Diplomacy
546 Articles
The National Security Threat of Trump’s Defense Budget
As a former military officer and national security appointee under President Barack Obama, I know firsthand the value of U.S. defense spending for securing the United States and…
The Personnel Crisis Awaiting the Next Secretary of State
Although the personnel change was rumored for months, it was still stunning when President Donald Trump fired Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday morning via Twitter, and…
State Dept. Shakeup: The Trump Administration Must Do More to Keep U.S. Diplomats Safe
It’s a tough time to be an American diplomat. The State Department is reeling as Secretary Tillerson presides over a management trainwreck that hardly seems fitting for a man…
Sonic “Attacks” on US Diplomats in Cuba: Don’t Rush to Conclusions
Reports of “health attacks” in Cuba which left several American and Canadian diplomats with health problems and hearing loss has led to wide and dramatic speculation. Several…
Cutting To the Bone of American Leadership
The recent resignation of David Rank, a 27-year career Foreign Service officer who was serving as acting U.S. Ambassador to China, is just the latest U.S. diplomatic casualty of…
Congress Protects U.S. Foreign Aid For Now but the Budget Wars Are Just Beginning
While overshadowed by news that House Republicans voted to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, last week’s signing of a $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill to fund the…
Gutting the State Department is National Security Malpractice
If you think about national security in health terms, the State Department serves as a primary care physician, a vaccine researcher, a psychiatrist, a rehabilitation expert, and…
Norms Watch: Tracking the Erosion of Democratic Traditions (Mar. 10-17)
Editor’s Note: Welcome to the latest installment of Norms Watch, our series tracking both the flouting of democratic norms by the Trump administration and the erosion of…
Calling Mr. Trump
President-elect Donald Trump’s forays into foreign policy since the election have been controversial, to say the least. Mr. Trump’s first meeting with a foreign official after…
Diplomatic Assurances, Torture, and Judicial Review:
The Bimenyimana Appeal
Later this year, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit will hear argument in one of the more quietly important torture cases to come before the federal courts in the…
A Guide to Revelations in Robert Gates’ Book (Duty): The Obama Years
Robert Gates’ memoir, Duty, which will be released later this week, contains significant insights into US foreign policy and international affairs affecting our country’s national…
The Missing Moral Conscience of U.S. Foreign Policy: Where is the State Department’s Legal Adviser? [Updated]
Later today, the Senate will hold confirmation hearings for Caroline Diane Krass to serve as the CIA’s General Counsel, a position that just recently became vacant. Not letting…