Victory Without Battle: A Smarter Vision for US-Taiwan Policy (Marcellus Policy Analysis)

By Zachary Yost, Fall 2021 Marcellus Policy Fellow American leaders, policy makers, and the public at large are invested in the continued de facto independence of Taiwan. These reasons vary, ranging from strategic power projection concerns in East Asia, to historical ties and deeply felt moral obligations to defend democracies against totalitarian governments. Setting aside […]

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Why Sanctions Aren’t Working (Marcellus Policy Analysis)

By Adam DuBard, Fall 2021 Marcellus Policy Fellow Even as the U.S. continues to levy sanctions with increasing frequency, the results are clear. Economic sanctions are simply not working. Policymakers utilize sanctions to portray themselves as crusaders fighting to punish bad actors, while their actions work against American interests. With years of evidence, American sanctions […]

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From Retribution to Re-engagement: A New Framework for US-Cuban Relations (Marcellus Policy Analysis)

By Jaime Vazquez, Fall 2021 Marcellus Policy Fellow Both the United States and Cuba face a crossroads for determining how to preserve their interests and influence in a 21st century Western Hemisphere. Confronting an uneasy populace and economic crisis induced by the global coronavirus pandemic, U.S. sanctions and Cuba’s own mismanagement of its economy have […]

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Suits Before Boots: Diplomacy Over Militarism in Somalia (Marcellus Policy Analysis)

By Emma Sanderson, Fall 2021 Marcellus Policy Fellow American foreign policy in Somalia has failed. For years the United States has been entrenched in a counterterrorism campaign against al-Shabaab, Somalia’s most prominent militant group. Today, the U.S. war in Somalia offers a clear example of what happens when Washington leads with its military despite mounting […]

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Reevaluating the US-EU Defense Relationship (Marcellus Policy Analysis)

By Rylee Boyd, Fall 2021 Marcellus Policy Fellow The current state of U.S.-European Union (EU) defense relations is unproductive and detrimental to both U.S. and EU interests. The U.S. is spending too much time and money on enhancing European continental security, to little benefit of its own. The EU is unable and unwilling to muster […]

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Economic Statecraft and U.S.-China Strategy (Marcellus Policy Analysis)

By Margarita Valkovskaya, Spring 2021 Marcellus Policy Fellow In the last ten years, a hawkish view on China among U.S. foreign policymakers has replaced the counter-terrorism national security paradigm, with a renewed focus on great power competition in the emerging and critical technology space. A prior view positioned China as a developing economy whose inclusion […]

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Charting a Progressive China Policy for the 21st Century (Marcellus Policy Analysis)

By Ismaila Whittier, Spring 2021 Marcellus Policy Fellow The United States is facing a geopolitical dilemma that will force overdue reevaluations of its grand strategy regarding U.S.-China relations. Initial ideas of reforming China and molding the country into a cooperative member of a global framework of liberal democracies have failed and miserably so. As tensions […]

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Rethinking Iran: Restraint Through Reconciliation (Marcellus Policy Analysis)

By Scott McCann, Spring 2021 Marcellus Policy Fellow In 1980, President Jimmy Carter stated the flow of Persian Gulf oil was a vital U.S. interest and that Washington would use “any means necessary, including military force” to protect it. The statement became known as the Carter Doctrine. The U.S. has been engaged in the region […]

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Reductions for Peace: Realigning U.S. Policy in South Korea (Marcellus Policy Analysis)

By Ethan Kessler, Spring 2021 Marcellus Policy Fellow The United States currently stations over 28,000 troops in South Korea (ROK) to help guard it against attacks from North Korea (DPRK). These troops are a legacy of a different time. The ROK has become wealthier and more powerful since 1953 when it came under the protection […]

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Home is Where the Heart Is: A State Department Focused on the Domestic Agenda (Marcellus Policy Analysis)

By Yameen Huq, Spring 2021 Marcellus Policy Fellow The coming international order is one of multipolarity and rising collective challenges. American voters and elected officials alike realize that the next foreign policy agenda must center domestic matters, prudent prioritization, and careful diplomacy. The State Department (State) can only support this agenda with proper organizational design. […]

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