The Costs of an Unwinnable War: One Year after October 7

The violence in the Middle East sparked on October 7, 2023, has now continued for a year and shows little sign of ending. The Israeli military assault on Gaza, initially begun in response to the Hamas attacks in Israel that killed 767 civilians and 376 security personnel, continues to wreak devastation on Palestinians in Gaza.[1] … Continue reading The Costs of an Unwinnable War: One Year after October 7 →

Apocalypse Imagined: The Urgent Message of “Nuclear War: A Scenario”

Among the recent signs of renewed attention in the United States to the threat from nuclear weapons, perhaps the most important is the book Nuclear War: A Scenario by Annie Jacobsen.[1] Published in early 2024, the book was a New York Times best-seller for several weeks and the focus of a well-attended webinar organized by … Continue reading Apocalypse Imagined: The Urgent Message of “Nuclear War: A Scenario” →

A Slim but Real Chance for Peace: Seeking a Diplomatic Solution to the Ukraine War

Russian President Vladimir Putin may be interested in pursuing a cease-fire in the Ukraine war, Reuters reported in late May. According to sources close to Putin, he is willing to stop the fighting and maintain the current frontlines between Ukrainian and Russian forces. As one source reportedly said, “Putin can fight for as long as … Continue reading A Slim but Real Chance for Peace: Seeking a Diplomatic Solution to the Ukraine War →

Crackdown on Campus: The Harsh Response to Pro-Palestinian Protests

The Gaza war continues to make itself felt in the United States, most notably in a wave of protests and confrontations across American college and university campuses this spring. Campus protests on behalf of the Palestinians and in opposition to Israel grew dramatically last fall after the October 7 attacks and subsequent Israeli campaign against … Continue reading Crackdown on Campus: The Harsh Response to Pro-Palestinian Protests →

“A Tragedy Beyond Words”: The Devastating Effects of the Gaza War

More than seven months after the October 7 terrorist attacks, the Israeli war in Gaza grinds on, with no clear end in sight. The war’s most likely near-term outcomes are a continuing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and possibly a wider war in the Middle East. An end to the war and efforts to remedy the … Continue reading “A Tragedy Beyond Words”: The Devastating Effects of the Gaza War →

A Stalemate Is the Best Option: The Future of the Ukraine War

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has now entered its third year. The war currently seems to be a stalemate. However, either the Russians or Ukrainians might have a break-through and rapidly gain ground, potentially leading to a crisis for the losing side. The risk also remains of the war escalating into a broader conflict between … Continue reading A Stalemate Is the Best Option: The Future of the Ukraine War →

Ripples from Gaza: The Threat of a Wider Middle East War

The Gaza War has taken a terrible human toll within Israel and Palestine while also threatening to escalate into a larger regional war. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has had violent repercussions in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen and the Red Sea. The recent strikes by the United States and its allies on Yemen are the latest … Continue reading Ripples from Gaza: The Threat of a Wider Middle East War →

World Out of Balance: Reflections on Selective Concern about Violent Conflicts

I have periodically written about violent conflicts that are generally overlooked in the United States. In 2023, I reviewed Ethiopia’s recent civil war, the collapse of Haiti’s government, and Sudan’s civil strife.[1] Given that these bloody and tragic events have attracted comparatively little attention, I must ask: Why do some conflicts receive significantly more attention … Continue reading World Out of Balance: Reflections on Selective Concern about Violent Conflicts →

“They Destroyed Everything That Had Kept Me Here”: Rising Violence in the West Bank

While world attention has understandably been focused over the past month on the Israel-Hamas violence centered around the Gaza Strip, violence has also been escalating in the West Bank. Long-running Israeli violence against Palestinians in the West Bank has intensified since Hamas’ October 7 terrorist attack that killed roughly 1,200 Israelis, most of them civilians.[1] … Continue reading “They Destroyed Everything That Had Kept Me Here”: Rising Violence in the West Bank →

Sleepwalking toward Nuclear War: The Lessons of the Able Archer Scare

Since the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, nations have repeatedly come close to using nuclear weapons again and even to all-out nuclear war. The most famous episode in which nations came close to nuclear war was the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.[1] However, another terrifying case of narrowly averted nuclear war occurred 40 years ago this … Continue reading Sleepwalking toward Nuclear War: The Lessons of the Able Archer Scare →