The Baines Report
Thursday morning, President Donald Trump announced that he had directed his economic adviser Larry Kudlow and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to look into rejoining the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). To remind readers, the TPP was the subject of bipartisan scrutiny during the 2016 election cycle – every major candidate denounced the deal. President Trump withdrew […]
Bob Schieffer has covered politics for over half a century, from the White House to the Pentagon to Foggy Bottom and Capitol Hill. The host of CBS’s “Face the Nation” for 24 years, he has interviewed every president since Richard Nixon. Despite the thousands of high-level interviews he’s conducted over this career, he enthusiastically set […]
This month marks the seven-year anniversary of the Syrian Civil War. The country, an arena of catastrophic destruction since March 2011, has witnessed a reign of terror from ISIS, proxy wars between major powers, and an incomprehensibly large-scale humanitarian crisis. Last fall, the international community celebrated the liberation of Raqqa, the self-designated capitol of the […]
Featured Photo: Callie Richmond On Jan. 30, 2018, the LBJ School of Public Affairs welcomed U.S. Army Lieutenant General Sean MacFarland. His talk was part of the Dean’s Distinguished Leaders Series, which brings the best and brightest of the public world straight to LBJ. MacFarland, a three-star general slated to retire soon, spoke about his […]
In direct affirmation of his campaign promise, President Trump withdrew the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) just days into his first term. This set an unmistakable precedent not only for the “America First” administration, but also for the future of greater Asia-Pacific-U.S. relations. U.S. disengagement has drastically altered the course of economic integration […]
Undoubtedly, it is the dawn of a new era in Indo-Israeli relations. This was visible from the great rapport between the premiers of the two nations – Narendra Modi and Benjamin Netanyahu. When Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel set his foot on Indian soil on Jan.14, 2018, he was welcomed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s […]
Some of the most devastating wars in history have been fought in the name of religion. It is undeniable that differences in belief systems and ways of worship can cause irreconcilable disputes. Though religion plays a role in causing many conflicts, it also has the unique power to resolve them. In part one, I examined […]
Aung San Suu Kyi’s Complicity in the Persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar In 1991, Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize “for her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights.” She was given the award for her involvement in the 1988 pro-democracy uprisings in Myanmar, in which she helped found the […]
Kenyan electoral politics are in a perilous state. After the Kenyan Supreme Court threw out the results of the most recent presidential elections, a new election was called. In the run-up to the re-election, chaos ensued. Just 15 days prior to the re-election, opposition leader Raila Odinga withdrew. Two days before the re-election, the bodyguard […]
On Oct. 17, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, ISIS) was finally defeated in Raqqa, a stronghold of the group and the largest city under its control. Images of Syrian Democratic Forces replacing ISIS flags with their own spread hope across the world, and the defeat of ISIS appeared imminent. But the […]