Doug Bandow

Jesus Christ warned his listeners that "You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed" (Matthew 24:6). Some 2,000 years later we still are hearing of wars and rumors of wars. Indeed, it is hard to keep track of them these days. Who can follow the … Continue reading “With the War Party on the Rampage, We, All of Us, Need Antiwar.Com”

Barely a year into the Biden administration Riyadh and Abu Dhabi have captured US Mideast policy. President Joe Biden has abandoned the human rights principles he once claimed to hold dear. President Donald Trump also surrendered to the royals early, but he never evinced the slightest humanitarian concern about foreign policy. His son-in-law, Jared Kushner … Continue reading “Biden Administration Goes All in for Saudis and Emiratis”

The US again is predicting an imminent Russian attack on Ukraine and urging Americans to leave. Whether reflecting a serious intelligence finding or attempt to unsettle Moscow’s plans, the Biden administration is treating the Ukrainian people more as a means than an end. Indeed, Washington and its allies practice a foreign policy of "cheap grace." … Continue reading “A Foreign Policy of Cheap Grace: Allies Prepare To Fight Russia to the Last Ukrainian”

Free riding is a constant of international relations. That is evident in Europe today. The Ukraine crisis understandably has Europe on edge. But no one – Russian, Ukrainian, America, or European – believes that Europeans will fight for Kyiv. To simply raise the issue is to elicit a snicker. Modern Europeans believe their birthright is … Continue reading “The Challenge of Foreign Policy Free Riding: Limited Government for Me, Not for Thee”

The Korean peninsula is heating up again. North Korea launched seven missiles in January. All were short-to-medium range, but Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un hinted that he might restart ICBM and nuclear tests. And he’s not negotiating with America. After the collapse of the 2019 Hanoi summit, Kim essentially cut contact with both the US and … Continue reading “American Lives Matter – But Are They All That Matter?”

It is tough today to be a member of the Washington foreign policy establishment, called "the Blob" by onetime deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes. Members of the Blob make, implement, and assess foreign policy. Their general shared objective is to run the world. Alas, nothing they do seems to be working very well. Although … Continue reading “Instead of Sharing Burdens, It’s Time for America To Start Shedding Burdens”

During the Trump presidency members of the Washington foreign policy establishment, inelegantly labeled "the Blob," talked about the importance of having "adults" in the room when international issues were discussed at the White House. Blobsters meant themselves, of course. Yet they believed that there was only one policy option: more. More interventions, more commitments, more … Continue reading “As Washington Considers Multiple Wars at Once, Retrenchment Should be Strategy for the Future”

What is it about Republican legislators that makes them so fond of wreaking death and destruction upon others? The late Sen. John McCain was famous for pushing American involvement in wars fought and unfought. Iraq was his greatest disaster, in which hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians were killed and millions were displaced, but he … Continue reading “Why Are Republican Legislators So in Favor of War?”

For a decade American presidents have sought to concentrate on Asia, the center of global economic growth. For a decade they have been diverted to Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. President Barack Obama famously announced a "pivot," later renamed "rebalance," to Asia. Yet he twice doubled down on troops in Afghanistan, got the … Continue reading “Global Powers Gotta Do Everything, Says the Blob”

Foreign policy is a dangerous instrument in the hands of modern liberals. Indeed, few people are as fearsome as one filled with good intentions wielding military power. One result, nearly three decades ago, was the unloved artificial state of Bosnia and Herzegovina Now Serbian leader Milorad Dodik is moving to dismantle the tripartite nation. Dodik … Continue reading “US Should Leave the Balkans Be”