A quick FAQ on the agreement between Israel and Hamas to release hostages and pause the fighting. By Khury Petersen-Smith and Phyllis Bennis | – ( Foreign Policy in Focus) – The pause in the fighting in Gaza — with some humanitarian aid allowed in and exchange of some Israeli and Palestinian captives — is […]
The Real U.S. Intelligence Failure in Gaza: For years, U.S. officials have known that dire Conditions in Gaza could lead to violence
By Edward Hunt ( FPIF ) – As officials in Washington scramble to address the rapid outbreak of war in Israel and Palestine, they are sidestepping the fact that they believed that such a dramatic outburst of violence was likely. Since May 2021, when Hamas and Israel clashed in a brief war that left more […]
Drilling our way to Climate Doom: The US leads the World in Oil and Gas Production
By Edward Hunt | ( Foreign Policy in Focus ) – The United States is producing record amounts of oil and natural gas, despite the fact that the ongoing use of these fossil fuels poses an existential threat to the planet. Even today, as the planet faces catastrophic warming, leaders in both the Democratic and […]
Why we Need a Woke Military
By Gregory D. Foster ( Foreign Policy in Focus ) – At the forefront of today’s cohort of right-wing, nativist Know-Nothings are those who specifically attack the U.S. military for the “wokeness” of its policies and practices. The military continues to wrestle—internally and externally, in its training, its policies, and its practices—with a wide […]
To Avert Climate Catastrophe, US and Europe must stop Competing and Start Cooperating
Originally published in European Alternatives. ( Foreign Policy in Focus ) – From a foreign policy perspective, transatlantic relations appear to have reached new heights. The United States and European Union both support Ukraine’s efforts to expel Russian troops from its territory. On the military front, NATO is enjoying boom times thanks to the reemergence […]
The U.S. Still Spends More on Its Military Than Over 144 Nations Combined
By Ashik Siddique | Originally published in National Priorities Project. ( Foreign Policy in Focus) – World military spending has reached a new record high of $2.24 trillion in 2022, according to new data published by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). That’s up 3.7% since the previous year, including the steepest increase among […]
The Toxic Legacy of U.S. Foreign Policy in Vieques, Puerto Rico
By Monisha Rios ( Foreign Policy in Focus) – Puerto Ricans had no say in the U.S. war of conquest with Spain over its colonial possessions or in the Treaty of Paris that dictated they were to become the property of a new empire. The United States acted according to a well-crafted strategic narrative […]
U.S. Sanctions Are Hurting Syrians
By Farrah Hassen | – ( Foreign Policy in Focus ) – March 2023 will mark 12 years of war in Syria. No country should reach such a tragic milestone. What began in March 2011 as an uprising for Syrian dignity against President Bashar al-Assad’s corruption and authoritarian rule has since morphed into several, ongoing […]
Should a repressive petrostate get to host UN climate talks? The UAE Plans for a Fossil Fuel Friendly COP28
By Joey Shea | – ( Foreign Policy in Focus) – In recent weeks, grave concerns have emerged about the conflicts of interest posed by the United Arab Emirates as host of the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference known as COP28, as well as fears about the safety and security of participants in the […]