The Biden presidency is still in its early days, but it’s not too early to point to areas in the foreign policy realm where we, as progressives, have been disappointed — or even infuriated. There are one or two positive developments, such as the renewal of Barack Obama's New START...
In the spring of 2020, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden affirmed what his policy concerning the Iran nuclear deal would be if elected: “I would rejoin the agreement and use our renewed commitment to diplomacy to work with our allies to strengthen and extend it.” After eight months...
The year 2020 has understandably been a time of deep confusion in the world of diplomacy, marked by the parallel phenomena of a Donald Trump presidency that may come to an end in January 2021 and the ongoing global curse of COVID-19. Those factors and other more local ones — such as yet another...
Ever since his inauguration in 2017, US President Donald Trump has placed an emphasis on unilateralism and the rejection of international organizations and treaties as the hallmarks of his foreign policy. Trump has assumed an aggressive modus operandi in dealing with US partners worldwide and...
In 2017, US President Donald Trump’s new administration found itself in a quandary. Should it continue providing weapons for use in Saudi Arabia’s murderous war in Yemen that had been raging for two years? In June 2017, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman unexpectedly declared neighboring...
Making sense of US foreign policy under President Donald Trump is a daunting task. Since his inauguration in January 2017, Trump has made an array of decisions that have been nothing short of provocative, enraging US allies and adversaries alike. Trump’s critics believe he is barely cognizant...
The US has never excelled at understanding other cultures, but under Trump the insurmountable obstacles to connecting with cultures that look and feel different have become more apparent. Did we need proof that racism is implicit in US foreign policy? The proof has been there for centuries...
In this edition of The Interview, Fair Observer talks to Brahma Chellaney, a prominent Indian intellectual and author. Bordered by the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, India is the second most populous country and, arguably, the biggest democracy in the world. The World Bank...
In this edition of The Interview, Fair Observer talks to former US Ambassador Carey Cavanaugh. US foreign policy is a hot topic of discussion in the media. Since his inauguration in 2017, President Donald Trump has been embroiled in controversy with world leaders: from hanging up on...
How else can one describe President Trump’s constant and pointless tirade against the Western world’s most successful and effective alliance? Former US Ambassador Gary Grappo explains. It’s not a headline anyone would ever have expected. Established to protect the recovering nations of...
Foreign policy is too important to leave to the “professionals.” Through art and culture, we can all work to make the world a better place. The position of the body is the same. The figure is prone on the beach, near the water’s edge. The head is face down in the sand, and the face is just...
Former US Ambassador Gary Grappo highlights five key areas that presidential candidates must address in their foreign policy. American voters face a dizzying array of candidates—21 at last count—for the 2016 presidential election. The candidates’ positions on economic issues will likely...
What lies ahead for Indian foreign policy in 2015? In 2014, India saw a more dynamic foreign policy than in the preceding decade. Shortly after his swearing-in, Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on a series of international visits, in order to chart an ambitious new foreign policy course to...
On what should Narendra Modi base his foreign policy? Foreign policy seldom occupies an important position in political agendas during electoral campaigns, and 2014 in India is hardly any different. The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) prime ministerial candidate has, however, evoked a little more...
The treatment of Khobragade underscores the real problem with US foreign policy. The US and India are engaged in a diplomatic row over the arrest and strip-search of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade. The deputy general consul has been charged with non-payment of the US minimum wage to her...
