Department of State
267 Articles
A Soldier and His Establishment: In the Life of Colin Powell, Who Failed Whom?
The question to ask is not what he should have done differently, but what, if anything, his life suggests we should do differently.
Afghanistan: The Difficult Chapter Ahead
With nearly 30 years as a Foreign Service Officer, Ambassador Munter maps internal difficulties to expect in US foreign policy post-Afghanistan and challenges to expect in South…
US Brutality Against Haitian Migrants Highlights US-Mexico Collusion and Repositioning in Latin America
Mexico intensifies crackdown on migrants and trade alliance with US, while renewing bid for Latin American leadership.
Don’t Be a Goldfish: Human Rights and U.S. Military Financing for Egypt
Successive US administrations have waived conditions on Egypt aid, seemingly forgetting in each case the dismal results of past waivers.
Expert Backgrounder: Recognition and the Taliban
An expert analysis of the international law of recognition of governments, and four diplomatic options states have in addressing the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.
The Top US Diplomat on Arms Control Commits to `Values-Based Security Partnerships’ — Here’s How to Do That
For too long, America’s security cooperation has prioritized short-term, tactical goals over longer-term diplomatic and human rights aims.
Parsing an Immunity Decision at the Heart of U.S.-Egypt Relations
A suit between a US citizen and the former PM of Egypt raises sticky questions of diplomatic immunity - and tees up a potential constitutional clash between the executive and judiciary.…
Why Supporters of Democracy and Security Both Need to Care about Security Sector Governance
Too often, the United States ends up feeding well-intentioned assistance and training into an impervious, corrupt system that eats the aid and spits out further instability.
Tracking Transnational Repression: Next Steps for the State Department’s Human Rights Reports
The State Department's newest reporting on 'transnational repression' has much to offer, but also gaps, including on Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Thailand, and more.
The Need for More Chris Stevenses: A Memorial Lecture at UC Hastings Law
On April 14, UC Hastings Law School hosted the 7th annual Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens Lecture honoring the memory, life, and work of UC Hastings graduate Chris Stevens, who…
An Opportunity for Congress to Require Transparency of the Executive’s International Agreements
The newly introduced bipartisan legislation would constitute the most significant improvement in the transparency of international agreements since the enactment of the Case Act…
Congress Must Stand with Civil Society and Strengthen the Global Magnitsky Sanctions Program
Civil society coalitions have made GloMag a powerful tool to curb corruption and human rights abuses. Here's how Congress can sharpen this tool going forward.