Emma Ashford

Emma Ashford is a columnist at Foreign Policy and a senior fellow with the Reimagining U.S. Grand Strategy program at the Stimson Center, an adjunct assistant professor at Georgetown University, and the author of Oil, the State, and War.

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Articles by Emma Ashford
Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian (R) attends a press conference with Josep Borell, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (L) at the foreign ministry in Iran's capital Tehran on June 25.
Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian (R) attends a press conference with Josep Borell, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (L) at the foreign ministry in Iran's capital Tehran on June 25.

Who Benefits From a New Iran Deal?

It's Debatable
Emma Ashford, Matthew Kroenig
Rising smoke can be seen from the beach at Saky after explosions were heard from the direction of a Russian military airbase in Crimea.
Rising smoke can be seen from the beach at Saky after explosions were heard from the direction of a Russian military airbase in Crimea.

Will an Attack on Crimea Change the Course of the Ukraine War?

It's Debatable
Emma Ashford, Matthew Kroenig
A photo taken on October 21, 2020 shows a tourist walking past a mural painted on a wall on Taiwan's Kinmen islands, which lie just two miles from mainland China's coast.
A photo taken on October 21, 2020 shows a tourist walking past a mural painted on a wall on Taiwan's Kinmen islands, which lie just two miles from mainland China's coast.

What Does the Pelosi Taiwan Uproar Mean for U.S. China Policy?

It's Debatable
Emma Ashford, Matthew Kroenig
U.S. President Joe Biden arrives at the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on July 15.
U.S. President Joe Biden arrives at the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on July 15.

Should Biden Backtrack on His Campaign Promises?

It's Debatable
Emma Ashford, Matthew Kroenig
Photographs of Russia's war in Ukraine are displayed as part of an exhibition at the railway station where trains from Moscow to Kaliningrad pass by on Apr. 26, 2022 in Kalveliai, Lithuania.
Photographs of Russia's war in Ukraine are displayed as part of an exhibition at the railway station where trains from Moscow to Kaliningrad pass by on Apr. 26, 2022 in Kalveliai, Lithuania.

Will the Kaliningrad Crisis Lead to War?

It's Debatable
Emma Ashford, Matthew Kroenig
A fuel barrel lies on its side.
A fuel barrel lies on its side.

The Problem With Being a Petrostate

Excerpt
Emma Ashford
Fighter jets from the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces during the Union Fortress 8 military demonstration in Dubai, on March 5.
Fighter jets from the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces during the Union Fortress 8 military demonstration in Dubai, on March 5.

What Is Biden’s Policy in the Persian Gulf?

It's Debatable
Emma Ashford, Matthew Kroenig
Taiwanese reservists take part in military training at a base in Taoyuan on March 12, 2022.
Taiwanese reservists take part in military training at a base in Taoyuan on March 12, 2022.

Is Biden Being Machiavellian or Misguided on Taiwan?

It's Debatable
Emma Ashford, Matthew Kroenig
A bullet-riddled Ukrainian national flag flies in Malyn, Ukraine, on May 4.
A bullet-riddled Ukrainian national flag flies in Malyn, Ukraine, on May 4.

What’s the Endgame in Ukraine?

It's Debatable
Emma Ashford, Matthew Kroenig
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (C) meets with a delegation including U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (R) and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin (L) on April 24 in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (C) meets with a delegation including U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (R) and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin (L) on April 24 in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Is Weakening Russia a Bad Idea?

It's Debatable
Emma Ashford, Matthew Kroenig
U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets and an EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft on board the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier as it sails in South China Sea on its way to Singapore on Oct. 16, 2019.
U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets and an EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft on board the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier as it sails in South China Sea on its way to Singapore on Oct. 16, 2019.

Does the New U.S. National Defense Strategy Make Any Sense?

It's Debatable
Emma Ashford, Matthew Kroenig
French deputies and senators applaud during a videoconference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (on screen) at the Assemblée Nationale in Paris, on March 23.
French deputies and senators applaud during a videoconference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (on screen) at the Assemblée Nationale in Paris, on March 23.

Would a Peace Deal Between Russia and Ukraine Do More Harm Than Good?

It's Debatable
Emma Ashford, Matthew Kroenig
A Russian nuclear missile rolls along Red Square during a military parade
A Russian nuclear missile rolls along Red Square during a military parade

Would Putin Use Nuclear Weapons?

It's Debatable
Emma Ashford, Matthew Kroenig
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg

Is There a Risk of a NATO vs. Russia War?

It's Debatable
Emma Ashford, Matthew Kroenig
A Ukrainian serviceman stands in front of tanks
A Ukrainian serviceman stands in front of tanks

Is There a Diplomatic Offramp in Ukraine?

It's Debatable
Emma Ashford, Matthew Kroenig
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