Global Hotspots

Trump Has Just Raised the Stakes With Moscow and Tehran in Three Risky Moves

By Patrick Smith

President Trump made three big moves on Syria and Iran this week. They crisscross and contradict one another, but the administration’s game plan in the Middle East just got a lot clearer.
Here’s the Enormous Economic Leverage China Has Over North Korea

By Greg Wright, The Conversation

North Korea got the world’s attention – and President Donald Trump’s – when it said on July 4 that it had successfully launched an intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time. The weapon,...
Trump’s Fly-by-Night Mideast ‘Policy’ Embraces the Saudi’s New Crown Prince

By Patrick Smith

It’s not likely that President Trump knew what he was getting into when he embraced the Saudis as the rightful leaders of the Islamic world and the war on terror during his visit to Riyadh last month...
Russia’s Top Troll Strikes Again: Putin Offers Comey Political Asylum

By Rob Garver

While much of the world looks at the turmoil in Washington, DC with apprehension and dread, at least somebody watching the expanding investigation of President Trump and his associates is enjoying...
Here’s How the US Could Cripple North Korea’s Economy

By Rob Garver

Punishing North Korea economically for its misdeeds may be simpler than many believe, according to a new report from a Washington non-profit.

Time for Trump to Face It: From Now on, Every Week Is ‘Russia Week’

By Rob Garver

The Trump administration’s efforts to keep Russian interference in last year’s election out of the headlines are being overwhelmed by events, as another week ostensibly dedicated to a different issue...
Putin’s Just Trolling the World Now on Trump and the US Election

By Rob Garver

Russian President Vladimir Putin conceded for the first time that perhaps computer hackers from his country actually had worked to undermine Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election.
Here’s One Credible Reason to Doubt the Russia-Kushner Story

By Rob Garver

Following the Washington Post report on Friday that top White House adviser Jared Kushner had approached the Russian ambassador to the US about opening a secret line of communications between Moscow...
How Trump Really Could Make a Difference in the Middle East

By Liz Peek

Two presidents, two trips to the Middle East in their first year in office. That is where the similarities end. I was in Cairo for President Obama’s much-celebrated speech in 2009 as a guest of...
Trump the Diplomat? Will He Charm or Harm US Relations?

By Patrick Smith

Whoever put together President Trump’s first foreign tour has a good grasp of the grand gesture. When he departs Friday, his main stops are Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the Vatican, making Trump the...

Russian State Media Says U.S. Is Fomenting Riots in Macedonia

By Rob Garver

In Russia’s state-run media, it’s practically certain that a brewing revolution in Macedonia is being driven by shadowy plots hatched in Washington and the European Union
Kerry-Putin Talks Could Deliver a Global Surprise

By Patrick Smith

At 8:12 a.m. last Tuesday, Secretary of State Kerry Tweeted from Sochi , the Black Sea resort, with this mind-blower: “Had frank discussions with President #Putin & FM #Lavrov on key issues...
U.S. Spent $2B on 'Hearts and Minds' in Afghanistan

By Megan McCloskey and Mike Tigas and Ryann Grochowski Jones and Sisi Wei and Jeff Larson and Ingrid Burrington, Pro Publica

The military’s mantra for Afghanistan was “winning hearts and minds.” And a key part of that strategy was cold, hard cash. During a decade of war, the Pentagon gave more than $2 billion to commanders...
U.S. Air Strikes Target Hidden ISIS Forces

By Eric Pianin

After directing most of its fire power to blowing up buildings in Iraq and Syria in pursuit of ISIS terrorists, the U.S and allied forces more recently have altered their tactics by going after...
US Invests $560 M in Afghan Civil Aviation that Can’t Get Off the Ground

By Brianna Ehley, The Fiscal Times

Since 2002 the United States has paid for and managed much of the Afghan airspace, pouring more than $500 million into building, training and equipping Afghanistan with a sustainable civil aviation...

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