Column Archive

We are used to thinking and speaking about a nation state in the global arena as an actor with a coherent agenda, voice and infrastructure for pursuing its policy preferences. Six months into the Trump administration, it has become clear that “the United States” no longer exists in the sense of this usage. The implications are alarming, as it coincides with an emerging awareness, both domestically and abroad, that the new U.S. president is a weak leader who is not at all prepared to follow up on his policy improvisations and bluffs. As a result, we have now entered a […]

After two months, the crisis between Qatar and its larger Gulf neighbors shows no signs of resolution. The stalemate may endure for some time, with significant costs to all parties. But it’s worth considering other possible outcomes and how to avoid or encourage those alternatives. In early June, the Arab Gulf region was roiled when Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, along with Bahrain and Egypt, launched an aggressive political and economic attack on Qatar, accusing it of supporting terrorism, engaging Iran and undermining stability in the region through its sponsorship of Al Jazeera, the feisty media operation based […]