None Of The Above

America continues its unwavering devotion to Saudi Arabia, despite the gruesome murder of Jamal Khashoggi and the humanitarian catastrophes in Yemen. What is behind this resolute support to America's undemocratic ally in the Middle East? Bill Hartung dives into the history of the U.S.-Saudi relationship, U.S. arms sales, and just how much of the arms trade actually benefits America's defense companies. How is the war in Yemen being supported by America's arms dealers, and are U.S. defense contractors really benefiting the American economy as President trump insists? Bill pushes us to evaluate this relationship, and the costs taxpayers are willing to accept for the benefit and profit of the American arms lobby. Bill Hartung is Director of the Arms and Security Project at the Center for International Policy. You can read his recent report titled U.S. Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia: the Corporate Connection.

The Pentagon identifies climate change as a threat multiplier and links climate change to rising instability and insecurity around the globe. But what about the inverse? Murtaza Hussain, political and national security reporter for The Intercept, explores the forgotten costs to America's endless wars: climate change. How does warfare contribute to and exacerbate the climate crisis? What are the ecological and health effects of industrialized war, and what can American society do to curb the climate emergency? Murtaza Hussain is a journalist for The Intercept whose work focuses on national security, foreign policy, and human rights. His most recent article is Industrialized Militaries Are a Bigger Part of the Climate Emergency Than You Know.

Chances are, empathy is not the first thing you think about when you consider the ideal mix of skills and attributes of American soldiers. Yet the military is beginning to appreciate how their officers need to understand the interests, values, and experiences of people up and down the chain of command, and of their foreign partners as well. Justin Bokmeyer is a graduate of West Point Military Academy who, after serving in Iraq, returned to help the school develop the next generation of military leaders. He summoned Michael Ventura, who was employing a concept of "applied empathy" to advise corporate clients and officials in the Obama administration. The two were a bit of an odd couple — the straight-laced former cadet and the long-haired creative agency executive. But together they saw an opportunity to educate military officers on how to deploy empathy on the battlefield.

What happens when the distinction between war and peace starts to disappear? Rosa Brooks, a law professor and former top Pentagon official, explores the causes and consequences of this alarming trend, and discusses its antecedents in other cultures. As the seemingly never-ending War on Terror is used to justify increasing government power and intrusions on civil liberties, are we sacrificing too much freedom in the name of security?

What do the American people think about America's role in the world? Many foreign policy experts assume the public just doesn't care very much about international relations--or that average citizens are so uninformed that it's not worth paying attention to their views. Brian Katulis upends these assumptions, discussing his new research that shows the public really does have important things to say about foreign policy.

The United States and the United Kingdom have historically had a special relationship. Can this kind of enduring alliance be replicated, and if not, why not? As American hegemony wanes and China's international influence rises, Kori Schake argues that shared values can propel common national interests and goals. And that these can endure even as countries' relative power rises and falls.

For decades, America has pursed a foreign policy of liberal hegemony: the idea that the U.S. should use its power to spread values like freedom and democracy, often by using military force. America's foreign policy elite, whether in government, think tanks, media, or academia, have largely supported this strategy. But Harvard University's Stephen Walt thinks America's expansive global reach has harmed our national security--and our elites have not been held accountable for their preferred foreign policy's devastating failures.

A new generation of military veterans who fought in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq confronts new challenges. News reports emphasize the trauma and loss associated with military service. But Kayla Williams, who served in Iraq and is now an advocate on veterans issues, explodes these myths and misconceptions as she shares both her personal experiences and professional expertise with war and its aftermath.

After the Trump administration withdrew the U.S. from the Iran nuclear deal and imposed the toughest ever sanctions against the Tehran, it seems to many that the president is seeking a pretext for war. Trump threatened "the official end of Iran" if the U.S. were provoked. The Iranian foreign minister condemned such "genocidal taunts," and accused the U.S. of provocations. Trita Parsi, the author of several books on U.S.-Iranian relations, helps us make sense of the most recent tensions.

As the U.S. seeks a resolution to America's longest war, we're joined by Chris Kolenda, the first American to have both fought against—and then engaged in diplomatic talks with—the Taliban.