New York

By Colin Wolfgang On January 23rd, the United States (US) joined a number of countries in recognizing Venezuela’s opposition leader, Juan Guaidó, as its interim president. Within hours, Nicolas Maduro responded by severing diplomatic ties with the US and announcing a 30-day window for the country to withdraw its diplomats. While the US and Mr. Maduro have agreed…

As 2018 comes to a close, YPFP NY’s staff shares some of their favorite reads of the year: 1983: Reagan, Andropov, and a World on the Brink By Taylor Downing A gripping account of how close the world came to nuclear catastrophe through misunderstandings and a climate of heightened suspicions. Code Girls By Liza Mundy…

By Philip D. Caldwell As we remember the great life of President George H.W. Bush, perhaps lessons can be learned from the way he handled decision-making and managed his National Security Council (NSC) during one of the most precarious and defining episodes of his presidency. On August 2, 1990, Saddam Hussein ordered an invasion of…

In the past year, Qatar has faced many challenges as a result of the Gulf embargo. Marika Annunziata explains how the country has overcome the hurdles of the blockades. This post was originally published in Political Insights. BY: MARIKA ANNUNZIATA More than a year after the ban was imposed by the Gulf Cooperation Council, without…

By Michael Memari In a recent op-ed with Foreign Affairs, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo clarified the Trump Administration’s multifaceted strategy for ‘confronting Iran,’ which includes applying economic pressure, bolstering deterrence, exercising moral clarity, and exposing the government’s political malfeasance. However, an interesting revelation can be found in the author’s repeated attempts to compare U.S.-Iran tensions to America’s…

By Mira Sawiris This article was originally posted in Political Insights. The current rhetoric surrounding famines in places like Yemen is rather dated, relegating the solution to food aids and donation. Mira Sawiris examines the crisis in Yemen, where the famine may be preventable, not by aid but rather by political intent. The common sense assumption is…

By Matthew Edwin Carpenter “China’s ripping us off. Japan’s ripping us off. Mexico’s ripping us off. Canada’s ripping us off. The whole world is ripping us off. There’s nobody that’s not ripping us off.” — President Donald J. Trump, at a 2018 campaign fundraiser. In face of the escalating trade war between the United States and China, Japan…

By Colin Wolfgang “In less than two years, my administration has accomplished more than almost any administration in the history of our country.” So began President Trump’s address to the United Nations on September 25, which was understandably met with muffled laughter from the world leaders and diplomats in the audience. Overall, the president’s address…