Until the Very End, the Generals Wanted Biden to Leave 2,500 Troops in Afghanistan
That would have been a huge mistake.
War
Dump the Draft Forever Instead of Making Women Register
Why is registration for involuntary servitude still a thing?
In U.N. Speech, Biden Says America Is Not at War for First Time in 20 Years. That's Just Not True.
Multiple military authorizations are still intact and we've still got troops in Iraq and elsewhere. And that's not even counting the drone strikes.
After Toppling Al Qaeda, America Wasted a Staggering Amount of Money in Afghanistan
There will likely never be a full accounting of the war's cost, but as much as $600 billion might have simply vanished due to waste, fraud, and incompetence.
Americans Cheer Afghan Departure, But Criticize Chaotic Management
Shameful scenes like those in Kabul don’t have to happen if we avoid military interventions.
America's Longest War Is Over
Plus: Backpage on trial, Texas abortion providers ask SCOTUS to stop ban, vegan "butter" and "cheese" are safe, and more…
Afghan Refugees Coming to the U.S. Aren't Unvetted Security Threats
Nativists like J.D. Vance warn that we need to be "properly vetting" the Afghans coming to the U.S., neglecting to mention just how safe these people are.
We Will Keep Spending Trillions on the Afghanistan War Long After the Last Soldier Leaves
The final price tag could eventually exceed $6 trillion, and American taxpayers will be paying the tab when the 50th anniversary of 9/11 arrives.
Nothing Was Gained From 20 Years in Afghanistan
Why did it take presidents so long to realize this?
Don't Excuse Biden for His Botched Afghanistan Withdrawal
You can both support withdrawal and recognize its failed execution.
We Need To Get Afghans Out of Afghanistan Too
What Afghan civilians need now is resettlement, not remilitarization.
Afghanistan: A 'Sudden Fall' Two Decades in the Making
Plus: A history of U.S. sex work prohibition and its harms, against the Open App Markets Act, and more...
Biden: It's Time for Afghanistan Forces 'To Fight for Themselves'
Plus: YouTube and radicalization, the infrastructure sham, and more...
Resolution To Repeal 1991 and 2002 Military Force Authorizations Advances to Senate Floor
It may look like Congress is reclaiming its constitutional war powers, but the president still has plenty of ways to justify his military actions.
America's Forever War Sputters Out
It is easy to be indifferent to a war if you are oblivious to its costs.
Withdrawing From Afghanistan Is Still the Right Thing To Do
Sen. Lindsey Graham says it would be Biden's "biggest mistake yet," but the U.S. troop departure is long overdue.
Denied American Visas, These Afghans Were Forced To Make a Perilous Escape After Helping U.S. Troops for Years
Unable to tap into the immigration pathway for Afghan helpers, these men and their families opted to flee elsewhere.
Airstrikes Against U.S. Troops in Iraq Highlight Dangers of Our Presence in the Middle East
Keeping American boots on the ground means keeping them in harm's way.
The U.S. Quietly Departs Its Largest Military Base in Afghanistan
Plus: Sha'Carri Richardson might miss Olympics over positive pot test, 130 countries agree to broad strokes of a global minimum corporate tax, and more...
An Afghan Engineer Who Served the U.S. Military Had His Visa Denied Because the State Department Can't Reverify His Kidnapped Supervisor's Support
The Kafkaesque visa program for U.S.-affiliated Afghans puts thousands at grave risk.
House Votes To Repeal 1957 and 1991 Authorizations for the Use of Military Force
Repeal would do little to change how Congress and the president collaborate—or don't—on military operations.
The Publication of the Pentagon Papers Still Sets an Example 50 Years Later
Whistleblowers and publishers are crucial for keeping government officials reasonably honest.
America Is Back to Bombing Syria
Plus: Remembering Steve Horwitz, Oregonians can temporarily pump their own gas, and more...
Senate Bill Would Help Bring Afghan Interpreters to the U.S.
As the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan approaches, the legislation would reform the Afghan interpreters' visa program.
Repealing the 2002 AUMF Won't Be Enough To End Forever Wars
Repealing the law that allowed America to depose Saddam Hussein won't stop us from waging war elsewhere.
U.S. Troop Withdrawal From Afghanistan Almost Halfway Done, but Full Exit Isn't Assured
Even as U.S. troops come home, ongoing operations could allow a covert conflict to continue.
On Memorial Day, Remember Skepticism Toward a Large, Standing Military
Thank the troops, but question the uses to which they’re put.
Reckless Foreign Policy Gives the U.S. a Bad Reputation
A significant portion of the world views the U.S. as a threat to democracy in their home countries.
American Indifference Allowed the War in Afghanistan to Drag On
We’ll have to pay attention this time to ensure a conclusion to the accidental forever war.
U.S. Troops Were Supposed To Leave Afghanistan on May 1. Biden Will Keep Them There Until September.
After nearly 20 years, America's longest war could soon be over. But delaying withdrawal for what seems like symbolic reasons is questionable.
Let the Afghan People Come
Joe Biden doesn’t have to feel bad about bringing the troops home if he lets the persecuted come here.
The U.S.-China Relationship Doesn't Have To Be 'Increasingly Adversarial'
Many U.S. complaints about China aren’t about actions that threaten U.S. security.
My New Washington Post op ed on Biden, Syria, and War Powers
I argue that the recent air strike was legal, but overall US military intervention in Syria still lacks required congressional authorization. Biden may be trying to change that; but history gives reason for skepticism.
Biden Indicates Openness to Replacing War Authorizations with "Narrow and Specific" Framework
This initiative might help restore congressional control over war authorization. But there is reason for skepticism that it will pan out.
Obama Official Still Defends Doctrine That Led to Disastrous Libya Strikes
Anne-Marie Slaughter hasn’t given up on intervention and the “responsibility to protect” doctrine.
Let's Finally Get Out of Afghanistan
The Biden administration should take advantage of the opportunity to cut our losses instead of continuing the forever war.
Don't Let Biden Sink Troops Back Into the Afghanistan Quagmire
We have an agreement to pull out by May. We should honor it regardless of the state of the country.
Why Is America Still In Syria?
Trump brought chaos to a region already on the brink, and the unintended consequences of his actions will reverberate for years to come.
Americans and Their Foreign Entanglements
Nothing in U.S. history suggests that ordinary Americans are isolationists—but nothing suggests they've embraced international adventurism either.
How to Stop America's 'Endless Wars'
The Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft is promoting a more restrained foreign policy from inside the Beltway. But will the Biden administration listen?
A Partial Afghanistan Troop Withdrawal Prompts Predictable Political Backlash
For some, Trump’s troop drawdowns are too fast and too much. In reality, they’re too little and way too late.
If Trump Ends Term by Pulling Troops Out of Afghanistan, That's Good for America
Let’s not let fears of “Trump loyalists” overshadow positive outcomes.
The Iranian Coup that Led to 67 Years of Reckless Intervention
The documentary Coup 53 explores how a seemingly easy regime change wrecked U.S. foreign policy for decades.
Peace Candidate Donald Trump Threatens Massive Retaliation Against Iran in Response to Rumored Assassination Plot
The president promised that any attack by Iran against the United States would be met with a response "1,000 times greater in magnitude!"
At the RNC, Rand Paul Is Right About the Need To End Wars, but Trump Hasn't Ended Any
Trump even vetoed a bill that would stop him from military action in Iran without congressional approval.
GOP Hawks Are Turning Out for Biden
Exiled from the Republican Party, some Bush-era Republicans are now backing Joe Biden. Colin Powell endorsed him on Tuesday night.
Drugs and Ammo
A look at war through the lens of the performance enhancers that help make it possible
