There exists a pervasive myth in the world of international relations regarding nuclear weapons. It concerns the difference between zero and one. It holds that by acquiring nuclear weapons a state takes a giant leap in terms of its capacity to wield and resist coercive power. That nukes, by way of … [Read more...] about The End of Kim
Opinion
The Great Re-branding
United States: In October 2015 Bill Clinton, appearing on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, was asked by Colbert to explain the apparent momentum gathering around Donald Trump’s campaign for the Republican nomination. Back when it was still mandatory in polite circles to deride and dismiss the … [Read more...] about The Great Re-branding
The Coming Populist Storm
Approximately thirty-six newspapers were in circulation during the American Revolution; the Gutenberg press was 300 years old. Using the established technology of the era, the Founding Fathers rhetorically expounded the virtues of their thinking in The Federalist Papers via numerous pamphlets and … [Read more...] about The Coming Populist Storm
Gaslight Empire
United States: As the circus formally moves into the White House, the Women’s March protests fill the streets, and Trump stands in front of the CIA’s Memorial Wall to argue about crowd sizes and fake news, one could be forgiven for thinking something just has to give. There’s not enough elasticity … [Read more...] about Gaslight Empire
Trump And The Post-Truth World
United States - In what has created one extended moment of surreal shock, the United States went ahead and elected Donald J. Trump to the Presidency, its highest and most prestigious office. The somewhat gruesome autopsy has already begun, even before the last votes are counted. Shock seems to have … [Read more...] about Trump And The Post-Truth World
The Many Shades of Fidel Castro
Cuba - One week ago today, Cubans woke up to the news that the 90-year old leader Fidel Castro had died. It was an event much expected and anticipated, given Fidel’s ailing health and advanced years, but it still took Cubans and the world by surprise. It was a particularly hard blow coming so soon … [Read more...] about The Many Shades of Fidel Castro