Western guilt over the 1994 Rwandan genocide solidified U.S. support for Rwanda’s president, Paul Kagame. This came to an abrupt end this June when a United Nations report accused Rwandan officials of aiding rebel groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The United States demonstrated the consequences of defying Security Council resolutions that prohibit […]
Tag: Global Policy Studies and International Security
Supporting despots and their oppressive regimes has been the name of the game in US politics for decades. This is especially prevalent in the Middle East, where holding the hand of those you hate most is the easiest way to keep the interests of the US intact in the region. In recent times, America’s open support for […]
September 11, 2001 ushered in a new era for the United States, especially in regards to nations we labeled “terrorist friendly.” The US declared a "war on terror," including regimes that allowed terrorist organizations to operate within their borders. It deposed regimes that it labeled terrorist friendly and installed new leadership that would help its […]
As efforts to reinvigorate the American economy continue, one of the administration’s highest priorities should be collaborating with Congress on current proposals – including the Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Act – aimed at restoring a fair and balanced trade relationship with China. Doing so will protect existing jobs, create new ones and help secure a […]
Terrorism has been a big topic of debate in the United States since September 11, 2001. Previous attacks like the attempted World Trade Center and the USS Cole bombings did raise awareness, but because they were not as close to home or successful, the issue remained remote in the public’s consciousness. Terrorism was something that […]
The presidents of Guatemala and El Salvador recently declared their willingness to legalize drugs in their respective countries. The United States embassy in El Salvador immediately denounced drug decriminalization, calling the idea a “threat to public health and national security.” The controversy reveals growing tensions and conflicting national interests between the U.S. and its Southern […]
Since the summer before I started attending the LBJ School of Public Affairs to four weeks before the end of my first semester there has been one topic in and out of news headlines: Greece and the European Union. The headlines have read just about everything from Greece defaulting on its’ loans, to credit rating […]
Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates was fond of saying that the Department of Defense has “more people in military bands than (the State Department has) in the Foreign Service.” His observation reveals a discomfiting inequality in national priorities which has been thrown into sharp relief by battles over the upcoming budget. Far from […]
Israel and Palestine. It’s an issue that many people refuse to touch with a 10-foot pole, dismissing it as a hopeless black hole of debate. Over the past 20 years, it seems the only thing the peace talks and diplomatic back-and-forth can achieve is the continuation of more peace talks … and this is […]
How is it possible that in 2011 the world failed prevent famine in the Horn of Africa? The signs of disaster were present: two years of drought, no food storage, political instability, civil war and banned foreign assistance, but no one acted until it was too late. Now, three months later, thousands of people […]