The U.S. government yesterday pulled back on some of the sanctions relief it offered Venezuela last year after a court upheld a ban on the candidacy of a Venezuelan opposition leader. The question now is how the regime of President Nicolas Maduro will respond.
Three U.S. soldiers were killed by a drone strike in northeast Jordan that the Biden administration blamed on an Iran-backed militia, raising fears that what have been low-level hostilities in the region will escalate into a direct confrontation with Iran.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrapped up another visit to Africa yesterday, as the Biden administration continues to seek better relations on the continent, albeit with an outdated playbook.
Is the United States’ era of global leadership over? From war to famine, the world is on fire and a lack of political will on the part of Washington is being blamed. But rather than demonstrating a lack of will, U.S. President Joe Biden can be seen as a savvy grand strategist who recognizes the new limits of U.S. power.
As part of his tour through four African countries this week, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a point of stopping over in Cote d’Ivoire, a country with which both Washington and Paris are seeking to deepen security ties following the collapse of France’s diplomatic relations in other parts of the region.
France and India have for decades developed a strong partnership grounded in strategic affinities and a shared preference for a multipolar international order. Though the U.S. has tended to be rather suspicious of this relationship, it should reconsider its view, as it actually serves Washington’s broader interests.
For those concerned with the bottom-line humanitarian outcomes in Gaza, is a cease-fire ultimately the best way forward? The reality is that cease-fires often fail and for the most part have limited and at times even adverse impacts. There are, however, certain circumstances when cease-fires can make a difference.
At the height of enthusiasm for globalization, many policymakers convinced themselves that the benefits of a more connected world would encourage potential spoilers to accept a stable international order. The same complacency was visible in the recent shock over attacks by Yemen’s Houthi movement on merchant shipping in the Red Sea.