Foreign Policy Blogs

The FPA’s must reads (April 17-24)

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John O. Brennan. Photo Credit: CIA

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John O. Brennan. Photo Credit: CIA

The Untouchable John Brennan
By Gregory D. Johnsen
BuzzFeed

What ever happened to the presidential candidate who called for an end to the so-called war on terror, who promised that Americans would witness the shuttering of Guantanamo, and who steadfastly defended his vote against the 2003 invasion of Iraq? Pundits have spewed an array of theories regarding Obama’s embrace of the national security state, none as fresh and convincing as BuzzFeed World Correspondent Gregory Johnsen’s, who argues it lies not necessarily with Obama himself, but his relationship with current CIA director John Brennan.

Where are the Children?
By Sarah Stillman
The New Yorker

The migrant-extortion market in the United States has benefited tremendously from the fact that it targets the exact people least likely to report a crime: undocumented migrants. Through kidnappings and extortion, these criminals — and even the system meant to prosecute them — have made it a living hell for hundreds, if not thousands, of migrants in the United States.

Cash Flowed to Clinton Foundation Amid Russian Uranium Deal
By Jo Becker and Mike McIntire
The New York Times

Russian “reset” aside, the Clintons may be more connected to Russia than anyone had thought. In this article, The New York Times investigates the cash flows between Russia’s uranium empire and Bill and Hillary Clinton’s foundation, which has its headquarters in New York.

How the Media Became One of Putin’s Most Powerful Weapons
By Jill Dougherty
The Atlantic

“Vladimir Putin is a news junkie,” writes Dougherty. While that may not be the exact phrase the Kremlin’s press secretary used, it’s undoubtedly accurate. Since his rise to power, Putin has become increasingly obsessed with how, where, what and to whom information is spread throughout and outside of Russia. This article looks how Putin’s media empire operates and why it’s there.

Global Warming’s Terrifying New Math
By Bill McKibbin
Rolling Stone

Earth Day was this past week, so worth revisiting this explosive 2012 feature on the math behind global warming. All it takes is looking at the three simple numbers.

Blogs

Syrian Notebooks: Inside the Homs Uprising by Jonathan Littell – Book Review by Paul Nash
What a Hillary Presidency Means for China by Gary Sands
For Firms in Northern Iraq, Self-Help Should Be Better than None at All by Dr. Oren Litwin
Marshalling Candor Spirit before ‘Countering Violent Extremism’by Abukar Arman
Mumbai Avengers and Other Tales from the Indian Security Establishment by David J.Karl