Argument
An expert’s point of view on a current event.
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French President Emmanuel Macron walks during a "Prise d'armes" military ceremony at the Invalides in Paris, on November 26, 2018. Emmanuel Macron’s New Strategy Is Disruption
The French president is intentionally trying to change NATO and the EU—and the sooner the rest of Europe realizes it’s for their own good, the better.
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Iranian mourners attend the funeral of Morteza Ebrahimi, a commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, who was killed during demonstrations against a surprise gasoline price hike, in Shahriar on Nov. 20. Don’t Expect a Thaw in Iran
The protests and prisoner exchange may put talks with the United States further off.
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Wheat The Great American Food Aid Boondoggle
The United States could feed millions more people—if it changed outdated policies.
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U.S. President Donald Trump, right and South Korean President Moon Jae-in Trump’s Penny-Pinching Dooms His Korean Diplomacy
The U.S. president stumbled into rare success with Pyongyang. Now he’s screwing it up.
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An Indian bride looks on as she and others participate in a mass marriage in Ahmedabad on Dec. 3, 2018. Bride Price
India’s wedding industry slumps as the country’s economy continues its slowdown.
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Kevin Kühnert gives a speech during an extraordinary congress of the Social Democratic Party in Bonn on Jan. 21, 2018. Germany’s OK Boomer Moment
Millennials on the left and right are getting tired of their country’s politics of centrism—and trouble in the governing coalition shows it.
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Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok (C) arrives at the EU headquarters in Brussels on Nov. 11. Sudan’s New Government Can’t Succeed If It Remains on the U.S. Blacklist
Washington’s refusal to remove Khartoum from the state sponsors of terrorism list will slow Sudan’s transition to democracy and could undermine it.
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German Green party co-leader Robert Habeck is shown as he tours the venue prior to a two-day party congress in Bielefeld, western Germany on Nov. 14. How to Say Emmanuel Macron in German
Robert Habeck established himself outside major parties, has sweeping plans for Europe’s future—and is getting ever closer to taking power in Berlin.
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Argentine President-elect Alberto Fernández U.S.-Argentine Relations Can Survive Trump’s Tariff Threat
Since Alberto Fernández’s election, the U.S. president hadn’t antagonized the incoming leftist administration—until the announcement of new tariffs on steel and aluminum this week.
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U.S. Navy Capt. David Bretz shakes hands with Vietnamese military officials Vietnam Draws Lines in the Sea
Hanoi’s new defense white paper reflects fears of Chinese encroachment.
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Alleged pro-Russian rebels move tanks and heavy weaponry away from the front line of fighting in Chervone, Ukraine, in accordance with the Minsk II agreement on Feb. 26, 2015. What the West Gets Wrong About Russia’s Intentions in Ukraine
Moscow never wanted an annexation—it just wanted a bargaining chip. Understanding that is the key to settling the conflict once and for all.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro shake hands after their bilateral meeting in Brasília, Brazil, on Nov. 13. Bolsonaro Placed a Losing Bet on Trump
Monday’s announcement of U.S. tariffs on Brazilian steel and aluminum imports is yet one more reason China may be looking like a better partner.
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People in Hawassa, Ethiopia, celebrate the results of a referendum Sidama Statehood Vote Throws a Wrench in Abiy Ahmed’s Plans for Ethiopia
Ethno-regional divisions might tear apart hopes of unifying power at the center.
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Ukrainian servicemen of the Donbass volunteer battalion take part in operations in a village in the Lysychansk district of the Luhansk region on Jan. 28, 2015. It’s Time for Ukraine to Let the Donbass Go
Reintegration would be too costly; beyond an expensive reconstruction, it would entail reintegrating a deeply pro-Russian region at a time when Ukraine is finally moving West.
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U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Japan Regrets Trusting Trump on Trade
Trade negotiations have left Tokyo giving much and getting little.