Doug Bandow

Despite the Afghanistan disaster dominating global headlines, American policymakers don’t seem to realize that they just lost a war. After Washington devoted two decades to, endured tens of thousands of casualties for, and spent trillions of dollars on its Afghan creation, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan melted away in less than two weeks. The rapid … Continue reading “Washington’s Arrogance Survives Afghanistan Disaster”

The U.S. spent 20 years, thousands of lives, and trillions of dollars in Afghanistan. Instead of creating a stable, prosperous democracy beloved by its people and defended by all, Washington did the geopolitical equivalent of digging a big hole and filling it with people and money, then paving over it. With America’s lengthiest nation-building experiment … Continue reading “After Afghanistan: Apply Obama’s Simple Foreign Policy Precept, Don’t Do Stupid Sh*t!”

America’s Afghan project, to create a modern, democratic, centralized nation state in Central Asia, is over. What took 20 years, thousands of lives, and trillions of dollars to construct disappeared in little more than a week. Only a few days ago administration strategists were debating whether Kabul had three or six months left and imagining … Continue reading “In a World Aflame, an Antiwar Movement Is Needed More Than Ever”

America’s 20-year war in Afghanistan is nearly over. Yesterday Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared: "This is manifestly not Saigon." Yet Associated Press reported: "panic set in as many rushed to leave the country through the Kabul airport, the last route out of the country as the Taliban now hold every border crossing. Rapid shuttle … Continue reading “As America’s Imperial Ambitions Collapse, Washington Should Ask: Who Lost Afghanistan?”

The exciting days of America as the unipower, the essential nation, the hyperpower, the sole superpower, the embodiment of worldly glory and virtue, are long over. That heady moment, evident to all after the fall of the Berlin Wall and collapse of the Soviet Union, ended with the Bush administration. George H.W. Bush’s 1992 election … Continue reading “How Many Enemies Does America Want?”

The U.S. has turned to Europe to help contain the People’s Republic of China. However, expecting nations which aren’t much interested in defending themselves to take on Xi Jinping’s ever more aggressive communist state is a forlorn hope at best. NATO’s members refuse to arm against Russia. Most European governments, including of Germany, Italy, and … Continue reading “Naval Flotilla to Nowhere: Europe Won’t Fight China To Save America”

There was a time, back in the mists of history, before the U.S. became the global dictatress, determined to micromanage nations and peoples around the globe. Washington sometimes sanctioned foreign governments, but mostly by restricting Americans. Uncle Sam did not wander the globe threatening other nations if they failed to follow his lead. Today, however, … Continue reading “Treating Friends Like Vile Traitors Rather Than Erring Brothers: When America Became Global Dictatress”

The world is a dangerous place, the upcoming anniversary of 9/11 reminds us. And that is true, though not, paradoxically, so much for the U.S. At least, if Washington didn’t attempt to reign over everyone else. Based on events, the world today should be far safer for America than during most of its history. Certainly … Continue reading “As 9/11’s 20th Anniversary Approaches, the World Is Dangerous: But Should Not Be Particularly Dangerous for America”

With an increasingly enfeebled Joe Biden as president, Republicans are on the attack. The GOP has abandoned virtually every moral principle that it once defended, but the desire to regain power at all costs holds it together. On foreign policy congressional Republicans have no policy other than endless war, irrespective of cost, but they sell … Continue reading “What Is a Winning Foreign Policy? Being the Planet’s Imperial Guardian, Apparently”

President Joe Biden plans to keep U.S. forces in Iraq but out of combat, he hopes. At least that is what he said after representatives of the two governments met Monday in the latest "strategic dialogue." Americans and Iraqis alike are still paying the price for George W. Bush’s disastrous invasion of Iraq. The Islamic … Continue reading “After 18 Years, Bring Home America’s Troops from Iraq”