PRESS ROOM

"William Hartung, director of the Arms and Security Program at the Center for International Policy, fears that the United Arab Emirates is going to try to save its deal by claiming that it is not involved in Yemen anymore. Although Abu Dhabi’s drawdown of forces in 2019 is often described in the media as the end of its intervention, Emirati forces are still heavily involved, occupying Yemen’s remote island of Socotra. “They’re going to try to peel that off from the definition put forward by the president, and I hope the administration doesn’t fall for it,” Hartung told The New Republic."

The Intercept labeled it a "dramatic policy shift.” And here’s hoping it’s that. Still, President Joe Biden’s announcement – during his first major foreign policy address – that he would end American support for Saudi and United Arab Emirates-led "offensive operations" in Yemen, needs more nuance. In the second month of 2021, it seems all but fated that the specter of Donald Trump – and tribal, loyalty oath-like partisan divides over his contested legacy – shall haunt and poison all discussions of each and every Biden foreign policy move for at least 47 months more. Lost in this reflexive race to familiar factional battle stations will be nearly any coherent analysis of the systemic structures designed to ensure America’s war-show must go on.

The current context of the long-running, on-again, off-again game of U.S.-backing for French classic- and neo-colonialism, is more treacherous than most. Especially in the drought-prone, impoverished West African Sahel, on the southern rim of the Sahara Desert. Prime Minister Macron is apparently hoping for Biden-bailout for France’s collapsing campaign in the Sahel. Here’s hoping the Biden bunch holds out for once.

"General Motors (GM) sent shockwaves through the automotive, power, and fossil fuel industries last week when they announced that they have committed to producing only electric vehicles by 2035 and will achieve carbon neutrality by 2040 or before. But to achieve this ambitious goal, the real revolution will need to be in all those materials that go into making cars, namely steel.

Mighty Earth has been campaigning on this issue for years and there has been significant movement just in the past five months. Four major steel companies have made commitments to carbon neutrality or net zero emissions by 2050, including ArcelorMittal, Nippon Steel, POSCO, and China Baowu Steel."

"As retired Army Major Danny Sjursen recently pointed out, when it comes to foreign policy, President Joe Biden’s new cabinet and advisers are well stocked with retired generals, reconstituted neocons, unapologetic hawks, and similar war enthusiasts."

"As retired Army Maj. Danny Sjursen recently pointed out at TomDispatch, when it comes to foreign policy, President Joe Biden’s new cabinet and roster of advisers are well stocked with retired generals, reconstituted neocons, unapologetic hawks, and similar war enthusiasts."

A recent Center for International Policy (CIP) review of defense industry and US government support for 50 major American think tanks found that, from 2014 to 2019, “CNAS ... received more funding from defense contractors than any other think tank analyzed here.”

“The Trump administration has concluded two major deals for precision-guided bombs to Saudi Arabia of the type being used in its brutal war in Yemen, as well as upgrades of its US-supplied F-15 aircraft that are a bulwark of the Saudi air war in Yemen,” the report said.

“The devil will be in the details,” said William Hartung, director of the Arms and Security Program at the Center for International Policy. “To be effective, the new policy should stop all arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, both proposed and in the pipeline.”

Joe Biden has announced an end to US support for Saudi-led offensive operations in Yemen, as part of a broad reshaping of American foreign policy. William Hartung, the director of the arms and security programme at the Centre for International Policy, welcomed Biden’s move, but he added: “The devil will be in the details.

Danny Sjursen's latest spot with Arnie Arnesen, discussing the militarization of American society—it’s symptoms and consequences—amidst this presidential transition and time of overlapping U.S./Global crises.

At his confirmation hearing, Gen. Lloyd Austin said: “I believe that the triad has served us well in the past, and I certainly believe that it will continue to do so going forward, and I personally support the triad.” The nuclear triad is not sacred, and at a time of national transition with multiple crises in urgent need of funds and attention, this is a perfect moment to reconsider the need for it.