Barack Obama

Xi’s Color Revolution Obsession

Xi Jinping is rolling out strategy to prohibit “western influences” in Chinese society from repeating so-called Color Revolutions such as those in the post-USSR.

Turkey’s Balancing Act in the Near East after the Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Turkey’s Balancing Act in the Near East after the Russian Invasion of Ukraine

Turkey’s geopolitical position has become precarious since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Olympic Boycotts: From Berlin 1936 to Beijing 2022

How should democratic governments, as well as Christian citizens, respond to an Olympics held in an authoritarian regime that holds a million Muslim Uighurs in forced labor camps, represses Christians and other religious minorities, and has clamped down on the once-free inhabitants of Hong Kong?

America’s Afghanistan Deception: A Review of Craig Whitlock’s Afghanistan Papers
America’s Afghanistan Deception: A Review of Craig Whitlock’s Afghanistan Papers

“The Afghanistan Papers” by Craig Whitlock is modeled on the Pentagon Papers, which charged that the Johnson administration systematically lied to Congress and the public about the Vietnam War. This book makes the same charge against the Bush and Obama administrations.

The Return of Old Middle Eastern Empires
The Return of Old Middle Eastern Empires

What is emerging is a return of three ancient regional power centers, would-be Persian and Turkish hegemons wishing to once more dominate in the domain of their past empires. In the middle is an Arab and Jewish coalition, anxious not to fall prey to their old masters.

Iran as an Inspiration for the Taliban: From Governance to Human Rights
Iran as an Inspiration for the Taliban: From Governance to Human Rights

Among the voluminous commentary on the Taliban’s return to power, only a few observed its apparent desire to emulate the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Joe Biden’s Drift Backward - Afghanistan
Joe Biden’s Drift Backward

Early on, President Joe Biden’s rhetoric promised a rejection of isolationism and a return to engagement. But his actions in Afghanistan speak volumes.

The Natural Next Step: Afghanistan Withdrawal in Context
The Natural Next Step: Afghanistan Withdrawal in Context

One adjective that should never be used to describe the US retreat from Afghanistan is “surprising.” In fact, what happened in Kabul in 2021 was the natural next step on the inward-turning path Americans began walking in 2009.

Either Meritocracy or the Common Good, Not Both: A Review of Michael Sandel’s The Tyranny of Merit
Either Meritocracy or the Common Good, Not Both: A Review of Michael Sandel’s The Tyranny of Merit

In The Tyranny of Merit: What’s Become of the Common Good? Michael Sandel eloquently argues a sobering idea: America can pursue meritocracy or the common good, but not both.