The Fragility of Gulf States
Four Gulf States—Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)—are structurally fragile and may not survive a prolonged U.S.–Israel–Iran conflict. They were carved out of the region and established in the late 20th century, following the decline of […]
Submit or Perish! Reading Thucydides in Iran
Honorable daughters, peace be upon you. Hope you are enjoying your school. Come closer because I am an old man, as you can see, and can only speak softly. The girls lean in. I will tell you an ancient […]
Prosecuting Race Provocateurs: Bolsonaro, Trump, and Others
In 2002, the U.N. established a Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent to “study the problems of racial discrimination faced by people of African descent living in the diaspora” and to draft proposals on the elimination […]
Trump’s Demand for Trade Reciprocity
By Hans Mahncke One effect of the election of Donald Trump as President has been a renewed interest in international trade rules. The current trade regime has been in place for around 70 years, first in the form of […]
Comey’s Higher Loyalty to Law
Lawyers learn the art of writing persuasive briefs to win cases, even when their heart does not support the facts of the case or the governing law. Writing, deliberately dissociated from personal beliefs, is a mind game for lawyers. […]