Section: Foreign Policy (USA)
Disarm and Modernize
In the early decades of the Cold War, NATO made arrangements to bury what were known as atomic demolition munitions (in essence, nuclear mines) at key points in West Germany, to be detonated if Warsaw Pact forces ever invaded. Although this plan, if enacted, might have slowed the enemy advance, it also almost certainly would have turned vast West...
Is a Nuclear Iran a Threat or a Distraction?
Once upon a time, no term evoked modernity like “the Atomic Age.” It contained the promise of harnessing the power of the atom for good and for ill. Unleashing the secrets of the atom was what separated the world’s most advanced and powerful nations from the rest. This Damoclean era was ushered in 70 years ago, on July 16, 1945, with the...
FP’s Situation Report: Yemen’s collapse is a huge hit to U.S. counterterror strategy; White House dismisses Bibi’s apology tour; Israel reportedly spied on Iran talks; Ghani makes a promise to America; and much more from around the world.
By David Francis with Sabine Muscat The fall of the Yemeni government is a massive blow to U.S. counterterrorism strategy. Violence has forced U.S. special operators out of the country, severely hampering the fight against al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. FP’s Seán D. Naylor: “Officials familiar with the special operations mission said...
Democracy Lab Weekly Brief, March 23, 2015
To keep up with Democracy Lab in real time, follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Brian Klaas looks at the impact of last week’s terrorist attack on Tunisia’s democratic transition. Christine Petré explores the reasons why Tunisia has become a prolific source of Syria-bound jihadists. Nicholas Linn and Emily Crane profile a grassroots...
China’s Trans-Atlantic Wedge
China’s rise is no longer a regional phenomenon that primarily impacts Asia. It is a global force, putting pressure on alliances that underpin the liberal international order. Nowhere is this more true than in trans-Atlantic relations. China has just convinced America’s closest European allies to join the Asian Infrastructure...
FP’s Situation Report: Ukraine wants more U.S. military training; Kabul and Washington make progress; Israel continues its push against an Iran nuclear deal; and much more from around the world.
By David Francis with Sabine Muscat Ukraine’s military needs more than U.S. weapons. It also needs U.S. training. The United States is considering sending guns to Ukraine. But Kiev wants more of a new U.S. program meant to train Ukraine’s military to defeat a Russian-backed insurgency. FP’s Reid Standish and John Hudson: “For...
Ukrainian Ambassador: ‘We Are Still Way Off From Being a Leading Fighting Force’
On Wednesday, after a phone call between Vice President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, the White House announced a new program to train 750 Ukrainian troops in the western city of Yavoriv near the Polish border. For Ukrainian Ambassador Olexander Motsyk, the new initiative is vital not just because Kiev faces a sustained...
Soccer Is the Continuation of Putin’s War By Other Means
Russia and Ukraine don’t much like each other right now — or at least, their governments don’t like each other. And — always sensitive to politics — soccer administrators have taken note: Russian and Ukrainian teams have been deliberately kept apart in both the Champions League and the Europa League, the continent’s top two...
FP’s Situation Report: Kerry condemns reported use of chlorine gas in Syria; Bibi flips on his two-state flip-flop; Musical chairs at DoD; and much more from around the world.
By David Francis with Sabine Muscat Secretary of State John Kerry condemns reported use of chlorine gas in Syria. Human rights groups allege President Bashar al-Assad’s government has again skirted an international agreement to destroy Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile. FP’s Elias Groll: “Earlier this week, Syrian activists...
The lessons of Debaltseve: Armored vehicles still matter, but they need to be mobile, lethal, and survivable
By Brian Drohan and Andy Forney Best Defense guest columnists After nearly fifteen years of counterinsurgency in Iraq and Afghanistan, American advocates of heavy armored forces interpreted Ukrainian forces’ defeat at the battle of Debaltseve as an indication that “tanks still matter.” But the key lesson of the Debaltseve fight is a broader...
