Department of State
267 Articles

As Secretary Blinken Arrives, Political Prisoners Wait for the `New Kazakhstan’
A political opponent whose husband is jailed says the US enables President Tokayev's repression and buys his empty promises of reform.

The US Needs a Strategy for (Human) Security Cooperation
The result is a frequent perception of enabling rights abuses and atrocities committed by foreign military partners.

U.S. Guns Are Fueling Violence in Central America, Here’s How to Help Stop the Arms Flow
Guns made in the U.S. are exporting death to its neighbors. The Biden administration should increase end-user checks against misuse.

Toward a Values-Based Foreign Policy: Developing an Ethical Checklist
The Biden administration can do more to develop and implement a “values-based” approach to foreign policy.

Congress Mandates Sweeping Transparency Reforms for International Agreements
"While there are still important gaps in the oversight regime, this legislative enactment represents the most significant transparency reform for international agreements in a…

Shireen Abu Akleh’s Killing Raises Questions about U.S. Security Assistance to Israel
U.S. officials should ensure the Leahy laws are applied consistently to all countries, including Israel.

Ralph Bunche and the Birth of UN Peacekeeping
It was in large part Bunche who truly launched peacekeeping as a tool of stability, one that often proved critical in the essential, revolutionary, but at times violent, postwar…

Is Colombia Trapped in “War Mode?” In Wake of Truth Commission, New Leftist Government Recalibrates US Ties
Strengthening rule of law and democracy will require re-engineering the joint policies of the US and Colombian governments.

As Turkey Backs Azerbaijan’s Recent Strikes on Armenian Towns, Where Are Russia, the EU, and the US?
For many reasons, including being the first US president to declare the WWI-era massacre of Armenians a genocide, Biden has cards to play.

Serbia’s Move to Cancel EuroPride Shows How Vučić Plays Off West Against Russia and His Base
Unrestrained and under pressure from his far-right base, his anti-Western and anti-human rights decisions will only become more extreme.

Myanmar Junta’s Execution of Activists Casts Harsh Light on Lack of U.S. Sanctions on Oil and Gas
The world awoke on July 25th to news that Myanmar’s military junta had executed four democracy activists following a sham judicial process, the first death sentences carried…

The Biden Administration’s China Policy: An Inventory of Actions to Address the Challenge
An overview shows a hardline approach partially inherited from Trump merged with an emphasis on working with allies and partners.