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MOST RECENT ARTICLES BY:

Heather Hurlburt

@natsecHeather

  1. world view
    With Mattis Gone, Trump Is Already Sowing More Global ChaosIn just a few weeks, we’ve seen a serious uptick in odd U.S. foreign policy moves and anonymous leaking, and that isn’t good for anyone except Putin.
  2. world view
    Trump Is Facing a Real Crisis — But It’s in Syria, Not at Our BorderBolton and Pompeo were supposed to clear up confusion over troop withdrawal from Syria. Instead, the U.S. appears to have two contradictory policies.
  3. world view
    Trump Misses the Signs That North Korea’s Dictator Isn’t Really His FriendAs Trump touted his diplomatic win, Kim Jong-un’s New Year’s speech made it clear that he wants more U.S. concessions, and isn’t ditching his nukes.
  4. world view
    Trump Ended 2018 by Rewarding Putin for Another Year of Bad BehaviorIn many ways, this administration has been a disappointment to Russia — but with his recent foreign policy moves, Trump might make it up to Putin.
  5. turnover
    Jim Mattis Couldn’t Avoid Trump’s InfluenceHe’ll leave the Trump administration with his personal reputation intact, but the larger values he sought to protect are diminished.
  6. world view
    What the Senate’s Bipartisan Rebuke to Trump Means for Yemen — and U.S. PolicyThe consensus on Middle East policy is fading fast, and there’s more ahead on the fight over U.S. support for the Saudi-led war.
  7. world view
    Macron Wanted to Lead the World. Now He’s Struggling to Lead France.Despite positioning himself as a foil to Trump and a leader on climate change, Macron will be lucky if he can quell France’s yellow vest protests.
  8. foreign policy
    Why Nuclear Weapons Are Shaping Up As a Big 2020 Campaign IssueLast time that happened, George H.W. Bush wasn’t just alive, he was a candidate.
  9. world view
    Trump Kept a Low Profile at the G20, But Still Left His MarkThe G20 is meant to foster global cooperation, but with authoritarian and nativist leaders on the rise, it turned out to be Trump’s kind of crowd.
  10. world view
    Trump’s Response to Russia-Ukraine Crisis Will Only Encourage Putin’s AggressionThe recent naval clash warranted a strong response from the U.S. Trump canceling a scheduled meeting with Putin via tweet wasn’t it.
  11. world view
    Unlawful, Alarming John Kelly Order Allows Use of Force by Troops at BorderThere is no such thing as a “Cabinet order,” and the White House chief of staff has no authority to command anyone except White House employees.
  12. world view
    Trump Doesn’t Understand What the Khashoggi Scandal Means for Saudi RelationsHe can refuse to hear evidence and shrug off reports of MBS’s involvement, but he won’t be able to ignore the consequences of the journalist’s murder.
  13. world view
    Don’t Let Trump’s Slights Overshadow Lessons From World War I RemembrancesIf you look past Trump’s usual affronts, the memorials offered messages about nationalism and weakened alliances that are still relevant today.
  14. world view
    North Korea Doesn’t Care About Trump’s Post-Midterms AgendaTrump seems to have put North Korea on the back burner, insisting relations are “fine” — but they probably won’t stay that way for long.
  15. world view
    Trump’s Sanctions Won’t Change Iran’s Behavior, But Could Boost Its Hard-linersThe move increases pressure on Iran’s relatively moderate government, but it’s unlikely to advance the Trump administration’s ambiguous policy goals.
  16. global politics
    Angela Merkel’s Exit Is Yet Another Blow to European StabilityFor 14 years, the German chancellor defined both the promise and the limits of EU politics. It’s unclear how – or even whether – she can be replaced.
  17. global politics
    Bolsonaro’s Victory in Brazil Should Feel Worryingly Familiar to AmericansThe rise of Brazil’s Trumpian president-elect is more extreme reflection of our own politics — and a cautionary tale for the U.S.
  18. foreign policy
    Putin Violated an Arms Treaty. Trump Ditching It Makes the Nuclear Threat Worse.Trump thinks if Russia does it, the U.S. should ignore the INF Treaty, too. But helping erode a treaty that curbed the arms race isn’t the answer.
  19. foreign policy
    The U.S. Has Deep Ties to Saudi Arabia — But Disentangling Ourselves Is PossiblePulling away from Saudi Arabia over Khashoggi is a risky prospect. Trump clearly isn’t interested, but there are steps U.S. lawmakers could take.
  20. politics
    Nikki Haley’s Rare Feat: She Did It Her Way, Not Trump’sDespite significant foreign policy differences in the GOP, she managed to avoid alienating either faction — or her notoriously volatile boss.
  21. trade
    With New NAFTA Deal, Trump Avoids Disaster But Falls Short on Big Trade PromisesCanada has signed on to a deal that shores up and modernizes the existing trade system, but fails to address major issues that animated Trump voters.
  22. foreign policy
    The President Treats the U.N. to a Good Old-Fashioned Trump RallyThe president’s nationalist speech was a list of things that the United States does and doesn’t see as threatening.
  23. foreign policy
    Donald Trump Is Going to Try a Tricky Balancing Act at the United NationsTrump wants to mount a defense of American sovereignty to please his base while selling allies on shared sacrifice.
  24. international affairs
    The Threat Posed by Europe’s Far-Right Surge Is Much Bigger Than One ElectionGains by a right-wing party in Sweden weren’t as big as many feared, but a small win over extremism shouldn’t obscure the broader danger.
  25. Trump’s Trade Deal With Mexico Is Both Totally Fake and Extremely ImportantIt probably won’t come to anything. But that doesn’t mean it’s not reshaping American trade policy.
  26. international politics
    Why We Should Be Unsettled that Germany Is Debating Acquiring Nuclear WeaponsThe terms of the debate are disturbing, whatever route the German government decides to take.
  27. 5 Takeaways and One Surprise From Mike Pompeo’s Congressional TestimonyThe secretary of State appeared before Congress to answer questions for the first time since the NATO and Helsinki summits.
  28. foreign policy
    7 Takeaways From Trump’s Catastrophic Meeting With PutinIt was a very, very, very good day for the far right and the Kremlin.
  29. What to Watch For at the Trump-Putin SummitIn the worst-case scenario, Trump could endorse Russian aggression that undermines the Western alliance.
  30. foreign policy
    There Is No Cleaning Up the Foreign-Policy Mess Trump Is MakingOur allies are learning that Trump’s personal pique means a great deal — and decades of commitments and partnership mean very little.
  31. foreign policy
    Even the Best-Case Scenario for Trump and NATO Is GrimEven the idea of a positive or neutral meeting that signals to Moscow that the alliance is still united is ridiculous.
  32. foreign policy
    Some Questions Foreign Policy Experts Are Asking About the Trump-Kim SummitBefore anyone declares victory, let’s try to establish some basic facts about what comes next …
  33. foreign policy
    The Winners and Losers of President Trump’s Meeting With Kim Jong-unBoth Trump and Kim benefitted personally, but diplomatic norms, and everything they’re meant to protect, took a hit.
  34. foreign policy
    Trump Is Making Decline Great AgainSix fundamental truths that Kim Jong-un and the rest of the world now know about Trump on the eve of the Singapore summit.
  35. global economy
    How Will We Know When the Trade War Starts?The response of our allies shows that Trump has taken the U.S. into unknown territory — and the health of the global economy is on the line.
  36. foreign policy
    The Trump-Kim Summit May Be Back on — But Success Is Still a Long ShotWhile the North Koreans understood that Trump’s cancellation was just a ploy, the two sides remain miles apart on substance.
  37. foreign policy
    What Happens When You Treat Nuclear Diplomacy Like a Reality-TV ShowTrump has had his share of political successes from his reckless, narrative-focused approach. But the real-world dangers are building.
  38. foreign policy
    Trump Pushes a New International Order Based on U.S. BullyingThe administration thinks military might, and threatening to use it, are key. Iran and North Korea developments show the plan is off to a shaky start.
  39. Israel and Palestine Just Slid Further Away From the Possibility of PeaceTrump’s embassy move is an illustration of how far gone the situation in Israel and Palestine is.
  40. foreign policy
    Trump Continues to Rebrand America As Weird and FlakyPulling out of the Iran deal breaks a long U.S. foreign-policy tradition of avoiding surprises — and it works against all the president’s goals.
  41. Did Peace Just Break Out Between North and South Korea?Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in have taken a step toward a new future for their respective countries. But will they take a step back?
  42. foreign policy
    Europe Reveals Its Latest Strategy for Managing TrumpIt’s a two-pronged affair with Emmanuel Macron leading the charm offensive and Angela Merkel talking tough.
  43. foreign policy
    Don’t Mistake Trump’s Airstrikes for a StrategyThe new round of “precision” strikes on Syria don’t lay the groundwork for anything but perpetual bombing runs.
  44. The Moral High Ground on Syria Is EmptyEvery power that could help stop the killing has decided that their own interests outweigh dead innocents.
  45. Mattis Had a Nearly Impossible Task. Now Trump Is Making It Even Harder.From Syria withdrawal to sending troops to the border, squaring Trump’s desires with military policy is a tall order. How long can Mattis keep it up?
  46. foreign policy
    With Kim Jong-un Meeting, China Tells the U.S. It Won’t Be IgnoredXi Jinping threw off summit calculations, and the U.S. must respond with patience and diplomatic skill. Too bad Trump’s team possesses the opposite.
  47. john bolton
    John Bolton, Lover of Drama and Wars, Is a Terrible Fit for His New JobThe national security adviser facilitates sound White House decision-making. Trump hired a super-hawk known for scheming and outbursts.
  48. foreign policy
    The Mess Rex Tillerson Is Leaving BehindHe has been fired as secretary of State. His legacy is chaos at the institution he ran.
  49. foreign policy
    8 Takeaways From Trump Agreeing to Meet Kim Jong-unHere’s what prompted Kim’s stunning invitation, why Trump is game, and what he must do to avoid squandering this opportunity.
  50. trump administration
    Grown-ups Are Not Running America’s Foreign PolicyA group of Model U.N. teenagers could probably pick and execute policies better than this administration.
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