Daniel Larison

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”

The Soviet Union ceased to exist 30 years ago, and with its disappearance the United States embraced a triumphalist interpretation of the end of the Cold War that has served to fuel its militarism for another generation. The loss of its major rival could have freed the US from the costly militarized foreign policy that … Continue reading “US Militarism Should Have Died With the Soviet Union”

The people of Afghanistan are facing what could be the worst modern famine in at least half a century, and US policies will be responsible for much of the humanitarian catastrophe if they are not changed immediately. Afghanistan became heavily dependent on international aid during the 20-year US war, and it is also heavily dependent … Continue reading “Afghanistan and Our Murderous Sanctions Addiction”

The best solution to the current Ukraine crisis is for all parties to agree to Ukrainian neutrality, but this is exactly what Western governments and the Ukrainian government refuse to consider. US and NATO officials have said that Russian demands to rule out further NATO expansion to the east is a non-starter. Ukrainian Foreign Minister … Continue reading “Neutrality for Ukraine Is the Right Answer”

The US faces very few serious threats from other states, and the United States is extraordinarily secure from physical attack. To make other states seem remotely threatening to US security, the government and cooperative media outlets have to exaggerate the power of other states and inflate their ability to threaten Americans. Because of the huge … Continue reading “The Absurdity of Threat Inflation”

The United Nations Development Program projects that the war in Yemen will have killed at least 377,000 people by the end of this year. That projection represents an increase of more than 140,000 over the previous year’s report. As in previous years, 60% of the war’s casualties have been caused by indirect causes of disease … Continue reading “The World Keeps Yemen Waiting With Deadly Results”

US foreign policy has been consumed by hawkish obsessions in the Middle East for the last thirty years, and the next decade promises more of the same. Despite repeated claims over the last decade that the US is "retreating" from the region, one administration after another keeps our country mired in its conflicts and rivalries. … Continue reading “Biden Keeps the US Mired in the Middle East”

The Republican Party’s foreign policy is increasingly defined by hostility to China above all else. Whether it is current Republican members of Congress or candidates seeking election in next year’s midterms, there is unanimity on the need for a more aggressive and combative China policy. One looks in vain for any elected Republicans urging caution … Continue reading “The GOP’s Hawkish Conformism on China”

The conceit that America is "the indispensable nation" has been a core assumption of US policymakers for at least the last thirty years. The idea of American indispensability has served as an excuse for the US to interfere in many other countries’ internal affairs and to wage illegal wars in the name of "maintaining" international … Continue reading “Dispensing With Indispensability: The US Failed To Improve the World”