Daniel Larison

The US has waged senseless economic war against the people of Venezuela for years in pursuit of regime change. Now that it has embarked on a destructive economic war against Russia, the Biden administration is beginning to entertain easing some of the broad sanctions on Venezuela that have greatly exacerbated the country’s humanitarian crisis. US … Continue reading “US Venezuela Policy Is a Destructive Failure”

The Russian attack on Ukraine that began last week has encouraged hawkish interventionists to begin floating extremely dangerous ideas to involve the US and its allies in the conflict. Several retired military officers and former officials have been calling for establishing a no-fly zone over Ukraine, which would require taking offensive action against Russian forces … Continue reading “Stay Out of the War in Ukraine”

The Russian government’s recognition of the independence of the two separatist republics in eastern Ukraine and the decision to send its forces openly into those territories have prompted demands for the US and its allies to impose the harshest sanctions on Russia yet. It remains to be seen whether the Russian government will take any … Continue reading “Beware the Sanctions Trap Over Russia”

The Biden administration’s decision to take half of Afghanistan’s frozen reserves and keep them for the families of 9/11 victims is just the latest in a series of policy decisions that impose collective punishment on tens of millions of innocent people for the actions of others. Biden’s decision to rob the Afghan people of billions … Continue reading “Collective Punishment Is Washington’s Default Policy”

The Biden administration recently accused Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of "parroting Russian talking points" when he suggested that the U.S. should oppose Ukraine’s membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The administration’s response was insulting, but it was also wildly off the mark because Hawley’s objections to bringing Ukraine into NATO had nothing to … Continue reading “China Hawks Aren’t Antiwar”

The economic war on Afghanistan is taking a deadly toll on the population as the country has been cut off from all but a trickle of humanitarian aid. Roughly 23 million people are facing acute food insecurity as a result, and that number is liable to grow if the international response remains as limited and … Continue reading “Economic Warfare Is Killing Afghanistan”

The war on Yemen has claimed dozens more innocent victims in the last week, and once again U.S.-made weapons were used to commit the atrocity. The death toll from a coalition airstrike on a detention facility filled with migrants in northern Yemen has risen to at least 87 people, and hundreds more were injured in … Continue reading “The Saudi Coalition War on Yemen Claims More Victims”

The nuclear deal with Iran is not dead yet, but the prospects for its revival and longer-term survival are bleak. While there are reports of some progress in the latest round of talks in Vienna, the U.S. and its European allies keep insisting that time is running out for the negotiations. The Biden administration has … Continue reading “Why US Diplomacy Fails”

U.S. troops are still living with the consequences of Trump’s decision two years ago to assassinate Iranian Qods Force commander, Qassem Soleimani. Initially sold as necessary to ward off an "imminent attack" that did not exist, the drone strike that killed Soleimani and an Iraqi militia leader at the Baghdad airport provoked the largest ballistic … Continue reading “Counting the Costs of Reckless Militarism”

The possibility of further eastward NATO expansion and the reality of NATO military involvement in Ukraine are major causes of the current Ukraine crisis, but there is a stubborn refusal in the West to acknowledge the alliance’s role in creating the standoff with Russia. Not only are Western governments unwilling to take Russian security concerns … Continue reading “Closing the Door on NATO Expansion Is Imperative”