Foreign Policy
You Don't Beat China by Copying China
Xi Jinping’s neo-mercantilist policies are destructive, not productive.
CNN Presented a Syrian Jailer as a Torture Survivor
The fiasco around the “Syrian prisoner” filmed by CNN demonstrates that sometimes institutions aren’t the best judges of misinformation.
Biden's Transformation From a Dove to a Hawk
From Afghanistan to Ukraine to Israel, Biden's was a presidency defined by contradictions on peace and interventionism.
El Salvador's New Cybersecurity Laws Raise Concerns Over Media Freedom
Proponents call it modernization, but watchdogs see a path to censorship.
The War in Gaza Is Far Worse Than You Thought
Researchers went back to check Palestinian casualty reports from October 2023. They found a deadlier month for civilians—and children—than any other chapter of the "war on terror."
No, an Iranian 'Mothership' Isn't Attacking New Jersey With UFOs
The wave of drone sightings is sparking sci-fi speculation mixed with war fever.
Pete Hegseth's Acceptance to West Point Is a Story
When bureaucrats mislead you, expose them.
Syria's Rojava Revolution Is in Grave Danger
Turkey is taking advantage of the power vacuum in Syria to crush the Kurdish-led anti-authoritarian uprising. And it's not clear what the U.S. wants.
Softer Image?
Plus: An end to NYC's migrant shelters, a major quantum computing advancement, and more...
What's Left For the U.S. To Do in Syria?
The Syrian civil war is over, at least for now. But the Biden and Trump administrations both seem keen on shaping the outcome—and U.S. partners are gearing up to invade.
Assad Gone at Last
Plus: AOC ascendant, China preps for tariffs, Haitian deportation, and more...
Bye, Joe: Evaluating the Biden Presidency
From the war in Afghanistan to the war on drugs, Reason writers offer performance reviews of Joe Biden's single term as president.
Outlaws on Pickup Trucks Accomplish What $1 Billion in CIA Money Couldn't
The CIA spent four years trying to overthrow the Syrian government. It failed. But a former leader of Al Qaeda might do it in a few weeks.
China Goes Tit for Tat Over U.S. Chip Bans
Semiconductor protectionism is a downward spiral that makes both parties poorer.
Trump Appointees Kash Patel and Massad Boulos Are Not Neocons
Trump's picks for FBI director and Middle East adviser buck his trend of appointing superhawks.
Brendan O'Neill: The West Went Insane After October 7
Brendan O’Neill discusses his new book, After the Pogrom: 7 October, Israel and the Crisis of Civilisation.
South Korea Avoids a Return to the Bad Old Days
President Yoon Suk Yeol tried to go down a path trodden by past South Korean military dictators. The Korean people wouldn’t let him.
U.S. Taxpayers Are Funding Police Brutality in Brazil
With U.S.-supplied weapons and training, Brazil’s militarized police fuel a cycle of violence that claims thousands of lives each year while destabilizing the region.
Congress Is Fiscally Reckless. Will Lawmakers Step Up?
Trump is talking about cutting government spending, but that's mostly in Congress' hands.
Poor Nations Fail to Extract $1.3 Trillion Annually from Rich Countries at U.N. Climate Change Conference
They are instead promised $300 billion, but the Trump administration will not likely pony any international climate finance.
Belated Loosening of Restrictions on Ukraine Leaves World Stumbling Towards Greater Danger
Ukrainians may be too exhausted to benefit from the new rules.
Review: A True Crime Podcast About a Massacre in Iraq
Season three of the In the Dark podcast divulges new details about U.S. Marines' killings of 24 Iraqis in 2005.
Lindsey Graham's Bipartisan Vision To Keep America In the Middle East Forever
The Republican senator wants to bring Biden and Trump together to commit American lives to Saudi Arabia in order to "change the region and change the world."
Trump Targets Birthright Citizenship and Calls for Military Role in Deportations
Both plans are an affront to America’s image as a nation of immigrants.
Mass Deportations
Plus: New York's transit authority needs cash, baristas don't understand economics, and more...
Pentagon Fails 7th Audit in a Row but Hopes To Pass by 2028
Congress required all federal agencies to submit annual financial reports in 1990. The Pentagon finally got around to complying in 2018, and it still hasn't passed an audit.
Will America Make the Same Mistakes as Britain in the Middle East?
The Suez Crisis demonstrated how "peace through strength" can go terribly wrong.
The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Has Fueled a Surge in Campus Censorship
The portion of college students who say it's OK to shout down campus speakers is rising, according to a new survey.
The Math Does Not Favor Avoiding Senate Scrutiny of Trump's Bizarre Cabinet Picks
Several Republican senators have said they are not inclined to abdicate their "advice and consent" role in presidential appointments.
Meet Trump's Incredibly Confusing New National Security Cabinet
Establishment hawks will be running the State Department and National Security Council, but Trump has peppered in some antiestablishment mavericks too.
Abolish the Army
"Standing armies are dangerous to liberty," Alexander Hamilton wrote in Federalist No. 29.
Trump Has No Discernible Interest in Fiscal Responsibility
The president-elect’s record and campaign positions belie Elon Musk’s talk of spending cuts.
Trump's Reported National Security Advisor Supports Bombing Russia and Afghanistan
Mike Waltz has called for a “credible military option” against Iran, wants to “take the handcuffs off” Ukraine, and regrets ending the "multi-generational war" in Afghanistan.
Little Marco Goes Global
Plus: Trump island, AI regulations you've never heard of, Gaza death count, and more...
Trump and Climate Change Policy
Expect the incoming Trump administration to withdraw from the Paris Climate Change Agreement on Day 1.
The Classic Neocons Are Out, but They Might Still Get What They Want
Even without Mike Pompeo and Nikki Haley, the Trump administration still could be heading for regime change in the Middle East.
Australian Prime Minister Proposes Total Social Media Ban for Anyone Under 16
Under this restrictive measure, there will be no exceptions, even for parental consent.
How Donald Trump and Elon Musk Could Cut $2 Trillion in Government Spending
If Musk is truly serious about fiscal discipline, he'll advise the president-elect to eschew many of the policies he promised on the campaign trail.
Review: Evil on Trial Seeks To Reach A Younger Audience
WWII correspondent William L. Shirer's The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich comes to life in this Netflix docuseries.
In Michigan, the CIA Beat the FBI
Michiganders had to choose between a hawkish Democrat with an intelligence background and a hawkish Republican with an intelligence background for Senate.
Democratic Hubris Blows Up in Michigan
Democrats assumed they could campaign as neoconservatives while keeping Middle Eastern votes. They were wrong.
The Alarmingly High, Frustratingly Unknown Stakes of Election 2024
We don't know how Kamala Harris would wield her awesome power, and we don't know how the rule of law would constrain Donald Trump.
Who's Gary Johnson Voting For?
The two-time Libertarian Party presidential nominee shares his thoughts on Chase Oliver and the election.
Saudi Arabia's 'The Line' Violates Human Rights and Common Sense
Inhumane labor practices, worker deaths, and the forced eviction and repression of local residents have characterized the kingdom's efforts to build a miles-long linear skyscraper in the desert.
Trump's Critics Keep Undermining Their Case by Lying About Stuff He Supposedly Said
Trump criticized Liz Cheney's interventionism. He did not say she should "go before a firing squad."
Who Are Langley's Favorite Candidates?
Campaign finance records reveal what the community at the heart of U.S. national security policy thinks about outside politics.
