Team Biden: Diplomatic and Strategic Failure

If personnel is policy then it appears that the Biden administration is committed to a pursuit of a hard-line (and counterproductive) policy with both Russia and China. Biden has staffed his national security team with individuals who are known for hard-line views.

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Obama and the Search for Audacity

Obama needed to pay more attention to Ronald Reagan’s dictum that “personnel is policy.” Instead of appointing serious managers of national security policy who could think outside the box—perhaps audaciously—he filled his national security team with tired veterans of Cold War thinking.

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Recent News and Latest Book

Iran and the US Say Enough, Will Israel Go Along?

The emphasis now should be on a cease fire in Gaza; release of the hostages; a surge of humanitarian assistance to Gaza; and talks with Iran that could lead to diplomatic recognition.  

Spies and Their Lies: the Trials and Tribulations at Guantanamo

U.S. prosecutors have asked the Court of Military Commissions to reinstate the confessions, and the rest of this year will be taken up with this issue at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.  The new judge, Colonel Matthew Fitzgerald, is the fourth to preside in this case, and he was still in law school when the U.S.S. Cole was attacked and 9/11 took place.

Containing the National Security State

Containing the National Security State