gingrich's willingness to outsource U.S. military policy to Tel Aviv is even more mind-boggling than Romney's deference on diplomacy
While security and defense contracting in Africa is nothing new, the awarding of another multi-million dollar contract by the US State Department to a controversial private security operation is perhaps indicative of just how thinly stretched the US military is becoming
Renewed Focus on Pacific Region Intended to Distract from Unrest at Home?
What is at stake between China and the United States? We are on the opposite sides of the world with next to nothing to fight about. Industrial domination of the world? What does that actually mean, and what is it worth? Bragging rights about who is top nation? That's what Washington seems to care about
Afghanistan and Iraq: A Tale of Two Surges
Afghanistan poses far more challenges than Iraq. Instead of Iraq's billions of dollars in state oil revenue, impoverished Afghan gangs export opium. Iraqis are part of the larger Arab world, living in its most strategically important area. Afghans are far more isolated and less critical to the world economy
Iraq: American Imperialism? Please
And so it ends. The United States is leaving Iraq. I'm solidly in the camp that sees this as a strategic blunder. Iraqi democracy is fragile and Iran's desire to undermine it is strong. Still, there's an upside. Obama's decision to leave Iraq should deal a staggering blow to America's critics at home and abroad
United States Iraqi Pullout Whets Iranian Appetite for Trouble
Even with stern warnings from Washington not to 'miscalculate' as American troops begin their pullout from Iraq, Iran will be tempted to foment turmoil in the region, mainly as a diversion to its own internal problems
Mixed Emotions as the United States Leaves Iraq
What is true is that we fought a war we did not have to fight. Iraq cost at least $806 billion and more than 36,000 American casualties, including 4,400 deaths. So there are mixed emotions that President Obama has decided to withdraw virtually all U.S. troops from Iraq. There is elation, of course, thankfulness that American troops will be home for the holidays
US-Pakistan Relations: Straw That Broke the Camel's Back?
It behooves both the United States and Pakistan to reappraise the situation, take stock and course correct. World peace, or at the least regional peace, may depend on it
What's Next for United States - Libyan Relations?
After Muammar Gaddafi's demise, the future of Libya's relationship with the United States remains uncertain
Cuba's Domestic Reforms Surge Past Immobilized United States
Bahrain's Popular Revolt is Still Being Crushed
A year after President Obama promised that Washington would stop buttressing autocratic regimes, Bahrain's popular revolt is still being crushed
Whatever one thought of the Libya intervention, the details make for a bad advertisement about NATO. As one U.S. Air Force planner told me, 'It was like Snow White and the 27 dwarfs'
The Bad/Good Idea of Removing Syria's Assad
With sanctions not working, and with the Chinese, Iranians and Russians not eager to see Assad go, there is lots of talk that the United States and its allies must intervene to help the outmanned and outgunned Syrian opposition
Lame Attempts to Shut Off Afghan Heroin Spigot Have Been Futile
So the Taliban is going to get out of the heroin business because someone convinces them that planting corn or some other crop is a better alternative?
The United States Army in a Time of Transition
The coming decade will be a vital period of transition. The military will have to adjust to three major changes: declining budgets; a shift in emphasis to the Asia-Pacific region; and a broadening of focus
Oil Prices Fueling Russia's Disruption of U.S. Foreign Policy
Russia's burgeoning oil and natural gas exports are underwriting Russian efforts to regain status as a world superpower
Making Elephants Lighter on Their Feet
The United States and China are in open competition in the Asia-Pacific region
The United States in Korea: A Strategy of Inertia
This is an opportunity to review Washington's strategy is in Korea and how the countries around North Korea (China, Russia, South Korea and Japan) view the region
United States Should Treat Brazil Like India
Diplomatic niceties aside, there are several issues that are raising bilateral tensions between Brazil and the United States
Attack on Iran Would be a Mistake
Despite extraordinary pressure, President Obama stood up to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and refused to be dragged into still another war -- this one against Iran
Crisis-Managing United States - Iran Relations
Gary G. Sick, who was the principal White House aide for Iran during the hostage crisis of 1979-1981 says he favors a process similar to the one that ended that crisis to resolve today's tensions
Is the US 'Pivot' to the Pacific genuine?
Supporters claim that the President has established a foreign policy vision for the next century. Sceptics point out that there is more political spin than substance to the Obama Asia pivot
America's Constitutional Paralysis
For many Americans, the Constitution is sacred text. Asking them whether the fundamentals of their Constitution are still right for their country seems not only pointless - it smacks of heresy. Or so I thought
2012 Election Will Decide Which New Wars Will Be Waged
Here's a look at what the electorate will be up against when the conventions are over, and when the newly elected president assumes (or resumes) command of American foreign policy
Is a Nuclear Iran Really to be Feared?
The obsession of the foreign policy community with the myth of Iran's 'existential' threat to Israel, brings the world steadily closer to another war in the Middle East
For a symbol of how America's decade-long war is going in Afghanistan, look at the fields of red poppies flowering so bountifully there
Afghanistan: Karzai's Ingratitude is Wearing Thin
Now Hamid Karzai wants to be our friend. Even after insulting the United States at every opportunity, year after year, the Afghan president now says he wants to maintain a 'strategic partnership' with Washington
Expected Win by Egypt's Islamists Poses Dilemma for U.S. Policy
For the Obama administration, which has pushed for free and fair elections in Egypt, the process itself might be considered a victory. The outcome, however, would be a bitter pill to swallow, as U.S. policymakers are forced to reach out to the Muslim Brotherhood to protect their interests in the region
A Call for an Enlightened Foreign Policy toward Latin America
With a little under a year remaining until the next U.S. presidential election, a coherent and sustainable area policy toward Latin America remains absent from the campaign literature and both parties' electoral strategies
Military Action Might Be The Only Option With Iran
Muted reaction to reports that Iran has essentially done much of the work necessary to weaponize a nuclear device is just the latest evidence of the failed Iran policy of successive U.S. administrations. We are in a vicious cycle with Iran
Should United States Engage North Korea?
The United States has failed in its policies to punish, isolate, and otherwise push North Korea toward collapse. Perhaps it should try engagement instead
Why Does America Defend the Weak and Small?
Only the United States seems to have an affinity for protecting tiny, vulnerable countries. Israelis, anti-communist Chinese, Kurds, Greeks and Armenians have a few things in common. They have relatively small populations, aggressive neighbors, few strong allies, many expatriates and refugees in the United States, and a tragic history of persecution and genocide
Obama Risks an Oil Opportunity
It may be a good time to remind President Obama of oil's importance to economic security, and the role that wartime leadership and image play in getting your hands on it post-victory. He can't just quietly outsource and downplay war because it's icky, then call dibs on victory, as he has just done with Libya. Something has to give
Mutual distrust between the United States and Pakistan in part results from mistakes and misjudgments by both countries that date back to the 1979-89 Russian occupation of Afghanistan. But at its heart is an American strategy that not only runs counter to Pakistan's interests
Senator Landrieu: Don't Cut Aid to Israel
Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu says the U.S. shouldn't cut aid to Israel and offers her state's help for the country's nascent energy industry
US Fears Misplaced When it Comes to China
China currently is at the center of long-term Washington policy and of its military preoccupations particularly. Today, the United States may still be the world's leading military and economic power, but in both respects the fiery Chinese dragon's breath is felt and feared, with implications being debated. However, the fear is misplaced.
America is once again getting the upper hand in this long war against Middle Eastern terrorists with the use of Predator drone targeted assassinations that the terrorists have not yet an answer to. In systematically deadly fashion, Predators are picking off the top echelon of al-Qaeda and its affiliates
Scoring Obama's Foreign Policy
Obama has been a progressive where possible but a pragmatist when necessary. And given the domestic and global situations he has faced, pragmatism has dominated
Why Bounties on Terrorists Often Fail
Despite the huge rewards offered, the program has had very little luck in recent years capturing high-profile figures
'The war on terror is over,' or so claims an unnamed senior State Department official, as reported by National Journal's Michael Hirsh in his recent article 'The Post al-Qaida Era.' Really?
Regional Security, Not Iran, Primary Focus in Latin America
Iran and other external security issues were left out of Summit of the Americas debate
Chen Guangcheng and United States - China Relations
The issue of Chen Guangcheng will require much time and many rounds of negotiations so that neither China nor the US 'lose face'
Our Failed Cuba Policy Fixation
In an election year, presidential candidates spend a great deal of time bowing before the altar of the creaky Cuban embargo
With the Focus on Syria, Mexico Burns
Mexico will affect America's destiny in coming decades more than any state or combination of states in the Middle East
Inching Toward Progress on the North Korean Nuke Problem
Following years of deadlock, the United States and North Korea finally struck a deal. But it raises questions about whether this is a step in the right direction or another North Korean ploy
The State of the World: Explaining U.S. Strategy
The fall of the Soviet Union left the United States as the only global power, something for which it was culturally and institutionally unprepared
The number one priority in U.S. policy toward China should be working to address the trust deficit while ensuring that we remain deeply engaged with our allies
Afghanistan: Moving Toward a Distant Endgame
The United States can remain in Afghanistan indefinitely but it cannot defeat the Taliban, and it has many important issues to attend to elsewhere
If Israel or the United States starts a disastrous war with Iran, it will be because someone thought it was a good idea
At this late stage of the American republic, military-industrial corruption permeates not only our foreign policy but our ideals. We go to war because the business of war is beyond all constraint
Why U.S. Military Intervention in Syria is Unlikely
An American-led military operation in Syria would be tactically challenging, and would open a Pandora's Box full of political risks. Here are four reasons the U.S. is unlikely to intervene militarily in Syria
Iraq: Still A Work in Progress
The United States withdrawal from Iraq, completed at the end of 2011, could carry enormous costs
United States Hesitant to 'Reckon With Evil' in Syria
More than eight months after Assad showed himself to be a mass murderer, guilty of crimes against humanity, Washington has proffered a few fallow sanctions and carefully worded statements. That's all. Syria is a state sponsor of terror and a nuclear-weapons aspirant. Shouldn't Washington care?
Obama can more or less do whatever he wishes abroad. If he chooses to bomb a country that poses no direct threat, like Libya, or to assassinate a U.S. citizen-terrorist, like Anwar al-Awlaki, the Left will keep mum. And the Right probably will, too. What, then, should we expect abroad in the waning months of Obama's four-year term, with continuing economic bad news at home?
This won't be Vietnam, exactly. But there's little doubt we lost this war -- by every rational measure. But in a certain profound sense, the war in Iraq, as we have come to know it over the last almost nine years, is shutting down
United States: The News of Empire
'Mr. Obama and his senior national security advisers have sought to reassure allies and answer critics, including many Republicans, that the United States will not abandon its commitments in the Persian Gulf even as it winds down the war in Iraq and looks ahead to doing the same in Afghanistan by the end of 2014'
Condoleezza Rice Book Shows 'Inattention' to Latin America
Condoleezza Rice, whose boss President George W. Bush vowed during the 2000 campaign to make Latin America a 'fundamental commitment' of his presidency, devotes only two of the 58 chapters of her memoir 'No Higher Honor' to the region. That's about 15 pages of the 766-page book, plus a few sporadic references here and there
The Wisdom of Retrenchment: America Must Cut Back to Move Forward
In the wake of the Cold War, U.S. foreign policy underwent a profound transformation as American ambitions spilled over their former limits. Today, however, U.S. power has begun to wane. As other states rise in prominence, the United States' undisciplined spending habits and open-ended foreign policy commitments are catching up with the country
United States Prepares Sanctions Against Iran for Bomb Plot
United States State Department officials plan to respond strongly to the Iranian terrorist plot to kill the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United States
Time for United States to Think Big on Latin America
American diplomatic ties with Latin America, which have been in limbo for months, got a small boost recently when President Barack Obama nominated Roberta Jacobson as top State Department official in charge of Latin American affairs. But that alone will not do much to revert the gradual loss of U.S. clout in the region.
NATO and Russia: Missile Defense Sticking Point?
NATO, Russia and Missile Defense mark a triangle which contains political promises but also the danger of failure and friction
The United States has effectively relinquished its role as the key negotiator of Middle East peace as the Palestinians, ignoring President Barack Obama's entreaties, announced their decision to pursue UN membership and be recognized as an independent state
Obama's International Outsourcing
Obama, in contrast to his predecessor, George W. Bush, has shown little hands-on international leadership on contentious world issues. Yet, even in America, he doesn't seem to be suffering much from it
Sluggish America Can Still Be a World Leader
A new survey shows that a majority of Europeans want the United States to continue exerting 'strong leadership in world affairs.' One wonders why Europe holds so much faith in America right now when Americans, trapped in a deep national malaise, have so little faith in themselves
Obama's Dilemma: Foreign Policy and Electoral Realities
The United States remains the center of gravity of the international system. As such, no single leader of the world is as significant as the American president. That makes the American presidency, in its broadest sense, a matter that cannot be ignored in studying the international system
As Palestinians head to the United Nations, President Obama faces one of the most excruciating dilemmas of his presidency, a predicament partly of his own making
How to Save Israel and the United States from Themselves
Most Americans would likely agree that the main shock delivered to Americans and the American government by the 9/11 attacks was that of vulnerability. Another such shock is impending. It is the national vulnerability that will be revealed this month by the American veto of a Palestinian demand for full United Nations membership
Light at End of Afghan Tunnel Recedes
The United States - NATO presence in Afghanistan is becoming increasingly immaterial
Is current U.S. foreign policy in Africa following a blueprint drawn up almost eight years ago by the right-wing Heritage Foundation, one of the most conservative think tanks in the world?
Add Latin America to the list of regions upset with President Obama's lack of follow-through on campaign and White House promises
Effects of the American Drone Program in Pakistan
The U.S. drone program has its roots in the late 1990s, when unmanned -- and unarmed -- aircraft tracked and spied on al Qaeda in Afghanistan. After 9/11, then U.S. President George W. Bush ordered U.S. drones, at that point equipped with missiles, to kill leaders of al Qaeda. Since assuming office, Barack Obama has greatly accelerated the program
Does Obama Have a Grand Strategy?
A fierce debate has erupted over the possible existence of an Obama doctrine, with a chorus of foreign policy observers bemoaning the United States' supposed strategic incompetence. But is it true that President Barack Obama has no grand strategy? And even if it were, would that be such a disaster?
Robert Gates Departure Could Bring Makeover for Obama on National Security
Robert Gates, the only cabinet member of George W. Bush's administration to stay on under Obama, has served eight different presidents during his career. He's been praised by some as one of the best defense secretaries ever. And now, the man nominated to succeed him, CIA Director Leon Panetta, has more to fill than Gates' well-traveled shoes
Downgrade Won't Have Short-Term Effect on Foreign Policy
Blame abounds in Washington over the country's downgraded sovereign debt rating. So, it's not surprising that other world powers, like China and Russia, are weighing in also
Germany and the US: Toward a 'Special Relationship'?
The history of 20th century American foreign policy largely surrounds efforts to thwart the designs of Germany to dominate Europe. But with a united Germany now the key player within the EU, has the time arrived for the US to forge a 'special relationship' with the European power?
No U.S. troops were killed in Iraq last month. So why aren't we celebrating? Because the war isn't over yet and it costs way too much -- in Iraqi lives and our money
Bush's Grand Strategy, Reconsidered
Ten years after 9/11, we can begin to gain some perspective on the impact of that day's terrorist attacks on U.S. foreign policy. There was, and there remains, a natural tendency to say that the attacks changed everything. But a decade on, such conclusions seem unjustified.
Assassination as Foreign Policy
None of this is likely to be news to anyone who follows American policy. I bring it up to challenge such a program and policy, not simply out of considerations for national and individual morality, but for political and military policy reasons.
Outgoing Robert Gates Outlines Future US Presence in Asia
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates was in Kabul at the start of June talking about withdrawal -- or non-withdrawal -- from Afghanistan, but before he went home he stopped through Singapore to talk about an enlarged American military engagement in Asia.
Robert Gates: Parting Shot on Afghan Policy
When President Obama gathered his top advisers on Afghan policy at the White House for his latest assessment, soon-to-depart Secretary of Defense Robert Gates participated via videoconference from Afghanistan. But his advice already had been given on the ground: Don't grow more impatient
Roughly two and a half months into the NATO intervention in Libya, members of Congress are still trying to have their say on the matter. Recently, the House voted 268-145 to pass a resolution introduced by House Speaker John Boehner , which demands President Obama to give more detail on U.S. policy goals in Libya
Congress very belatedly has begun to raise its feeble voice in defense of its Constitutional powers on war. Two senators, Democrat Jim Webb of Virginia and Republican Bob Corker of Tennessee, have introduced a resolution calling on President Obama to comply with the War Powers Act of 1973 regarding the U.S. military involvement in Libya
New Tensions in Fraught Relationship
There's been some tough love in America's relationship with Pakistan lately. Both a recent standoff over foreign aid and the U.S. arrest of American citizen Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai on illegal lobbying charges have increased mistrust in an already unsteady partnership. But even with tensions high, this is not one of those relationships that either side can walk away from easily
War Fatigue and the Un-Critical Critics of War
From Iraq to Afghanistan to Libya, the first decade of the 21st century has solidified the U.S. reputation as the energizer bunny of war. While these conflicts continue to rage on, there are a growing number of signs that even the United States has a limit to how much war it is willing to wage
Those who laud the new National Strategy for Counterterrorism as a fundamental realignment fail to realize that the self-limitations on the part of the United States are, in many cases, vast expansions in authorization for the use of force against 'ungoverned spaces'
Obama Undermines Prospects for Middle East Peace
When Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu accepted an invitation to speak to Congress, he could have had no idea that the Obama administration would take the ground from under him. A preemptive strike is about the only interpretation one can make of yet another Middle East speech by the president -- a speech that represented a fundamental change in American policy toward Israel
United States Has Trust Issues With China
A core tension in the U.S. - China military relationship is U.S. frustration over China's unwillingness to reveal more about its military capability, its budget and its strategy. Some have questioned whether U.S. openness toward the Chinese makes strategic sense
For Many Republicans Afghanistan Is A Budget Issue
The military intervention in Afghanistan will cost U.S. taxpayers about $113 billion total -- roughly $2 billion per week -- in the current fiscal year. As the administration prepares for its promised withdrawal of troops starting in July, the anti-spending climate in Washington could be the impetus that opponents of the Afghanistan war have been waiting for
The United States - Russia Missile Defense Impasse
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and U.S. President Obama met privately before the G8 meeting in Deauville, France, and discussed the longstanding dispute between the two countries over missile defense, says CFR Russia expert Stephen Sestanovich
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