For Britain, the real work on Brexit starts now on April 9, 2017On March 29 British Prime Minister Theresa May will begin Britain’s exit from the European Union by invoking Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. It will start a two-year process of departure – and for now, we know little about what that will look like. When its members signed the Treaty in December 2007, no […]
The terrifying lessons of the Philippines vigilante president on December 5, 2016Every morning in the Philippines, a handful of bodies are found littering the streets. Their faces are often covered in black plastic tape. Sometimes there are signs of torture. Usually, they have been shot in the head. Few bother police – they are usually suspected of being responsible. No one, frankly, should be surprised that […]
The pros and cons of Kerrys Syria deal on September 17, 2016The landmark deal last week between Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov is, in many ways, a major breakthrough. It may well save lives. Against the backdrop of what has been the worst war of the 21st century, that’s a prize worth seizing. The problem: The effects will be strictly […]
In defence of Ben Rhodes, Obamas foreign policy supremo on May 29, 2016Until earlier this month, relatively few people outside the US foreign policy community knew the name Ben Rhodes. I suspect he wishes that were still the case. Washington is packed with highly educated and experienced foreign policy specialists, many of whom spend much of their time trying to demonstrate just how insightful and well-connected they […]
Trump gives British politicians a Love, Actually moment on May 23, 2016It’s been a difficult year for the “special relationship” between Britain and the United States. US policymakers — including the president himself — have been struggling to set a non-patronizing tone as they nudge British voters to stay in the European Union. British politicians have struggled to respond. And then there is Donald Trump. If […]
The Night Managers horrible credibility on the modern Mideast on May 15, 2016Cairo 2011. As revolution hits the streets, Westerners — and a handful of members of Egypt’s elite — cower in the capital’s luxury hotels. It’s a visceral opening to the first episode of The Night Manager, the BBC’s latest espionage saga now airing in the United States on AMC (also available on Amazon). The series […]
Londons new Muslim mayor, already tilting the worlds political chessboard on May 15, 2016It didn’t take long for London’s new mayor to make a splash on the world stage: He knocked a fast but effective hole in Donald Trump’s proposed temporary ban on foreign Muslims entering the United States. In many ways, of course, it wasn’t a particularly meaningful victory. Trump may never reach the White House. Even […]
Why the battle for Aleppo could decide the Syria war on May 9, 2016If Wednesday’s ceasefire in Aleppo holds, it could be a real turning point in what has become the world’s worst — and perhaps most geopolitically complex — conflict in recent memory. After four years of fighting, however — particularly heavy for the last two weeks — it’s unclear whether the truce will stick. The tactical […]
Trumps populist foreign policy wont win him the White House on May 1, 2016If Donald Trump’s aim in coming to Washington on Wednesday was to win over America’s foreign policy community, it really did not work. If he was looking to outline an approach that resonated with voters frustrated and dejected by America’s attempts to shape the world over the last 15 years, however, he may have been […]
Global elites beware: Panama Papers wont be the last revelation on April 10, 2016On the surface, the release of 11 million documents from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca tells us relatively little that was not already known — or at least, broadly suspected. Ever since the 2008 financial crisis, there has been a steady drip of information and evidence pointing to the worldwide network of tax havens, front […]