The Morality of Ukraine’s War Is Very Murky
What is the morally preferable course of action in Ukraine? At first glance, it seems obvious. Ukraine is the victim of an illegal war, its...
Do Policy Schools Still Have a Point?
Classes started a couple of weeks ago, and I had a weird thought as the academic year began. I’ve spent most of my career teaching...
The Con-Man Realism of Vivek Ramaswamy
If a politician wants to convey a sense of gravitas and sound like a serious foreign-policy thinker, they are apt to declare that they are...
Here’s How Scared of China You Should Be
A critical issue in current debates on U.S. grand strategy is the priority the country should place on competing with China. How many resources (money,...
Hollywood Runs—and Ruins—U.S. Foreign Policy
The United States is exceptional in many ways—size, wealth, openness, isolation from other major powers—and one of them is a cultural predilection for the “Hollywood...
You See What You Want to See in Russia
Back in October 2022, I wrote that the war in Ukraine provided a “Rorschach Test” between two contrasting worldviews about international politics and foreign policy....
Cluster Bombs and the Contradictions of Liberalism
The Biden administration’s controversial decision to supply Ukraine with cluster munitions is a telling illustration of liberalism’s limitations as a guide to foreign policy. The...
A Saudi-Israeli Peace Deal Isn’t Worth It
The New York Times reports that the Biden administration is making a “long-shot bid” to get Israel and Saudi Arabia to normalize relations. Among other...
The International Relations of Saudi Arabia’s Golf Empire
As most of you know by now, the world of professional golf was rocked a few weeks ago when the PGA Tour announced an agreement...
Solving the Mystery of Henry Kissinger’s Reputation
Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger has celebrated his 100th birthday several times over the past month, including at private events at the Economic...