Arafat, The Man Who Wanted Too Much

Writing this profile after Yasser Arafat's death in 2004, the author argues that Arafat's career was a monument to Western weakness and ineptitude in dealing with international terrorists.     

A Social Democratic Future? Political and Institutional Hurdles in Scotland

The Nordic model has long been admired in Scotland, and has featured prominently in aspects of the Scottish independence referendum debate. This article explores the difficulties in instituting a similar system here, identifying two significant barriers: the institutional setting (the powers available to Scottish politicians) and the partisan nature of competition between the two parties that might be able to deliver upon such a commitment. It concludes that the prospects of moving towards a Nordic‐style social investment model are slight, given the political, institutional and attitudinal barriers in place.     

The Foreign Policy of Abraham Lincoln

This article explores Lincoln's relationship with William H. Seward, his Secretary of State; examines several cases of foreign policy in action—particularly during 1861 and 1862—years fraught with peril for the Union cause, and concludes with how Lincoln's foreign policy is relevant today.     

The Revenge of Geopolitics

On the eve of Bill Clinton's second term, Harvey Sicherman wrote that the President must educate public opinion, cultivate congressional consensus, manage international coalitions, and use military power decisively when needed.     

The Sacred and the Profane: Judaism and International Relations

The author contends that one helpful way to look at Judaism and international relations is to imagine a continuum with a sacred ideal at one extreme and a profane reality at the other. Drawing on historical examples, he illustrates these polarities.