Letters to the Editor

Arming Teachers: A Misguided ‘Solution’

Arming Teachers: A Misguided ‘Solution’ is my latest opinion letter posting today and being printed in Sunday’s New York Times.

UKRAINE: THE KEY TO UNLOCKING THE RUSSIAN-AMERICAN STALEMATE

Alexander Vindman, the former U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, provided testimony to the Congress in 2019 that framed the charge of abuse of power in the impeachment trial of former president Donald Trump.  In doing so, Vindman displayed a political courage that is far different from courage on the battlefield.  He is an American hero on various levels.  Nevertheless, his policy positions on Ukraine, if adopted, would pose a danger to U.S. national security policy, risking an unnecessary confrontation with Russia and a divided transatlantic alliance.

Bombast in the Black Sea: the Latest British Provocation

Post-World War II British foreign policy has included a number of provocative steps that have weakened British standing; created complications in the international arena; and raised the possibility of serious confrontation.

Biden administration’s approach to Russia and China unproductive | COMMENTARY

President Biden’s national security strategy was on display this month, and the picture was mostly unimpressive.

Recent News and Latest Book

American Exceptionalism: Our Gun Culture at Home and Abroad

There is an insidious and unspoken connection between our gun culture at home and abroad.  U.S. politicians and pundits believe that huge defense budgets provide international security for the United States, and many Americans believe that personal weapons provide safety at home.  We don’t question the use of deadly weaponry in unnecessary wars overseas; Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan are the most recent examples.  At home, there are more guns than people — 120 guns for every 100 people.  The United States is exceptional because some of the same weapons designed for war are available to teenagers fighting their personal demons.

The United States Specializes in Exaggerating the Threat

Every day we gather evidence of the pathetic performance of the Russian military in Ukraine. There was the inability to deal with Ukraine’s primitive air defense; the loss of the flag ship of the Black Sea Fleet; the sadistic behavior of a ground force that lacks any sense of discipline or professionalism; the loss of general officers; and the near total breakdown in logistical support for the invasion force. The head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, Major General Bulanov, dismissed the Russian invasion force as a “horde of people with weapons.”

Containing the National Security State

Containing the National Security State