Maxwell School News and Commentary
Filtered by: Defense & Security
Taylor Speaks With CBS News, El País, KTVU and Kyiv Post About Trump, Ukraine and Russia
“Putin isn’t interested in a ceasefire or an agreement, but rather in victory, understood as the subjugation of Ukraine,” says Brian Taylor, professor of political science. “The Russian president has faced zero consequences for stalling Trump over the past four months, and from what Trump has said about the conversation, that hasn’t changed one bit.”
See related: Conflict, Europe, Federal, Foreign Policy, Global Governance, International Affairs, Russia, Ukraine, United States
Sultana Article on Building Democracy in Bangladesh Published in LA Progressive
“In a region where democratic backsliding has often been normalized, Bangladesh is attempting a rare and ambitious path forward. But reforms – no matter how visionary – face real resistance from entrenched interests and are fraught with obstacles, both internal and external, that threaten to derail Bangladesh’s progress,” writes Farhana Sultana, professor of geography and the environment.
See related: Conflict, Government, International Affairs, South Asia
Bhan Talks to Morning Wave in Bhusan and the WOZ About Rising Tensions Between India and Pakistan
“I don't think either the Indian or Pakistani governments actually want a war,” says Mona Bhan, Ford-Maxwell Professor of South Asian Studies. “But neither of them wants to appear weak under any circumstances.”
See related: Conflict, Government, India, International Affairs, South Asia
McFate Discusses Defense Secretary Hegseth’s Plan to Modernize the US Army on Fox News Live
“We have a lot of legacy systems that really were designed for the Soviet Union still in our arsenal and I think the Army is finally trying to peel them away,” says Sean McFate, adjunct professor in Maxwell's Washington programs.
See related: Federal, International Affairs, U.S. National Security, United States
Taylor Speaks With WWL Radio About US-Russia Relations
“There have been a variety of efforts since the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 to try and remake the U.S.-Russia relationship...Obviously a lot has happened since then and it hasn't worked out that way and from my point of view, the thing that has broken the relationship most of all has been the Russian war against Ukraine which began in 2014,” says Brian Taylor, professor of political science.
See related: Conflict, Federal, International Affairs, Russia, U.S. Foreign Policy, Ukraine, United States
Wagner Weighs In on Leadership Departures in Defense Secretary Hegseth’s Office in Politico Article
“The uniformed military—from junior enlisted to four star generals—see right through these clowns, from their backstabbing and their inexperience to their cavalier treatment of highly classified information and their bungling policy rollouts,” says Alex Wagner, adjunct professor in Maxwell's Washington programs.
See related: Defense & Security, Federal, U.S. National Security, United States
Taylor Discusses President Trump, Causes of Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine With Forbes, USA Today
“Trump’s contention that Ukraine’s hope of joining NATO ‘caused the war to start’ is a claim that is often made, but one that doesn’t stand up to scrutiny,” says Brian Taylor, professor of political science. “Given that there was no serious prospect of Ukraine joining NATO between 2008 and 2022, it’s hard to see how Ukraine’s hope of joining NATO at some point in the future caused the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022.”
See related: Conflict, Federal, Global Governance, International Affairs, International Agreements, Russia, Ukraine, United States
Williams Talks to Washington Post About Improper Sharing of Sensitive Government Documents
The breach indicates a general need to strengthen safety training measures for government workers who must live and work in a digital age, says Michael Williams, associate professor of public administration and international affairs. “The danger of this kind of mistake is a challenge across all administrations,” he says.
See related: Federal, U.S. National Security, United States
Khalil Speaks With CBS News About US Strikes on Yemen, Nuclear Talks Between the US and Iran
“Now the Trump administration is claiming this is an attempt to pressure Iran but it's unclear to me, quite frankly, by bombing a port, killing paramedics and port workers, is somehow going to pressure Iran in negotiations,” says Osamah Khalil, professor of history. “If the United States wants to neotiate with Iran, it should negotiate with Iran. There's no reason to be bombing Yemen to do that.”
Arctic Training with Canadian Troops Complements International Studies
Graduate student Connor McNeil took part in the three-week exercise as a member of the Vermont Army National Guard.
See related: Arctic, Canada, International Affairs, National Security, Student Experience