Category: News
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Is Expanding AUKUS the Solution?
In September 2021, the United States and the United Kingdom announced a plan to share submarine technology with Australia in a security pact awkwardly dubbed AUKUS. This was a particularly big deal at the time since the United States shares this technology with only one other ally, the United Kingdom. However, there is some debate…
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When Will Finland and Sweden Join NATO? That Remains To Be Seen
In September, the U.S. ambassador to Finland predicted, perhaps too hastily, that Finland and Sweden would “become official NATO members by Christmas.” It is now December 22 and while most believe the two Nordic countries will eventually be accepted into the 30-member alliance, it does not appear it will happen in the timeframe predicted by…
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Japan’s Military Spending Increase Comes with Geopolitical Shifts in the Region
On December 16, Japan, one of America’s closest allies in Asia, announced that the nation will double its military spending, reaching 2% of Japan’s GDP by 2027. “In the next five years, in order to fundamentally reinforce our defense capacities, we will implement a defense build-up program worth $43 trillion yen ($314 billion),” Japan’s Prime…
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Canada, A Key U.S. Ally, Noticeably Absent from Key U.S. Foreign Policy Developments
When Joe Biden won the 2020 U.S. presidential election promising to restore alliances in U.S. foreign policy, sighs of relief could be heard across much of Canada. Four years of neglect and abuse from the Trump administration left U.S.-Canada relations strained. The Trump administratoin imposed arbitrary tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum with little explanation.…
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Missile Hit in Poland Reminds NATO That War is Very Real
On Tuesday, a missile landed in the Polish farm town of Przewodow, just four miles from the border with Ukraine. Initially, as the missile hit within NATO territory, many were quick blame Russia for the fatal blast. Had what NATO members worked so hard to avoid finally happened? Was Russia launching an attack on a…
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U.S.-Saudi Ties Are at the Lowest in Decades. Here’s Why.
In recent months, ties between the United States and its longtime Middle Eastern partner, Saudi Arabia, have reached the lowest point in decades. The latest involved a cut in oil production by a group fronted by Saudi Arabia. On October 5, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC+) – a cartel of 23 oil-exporting…
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Brazil’s Election Ushers in a New Era, or Does It?
While the November 8 midterm elections loom over the United States, another key election in Latin America took place on Sunday. In Brazil – a deeply polarized country – voters elected Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva into his third term as president over the incumbent, Jair Bolsonaro. The election, heralded as the most important election…
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Despite No Longer Blocking Alliance Expansion, Turkey Proves Problematic for NATO Allies
For the last several weeks, Turkey blocked what NATO hoped would be a quick accession for Sweden and Finland – who applied for NATO membership for the first time despite their history of neutrality – much to the chagrin of its NATO allies. Turkey’s pause centers primarily on what Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sees…
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The European Union Grants Ukraine and Moldova Candidate Status
At long last, it finally happened. The European Union (EU), in a show of continued unity in aiding Ukraine in its fight against Russia, agreed to offer Ukraine candidacy into the bloc. In what the European Commission’s President touted as a “defining moment and a very good day for Europe,” the EU finally granted Ukraine…
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America’s Closest Ally in South America Faces Possible Change with Next President
On Sunday, Colombian voters again go to the polls to elect the country’s next president in a runoff election. The first round of the election – held on May 29 – led to the runoff as frontrunner Gustavo Petro won 40% of the votes while the runner up, Rodolfo Hernandez, came in with 28%. Since…
Allies and Adversaries 