More than two years after the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, the Afghan people’s situation remains dire. The Taliban’s rule continues to be highly repressive and to fall particularly hard on women. The country is also facing a humanitarian crisis, with over half its people living below the poverty line and some 15 million lacking adequate … Continue reading Lifting a Terrible Burden: The Need to End Sanctions on Afghanistan
Category: US Foreign Policy
The Niger Crisis: A Coup That Could Turn into a War
Niger was thrown into a crisis this summer when the country’s military overthrew its democratically elected president on July 26.[1] This coup has prompted threats of intervention from other countries in the region, with different countries supporting either the overthrown president or the military. The crisis even risks leading to intervention by France or the … Continue reading The Niger Crisis: A Coup That Could Turn into a War
“Never Again”: Taking Action against the Nuclear Threat
The following is adapted from remarks given at the Vigil to End the Nuclear Danger, a peace witness outside the White House on August 12, 2023. The vigil was co-sponsored by the American Solidarity Party of DC and Maryland, the Consistent Life Network, Pax Christi Metro DC-Baltimore, and Rehumanize International. We are here today to … Continue reading “Never Again”: Taking Action against the Nuclear Threat
The Danger of Russian Instability: The Wagner Group Uprising and Its Significance
The brief uprising in Russia by members of the Wagner Group private security force was a warning. It was a warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin about how potentially fragile his regime is. It was also a warning to western nations and the rest of the world about how Russia can spin dangerously out of … Continue reading The Danger of Russian Instability: The Wagner Group Uprising and Its Significance
A Cause of Prejudice at Home? The Dangers of Anti-China Attitudes
US-China relations have continued to deteriorate this year. Issues ranging from Taiwan, to the presence of an alleged Chinese spy balloon over the United States, to TikTok’s China ties have elevated tensions between the two countries.[1]Tensions between the United States and China are dangerous not only because they increase the risk of international conflict but … Continue reading A Cause of Prejudice at Home? The Dangers of Anti-China Attitudes
The Logic of Escalation: Nuclear Threats in Belarus and South Korea
Twice this year, within the span of roughly a month, two powerful nations issued threats based on their nuclear weapons arsenals. The first was Russia, which is stationing nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus and training Belarusians in how to use them.[1] The second was the United States, which is sending a nuclear-armed submarine to South … Continue reading The Logic of Escalation: Nuclear Threats in Belarus and South Korea
A Mission That Has Gone on for Too Long: The US Military Presence in Syria
A US contractor was killed by a drone attack in northeastern Syria earlier this spring.[1] The drone, which US officials identified as of Iranian origin, also wounded several US troops. In response, the United States launched airstrikes against Iranian-linked forces in Syria, killing an undetermined number of people (estimates vary).[2] The Iran-linked militants retaliated with … Continue reading A Mission That Has Gone on for Too Long: The US Military Presence in Syria
Overlooked Conflicts: Anarchy and Agony in Haiti
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. Haiti is … Continue reading Overlooked Conflicts: Anarchy and Agony in Haiti
Comprehending Horror through Animation: The Art of the Anti-War Animated Movie
Animation fascinates me. Like painters, animators can create images of stunning beauty. Being free from the limitations of human actors or physical locations, animators can also depart from strict realism and create images that are fantastical, metaphorical, or otherwise stylized. Animation’s stylization can allow animated films to deal with darker, more serious topics such as … Continue reading Comprehending Horror through Animation: The Art of the Anti-War Animated Movie
Act before We Reach “Midnight”: The Need to Seek a Cease-Fire in Ukraine
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists recently announced that they had adjusted their “Doomsday Clock,” a symbolic measure of threats to humanity, to 90 seconds to “midnight”—that is, global catastrophe. This current status is the closest to midnight the Doomsday Clock has been in its 75-odd-year history. This dire prediction, the Bulletin has explained, is … Continue reading Act before We Reach “Midnight”: The Need to Seek a Cease-Fire in Ukraine
Peacemaking for Life 