Meanwhile, In North Korea

North Korea now claims it has miniaturized nuclear warheads sufficienctly so that they can be placed on missiles. They also say they can launch missiles from submarines.

Top North Korean General Executed For ‘Showing Disrespect’ To Kim Jong Un

North Korea’s mercurial leader has apparently executed yet another high ranking official.

40-Hour Week An Anachronism

Most managers work beyond 9-to-5.

More Immigrants To The U.S. Come From China And India Than Mexico

The sources of new immigrants to the United States are changing, but it’s unclear if that will have any impact on the political debate over immigration reform.

Republicans Are Talking About Eliminating Birthright Citizenship Again

Republicans on Capitol Hill are talking about fundamentally changing what it means to be an American, and it’s a bad idea.

Hillary Clinton’s Tenure At Foggy Bottom Could Be A Campaign Liability

Far from being a positive, Hillary Clinton’s time as Secretary of State provides ample material for those who would attack her over the next eighteen months.

China Warns U.S. About North Korea’s Nuclear Arsenal

Chinese analysts are telling their American counterparts that North Korea’s nuclear arsenal is far more sophisticated than previously believed.

Rubio’s Israel Litmus Test For An Iran Nuclear Deal Is Foolish And Unrealistic

Conditioning an Iranian nuclear deal on recognition of Israel is foolish, unrealistic, and very bad diplomacy.

Rand Paul Dodges Questions About Changes In His Foreign Policy Positions

Rand Paul has changed position on several foreign policy issues, but he doesn’t seem to want to talk about it.

Will Democrats Help Scuttle Obama’s Iran Deal?

Democrats like New York Senator Chuck Schumer could end up being the ones that scuttle the Iranian nuclear deal.

George W. Bush Gets CIA Award

President George W. Bush had a running battle with the CIA throughout his eight years in office. Now, they’ve given him an award.

Lee Kuan Yew’s Legacy

Modern Singapore’s founder passed away at age 91 earlier this week.

Rand Paul Tries To Explain Why He Signed The Cotton Letter To Iran, And Fails

Rand Paul now says he signed the Cotton Letter to strengthen the Administration’s bargaining position.

Three Minute Words: China’s Passive-Agressive Internet

Can a country entry reap the benefits of the connected age while successfully tying down the Internet?

Are 80 People Richer Than Half the World? Not Really.

While the issue of income inequality is quite real, Oxfam’s numbers are not.

Oil Prices Continue To Fall, But Don’t Expect It To Last Forever

The price of oil is continuing to fall, but it won’t last forever.

Edward Brooke, First African-American Elected To Senate, Dies At 95

The first popularly elected African-American Senator, and the first African-American Senator to serve since the end of Reconstruction ended, has passed away.

Economy Grows at 5% For Only Second Quarter Since 2001

The Commerce Department had a Christmas present for investors, businesses, and consumers today.

China Losing Patience With Pyongyang? Don’t Believe It Until You See It Happen

There are again reports of Chinese frustration with the Kim regime in North Korea, but change is unlikely to happen in the DPRK until Beijing is ready to let it happen.

In Responding To North Korea’s Cyber Attacks, The U.S. Has Limited Options

There’s not a whole lot the United States can do to respond effectively and proportionally to North Korea’s hacking attack against Sony.

Rand Paul, Marco Rubio Exchange Barbs Over Cuba Policy Changes

Two potential candidates for the Republican nomination in 2016 traded barbs this week over the President’s new policy toward Cuba.

F.B.I. Charges North Korea With Being Behind Hacking Attacks On Sony

The U.S. Government has formally charged North Korea with responsibility for the hacking attack on Sony. How to respond to that attack is a more complicated question.

Sony Pictures Pulls ‘The Interview’ After Cyber Attacks, Threats; North Korea Suspected

With major theater chains having pulled out, Sony bowed to the inevitable, but now there appears to be proof that a foreign power is behind the Sony hacking attacks and threats of violence.

Obama Has Made An Historic Change In U.S. Cuban Relations, It’s A Good First Step

The resumption of diplomatic relations between U.S. and Cuba, and expansion of some commercial trade ties, is historic but it’s only the first step toward the goal of ending an outdated embargo.

Sony Seeks To Scare Press Away From Publishing Information Obtained in Hacking Attack

Sony is warning the press not to publish material leaked by hackers, but it doesn’t have much of a legal leg to stand on.

Russian Government Projects Sanctions, Declining Oil Prices, Will Lead To Recession In 2015

Russia’s own government is projecting that its economy will slip into recession next year. How that will impact Putin’s current belligerence remains to be seen.

Hagel’s Dismissal A Reflection Of Contradictory Policy

The abrupt departure of Chuck Hagel says much more about Administration policy than it does about Chuck Hagel.

China’s Coming Collapse?

A knowledgeable observer has a dim forecast.

CIA Director Proposes Radical Reorganization

The CIA has always separated its core spying and analysis functions; that may soon change.

Democrats Claim Obama Broke Their Party, Call on Him to Fix It

Some of his party’s leaders want the president to save them.

Putin Makes Waves At G-20 Summit Over Ukraine, Reportedly Leaving Early

Vladimir Putin’s reception at the G-20 Summit in Australia has been less than warm thanks to recent events in Ukraine.

Russian Troops Have Entered Ukraine Again, NATO Says

The Ukraine crisis, which never really went away, is back,

iPhones and the US-China Trade Gap

Another example of the silliness of the “trade deficit” concept.

Supreme Court To Decide If Congress Can Dictate Where Jerusalem Is

The Supreme Court will decide if Congress can override American foreign policy when it comes to declaring who has dominion over Jerusalem.

Oil Prices Have Been Falling For Months, And That’s Likely To Have Wide Repercussions

Quietly, oil prices have been falling for months now. That’s potentially a very big deal.

Rand Paul’s Foreign Policy Ideas Present An Opportunity For the GOP

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul continues to challenge Republican orthodoxy on foreign policy, and that’s a good thing.

Legendary Washington Post Editor Ben Bradlee Dies At 93

The passing of a true legend in American journalism.

It’s Time To End The U.S. Embargo Of Cuba

The U.S. embargo of Cuba, and our lack of diplomatic recognition of the government in Havana, is an outdated relic of the Cold War. It’s time to end it.