All Commentaries
60-Second Expert: Afghanistan: What Are These People Thinking?
The Obama administration consistently fails to learn the lessons of Vietnam in Afghanistan. It mischaracterizes the Taliban threat, has not deployed an adequate number of troops, and faces waning support from the public. Despite the hopelessness of the task, the administration continues its delusional policies.
Oil Nationalism in Latin America
Latin America is endowed with 132 billion barrels of “proven” oil. Venezuela, Brazil, Mexico, and Ecuador have significant reserves and strong state involvement in the exploration and production of oil through their nationalized companies PetrÛleos de Venezuela (PdVSA), Petrobras, Pemex, and Petroecuador, respectively. There have been several notable legal developments this year in all four nations, which will have consequences for U.S. energy policy and thus its relations with oil providers overseas.
Want Climate Security? Raise National Security Specter
The campaign to salvage the climate bill now has a new buzzword, “climate security,” and a new ally, the Pentagon. Its security planners have been telling reporters that climate change will loom large in the national security strategy they’re working on.
Afghanistan and the German Peace Movement
On September 4, NATO’s International Security Assistance Force conducted an airstrike on a fuel tank hijacked by the Taliban in northern Afghanistan. The attack killed dozens of people including civilians, according to NATO sources. However the German Minister of Defense, Franz Josef Jung, has stubbornly denied that the attack harmed civilians, insisting instead that “only Taliban were killed.” Jung even verbally attacked NATO and EU statements on the topic, saying that “other countries should not interfere.”
The Global Health Debate
With controversy still raging over national health reform in the United States, the media is paying little attention to an international debate on global health policy that is of major importance to the world’s poorest people. Both debates revolve around a similar theme, which President Barack Obama neatly summarized in his recent landmark address to Congress as "the appropriate size and role of government" in the provision of health services.
Response to Edwards
This response is part of a strategic dialogue on the IMF. The original essay by Martin S. Edwards is here, and the original essay by Soren Ambrose is here. Edwards’ response is here.
The IMF’s New Toolkit: New Opportunities, Old Challenges
This essay is part of a strategic dialogue on the IMF. The response by Soren Ambrose is here; Ambrose’s essay is here, followed by Edwards’ response.
Response to Ambrose
This response is part of a strategic dialogue on the IMF. The original essay by Martin S. Edwards is here, and the original essay by Soren Ambrose is here. Ambrose’s response is here.
IMF Reforms: Mere Tinkering or Change We Can Live With?
This essay is part of a strategic dialogue on the IMF. The accompanying essay by Martin S. Edwards is here and his response to Ambrose is here. Martin Edwards’ response is here.