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A New Beginning: Balancing Values and Interests in Obama’s Foreign Policy

Promoting and defending human rights has long challenged governments and policymakers. Some hardly bother and others give it their all. All governments balance their interests with their values. The United States has wavered back and forth between vocal and aggressive “democracy promotion” and realpolitik, often within the same administration. Most recent administrations have agreed on […]

(Perpetuating) War and (Preventing) Peace: America’s Failed Arms Sales

America’s executive branch has systemically failed to evaluate state stability when sending billions of dollars of weapons abroad. The country’s defense trade lacks cogent rationale, amplifies risks, and results in countless unintended consequences. The trade exacerbates conflicts and costs American lives.  Between 2002 and 2018, the US sold a conservative estimate of $560 billion in […]