Jordan Michael Smith has written a long essay on the changes in Republican and conservative foreign policy thinking. The entire piece is worth reading, but I want to focus on the discussion of “Jacksonian” foreign policy. Smith describes the bulk of the GOP as...
The Weird Threat Inflation of ‘Peak China’ Warnings
Most hawkish warnings about China emphasize both Beijing’s ambitions and its growing power, but some analysts have come up with a different interpretation and concluded that China is on the verge of decline and that this is what will cause the Chinese government to...
What Kind of Foreign Policy Do Americans Want?
The Eurasia Group Foundation (EGF) released their annual survey of American public opinion on U.S. foreign policy and the US role in the world. The report, Rethinking American Strength, includes a number of notable findings that show the public is broadly supportive...
Pursuing Regime Change Isn’t Dignified or Wise
Reuel Marc Gerecht and Ray Takeyh are wrong as usual, but in this piece they are also wildly irresponsible:The Biden administration has now run into this buzzsaw of sexual politics and faith. If the president were wise, he would throw his lot in with Iranian women....
To Show Solidarity with the Iranian People, End the Economic War
Bret Stephens likes collective punishment:It’s good that the Biden administration, which has done so well in standing up to Putin, has now thrown its weight behind Iran’s protests, including by trying to keep Iranians connected to the internet via Elon Musk’s Starlink...
Biden Will Never Placate the Hawks
Kori Schake faults Biden for not being belligerent and militaristic enough:The administration appears to lack an effective strategy for the dangers posed by a nuclear-armed North Korea beyond the empty statements that we will not allow North Korea to have nuclear...
Biden Is Wrong on Taiwan
Biden once again gave some ill-advised answers on Taiwan in an interview with 60 Minutes:"But would U.S. forces defend the island?" Pelley asked."Yes, if in fact there was an unprecedented attack," Mr. Biden said."So unlike Ukraine, to be...
The Inherent Injustice of Empire
Nigel Biggar writes a “Christian defense of the American empire” and it concludes with the same recycled hegemonist nonsense that you would expect:The United States is not the only trustee of such values and institutions, but, thanks to the gifts of providence and its...
The Stories That Hardliners Tell
Samuel Charap and Mike Mazarr have responded to Vindman’s fantasy history about U.S. Russia policy:US policy toward post-Soviet Russia has never come close to the extreme accommodationism that Vindman describes. Washington did try to forge a partnership with Moscow,...
Stop Starving Afghanistan
Ali A. Olomi calls attention to the damage being done by US sanctions and asset freezes in Afghanistan:Despite militarily withdrawing, the United States continues to pursue a policy of financially starving Afghanistan of desperately needed funds in an attempt to force...
