Peace is a distant dream in war-torn Yemen
The world’s worst humanitarian disaster is unfolding in Yemen, where outside powers stoke a civil war. Peace remains a distant dream. A Red...
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We need to keep disarmament treaties, not scrap them
In a world with nuclear weapons, every agreement counts. So the decision by the U.S. and Russia to scrap a disarmament treaty does matter....
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Breadth & depth: A sampling of News-Decoder’s best
News-Decoder has pulled together a dozen articles that showcase authors of all ages tackling complex issues with impartiality and fairness. A good...
Read MoreArms control may be out of fashion, but it still matters
The U.S. has pulled out of a major arms control treaty amid tensions between Washington and Moscow. Weapons treaties are out of favor — but...
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Children in Afghanistan earn hard living on the streets
Millions of children in Afghanistan work full or part time. After Kabul’s public transit system collapsed, a new form of work emerged: street...
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In Afghanistan, winning peace requires diplomacy
The war in Afghanistan is the longest military conflict in U.S. history. It has failed. The key to peace is diplomacy and the quiet work of...
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Should poor countries control their own climate projects?
The UN’s Green Climate Fund helps finance climate projects in poor countries. Most of its money goes to large international players. Is that...
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In Venezuela, a regime change plan gone awry
The regime in Venezuela clings to power amid hunger and misery, in the face of a U.S.-backed opposition. Are we seeing the Syria scenario again?...
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For peace in Afghanistan, we need all at the table
After years of conflict, Afghanistan yearns for peace. The best forum would bring the government and Taliban together in a grand assembly. Members...
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Decoder: How the Paradox of Plenty impoverished Venezuela
Venezuela’s collapse predates Maduro and Chavez. Venezuela is afflicted by the “paradox of plenty” — oil abundance has...
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Democracy is in crisis. Time to fight back.
Threatened by populists and “fake news,” democracy is in crisis. But it remains better than alternatives — and a holy grail for...
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Trump to the world: When America “wins,” you lose
Donald Trump has thumbed his nose at norms governing U.S. behavior towards the world. He inhabits a Hobbesian space of all-against-all. A section of...
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Negotiators hunt band-aid for Yemen’s agony
Yemen is the poorest Arab nation, caught in the world’s worst humanitarian disaster. But can UN-brokered talks in Sweden stave off mass...
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Macron’s call for “European army” highlights rift in NATO
Should Europe build its own army? Or spend more to support the transatlantic alliance? A rift has opened up between Europe and the United States. A...
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Saudi Arabia and America’s embrace of dictatorships
The killing of Jamal Khashoggi adds to Saudi Arabia’s grim human rights record. But don’t expect America to sacrifice arms deals. Human...
Read MoreKhashoggi case shows dangers of lawless world
By Alistair Lyon The presumed murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul is an outrage that creates painful...
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Why Canada’s dispute with Saudi Arabia matters
A diplomatic spat between Saudi Arabia and Canada may seem childish. But the dispute has important implications for the West — including the...
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War crimes, impunity and the International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court was meant to help rid the world of war crimes. But impunity still reigns. And the U.S. now wants the ICC to die....
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Facebook, Twitter combat disinformation, belatedly
Facebook and Twitter were caught napping when Russian agents tried to sway the U.S. 2016 elections. Now, they are declaring war on disinformation....
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‘Thin man’ and elderly cleric en route to lead Indonesia
By Jonathan Thatcher In the farming village where I stay in Indonesia’s West Java province, Islam is central to daily life. The village has its own...
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