Slate reporter Joshua Keating writes about a new paper, co-authored by Prof. Richard Nielsen, which examines why governments ratify human rights agreements. The authors found that “governments sometimes see ratification as a small concession to their domestic political opponents.”
Executive Director at the MIT Center for International Studies John Tirman writes for WBUR about President Obama’s plan for combating ISIS. Tirman argues that without a coherent diplomatic strategy, the President’s plan is unlikely to succeed.
Professor M. Taylor Fravel speaks with Edward Wong of The New York Times about the controversial new maps released by the Chinese military that display disputed regions with India as Chinese. Fravel argues the maps “get undue attention, as they almost always reaffirm existing claims rather than depict new ones.”
In a piece for The Financial Times about the Eurozone economies, John Plender writes about Professor Barry Posen’s argument in his new book “Restraint: A New Foundation for U.S. Grand Strategy” for cutting U.S. defense spending.
In a piece for Forbes about U.S. foreign policy, Stephen Harner highlights Professor Barry Posen’s new book “Restraint: A New Foundation for U.S. Grand Strategy.” Harner outlines Posen’s argument that current U.S. policy should be replaced with a more restrained military approach.
Professor Jim Walsh writes for WBUR about Israeli strategy in the current Gaza crisis, cautioning that continuous, periodic military offensives do not constitute a viable solution. “A political solution is the only realistic path to peace and stability for Israel and the region,” writes Walsh.
Institute Professor Noam Chomsky writes for The Huffington Post about how U.S. foreign policy is determined. Chomsky argues that U.S. policy urgently needs reexamination in order to address proximate and existential threats such as nuclear weapons and climate change.
Professor Barry Posen argues against involvement in the current crisis in Iraq while speaking with Tom Ashbrook, host of NPR’s On Point. “[T]his argument that it’s going to be an easy and convenient base for a terrorist enterprise is challengeable on many fronts,” says Posen.
Robin Young of WBUR speaks with Professor Jim Walsh about the crisis unfolding in Iraq ahead of President Obama’s address. Walsh predicts that Obama will attempt to find a middle course between those calling for intervention and those hoping to keep the U.S. from being involved further in Iraq.
John Tirman, executive director at the MIT Center for International Studies, writes for WBUR about the latest developments in Iraq. Tirman ties the recent turmoil in the country to a legacy of American foreign policy missteps in the region.
Della Bradshaw of The Financial Times writes about Professor Andrei Kirilenko, who recently spent three-and-a-half weeks in Ukraine advising the country’s government on how to stabilize the economy. Kirilenko is a U.S. citizen who grew up in the Ukraine.