Afghanistan’s Forgotten Refugees

In 2008, Seyed Hasan, a father of 6, fled his home in the Wardak province of eastern Afghanistan. Hasan and his family were targeted by the Taliban for resisting their demands. It had been seven years since the United States had intervened to oust the group, but the...

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An Ally Out of Control

As in the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in Libya, an aggressive France threatens to pull the United States into another brushfire, nation-building war in the developing world. This time it is in the West African state of Mali. The French have panicked because...

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Napoleon in Mali

As the French invade Mali under the guise of fighting "Islamic terrorism," the reawakening of long dormant French imperialism straddles the fine line between comedy and tragedy. A French air strike against a rebel-held town wound up killing over a hundred,...

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Why Are These People Still Caged?

Ten-year anniversaries can be a golden opportunity to redirect public attention to an ongoing crisis or bad policy that has yet to be resolved. But the 11th anniversary, well, it can be kind of sad. So is the case with the campaign to close the Guantanamo Bay military...

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The Chickenhawk Meme

The heated debate over Chuck Hagel’s nomination as Secretary of Defense has led to the resurgence of the "chickenhawk" meme: the idea that a lot of armchair generals, who never served in the military, are criticizing a Vietnam veteran with two Purple Hearts...

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