TikTok and the Israel-Hamas War

The popular app is influencing the opinions of its young user base.

Israel Agrees to Pause in Exchange for Hostage Release

Hamas gets rewarded for its crimes.

US-Iran Tensions Escalate

The war in Israel is in danger of expanding.

Israel at War: It’s a Reckoning

A roundup of news and opinon.

Israel at War after Gaza Attack

The 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur war sees a re-escalation.

Deutschland Unter Alles

Germany’s economy is among the worst in the OECD.

Blake Hounshell, 1978-2023

A brilliant journalist is gone at 44.

The Qatar World Cup and Broad Drawing Conclusions From Unique Events

Sports fans enjoy watching sports. How much does politics impact that?

Retired Flag Officers Cashing In As Foreign Agents

An unsavory practice that’s mostly legal.

Tales from the Campaign Trail

Candidate quality can matter.

John Allen, Illegal Lobbying, and Foreign Influence

The retired general and think tank president is in hot water.

US Signs Deal with Taliban

It’s not clear what has been achieved.

Iraqi Protesters Storm U.S. Embassy

Amid protests over American airstrikes, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad has become a target.

Further Evidence That The Fix Is In For Trump’s Senate Trial

Lindsey Graham is the latest Senator to make clear that he’s already made up his mind on impeachment.

Leader Of ISIS Believed Killed In Raid In Syria

There’s apparently big news in the fight against ISIS.

Elizabeth Warren And The Commander In Chief Test

So far at least, Elizabeth Warren is not doing a good job of articulating her foreign policy positions. That needs to change if she’s going to be a serious candidate.

American Public Mostly Ignoring War In Afghanistan

Eighteen years after it started, the American public seems to be mostly ignoring the war in Afghanistan. But that isn’t an excuse for not bringing it to an end.

Trump Says He Called Off Secret Camp David Meetings With Taliban

President Trump announced late yesterday that he had called off secret meetings with the Taliban. The fact that they were even going to happen reveals yet again what’s wrong with his foreign policy.

I.M. Pei, World Renowned Architect, Dies At 102

One of the most well-known architects of the modern era has passed away.

Taiwan Becomes First Asian Nation To Legalize Same-Sex Marriage

Taiwan has become the first nation in Asia to legally recognize same-sex marriage.

Trump Taking Ill-Advised Militaristic Position Regarding Iran

The Trump Administration is taking an unnecessarily militaristic approach toward Iran, and that poses real dangers for the country and for the Middle East.

Caster Semenya and the Limits of Binary Gender

We segregate men and women in sports for good reason. How we do that is complicated.

Trump Ordered Security Clearance For Jared Kushner Despite Objections

President Trump personally overrode the objections of security officials, the White House Counsel, and the Chief of Staff to make sure his son-in-law got a security clearance.

Federal Investigators Now Looking Into Donations To Trump Inaugural Committee

Federal prosecutors are investigating the Trump Inaugural Committee, adding to the long list of the President’s legal troubles.

Trump Administration Allowing Saudis To Evade Responsibility For Khashoggi’s Death

As the Saudis continue to dissemble and put forward an utterly implausible explanation for the death of Jamal Khashoggi, the Trump Administration shows no sign of having a spine.

Will Jamal Khashoggi’s Murder Undermine The Saudi Crown Prince? Probably Not.

The investigation of the murder of Jamal Khashoggi is inching closer to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, but it seems unlikely to impact his hold on power.

Jamal Khashoggi’s Final Words Should Carry Far Beyond The Arab World

Jamal Khashoggi’s final column includes a message that should resonate far beyond the Arab world it was addressed to.

Saudi Arabia Cooking Up Impossible To Believe Defense In Khashoggi Murder

Saudi Arabia is reportedly developing an explanation for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi that defies credulity.

In The Khashoggi Crisis, Trump’s Greed And Moral Cowardice Are On Full Display

President Trump is choosing money and moral cowardice over human life in his response to the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi.

Pompeo’s Bombastic Iran Speech Reveals The Emptiness Of Trump’s Iran Strategy

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivered a bombastic speech on Iran yesterday that reveals just how empty and dangerous the Trump Administration’s policy toward Iran actually is.

Mike Pompeo and the Soft Bigotry of Low Expectations

The new Secretary of State is an improvement over the worst Secretary of State in history.

Mueller Investigating Gulf State Influence, Too

Americans actings as agents for Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have been working hard to manipulate the President.

Why the UK Government Hasn’t Done More to Punish Russia

Theresa May’s government has not hit Russian oligarchs nearly as hard as they deserve because the UK benefits from turning a blind eye.

Kushner and Corruption

The circumstantial case for corruption by Kushner is growing.

‘Deep Fakes’ a Looming Crisis

An emerging technology will take “fake news” to a whole new level.

The Myth And Dangers Of “No Daylight” Between The United States And Israel

The Trump Administration has acted in a manner to create the impression that there is “no daylight” between the United States and Israel. This is a myth, and pursuing such a goal poses real dangers for America’s national interests.

Kim Jong-Un Extends Olive Branch To The South

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un is extending an olive branch of sorts to South Korea while simultaneously claiming success in achieving a nuclear deterrent.

Benghazi!! (Wait, What?): Tales from the State Department

The ongoing destruction of the Department of State

America’s Forgotten, And Forever, Wars

America has become involved in conflicts around the world, largely without the knowledge of the American people or the consent of their representatives, and it doesn’t appear that’s going to end anytime soon.

Iranian President Rouhani Overwhelmingly Re-Elected

Iranian voters have re-elected Hassan Rouhani, a relative moderate whose election in 2013 was largely responsible for the shifts in policy that made the international agreement regarding Iran’s nuclear research program possible.

United Breaks Passengers’ Sanity

The background of the United incident, from an aviation law and policy perspective.

Appeals Court Denies Federal Government’s Request For Stay Of Travel Ban Order

An initial setback for the Federal Government in its appeal of the ruling putting President Trump’s Muslim travel ban on hold.

Mitt Romney Said To Be Top Contender For Secretary Of State

Mitt Romney and Donald Trump became bitter rivals for the soul of the GOP in 2016, but Romney appears to be at the top of Trump’s list for the nation’s top diplomat.

Turkey Apologizes To Russia For Downing Jet

Turkey has issued a formal apology to Russia over the November 2015 downing of a Russian jet that had briefly strayed into Turkish airspace.

Quick Release Of American Sailors Shows The Value Of Diplomacy

Ten American sailors detained by Iranian forces late Tuesday were released early today, something that seems to clearly demonstrate the value of diplomacy.

Third Democratic Debate Establishes That The Democratic Nomination Fight Is Over

If you were looking for evidence that the race for the Democratic nomination is basically over, you need look no further than last night’s Democratic Debate.

Attack on France Is an Attack on the United States

We are legally, morally, and practically obligated to respond. Let’s not do so stupidly.

America’s ‘Alliance’ Against ISIS Exists Mostly On Paper, Not In Reality

America’s much touted international coalition against ISIS is, essentially a Coalition In Name Only.

Obama Administration Abandoning Program To Train And Equip “Moderate” Syrian Rebels

In the wake of failure that could have been easily foreseen, the Obama Administration is ending a program to train so-called “moderate” Syrian rebels.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter Resigns As The Vultures Circle

FIFA’s President surprised everyone today by resigning, but he’s likely to stay in power for as long as another ten months.