I have a new piece out at Aeon on the liberal international order, its inadequacies, and the difficulties with replacing it. You can read it here:
https://aeon.co/essays/can-the-liberal-order-be-transformed-by-global-government
Category: International Relations
Concerning the relations of states to each other and to the wider world in general.
The Real Stakes of Trump’s Trade War With China
I have a new piece out at New Republic on the president’s tariffs. You can read it here:
https://newrepublic.com/article/154852/real-stakes-trumps-trade-war-china
They have edited it to sync up with their preferred style, so it reads a bit differently from the rest of my work.
Why Every President Tries to Make Nice With Russia and Why It Never Works
One of the things I find odd about the way the press is covering the Trump/Putin relationship is how devoid of context and historical memory it is. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union at the end of 1991, four new presidents have come to power, and each has tried to create a good relationship with Russia. Bill Clinton was briefly successful, but the way Clinton used his success poisoned the well and made it very difficult for his successors to replicate his performance. Today I’ll tell you the story of how America has tried to turn Russia into an ally and why this effort has yet to succeed.
Continue reading “Why Every President Tries to Make Nice With Russia and Why It Never Works”
The War in Afghanistan is not a Reasonable Way to Save American Lives
President Trump plans to continue the War in Afghanistan. His reasons don’t make sense. Here’s why.
Continue reading “The War in Afghanistan is not a Reasonable Way to Save American Lives”
Let’s Stop Pretending We Might Fight North Korea
President Trump wants to convince North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un that if he keeps running his jaw, we might fight him:
Many in the press have been happy to jump all over this, acting like the two countries are on the brink of war. But while this sells newspapers and gets clicks, it disinforms the public. Here’s what I think is really going on.
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Benjamin Studebaker 