Much of the feedback I receive from various articles question why U.S. foreign policy is so defensive/aggressive. Let me begin by saying that I am far from being an expert on most of these matters. While I did serve in the military and as a diplomat, I never reached a level where my input had any major impact on policy. So, I come at this question as a simple student of human nature. Let me begin with an insult--if you are reading this, you are already out of touch with most of humanity. For st...

Last October, the War in Afghanistan reached its 10-year anniversary. Our invasion of Afghanistan was launched as a direct result of the events of 9/11, with a goal to eradicate Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda, and the various terrorist factions based there. Rushing headlong into the fray, driven by a righteous fervor to exact revenge or at least put an end to the Taliban government, the U.S. was determined to ensure Afghanistan would no longer harbor threats to international security. Ten years later...

We are a very polarized nation when it comes to environmental issues. These days, it seems as if Democrats MUST embrace any environmental cause, no matter how small, and that Republicans MUST eschew any environmental issue, regardless of its merits. It is hard to convince people that once upon a time, Republicans and Democrats worked together on environmental issues. In fact, one could argue that Teddy Roosevelt and Richard Nixon did more for the environment than any Democratic Administrations. ...

President Obama’s recent open-mic gaffe while speaking with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev prompted Republican presidential contender Gov. Mitt Romney to declare: “It is always Russia, typically with China alongside, and so in terms of a geopolitical foe, a nation that’s on the Security Council, that has the heft of the Security Council, and is of course a massive security power — Russia is the geopolitical foe.” Critics of Romney, with Medvedev at the forefront, quickly denounced his remar...

It is often said that peacekeeping is a growth industry. However, this should never preclude the United Nations from finding a better way to do business. Since 1948, the UN has established 64 peacekeeping operations with undoubtedly more planned for the future, as nation-states such as Sudan convulse in and out of civil war. Currently, the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) is supporting 14 peacekeeping operations at a cost of nearly $8 billion a year. Some UN peacekeeping missions...

I have supported many environmental causes over the years, especially wildlife conservation. I am so passionate about these issues, that I have embarked upon a doctoral program to further explore man’s impact on the environment. As such, I research the issues and I will tell you–the truth is always buried somewhere in-between. Maybe the best example is global warming. Al Gore’s alarmist documentary, “An Inconvenient Truth” would be better titled, “An Inconvenient Half-Truth.” While I appreciate...

Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul has amassed a loyal legion of followers. Congressman Paul’s libertarian-leaning views on domestic issues seem to resonate with many voters. For the record, I like Congressman Paul. However, his views on foreign policy are very skewed. Nevertheless, Paul’s isolationist rhetoric has gained traction amongst the war-weary, especially within the younger demographic. With over 6000 Americans killed and over 47,000 wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan over the las...

In the last Republican Debate, the issue of Iran’s attempt to develop fissile material for a nuclear weapon was brought up as it has been in most of the previous debates. To be certain, this is neither a Republican nor Democratic issue, but one of national security. One candidate posited that instead of typical American saber-rattling, the U.S. should instead open a dialogue with Iran. After all he continued, we managed to avoid conflict with a nuclear Soviet Union throughout the entire Cold War...