The highest stakes in the Ukrainian offensive into Russian territory in Kursk may turn out not to be how far they advance nor whether they can hold it. The advance seems already to be running out of gas and few in the U.S. or NATO have any expectation that Ukraine can...
The Cost of Kursk
The bold and surprising incursion across the border into the Kursk region of Russia has won Ukraine the temporary possession of several Russian villages and a few hundred square miles of Russian territory. But the strategically cheap Russian land may have been bought...
Does the US Know What its Partners Are Doing?
On July 31, Hamas’ political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in Tehran. U.S. officials have assessed that the killing was an Israeli operation, and Israeli intelligence officials briefed the U.S. on the details of the operation shortly after it was carried out....
China’s Rising Diplomatic Power
The United States is working hard to create a global narrative of itself as the leader of a generational struggle to advance democracy, peace, and international law and push back the forces of autocracy, aggression, and erosion of the rule of law. The facts look...
The US Has No Right to Interfere in Venezuela’s Election
On July 28, Venezuela held its national election. The most recent results released by Venezuela’s National Electoral Council say that the incumbent president, and successor to Hugo Chávez, Nicolás Maduro received 51.95% of the vote versus 43.18% for the opposition...
Look Who’s Talking: America, Russia, Ukraine, China, and Palestine
In recent weeks, a flurry of unexpected talks and signals of willingness for talks have taken place that provide hope in a number of war zones. The U.S. is talking to Russia, there are openings for Russia to talk to Ukraine, Ukraine is talking to China, and China is...
Deflating Biden’s Boast on NATO
Editor's Note: This article was written just before President Biden announced he would not be seeking re-election. U.S. President Joe Biden’s signature defense of his accomplishments and record is that he energized NATO and put together a coalition of fifty countries...
Could a Change in Tone Lead to Peace Talks in Ukraine?
Though hope, which has raised its head before only to be decapitated, may be too optimistic a word, recent changes in tone, coming from many parties to the conflict, forecast the chance that negotiations to end the war on Ukraine are, at least, peaking above the...
The US Continues To Undermine Its Own Interests in Iran
The American-led isolation of Iran is springing leaks all over. It seems that wherever Iran knocks, everyone answers. Except the United States. Instead, the U.S. continues to close the door, following a long pattern with Iran of undermining its own interests. In 2016,...
NATO Summit’s Declaration: Fiction Versus Reality
The NATO Summit and 75th anniversary celebration has concluded. In its congratulatory celebration of itself, it revealed itself to be as detached from reality as it is anachronistic. There were many assertions that had no basis in reality, but there were four big ones...


