While traditionally conducted behind closed doors, elections for the NATO Secretary General are now facing the demands of a changing public diplomacy landscape, calling for increased transparency. As citizens of NATO member states, it’s crucial for us to be informed and engaged in these elections, given their direct …
Read More »German Self-Righteousness and the European Battle Over Energy Policy
Germany loves to sit on its moral high horse and, when it believes to recognize misconduct, quickly resorts to condescension and public lecturing. We Germans love to sit on our moral high horse. We feel comfortable up there and love to look down on other nations as sinners, …
Read More »It is Not Just Ukraine and Gaza: Joe Biden’s Wars are Just Beginning
Uncertainty about American leadership has encouraged dictators to believe war works. It is a truism across administrations: Unexpected crises define foreign policy legacy. For Jimmy Carter, it was Iran’s Islamic Revolution and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Ronald Reagan faced the Marine Barracks bombing in Lebanon, followed two …
Read More »Will the West Fall Like Ancient Rome?
Are the Chinese the new barbarians, intent on triggering the fall of the West? Or is China risking internal failure? The geopolitical dominance and future of the “West” seem threatened. Hard right-wing commentators like Steve Bannon and Nigel Farage draw parallels with the fall of ancient Rome. In …
Read More »America’s Biggest Foreign Policy Weakness: No Grand Strategy
Michael DiCiana As 2024 begins, the global threat to American interests is on the rise as the interests of adversaries continue to align. However, Washington policymakers appear either unable or uninterested in displaying resolve As 2024 begins, the global threat to American interests is on the rise as …
Read More »Farmer Protests Spreading Like Wildfire Across Europe
Farmers’ protests have already caused disruptions in France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Poland, Romania and the Netherlands. Europe has experienced an explosion of protests for weeks now by farmers against what they say is excessive red tape, high fuel costs and unfair competition coming from the EU’s liberal trade …
Read More »Why a U.S. Recession in 2024 Could Still Happen
Given their poor forecasting track record, the economic profession could benefit from a dose of humility. Wall Street traders are fond of saying that the consensus economic view is seldom proved correct. Today’s stronger-than-expected GDP numbers and inflation’s welcome deceleration offer yet another example of where the consensus …
Read More »Trump’s Ukraine Opportunity
Supporting a compromise on Ukraine aid and border protection seems more likely to yield electoral advantage for Donald Trump both immediately and in the long term. With prospects for a Senate border compromise looking increasingly murky amid opposition from former President Donald Trump, further substantial U.S. military assistance …
Read More »The Linchpin of Central Asia Looks East
Harun Karcic Kazakh leaders support an increased American and European role in Central Asia to help promote the region’s security and economic development without undermining Astana’s multi-vector foreign policy approach. Kazakhstan has officially begun construction of its third railway connection with China. The double-track railway is expected to …
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