Foreign Policy in Focus

Foreign Policy in Focus is a “Think Tank Without Walls” connecting the research and action of more than 600 scholars, advocates, and activists seeking to make the United States a more responsible global partner. It is a project of the Institute for Policy Studies. FPIF publishes timely commentaries on U.S. foreign policy, sharp analyses of global issues, and on-the-ground dispatches from around the world. We also are interested in pieces that explore the intersection of foreign policy and culture, and on dispatches from social movements involved in foreign policy.

Arms Sales

The U.S. Still Spends More on Its Military Than Over 144 Nations Combined

By Ashik Siddique | Originally published in National Priorities Project. ( Foreign Policy in Focus) – World military spending has reached a new record high of $2.24 trillion in 2022, according to new data published by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). That’s up 3.7% since the previous year, including the steepest increase among […]

military

The Toxic Legacy of U.S. Foreign Policy in Vieques, Puerto Rico

Foreign Policy in Focus

By Monisha Rios ( Foreign Policy in Focus) – Puerto Ricans had no say in the U.S. war of conquest with Spain over its colonial possessions or in the Treaty of Paris that dictated they were to become the property of a new empire. The United States acted according to a well-crafted strategic narrative […]

Displaced and Refugees

U.S. Sanctions Are Hurting Syrians

Foreign Policy in Focus

By Farrah Hassen | – ( Foreign Policy in Focus ) – March 2023 will mark 12 years of war in Syria. No country should reach such a tragic milestone. What began in March 2011 as an uprising for Syrian dignity against President Bashar al-Assad’s corruption and authoritarian rule has since morphed into several, ongoing […]

Climate Crisis

Should a repressive petrostate get to host UN climate talks? The UAE Plans for a Fossil Fuel Friendly COP28

Foreign Policy in Focus

By Joey Shea | – ( Foreign Policy in Focus) – In recent weeks, grave concerns have emerged about the conflicts of interest posed by the United Arab Emirates as host of the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference known as COP28, as well as fears about the safety and security of participants in the […]

Displaced and Refugees

A Year of Global Displacement

Foreign Policy in Focus

By Farrah Hassen | – ( Foreign Policy in Focus ) – This year had the unwelcome distinction of being the first to see over 100 million people displaced worldwide. Such a staggering milestone reminds us that greater efforts are needed to address the underlying causes forcing so many innocent people to flee their homes. […]

Houthi

Facing Houthi Victory in Yemen, US Changes Tactics

Foreign Policy in Focus

By Edward Hunt | – ( Foreign Policy in Focus) – After years of backing a disastrous, Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen, the United States is shifting its approach to the war, supporting a UN-brokered truce that has resulted in the most significant reduction of violence since the war began. Bowing to the reality that […]

Afghanistan

Whatever you Think of the Taliban, the Afghan People Desperately Need Help, not Broad Sanctions

Foreign Policy in Focus

By Ed Corcoran | – ( Foreign Policy in Focus) – The Taliban waged an impressive military campaign and removed the prior government in August 2021. They know how to fight, but they clearly do not know how to run a government. The new Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has not been able to get international […]

Displaced and Refugees

Welcoming Russians Who Refuse to Fight

Foreign Policy in Focus

By David Cortright |- ( Foreign Policy in Focus ) – The sudden mass exodus last week of Russian men fleeing military service is a positive development. It is a sign of shifting political momentum in Russian society against the war. So why have Finland and other European governments barred Russians from entering as tourists, […]

Afghanistan

End America’s Collective Punishment of Afghans

Foreign Policy in Focus

By Farrah Hassen | – ( Foreign Policy in Focus) – A year has now passed since the tumultuous U.S. withdrawal from decades of war and occupation in Afghanistan. With the Taliban functionally in charge, the country faces a deteriorating humanitarian crisis and economic collapse. But instead of taking action to promote stability and reinvigorate […]