Overlooked Conflicts: The Grisly Toll of Ethiopia’s Civil War

Although the war between Ukraine and Russia has dominated the news, other countries have been suffering through their own violent conflicts in recent years. In this and future pieces, I will highlight contemporary wars and other conflicts that are too often overlooked. NOTE: This piece discusses sexual violence and other human rights violations. Ethiopia has … Continue reading Overlooked Conflicts: The Grisly Toll of Ethiopia’s Civil War →

“Our Artworks Are Parts of Ourselves”: The Unresolved Status of Art by Guantánamo Bay Detainees

The US prison at Guantánamo Naval Base, Cuba, remains a significant unresolved legacy of the Global War on Terrorism begun in 2001. Since the prison opened in January 2002, roughly 780 men have been detained there as part of US counter-terrorism policies. Today, 35 men remain there, with their ultimate fate yet to be resolved.[1] … Continue reading “Our Artworks Are Parts of Ourselves”: The Unresolved Status of Art by Guantánamo Bay Detainees →

“Sacrificed in the Name of Global Power”: How US Nuclear Policy Harmed Native American Nations

The lethal effects of nuclear weapons in wartime are well known. What is less appreciated is how nuclear weapons can kill and hurt people in other ways, through their production, their testing, and the waste they create. The United States’ creation of its vast nuclear weapons arsenal has harmed many beyond the tens of thousands … Continue reading “Sacrificed in the Name of Global Power”: How US Nuclear Policy Harmed Native American Nations →

The Wisdom to Quit While Ahead: The Case for a Cease-Fire in Ukraine

Two dramatic developments have recently changed the now seven-month-long war between Ukraine and Russia. First, the Ukrainians counter-attacked against the Russian military forces occupying eastern regions of their country, re-taking significant territory and inflicting a major defeat on the Russians. Second, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced his response to this set-back on September 21. He … Continue reading The Wisdom to Quit While Ahead: The Case for a Cease-Fire in Ukraine →

Fallout at Home Base: Nuclear Testing within the United States

The United States conducted the world’s first test of a nuclear weapon in New Mexico on July 16, 1945.[1] The test was followed in August by the use of nuclear weapons against Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Although the wartime use of nuclear weapons has mercifully never been repeated since 1945, nuclear testing was repeated. From the … Continue reading Fallout at Home Base: Nuclear Testing within the United States →

A Hungry World: How the Ukraine War Worsens a Global Food Crisis

One terrible consequence of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been a disruption of the global food supply. The war has obstructed the export of crops and other materials from both Ukraine and Russia. This obstruction has worsened a world food situation already made precarious by climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic. Millions of people are … Continue reading A Hungry World: How the Ukraine War Worsens a Global Food Crisis →

Can the War Be Ended? US-Saudi Relations and the Yemen War

The Biden administration announced on June 14 that the president would visit Saudi Arabia in July. During his trip, President Biden will likely meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, that country’s de facto ruler. This planned trip and meeting may be the first steps in a US effort to collaborate with the Saudis … Continue reading Can the War Be Ended? US-Saudi Relations and the Yemen War →

Buy the Time to Make Peace: Seeking a Cease-Fire in the Ukraine War

The Ukraine-Russia war recently passed its 100-day mark. In those 100 days, the war has killed huge numbers of people (precise numbers are unclear) and displaced millions.[1] The war also still threatens to cause harm beyond Ukraine’s borders, whether through a broader conflict between Russia and the west or through an international food crisis. Yet … Continue reading Buy the Time to Make Peace: Seeking a Cease-Fire in the Ukraine War →

In Defense of Detachment: The Different Approaches to Protecting Lives

A commitment to the consistent life ethic is a commitment to protect people’s lives against violence or other threats. This essential commitment is present among all varieties of consistent life advocates and their different approaches to the ethic. Sometimes, though, consistent life advocacy can involve a more personal, concrete, and emotional type of commitment. People … Continue reading In Defense of Detachment: The Different Approaches to Protecting Lives →

A People in Agony: How the United States Continues to Fuel the Yemen War

A war between Yemen and the nearby states of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been going on for seven years as of this March. The war began March 25, 2015, with a Saudi-led intervention in Yemen’s civil war. The intervention has involved a bombing campaign against Yemen that has continued into … Continue reading A People in Agony: How the United States Continues to Fuel the Yemen War →