America and Russia are currently engaged in a new Cold War: a conflict marked by mutual suspicion and hostility; confrontation in certain regions of the world, such as Ukraine and Syria; and at least potential military competition. Over a quarter-century after the last Cold War ended with the Soviet Union’s formal dissolution in December 1991, … Continue reading Engagement, Not Confrontation: The Need for a New US Policy toward Russia
Self-Defeating Violence: The Case of the First World War
The United States recently reached the 100th anniversary of American entry into the First World War. Although American businesses had provided arms and money to the Allied nations (which included Britain, France and Russia) in their war against Germany and the other Central Powers, US President Woodrow Wilson had sought to avoid sending American troops … Continue reading Self-Defeating Violence: The Case of the First World War
Three Reasons for Opposing the US Bombing of Syria
The United States’ intervention in the Syrian civil war took a new turn on April 7, when American ships launched a missile strike on the Syrian government’s Al Shayrat air base. This attack on Bashar al-Assad’s regime marked a shift in US policy—previous American military actions in Syria over roughly the past two-and-a-half years had … Continue reading Three Reasons for Opposing the US Bombing of Syria
Remembering Nat Hentoff (1925-2017)
Defenders of life lost one of their most eloquent, frustrating, and idiosyncratic voices earlier this year when Nat Hentoff died on January 7, at the age of 91. This Jewish, atheist, civil libertarian, pro-lifer’s critiques of abortion, the death penalty, euthanasia, poverty, racism, and war, provide much to inspire adherents of the consistent ethic of … Continue reading Remembering Nat Hentoff (1925-2017)
Waging Indirect War: How the United States Contributes to Yemen’s Agony
Led by Saudi Arabia, a coalition of Arab states has been conducting aerial bombing in Yemen for roughly 18 months. The Coalition’s air war, which is an intervention into Yemen’s civil war, has killed large numbers of civilians and severely damaged Yemen’s economy and infrastructure. Yet over the past year and a half this deadly … Continue reading Waging Indirect War: How the United States Contributes to Yemen’s Agony
The Just War Case for Abolishing Nuclear Weapons
Although nuclear weapons receive far less attention today than during the Cold War, the weapons—and the dangers and ethical problems they pose—remain with us. The nuclear weapons currently held by the nine nuclear powers number almost 10,000. Of these, over 3,900 are deployed with operational military forces. Almost 2,000 nuclear weapons are on high alert … Continue reading The Just War Case for Abolishing Nuclear Weapons
Varieties of Hawk: Clinton v. Trump on Foreign Policy
For an American peace advocate, the two major political parties rarely offer appealing candidates in a presidential election. The 2016 election is no exception to this rule. Both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, the nominees for the Democratic and Republican Parties, respectively, seem dedicated to the continued use of American military force around the world. … Continue reading Varieties of Hawk: Clinton v. Trump on Foreign Policy
Reflections on the Consistent Ethic of Life
Having worked for several years to advance the consistent ethic of life as an editor for Life Matters Journal and a member of the organization the Consistent Life Network, I wanted to offer some thoughts on this principle. How should supporters of the ethic understand it? What concerns should the ethic include—and not include? I acknowledge at … Continue reading Reflections on the Consistent Ethic of Life
Provide a Safe Haven: The Case for Admitting Syrian Refugees
The United States’ plans to admit 10,000 refugees from the Syrian civil war into the country has become the center of a major political controversy. The controversy began in the aftermath of the November 13 attacks in Paris by operatives of the Syria-based terrorist group ISIS that killed 130 people. The possibility that one of … Continue reading Provide a Safe Haven: The Case for Admitting Syrian Refugees
Distorted Ethics: A Review of The China Mirage
The United States imposed an oil embargo in mid-1941 on Japan, which was then engaged in the military conquest of China and parts of Southeast Asia. As the United States was Japan’s leading oil supplier, this embargo threatened the future of Japan’s expansion, and the Japanese ultimately compensated for the loss by embarking on a … Continue reading Distorted Ethics: A Review of The China Mirage
Peacemaking for Life 