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Jonah Shepp

  1. foreign interests
    Putin Is Winning — and He’s Flaunting ItAlexey Navalny’s death is just one of many ways the Russian president is flexing his muscles in what could turn out to be a very good year for him.
  2. foreign interests
    2024 Could Be a Very Rough Year for DemocracyRight-wing populism is on the march across the globe, and it will be up to a handful of American swing voters to set it back.
  3. israel-hamas war
    Don’t Blame Gazans for HamasThe terrorist group’s perpetual war with Israel has never carried much popular legitimacy.
  4. foreign interests
    This Is Still an Existential Crisis for IsraelBenjamin Netanyahu may have blinked, but a fundamental schism over the country’s future isn’t going away.
  5. foreign interests
    Saudi Arabia and Iran’s China-Brokered Détente Doesn’t Upend Mideast PoliticsThe deal may complicate foreign policy in the region, but it doesn’t mark a changing of the guard from the U.S. to China.
  6. early and often
    Did Saudi Arabia Just Hand the Midterms to the GOP?The Saudi-led cut in OPEC+ oil production may not be a deliberate “October Surprise,” but it’s still screwing over Biden.
  7. politics
    Italian Americans Deserve a Better-Named HolidayExorcising the ghost of Christopher Columbus and honoring Indigenous peoples shouldn’t come at Italian Americans’ expense.
  8. foreign interests
    Biden Has No Choice But to Shake Hands With a MurdererThe crisis in global energy markets is just one of many geopolitical realities forcing the president to go to Saudi Arabia.
  9. foreign interests
    Russia’s War in Ukraine Is Also a War on the Global Food SystemThe blockade of grain exports is exacerbating already high food prices and raising the risk of famine and instability across the world.
  10. foreign interests
    What Is Putin Planning for May 9?The autocrat may declare victory over Ukraine — or expand the scope of his disastrous war.
  11. foreign interests
    The War in Ukraine Is Shifting, Not EndingThe withdrawal of Russian forces from around Kyiv has provided both respite and new horrors. Now the fighting will intensify elsewhere.
  12. foreign interests
    Russia Is the Ally the World Needs Against PutinA nonviolent end to Putin’s rule would pave the path to peace, but is that even possible?
  13. foreign interests
    Russia’s War of Self-DestructionFrom Ukraine’s fierce resistance to the unified global backlash, Putin’s adventure is blowing up in his face.
  14. foreign interests
    Is Putin Choosing War in Ukraine?The Russian president has ordered troops over the border, but there’s still a chance to avoid a disastrous full-scale invasion.
  15. foreign interests
    Withdrawing Afghanistan’s Money Is Another Mess for BidenHis plan to divide billions in frozen Afghan funds between 9/11 victims’ families and humanitarian relief is unlikely to help many Afghans.
  16. foreign interests
    Is Another Russian Invasion of Ukraine Inevitable?Diplomacy could still prevent the crisis from spiraling into war, but the window of opportunity is closing.
  17. foreign interests
    Ethiopia’s Crisis Shows No Sign of AbatingThe widening conflict between government forces and rebels in the Tigray region has prompted a humanitarian disaster and allegations of genocide.
  18. foreign interests
    Why France Is So Angry at the U.S. Right NowA huge shift in Washington’s strategic approach to China was bound to piss some people off.
  19. foreign interests
    Can the Taliban Govern Afghanistan? Probably Not.Taliban leaders do not appear to have the political or management skills to run the country effectively. The consequences could be disastrous.
  20. explainer
    What Is China Doing to the Uighurs in Xinjiang?Beijing claims it’s merely fighting extremism. But it’s been accused of committing atrocities against the Muslim minority group, including genocide.
  21. foreign interests
    America’s Withdrawal From Afghanistan Was Destined for DisasterBiden is choosing to act decisively rather than avoid the bad optics of bringing this two-decade military misadventure to an end.
  22. foreign interests
    Is Cuba’s Communist Regime in Trouble?Rare mass protests over vaccine delays and food shortages also speak to a deeper discontent with the repressive regime.
  23. foreign interests
    Can Biden Make America Lead the Free World Again?His Europe trip is meant to reassure allies that the U.S. is back in the business of global leadership, but long-term credibility will be a hard sell.
  24. foreign interests
    The End of the Netanyahu Era?A coalition deal is likely to end the career of Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, but the damage he has done will have a long tail.
  25. foreign interests
    Violence in Israel Is a Political Victory for NetanyahuThe latest escalation has dashed prospects of a deal among the prime minister’s rivals to form a unity government.
  26. foreign interests
    The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Is Likely to Get Even WorsePalestinians are disillusioned, America is disengaged, and Netanyahu sees only upside in the violence.
  27. foreign interests
    The U.S. Is Playing Catch-Up at Vaccine DiplomacyAmerica can still make a major difference in the efforts to get COVID-19 vaccines into arms globally, but Russia and China have a big head start.
  28. foreign interests
    Withdrawing From Afghanistan Is Biden’s Least Bad OptionThe pullout of U.S. troops will likely have tragic consequences for Afghans, but remaining indefinitely offers no clear path to victory.
  29. foreign interests
    This Week May Be Biden’s Last Chance to Revive the Iran DealThe U.S and Iran are at odds over who should make the first move. Indirect talks in Vienna this week will aim to bridge that gap.
  30. foreign interests
    Israel’s Democracy Is Broken, and Netanyahu Is to BlameThe Israeli right keeps winning elections but failing to form governments because of the toxic political environment Netanyahu has created.
  31. foreign interests
    What Were the Legal (and Strategic) Grounds for Biden’s Syria Airstrikes?The long-term impact on Biden’s Iran strategy may be more consequential than the strikes’ contested legality.
  32. foreign interests
    Myanmar’s Military Pulled Off the Coup Trump Couldn’tMyanmar’s junta doesn’t need lessons from Trump. But the parallels to his tactics are striking, and have deepened the U.S. credibility deficit.
  33. foreign interests
    America Is Complicit in Yemen Atrocities. Biden Says That Ends Now.The Trump administration had long overlooked and defended Saudi war crimes in exchange for massive arms purchases. Biden is reversing course.
  34. international affairs
    What to Make of the U.K.-E.U. Brexit Trade DealThe agreement will ensure Britain continued access to the European market, but doesn’t cover the service sector and leaves many issues unresolved.
  35. international affairs
    The More Complicated Crisis Biden Will Inherit With IranThe president-elect is determined to revive the landmark 2015 nuclear deal, but opponents of the agreement are doing their best to sabotage him.
  36. foreign policy
    Armenia and Azerbaijan Are at War. Does President Trump Even Know?As the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict threatens to escalate into a proxy war between Russia and Turkey, the once-influential U.S. sits on the sidelines.
  37. foreign interests
    Trump’s ‘Peace’ Deal Doesn’t Make Mideast Conflict Any Less LikelyThe Abraham Accords serve Trump and Netanyahu’s political interests, but abandoning Palestinians and amplifying pressure on Iran are both risky steps.
  38. international affairs
    Why the Israel-UAE Deal Is More About Iran Than PeaceThe historic agreement shows that for Arab states, the cold war against Iran now trumps the Palestinian cause.
  39. foreign interests
    Trump’s Reelection Woes, Not Policy, Are Root of Escalating China TensionsPresident Trump’s decision to shutter the Houston consulate is supposedly about Chinese espionage, but it makes more sense as a reelection tactic.
  40. international affairs
    Could War With Iran Be an October Surprise?A series of mysterious explosions and alleged Israeli sabotage operations could soon open the door to a broader conflict.
  41. international affairs
    Hong Kong’s Independence May Not Survive the PandemicA new law would give China unprecedented power to crack down on the city’s democratic movement, and there’s not much the U.S. can do to stop it.
  42. coronavirus
    Coronavirus Is the Last Thing the Middle East Needs Right NowYears of conflict, an intensifying refugee crisis, and often inadequate health systems have left the region especially vulnerable.
  43. international affairs
    Why Was There a Wave of Violence in India While Trump Was Visiting?In a sense it was a coincidence. And in a sense not.
  44. international affairs
    What Sinn Féin’s Election Victory Means for IrelandThe nationalist party campaigned on domestic issues, but Brexit likely helped its cause — and Irish reunification is still on its agenda.
  45. foreign interests
    Brexit Is Finally Happening on Friday, But the Drama Is Far From OverAfter their divorce on Friday, the U.K. and E.U. will have just one year to finalize a trade deal — and there may be tough consequences in store.
  46. foreign interests
    Avoiding Disaster Doesn’t Make Trump’s Iran Policy a SuccessTrump’s efforts to bring Iran to heel and thwart its nuclear ambitions were failing even before he nearly started a catastrophic war.
  47. foreign policy
    The Real Risk of Assassinating SoleimaniKilling Iran’s most important military commander probably won’t start World War III, but it could make things a lot worse in the Middle East.
  48. brexit
    Boris Johnson’s ‘Radical’ Brexit AgendaFresh off a commanding election win, the emboldened PM shows no sign of moderating the right-wing nationalist vision he campaigned on.
  49. brexit
    Could Boris Johnson Be the Last Prime Minister of the U.K. As We Know It?A historic win for the Conservatives means Brexit is in the bag, but a strong return for the SNP could mean a second Scottish referendum is coming.
  50. foreign interests
    A NATO Summit to End All NATO SummitsYet another gathering consumed by Trump’s ego raises the question: What is the point of this alliance again?
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