It was “a war that nobody won,” writes historian Stanley Karnow of the United States’ decades-long military engagement in Vietnam. Ultimately, “its legacy [is] still to be assessed…but whether a valid venture or a misguided endeavor, it was a tragedy of epic dimensions.” The legacy of the Vietnam War is often tallied with civilian and…
Funding bills for 2018 moving forward On July 27, the House of Representatives passed a “security minibus” set of spending bills for fiscal year 2018. It includes $1.6 billion for 70 miles of additional physical barriers along the southwest border with Mexico. House leadership added the border wall money in such a way that no separate vote was…
Read in Spanish. In a small room on June 27 at the National Press Club building in Washington, D.C., stood parents who were forced to bury a child. In each case, the perpetrator was an undocumented immigrant. These parents were gathered to launch a new organization, Advocates for Victims of Illegal Alien Crime (AVIAC). During…
Globally, violent conflicts are increasing, according to the Peace Research Institute in Oslo, Norway. There are more armed conflicts now than at any time since the end of the Cold War. Unfortunately, many attempts to intervene are themselves militarized, further fueling the violence. Meanwhile, holistic peacebuilding and development approaches are underfunded. President Trump’s budget proposal…
One morning this past January a 14-year-old Palestinian boy left his school after finishing his exam. Some boys were throwing stones at an Israeli military jeep. He continued on, but was followed by Israeli soldiers who shot him with a rubber bullet, then tied his wrists and blindfolded him. He was interrogated for hours and accused of…
At this time last year Colombians were invigorated with hope for a lasting peace agreement between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). There was palpable optimism about concluding negotiations, and people finally allowed themselves to believe change was on the horizon. A lot of things have changed in a year. First,…
Welcoming the newcomer June 20 marked World Refugee Day, at a time when a record 65 million people around the word have been forced from home. But the U.S. continues to be less than welcoming to newcomers. Last week the House passed legislation cracking down on “sanctuary cities,” as well as a bill to stiffen penalties for…
