The history of these operations shows why a no-fly zone would be so risky in Ukraine.In the first weeks of war, Western military aid and fierce Ukrainian resistance have made the conflict a somewhat fairer fight. Russia has captured just one city, and Ukrainian forces have slowed Russia’s military advance to a crawl. But as the civilian toll rises and the Russian military steps up its targeting of Ukraine’s urban centers, there are calls for Ukraine’s allies to do more. And one idea is getting most of the attention.Ukraine’s leaders want NATO to impose a no-fly zone over their country,...…The history of these operations shows why a no-fly zone would be so risky in Ukraine.In the first weeks of war, Western military aid and fierce Ukrainian resistance have made the conflict a somewhat fairer fight. Russia has captured just one city, and Ukrainian forces have slowed Russia’s military advance to a crawl. But as the civilian toll rises and the Russian military steps up its targeting of Ukraine’s urban centers, there are calls for Ukraine’s allies to do more. And one idea is getting most of the attention.Ukraine’s leaders want NATO to impose a no-fly zone over their country,...WW…

Crypto is punishing retail traders. What about the countries that bought in? The crash of cryptocurrency prices has been well documented, particularly when it comes to retail investors and traders who have lost huge sums of money.Hear more from Benjamin Powers about this story:But crypto isn’t only an economic story — and the crash isn’t only hitting individual investors. For countries ranging from El Salvador to North Korea, Venezuela to Iran, cryptocurrencies have also emerged in recent years as a tool for achieving geopolitical goals — goals that are taking a hit along with all the other...…Crypto is punishing retail traders. What about the countries that bought in? The crash of cryptocurrency prices has been well documented, particularly when it comes to retail investors and traders who have lost huge sums of money.Hear more from Benjamin Powers about this story:But crypto isn’t only an economic story — and the crash isn’t only hitting individual investors. For countries ranging from El Salvador to North Korea, Venezuela to Iran, cryptocurrencies have also emerged in recent years as a tool for achieving geopolitical goals — goals that are taking a hit along with all the other...WW…

AdvertisementAdvertisementWhen a number of major U.S. corporations issued statements last week in opposition to Georgia’s new law restricting voting rights, it generated from Republican lawmakers who are normally staunch defenders of corporate political contributions, and who now find themselves calling on big companies to stay out of politics.One of the odder, and frankly more exhausting, responses came from Florida Sen. Marco Rubio who to Delta CEO Ed Bastian, and an , in response to Bastian’s . Rather than rebut any of Bastian’s arguments about Georgia, Rubio tried instead to invalidate...…AdvertisementAdvertisementWhen a number of major U.S. corporations issued statements last week in opposition to Georgia’s new law restricting voting rights, it generated from Republican lawmakers who are normally staunch defenders of corporate political contributions, and who now find themselves calling on big companies to stay out of politics.One of the odder, and frankly more exhausting, responses came from Florida Sen. Marco Rubio who to Delta CEO Ed Bastian, and an , in response to Bastian’s . Rather than rebut any of Bastian’s arguments about Georgia, Rubio tried instead to invalidate...WW…

AdvertisementAdvertisementWhen Americans call Afghanistan an “endless war,” they are generally referring to the conflict that began with the U.S.-led invasion of the country in 2001—an event many of the U.S. troops now there may barely remember, if they were even alive for it. In fact, this understates things. Afghanistan has been in a state of ever-mutating war for more than 40 years, with various levels of American involvement throughout.Last year, the Trump administration attempted to bring an end to the 20-year portion of the war by striking an agreement with the Taliban for the...…AdvertisementAdvertisementWhen Americans call Afghanistan an “endless war,” they are generally referring to the conflict that began with the U.S.-led invasion of the country in 2001—an event many of the U.S. troops now there may barely remember, if they were even alive for it. In fact, this understates things. Afghanistan has been in a state of ever-mutating war for more than 40 years, with various levels of American involvement throughout.Last year, the Trump administration attempted to bring an end to the 20-year portion of the war by striking an agreement with the Taliban for the...WW…

AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Biden administration got itself into two international scuffles this week—one with Russia, one with China. Both involved U.S. leaders criticizing the other countries for human rights abuses, and getting called out for hypocrisy in response. Both suggest that the Biden team’s stated goal of returning democracy and human rights promotion to a central place in U.S. foreign policy is not going to be easy.In the case of Russia, Biden that President Vladimir Putin is a “killer,” prompting the Kremlin to withdraw its ambassador to the U.S. for consultation and Putin...…AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Biden administration got itself into two international scuffles this week—one with Russia, one with China. Both involved U.S. leaders criticizing the other countries for human rights abuses, and getting called out for hypocrisy in response. Both suggest that the Biden team’s stated goal of returning democracy and human rights promotion to a central place in U.S. foreign policy is not going to be easy.In the case of Russia, Biden that President Vladimir Putin is a “killer,” prompting the Kremlin to withdraw its ambassador to the U.S. for consultation and Putin...WW…

AdvertisementAdvertisementGlobal warming is, in large part, a U.S.-China problem. The two countries combined account for of worldwide CO2 emissions. The decisions the two countries make in the coming years will shape what life is like on the planet in the decades that follow. In an ideal world, climate efforts would be central to the relationship between the two countries and that relationship would be a productive and cooperative one. This is not an ideal world.The Biden administration has reversed course on much of the Trump administration’s foreign policy, but largely shares its view...…AdvertisementAdvertisementGlobal warming is, in large part, a U.S.-China problem. The two countries combined account for of worldwide CO2 emissions. The decisions the two countries make in the coming years will shape what life is like on the planet in the decades that follow. In an ideal world, climate efforts would be central to the relationship between the two countries and that relationship would be a productive and cooperative one. This is not an ideal world.The Biden administration has reversed course on much of the Trump administration’s foreign policy, but largely shares its view...WW…

AdvertisementAdvertisementPompeo has been a rare survivor amid the chaos and turnover on Trump’s national security team, lasting the whole term, first as CIA director and then as secretary of state. But he was never exactly a Trumpist. There’s little to suggest he shares the president’s skepticism of “endless wars,” his fondness for Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un, or his suspicion of U.S. allies. His defining issue has been a campaign of , something Trump has seemed . But he also isn’t among the hawks who clashed with the president and found themselves out of a job, like James Mattis, H.R....…AdvertisementAdvertisementPompeo has been a rare survivor amid the chaos and turnover on Trump’s national security team, lasting the whole term, first as CIA director and then as secretary of state. But he was never exactly a Trumpist. There’s little to suggest he shares the president’s skepticism of “endless wars,” his fondness for Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un, or his suspicion of U.S. allies. His defining issue has been a campaign of , something Trump has seemed . But he also isn’t among the hawks who clashed with the president and found themselves out of a job, like James Mattis, H.R....WW…

The timeworn phrase “we’re a republic, not a democracy,” once confined to campus political debates and the nerdier corners of the political internet, has been to mainstream politics for some time now. But it was still jarring, during last week’s vice presidential debate, when Sen. Mike Lee of Utah tweeted, simply, “.” He later , “Democracy isn’t the objective; liberty, peace, and prosperity are. We want the human condition to flourish. Rank democracy can thwart that.”Lee’s comment triggered an uproar on social media, and other conservatives took up the line. During the first day of Amy...…The timeworn phrase “we’re a republic, not a democracy,” once confined to campus political debates and the nerdier corners of the political internet, has been to mainstream politics for some time now. But it was still jarring, during last week’s vice presidential debate, when Sen. Mike Lee of Utah tweeted, simply, “.” He later , “Democracy isn’t the objective; liberty, peace, and prosperity are. We want the human condition to flourish. Rank democracy can thwart that.”Lee’s comment triggered an uproar on social media, and other conservatives took up the line. During the first day of Amy...WW…

AdvertisementAdvertisementIn January 2010, I sat in an auditorium at the Newseum in Washington and heard Secretary of State that “the spread of information networks is forming a new nervous system for our planet.” Clinton announced that internet freedom would be a new pillar of U.S. diplomacy and that as a country, “we stand for a single internet where all of humanity has equal access to knowledge and ideas.” She described access to global information networks as being like “an on-ramp to modernity” and argued that “even in authoritarian countries, information networks are helping people...…AdvertisementAdvertisementIn January 2010, I sat in an auditorium at the Newseum in Washington and heard Secretary of State that “the spread of information networks is forming a new nervous system for our planet.” Clinton announced that internet freedom would be a new pillar of U.S. diplomacy and that as a country, “we stand for a single internet where all of humanity has equal access to knowledge and ideas.” She described access to global information networks as being like “an on-ramp to modernity” and argued that “even in authoritarian countries, information networks are helping people...WW…

AdvertisementAdvertisementOn Friday, the House of Representatives passed legislation that would make the District of Columbia the 51st state. While the bill is unlikely to survive the Republican-controlled Senate—or President Donald Trump’s veto pen—it’s still a milestone in for the residents of the nation’s capital city.D.C. residents have only had the right to vote for president since the passage of the 23rd Amendment in 1961, and to elect their own mayor and city council since 1973. Still, today, D.C. has no voting representatives in Congress, laws passed by the district government can...…AdvertisementAdvertisementOn Friday, the House of Representatives passed legislation that would make the District of Columbia the 51st state. While the bill is unlikely to survive the Republican-controlled Senate—or President Donald Trump’s veto pen—it’s still a milestone in for the residents of the nation’s capital city.D.C. residents have only had the right to vote for president since the passage of the 23rd Amendment in 1961, and to elect their own mayor and city council since 1973. Still, today, D.C. has no voting representatives in Congress, laws passed by the district government can...WW…