An expert’s point of view on a current event.
Argument
List of Argument articles
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In this black-and-white photo, Teddy Roosevelt points to the middle of South America on a map as another man looks at the map from the other side of it. Both men wear suits, ties, and wire-frame glasses. The ‘Donroe Doctrine’ Is a Roosevelt Redux
Then as now, big stick diplomacy will lead to costly cycles of intervention and retrenchment.
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People view artist Luke Jerram's new 'Floating Earth' Debuts In Wigan on November 18, 2021 in Wigan, England. What Spheres of Influence Are—and Aren’t
One of the most misunderstood concepts of international politics is back with a force.
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Iraqi Kurdish refugees gather in a camp in Zakho, Iraq. A Long History of Betrayal
Why Washington keeps encouraging foreign uprisings—and then walking away.
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A silhouetted person waves an older Iranian flag, which has the colors of green, white, and red, and the image of a yellow lion. In the background is the United Nations headquarters. How Trump Can Begin an Iran Transition After the Bloodbath
A long history shows what not to do when trying to encourage political change in a foreign land.
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A helicopter 15 (HKP15) landing on the flight deck of HMS Carlskrona (P04) on open water near Karlskrona, Sweden, as part of the NATO Baltic Sea patrol mission, the Baltic Sentry on February 4, 2025. Baltic Cable-Cutting Is Back
Renewed attacks pose a continuing challenge for Europe at a difficult moment.
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King Abdullah II and Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan welcome European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa during the first-ever summit held between Jordan and the European Union in Amman, Jordan, on Jan. 8. The World Is Adjusting to an Unreliable United States
Years of accumulated trust are being spent for short-term leverage.
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Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te stands among military members dressed in uniform as they all pose for a photo. Taiwan Announced Billions More for Defense. Here’s How It Can Deliver.
A new annual strategy document would streamline spending and signal seriousness to allies.
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Frames of Chinese President Xi Jinping, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Russian President Vladimir Putin are displayed in a photo shop in Beijing. Fear the Sphere
Competing spheres of influence will not provide the stability their supporters expect.
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An illustration of a large bald eagle perched atop small shipping containers with the flag of Venezuela draped over them, surrounded by oil barrels, soldiers, a fighter jet, a warship, and an oil rig. They are set against an icy landscape and a blue, cloudy sky. The Grand Strategy Behind Trump’s Foreign Policy
Ignore the critics. The logic of consolidation that defines the new National Security Strategy is eminently sensible.
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A military vehicle flies a U.S. flag from a hill overlooking a tall border fence with brush in the foreground. The Dangerous Fallout of Trump’s Retreat to the Hemisphere
The revolution in U.S. foreign policy will lead to a much less stable world.
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Donald Trump holds an umbrella. Trump’s Fantastical Geopolitics
The White House’s aggressive posture is already pushing other countries to seek strength in numbers.
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France's President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech during his visit of the French Air and Space Force in Saint-Sauveur, France on March 18, 2025. Ghosts Are Haunting France’s Remilitarization
History is shaping, and constraining, the bid to revive French military culture.
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A group of men wearing business formal attire sit at a small round table with a white tablecloth. One man facing away from the camera gestures with an open hand as the others lean in to listen; Sultan Haitham wears black clothes and a black turban as well as a serious expression, his posture very straight as he sits and looks at the camera. The Manager-Monarch Who Saved Oman
Oman’s new(ish) sultan doesn’t do spectacle. He does spreadsheets. And it’s working.
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An illustration shows a fountain pen cap with a gun coming out of the end of it instead of a pen. America’s War Chest in Waiting
Washington's new tool of statecraft is a $200 billion checkbook.
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Donald Trump cuts an imposing figure against a dark nighttime background as he walks across a lawn with a parked helicopter and uniformed military officer standing in front of it. Trump wears a long black coat over a navy suit and red tie, along with a grey ballcap hat reading "USA." Trump Is Teaching the World to Fear America
Goodwill built over decades is now being squandered.
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