Nation Building

US Marine Afghanistan

The US Will Never Win the War in Afghanistan The US Will Never Win the War in Afghanistan

The military has no strategy for victory, merely a plan to avoid defeat.

May 16, 2017 / Katrina vanden Heuvel

Empire, Conquest, and the War America Forgot

Empire, Conquest, and the War America Forgot Empire, Conquest, and the War America Forgot

The historian William Hogeland talks about the first war the United States ever fought and the “problematic and thorny and painful” questions his new book raises.

May 15, 2017 / Interview / Richard Kreitner

US Forces YPG Arms

US Arms Syrian Kurds—and Turkey’s Erdogan Cries ‘Terrorism’ Ahead of Trump Meeting US Arms Syrian Kurds—and Turkey’s Erdogan Cries ‘Terrorism’ Ahead of Trump Meeting

Ankara fears it will help the Kurds form a federal ethnic province in Syria, and thus give the Turkish Kurds ideas.

May 12, 2017 / Juan Cole

Victory Day Ceremony

World War II Memories in Moscow, Another Cold War Inquisition in Washington World War II Memories in Moscow, Another Cold War Inquisition in Washington

On May 9, while Russia was commemorating the 27 million Soviet citizens who died fighting Nazi Germany, the US political-media class was vilifying the Kremlin and seeking its Ameri...

May 10, 2017 / Audio / Stephen F. Cohen

Putin 2016

Again, Is the Possibility of a Trump-Putin Détente Really Dead? Again, Is the Possibility of a Trump-Putin Détente Really Dead?

“Kremlingate” is said to have killed any prospect for Trump administration cooperation with Putin’s Kremlin, but the May 2 phone talk between the two leaders showed it is still ali...

May 3, 2017 / Audio / Stephen F. Cohen

Putin Speech

Mounting Incitements to War With Russia Mounting Incitements to War With Russia

Villainizing the Kremlin—without much evidence—for crises from Washington and Europe to Syria, Ukraine, and Afghanistan is increasing the possibility of a US-Russian war.

Apr 26, 2017 / Audio / Stephen F. Cohen

War-merica

Where Is the Elizabeth Warren of Foreign Policy? Where Is the Elizabeth Warren of Foreign Policy?

A challenge to the failed doctrines of the Democratic foreign-policy establishment is long overdue. 

Apr 25, 2017 / Katrina vanden Heuvel

People protest after Russian hacking allegations.

Why the New Cold War Is More Dangerous Than the Preceding One Why the New Cold War Is More Dangerous Than the Preceding One

Questionable but orthodox Cold War narratives make actual war with Russia more likely than during its 40-year predecessor.

Apr 19, 2017 / Audio / Stephen F. Cohen

Inside the Birth of a Trump-Inspired Intellectual Magazine

Inside the Birth of a Trump-Inspired Intellectual Magazine Inside the Birth of a Trump-Inspired Intellectual Magazine

Reading through American Affairs, one gets the sense that avoiding policy questions is as much a strategy as a politics.

Apr 19, 2017 / Books & the Arts / Gideon Lewis-Kraus

US Navy sailors

Why We Can’t Afford to Send More Troops to the Middle East Why We Can’t Afford to Send More Troops to the Middle East

Pursuing such policies would all but hand victory to ISIS and other extremist groups.

Apr 18, 2017 / Danny Sjursen

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