Barring the release of some smoking gun document buried in intelligence archives, the question of whether Hitler died in his bunker will probably never be settled
The Second World War ended 72 years ago. Historians have produced a voluminous history chronicling its course. Yet almost three-quarters of a century later, there are still many unanswered questions about the war, and there is considerable material about wartime military and intelligence operations that, inexplicably, remains classified. Not surprisingly, those unanswered questions have given…
Aggressive foreign policy, mixed domestic policy. But he has moved with force to reverse environmental protections
What do U.S. President Donald Trump’s first 100 days tell us about how his administration will evolve? The notion that the accomplishments of the first 100 days of a new American president’s term is a standard of measurement is a legacy of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. In his first 100 days in office in 1933, Roosevelt unleashed…
What’s troubling is the abrupt manner in which the Trump administration reversed policy on Syria. Assad’s barbarism is not exactly news
Lines are being drawn in the sand in Syria, but the sand keeps shifting. Former U.S. president Barack Obama's administration resolutely declared that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had to go. It said he was an obstacle to the peaceful resolution of the Syrian civil war and that his use of chemical weapons against civilians was a red…
Expanded co-operation with the West and an increase in Russia’s role in combatting jihadism would come at a steep price — for both sides
During the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump roiled the foreign policy establishment by praising Russian President Vladimir Putin. He suggested it was time for a comprehensive re-evaluation of U.S.-Russian relations and broader co-operation between the two countries, especially in the fight against jihadists. In doing so, Trump raised political and strategic issues. By praising Putin…
The collapse of the Islamic State nation will have a profound effect on the organization but it will not eliminate its ongoing presence
The Islamic State (IS) is rapidly nearing collapse. But the end of IS is not nearly in sight. IS has lost control of eastern Mosul to a coalition of the Iraqi military and Kurdish, Shia and Sunni militias supported by the U.S. and its NATO allies. That same coalition, which has held together despite a…
Terror is not an ideology or a set of beliefs. It's not an organization, a government or a state against which one can wage war. Terror is a tactic
In his first address to a joint session of Congress on Feb. 28, Donald Trump uttered two words that no other American president has ever spoken publicly: “radical Islam.” The statement was seen as a political victory for administration hardliners like adviser Steve Bannon and his protégé on the National Security Council, Sebastian Gorka. But…
China likely to focus more on Asia and the Indian Ocean basin for its commodity needs and less on North America
Geography has always mattered. Technology can shape how nations interact economically and politically. Railroads can traverse vast deserts and mountains, ships can cross great oceans. Planes can do both. But geographic reality remains the same: mountains are still tall, oceans still broad. In January, a train loaded with containers pulled into London. The train originated…
The White House's blitz of activity means it largely controls the narrative and the Democrats can only react to its agenda
Donald Trump continues to shake up Washington. His hurry-up offence – a spate of new initiatives – has left his opposition energized but bewildered. Presidential executive orders have been the driver three weeks into Trump's administration. As of Feb. 10, his White House has issued 22 executive actions, including nine executive orders. No doubt more are…
Once upon a time, a news story wasn't news until a legitimate news outlet carried it. Now, if it’s on somebody’s Twitter feed it’s a news story
The U.S. news media tells us the world is awash in fake news. Democrats blame it for the defeat of their candidate, Hillary Clinton, in the U.S. presidential elections. President Donald Trump rails against “fake news” from the “dishonest media,” singling out CNN. Facebook and Google, both of whom have been accused of being particularly…
Focus more on what Trump is doing, rather than on what he is saying, to determine exactly where this administration is going
Politics is about theatre. Policy is about substance. Two centuries after the expansion of suffrage, that truism about democratic politics remains valid. That doesn’t mean political rhetoric doesn’t matter. Many politicians have discovered that broken promises boomeranging back on you. How politicians communicate – among themselves, with the media and the rest of us – definitely has…
The Second World War ended 72 years ago. Historians have produced a voluminous history chronicling its course. Yet almost three-quarters of a century later, there are still many unanswered questions about the war, and there is considerable material about wartime military and intelligence operations that, inexplicably, remains classified. Not surprisingly, those unanswered questions have given…
