Ted Snider

On October 18, 2015, the JCPOA nuclear agreement with Iran was formally adopted; on May 8, 2018, the US unilaterally and illegally pulled out of the agreement. That broken promise set up a diplomatic problem for the US. In the future, other countries may be reluctant to sign agreements with the US because they will … Continue reading “A Brief History of Broken Promises”

Pressured by ever encroaching NATO expansion toward its borders and increased lethal arms sales to, and flirtations with, Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin sent the US a proposal on mutual security guarantees and an urgent request for immediate negotiations. The security proposal has many clauses, but two of the leading proposals are that: “The United States … Continue reading “NATO, Russia and the Other Broken Promise”

Under the pressure of US sanctions, threats, aggression and an imposed Second Cold War, the Russia-China relationship is growing closer and closer. Personal Relationship On December 15, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin met for a virtual summit. XI welcomed his "old friend," and Putin greeted his "dear friend." Their greetings to … Continue reading “The Growing Russia-China Relationship”

Iran In what seems to be a talking point in the script handed to all the players, the US has accused Iran of not being serious at the reopening of the JCPOA nuclear talks in Vienna. "What we’ve seen in the last couple of days is that Iran right now does not seem to be … Continue reading “The US Foreign Policy Comedy”

In 2002, Venezuela’s democratically elected president, Hugo Chávez, was removed in a US sanctioned and supported coup; the people of Venezuela put him and his party back in power. In 2009, Honduras’ democratically elected President, Manuel Zelaya, was removed in a US aided and supported coup; the people of Honduras put his party back in … Continue reading “Honduras, Venezuela, and Reversing American Coups”

US foreign policy for Europe and Asia since the Second World War can be captured in one sentence: Keep Europe from Russia and Russia from China. Trump and the Republicans damaged the first part; Biden, Clinton, and the Democrats damaged the second. In so doing, the two parties have inadvertently collaborated in accomplishing the very … Continue reading “Trump-Biden and the Foreign Policy Establishment’s Nightmare”

What’s changed in Venezuela and Cuba since Biden became President? Nothing. But as US foreign policy on those two great threats to America continues seamlessly on from the Trump presidency to the Biden presidency, there’s something the White House and the media don’t want you to know. Venezuela Though you’d barely know it from the … Continue reading “What You’re Not Supposed to Know About Cuba and Venezuela”

If it didn’t contribute to a second cold war, it would be comical. He may not have meant it. But that would require an abysmal ignorance of history. Sounding more like a stand-up comic than a Secretary of State, Antony Blinken finished his Africa tour with a verbal assault on China. There’s nothing new there … Continue reading “Blinken Attacks China in African Speech”

I haven’t seen the movie Top Gun, and I won’t bother seeing the much anticipated sequel, Top Gun: Maverick. Why should I? If I wanted to see a movie produced by the Pentagon or the CIA, I would just watch Animal Farm. Seriously. In perhaps the most ironic moment in the history of literature, the … Continue reading “A CIA and Pentagon Production”

On Friday, November 19, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivered a scolding and patronizing lecture to Africa. Blinken blamed increasing extremism and authoritarianism for endangering democracy and human rights on the continent. He seemed to make American military aid to Africa contingent on improved behavior. Left unsaid was that returning under America’s wing is … Continue reading “US Lectures Africa, Ignoring History and Hiding Purpose”