Originally posted at TPMCafé’s “America Abroad” on February 26, 2007

Congrats to Greg Anrig for engaging an all-too-rare debate in his post on Jeff Faux’s new book. But whatever the specific answer may be for health care or pensions, the right question is "What’s the relationship between what we do at home and what we do abroad?"

Originally posted at TPMCafé’s “America Abroad” on February 24, 2007

Here I am in LA – no ticket to the Oscars, missed the Hillary and Obama moments – but one thing is clear- we need a new category for cool movies called “Most Global Movie Award” And the winner this year is….

Originally posted at TPMCafé’s “America Abroad” on February 11, 2007

Joe Nye reminds us that soft power is the power to get others to want what we want. By that definition, soft power advocates haven’t done so well. Ironically, they have failed to use soft power to get others to want what they want – that is, more soft power.

Originally posted at TPMCafé’s “America Abroad” on February 01, 2007

Chalmers Johnson’s warning about the choice between democracy and empire is compelling. But so powerful is his message that it washes away any sense of resistance. Where is progressive politics? And where is the press?

Originally posted at TPMCafé’s “America Abroad” on January 21, 2007

Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times asked a question last week worthy of further consideration: “Why are we so lousy at foreign policy?” He points to two basic reasons – one is America’s failure to understand nationalism abroad.

Originally posted at TPMCafé’s “America Abroad” on January 14, 2007

Iraq serves as a template for America’s foreign policy in tough neighborhoods. Up to and including Somalia. Here’s how Iraq and Somalia are similar and different, and what they may tell us about future foreign adventures.