As the U.S. debt crisis moves from the summer to the fall with the convening of the Congressional “super-committee,” it’s clear that everything will be on the chopping block, including one of the most important expressions of the U.S. role in the world: foreign aid. U.S. foreign aid is an interesting topic due to common […]
The U.S. Senate passed the debt deal compromise today, ending this period of uncertainty about the fiscal future of America. If you are wondering what the rest of the world is making of this spectacle, this report in The New York Times offers some perspective from Europe and Asia: Political brinkmanship in Washington, pushing the […]
There are so many events competing for our attention right now, there’s the debt crisis, the Norway attacks and a foiled attack here at home, it’s easy to get distracted. There’s another event unfolding in Africa, a humanitarian tragedy brought on by the perfect storm of drought and civil war. Even amid all the other […]
Coca-Cola Commercial – Lyrics: We have sworn to erase the impossible/ It should be hope, or no other alternative/ No matter how long they say the night is/ There is no sleep, when it is time for seriousness/ Make tomorrow better, with your hands, you will defy the clouds/ Make tomorrow better, the sun rises […]
President Obama appealed to the American people last night in a televised national address asking them to support a “balanced” plan to avoid imminent financial default. Declaring that the “the world is watching,” Obama called for compromise between the Democrats and Republicans to maintain U.S. credit worthiness and global standing. There can be no doubt […]
Robin Wright of the US Institute of Peace has a new book on the role of culture in both reflecting and inspiring this year’s uprisings across the Middle East and North Africa. Rock the Casbah, released earlier this month by Simon & Schuster, “chronicles the new order being shaped by youth inspired revolts toppling leaders, clerics repudiating […]
The Economist recently ran an article that highlights the tension between spending on foreign assistance and domestic political support for it. Prime Minister David Cameron, who ran on a platform supporting more aid and has insulated it from the cuts he has levied on almost every other part of government, is the latest to find […]
Yes, this is a blog post about the new Captain America film, and I know you wouldn’t expect a post about a summer movie on Foreign Policy Association’s blog network, but please, bear with me. And no, this is not a movie review. For that, please read A. O. Scott’s review in The New York […]
Earlier this week, NATO’s Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, warned that European countries’ cuts in defense budgets risk the “gradual decline” of Europe. NATO’s engagement in Libya has exposed weaknesses in the alliance, particularly regarding who contributes to operations and how much. As Europe leaps to implement austerity measures, defense budgets are the first on […]
The New York Times recently ran an article on the band Native Deen, which took a State Department sponsored tour of several countries and recently released their latest album. When they were first asked to participate in the first tour they had qualms: “We had a debate in the community,” said Abdul-Malik Ahmad, one […]
Two weeks ago the European Union announced that it intends to provide $14.5 million in emergency food aid to North Korea. According to the statement released by the EU, after visiting North Korea in June, monitors judged the situation to be: “Increasingly desperate and extreme measures are being taken by the hard-hit North Koreans, including […]
Good old American know-how. Yankee ingenuity. Can-do spirit. You know the phrases, you know the attitude and values they represent, it’s something deep in the core of the American character. But, is it possible that this American character trait can be lost over time? This question was prompted by two things. First, as you know, […]
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