“Sometimes you need a dictator,” offhandedly remarked President Trump in Davos on Jan. 21, the third day of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting. Out of his many controversial statements uttered at the forum—such as repeated references to Greenland as Iceland—perhaps this statement went undetected to many. Or perhaps it was interpreted as another one […]
Tag: international relations
Winter is Coming
On Jan. 23, 2026, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moved the Doomsday Clock to 85 seconds to midnight, the closest it has ever been to annihilation. Two weeks later, on Feb. 5, the New START treaty expired. Its expiration removed the last legally binding constraint on the world’s two largest nuclear arsenals and the […]
The Geopolitical Strategies Behind the U.S. Visa Waiver Program
After a nine-hour flight from Buenos Aires to Miami en route to Washington, a delegation of Argentine officials planned to meet with Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem to sign an agreement adding Argentina to the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Noem had already signed a statement of intent to explore Argentina’s membership in the VWP. […]
Serve the People, March the Nation
In Beijing’s 2025 military parade, symbolism mattered as much as firepower. Alongside next-generation drones and hypersonic missiles, President Xi Jinping stood in a Mao-style suit, flanked by foreign dignitaries like Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un. Chinese state media called it a celebration of national “rejuvenation,” but for those who came of age during the […]
Soft Power, Hard Lessons: The Cost of Economic Nationalism
The Playground President The president of the United States views the global arena like a school bully views their playground; failing to see that playing the popular kid is a much better strategy. A bully is typically someone with none or very few friends, with little means of getting what they want without violence or […]
Portugal Elections Mark Europe’s Surge Toward Radical Right
In April, Portugal was supposed to celebrate its 50-year anniversary of democracy, leadership, and stability since the Carnation Revolution, which overthrew the right-wing dictatorship that had led the country for decades. However, in March, just one month before this great milestone in the country’s history, it is facing political turmoil and democratic decay. Populist right-wing […]
South Africa Claims Genocide
Under the United Nations Convention on Genocide, “genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such: On January 26th, 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) released an interim ruling on South Africa’s case against Israel. In bringing […]
Chipping Away at the Bloc: Hungary’s Crossroads with the EU
Following the large-scale casualties of World War II, the human condition was at its trough. Some 75 million lost their lives, and a similar number of people were forced to flee their home countries. Consequently, the European Union (EU) formed, intended to create a coalition that negotiates intercontinental peace in the midst of conflict. However, […]
A Litmus Test Of Modi’s Political Tradecraft
In a matter of weeks, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will find himself awaiting poll results for the nation’s General Election, wondering whether he will be reelected to office for a third time. This time, however, will be very different from Modi’s previous runs—in 2014, the man was a fresh face to Indian national politics, […]
Panda-Monium: The Love Story of Pandas and Washington
In 1972, two ambassadors left China for the U.S. They did not speak a word of English or Mandarin. In fact, they could hardly walk on two feet. These were not people, but pandas, China’s national animal. Since arriving in America, they have become an enduring symbol of the goodwill and cooperation between China and […]