Ted Snider

In a piece of bizarre political theater, the US now officially recognizes a government in Venezuela that does not exist. Despite the termination of the government recognized by the US, State Department spokesman Ned Price assured a press briefing that "our approach has not changed." The US still considers the elected President illegitimate – an … Continue reading “In Venezuela, the US Recognizes a Nonexistent Government”

The West seems set to flood Ukraine with heavier and more advanced weapons. And the past week, according to The New York Times, was the "pivotal week of diplomacy involving [Ukraine’s] American and European allies" that will decide it. On January 17, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly. … Continue reading “Did the West Miss Its Window?”

The war in Ukraine is a tangled mess of causes. As Nicolai Petro has argued, it is at once a conflict between Russia and the US, a conflict between Russia and Ukraine and a conflict within Ukraine. But at its core there are two conflicts: the conflict over whether NATO should have an open door … Continue reading “War in Ukraine: When International Laws Collide”

A former diplomat recently answered my question by suggesting that there is tight control on information getting out of Ukraine and solidarity in the mainstream media about how to report it. A journalist told me of his frustration that if you go to Ukraine, you won’t get access to the truth, and when you return … Continue reading “Escaping From the Dark: Why We Need Antiwar.com Now”

On New Year’s Eve, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the nation. "For years," he said, "Western elites hypocritically assured us of their peaceful intentions, including to help resolve the serious conflict in Donbass." He then went on to charge that "[t]he West lied to us about peace while preparing for aggression, and today, they no … Continue reading “Did Europe Lie to Russia About Peace?”

Why did Russia make the decision to go to war in Ukraine in 2022? It had been over two decades since the US and NATO broke their promise and marched nearly a thousand miles east toward Russia’s borders. It had been eight years since the US supported a coup in Ukraine that removed a democratically … Continue reading “Why Russia Went to War in 2022”

Morocco has reportedly broken its neutrality in the Russia-Ukraine war by becoming the first African country to provide military assistance to Ukraine. Though Morocco has not officially confirmed the transaction, they have reportedly agreed to provide 90 T-72 tanks as well as spare parts to Ukraine in a $97 million dollar contract being paid for … Continue reading “Morocco and the 2022 Hypocrisy Award”

Sometimes the worst gaffes President Biden makes are not the ones in which he forgets the truth, but the ones in which he forgets not to tell the truth, or worse, when he forgets not to tell that he is not going to tell the truth. That’s what Biden did on November 4. A just … Continue reading “Biden Says Iran Deal Is Dead and That He Won’t Say Iran Deal Is Dead”

On December 21, President Volodymyr Zelensky went to Washington to meet with President Biden and to address the Congress. The meeting comes at a time when pressure for negotiations and for a diplomatic settlement are intensifying. Both France and Germany have advocated for talks that include discussions of Russia’s security concerns. National Security Advisor Jake … Continue reading “Zelensky Goes to Washington: Some Key Questions”

Five statements made over a period of a few days by high level government officials received very little media attention. When combined, though, they produce a pattern that could make headlines. On December 1, French President Emmanuel Macron held talks with President Biden. Camouflaged by a joint statement that expressed solidarity with the US position … Continue reading “Five Statements That Could Change the War”