Center for International Policy

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Advancing a more peaceful, just & sustainable world by centering people & the planet in US foreign policy. Home of International Policy Journal and UnDiplomatic Pod, The Iran Podcast and Black Diplomats. Learn more at internationalpolicy.org

US should condition security assistance to Israel as obliged to do so under the existing law of the Foreign Assistance Act. US security assistance should be additionally conditioned on Israel halting its operations in Lebanon as outlined in the MOU Congressional provision of future aid should be conditioned on the acceptance and provision of humanitarian relief Congress should prepare terms acceptable for a more durable end to the conflict, terms that decouple the United States and Israel military cooperation.
thrilled to welcome two new fellows to @cipolicy Yumna Rizvi: Leahy Fellow for Human Rights and Security Casey Michel: senior non-resident fellow on corruption
Hold public hearings requiring the Pentagon and White House to explain the legal, strategic, and humanitarian rationale for procuring cluster munitions and restarting domestic production. Condition, limit, or prohibit funding for the procurement, production, transfer, or use of cluster munitions through the NDAA. Require comprehensive reporting and consistent monitoring from the Pentagon on stockpile levels, dud rates, procurement plans, use, and compliance with international humanitarian law. Demand that congressional oversight and policymaking reflect the documented long-term humanitarian consequences of these weapons. Support civil society, experts, survivors, and communities affected by cluster munitions and ensure policy reflects lessons from past use and accounts for the enduring risk cluster munitions pose to civilians.
A progressive vision for AI & Digital Sovereignty? Panamerican Congress Road To Montevideo 2026 Featured Speakers Avi Lewis, leader of Canada's NDP, Aisén Amelia Etcheverry Escudero, former minister of Innovation for Chile, Nancy Okail, President and CEO of the Center for International Policy, Sigrid Segura, Deputy, Frente Amplio, Costa Rica
Ban discretionary terrorist designations, repeal laws that punish nonviolent conduct as terrorism Repeal legal authorities that let presidents wage open-ended military campaigns outside actual armed conflicts End and prohibit military detention at Guantanamo Bay Declassify and release Senate Select Committee on Intelligence’s “torture report,” provide redress to victims, hold those responsible accountable. Abolish all programs that militarize local law enforcement agencies
Solutions, Distilled: Fully fund and empower the ATF to address gun trafficking Support more ATF inspections of gun dealers, especially in Arizona and Texas Pass the ARMAS Act to control for end use of firearms legally exported from the US Prohibit the retail sale to civilians of .50 caliber rifles
US Firearms, munitions, parks, explosives exported to mexico and the rest of latin america, 2020 - 2025 y axis: value in dollars x axis: 2020 through 2025
“With news of a ceasefire agreement to end the disastrous and unnecessary US-Israeli war on Iran, the tragic failure of Donald Trump’s Iran policy has now played out exactly as antiwar critics warned it would. “Trump said that his war on Iran would be quick, decisive and force the regime to totally capitulate or collapse. We warned it would become a quagmire that would fail to eliminate Iran’s nuclear program, ignite a regional conflict that could threaten the global economy, further strengthen the Iranian regime’s hold on power and cost thousands of lives–including American servicemembers. We were right. “This diplomatic agreement is critically needed to bring the disaster to an end, and must be fully and swiftly implemented. Nonetheless, the United States will be left in a weakened strategic position – not because of the contents of this agreement, but because of the utter failure of the reckless approach taken by Trump at the urging of pro-war groups in Washington, and a racist, corrupt Israeli Prime Minister. “US lawmakers from both parties should support the agreement to end this historic and completely avoidable foreign policy disaster. Just as importantly, both Congress and the White House must end the definitively failed approach of ever-increasing sanctions and belligerence toward Iran, and seek to build on this new opening for diplomacy to address the full range of issues–as well as potential opportunities–in the US-Iran relationship.”
SOLUTIONS, Sports Diplomacy Under Pressure in DISTILLED: a Fractured Democratic Landscape • The U.S. federal government should establish a dedicated World Cup mobility framework guaranteeing transparent, expedited, and rights-based visa and entry procedures for fans, athletes, journalists, and civil society actors • FIFA should condition hosting agreements on binding human-rights and mobility guarantees, including independent monitoring of border and enforcement practices during the tournament. • Host cities and states should adopt clear protocols limiting the role of immigration enforcement agencies in and around sporting venues to prevent intimidation and arbitrary detention. • The European Union and partner governments should articulate minimum democratic standards for mega-event hosting, using Milano-Cortina 2026 as a benchmark for rights-based governance. • The International Olympic Committee should treat LA 2028 as a pilot case for democratic hosting, integrating freedom of movement, freedom of expression, and independent oversight as core Olympic requirements. Raül Romeva i Rueda for the International Policy Journal
1. Prioritize Restraint-Oriented Systems Over Offensive Platform Sales to encourage information-sharing, escalation management, and responsible military modernization. 2. Link Arms Transfers to Crisis Management Mechanisms to shape how that capability is used under stress—particularly in a nuclearized environment. 3. Re-engage Pakistan at a Functional Level to preserve limited channels of influence and reduce the risk of strategic miscalculation. 4. Integrate Arms Transfers into a Broader Regional Strategy that includes crisis diplomacy, economic ties, and multilateral coordination.
SOLUTIONS, DISTILLED: A NEW CHINA POLICY REQUIRES AN AMERICAN REALITY CHECK • Rebuild and reinforce the diplomatic corps pipeline, ensuring competent and field-knowledgeable staff • Promote and protect cultural inclusivity, especially by reaching out and guaranteeing asylum to communities under threat • Protect programs for international students, building connections and strengthening oversight over academic freedom • Reject the xenophobia of prior foreign policy by the Biden and Trump Administrations, and acknowledge who it harmed • Build on areas of cooperation, cooling tensions while meeting other challenges Rui Zhong for the International Policy Journal
Sanam Naraghi Anderlini for the International Policy Journal What next? Peace: The US and the wider international community has a once in a generation opportunity for a grand bargain to bring peace and security for Iran, Israel, Palestine, and Lebanon. Life: There should be a coalition-based approach to engage Iran to reintegrate into world AND address domestic human rights issues. Freedom: Iran needs a national dialogue, truth and reconciliation process for a transformed future.
Operationally, the Trump administration expected its shock and awe assassinations of key Iranian figures on the first day of the war to wrap things up quickly. Instead, the killing of the 100 children in the schoolyard in Minab grabbed the headlines. Tactically the Iranians deployed a decentralized security system yielding better resilience, despite the 30,000 missiles and bombs that the Us and Israel dropped on the country in the first 25 days. The Iranian regime also revealed a sophisticated array of missiles with accurate targeting capacity. It is texibook asymmetrical warfare.
The International Policy Journal TALLYING THE LOSSES IN TRUMP'S WAR ON IRAN Sanam Naraghi Anderlini
The EU should suspend spending debt and deficit rules and rapidly expand funding for renewable energy projects. Oil windfall profits should be taxed while programs alleviating unemployment and high energy prices for workers will provide immediate relief. . EU member states should follow the examples of Spain, rapidly expanding its renewable capacity and decouple electricity prices from international fossil-fuel markets States should directly invest in public energy projects to ensure renewable power generation is built and held sovereign States must identify key industries to support and protect for economic and geopolitical security.
Draft a concise, independent ESS that sets Europe’s priorities rather than reacting to the US. Develop contingency plans to support and protect Ukraine if US backing falters. Define a coherent Middle East strategy based on European interests, not American imperatives. Coordinate with France and the UK to outline the scope, obligations, and operational rules of a potential joint nuclear umbrella, with an emphasis on No First Use in keeping with best deescalatory practice. Ensure that smaller European powers are protected and not overshadowed by leadership from stronger states in the bloc.
SOLUTIONS, Energy Finance Is Making DISTILLED: The Fuel Crisis Worse • Create a renewable infrastructure carve-out in the LIC Debt Sustainability Framework, assessing clean energy loans on long-term fiscal impact rather than upfront cost. • Build oil price shock scenarios into every debt sustainability assessment for fuel-dependent countries as a primary scenario, not a footnote. • Distinguish between debt that creates price-exposure risk and debt that eliminates it, treating them differently in debt ceiling calculations. • Introduce a climate shock carve-out allowing temporary suspension of debt ceiling rules when fiscal distress stems from an externally generated energy price spike. • Require disclosure of contingent fiscal liabilities in long-term energy contracts as a condition of debt sustainability assessments. Amber Dembnicki for the International Policy Journal
Invoke the War Powers Resolution now. Congress has the legal authority to force a vote on the continuation of hostilities within 60 days. Every day that passes without doing so is a day that silence functions as authorization. Members who believe this operation is unconstitutional should say so on the record, in binding procedural terms, not in press releases. Lock in the legal record at the UN before it closes. The Security Council cannot act, but the record of this meeting, the explanations of the vote, and any General Assembly action under Uniting for Peace will matter for accountability processes that may be years away. Silence at the UN now is the erasure of evidence.
SOLUTIONS, DISTILLED: It's the (drug) economy, stupid. • Mexico should honor the request by the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances to address the root causes of human rights abuses due to the support, acquiescence, and collaboration between the authorities and cartels • US Congress must adopt comprehensive legislation to restore authority over controlled weapons sales to the Department of State rather than Commerce. • Congress should enforce stronger controls on public arms sales in the United States to ensure traceability and prohibit transactions involving individuals linked to criminals, including cartel members. • Department of Justice should conduct serious investigations into collusion between U.S. businesses and cartels. • Treasury should undertake greater oversight and monitoring to prevent transactions to criminal groups through banks, exchange houses, money transfers, and bitcoin. Michael W Chamberlin for the International Policy Journal