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In the Human Interest – Mel Gurtov

In the Human Interest – Mel Gurtov

Critical appraisals of foreign affairs and politics from a global-citizen perspective

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Post #487: The National Security Strategy Paper on China

18 Dec 2025
The Trump administration’s National Security Strategy paper released this month is filled with nasty, nativist language and half-truths straight out of the Project 2025 playbook. But amidst the bluster about…
BLOG

Post #486: The US National Security Strategy Paper Puts Europe on Edge

11 Dec 202511 Dec 2025
The Trump administration has issued a National Security Strategy (NSS) document that fundamentally transforms US relations with Europe. Traditional closeness is out; open hostility to liberal governments and alignment with…
BLOG

Post #485: The Trump Peace Plan: A Study in Diplomatic Malfeasance

28 Nov 202528 Nov 2025
Coaching Russia The official US line on how the peace plan to end the Ukraine war emerged has Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy, and Jared Kushner developing it, Marco Rubio…
BLOG

Post #484: Zelensky’s Predicament

23 Nov 202522 Nov 2025
A Plan for Ukraine Without Ukraine's Consent The US has forged a peace proposal with Russia that, as the French are putting it, amounts to Ukraine’s capitulation. For President Volodymyr…
BLOG…

Post#483: Wag the Dog in Venezuela

15 Nov 202514 Nov 2025
Analysis of why countries go to war sometimes argues that leaders are motivated by problems at home. They attack another country to divert attention from an economic crisis, an unlawful…
BLOG

Post #482: Trump’s War on America

12 Nov 2025
The Abuse of "National Security" Throughout much of the post-World War II history of American foreign policy, national security has meant international security—that is, defense of the US homeland was…
BLOG

Post #481: No Big Deal: The Trump-Xi Meeting in Korea

3 Nov 2025
Promises, Promises The much-awaited meeting in Korea between Pres. Trump and Pres. Xi Jinping promised—according to Trump—a major trade deal. The Chinese seemed prepared to offer much less. In remarks…
BLOG

Post #480: Gunboat Diplomacy in the Caribbean

27 Oct 2025
Disproportionate Force, Hidden Motives The Trump administration has now conducted ten known strikes on boats off the Venezuelan and Colombian coasts that supposedly carry drugs destined for the US. The…
BLOG

Post #479: A Plan for Halting the Ukraine War

17 Oct 2025
Separating the Practical from the Ideal Intractable conflicts are wars without end, and Russia’s war with Ukraine seems to fit the bill. Now three and a half years old, the…
BLOG

Post #478: The Gaza War May End, but Peace Remains Elusive

9 Oct 2025
Some Questions Hamas has accepted Donald Trump’s plan for ending the Gaza war. Under the plan, Hamas, in exchange for the release of 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,700 Gazans in…
BLOG

Post #477: Trump’s Dangerous Distortion of National Security

1 Oct 20252 Oct 2025
During a large part of the post-World War II history of American foreign policy, national security meant international security—that is, defense of the US homeland was believed to require a…
BLOG

Post #476: Playing Trump

20 Sep 202521 Sep 2025
One cannot examine the wars in Ukraine and Gaza without noticing certain parallels. First and foremost are the human and economic costs of aggression. Those costs are staggering, and how…

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  • Post #487: The National Security Strategy Paper on China
  • APB: US Immigration Policy at a Glance
  • Post #486: The US National Security Strategy Paper Puts Europe on Edge
  • Post #485: The Trump Peace Plan: A Study in Diplomatic Malfeasance
  • Post #484: Zelensky’s Predicament

Recent Comments

Unknown's avatar“We Want Europe To R… on Post #219: Is China a “Respons…
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Listen to my "Global Citizen" commentaries every Tuesday, 5:25 pm, on KBOO.fm (Portland area) and Wednesdays on KXCR.net (Florence, OR area). The Global Citizen International Digest of the week's news is on KBOO Thursdays at 5:30 pm and is also on SUBSTACK, free, via https://melgurtov.substack.com

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