Dan Wright

Trump Sides With Sunni Extremists In Middle East Sectarian War

President Trump campaigned on getting the United States out of the Middle East and away from ‘stupid wars’. But his actions and rhetoric so far as president indicate he is not ready to deviate from long-held U.S. policy.

Dan Wright
By Dan Wright
Donald Trump holds a sword and sways with traditional dancers during a welcome ceremony at Murabba Palace, in Riyadh, May 20, 2017. (AP/Evan Vucci)

Published in partnership with Shadowproof. In a speech that contradicted numerous public statements, President Donald Trump praised the rulers of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf state autocracies for fighting Islamic terrorism in his first foreign trip as president. Despite irrefutable evidence (that Despite irrefutable evidence (that he himself

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The Battle For Raqqa And The Future Of Syria Feat. Joshua Landis

Professor Landis discusses the difficulty the United States has in deciding who to work with once ISIS is driven out of its claimed capital of Raqqa.

Dan Wright
By Dan Wright
Professor Joshua Landis. (Photo: Shadowproof)

Published in partnership with Shadowproof. On this episode of Around The Empire, Dan and Joanne interview Syria expert Professor Joshua Landis on the battle for the Syrian city of Raqqa and the various competing forces in the Syrian Civil War. Professor Landis discusses the difficulty the United States has in deciding who to work with once

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Perpetual War For Perpetual Peace In Afghanistan

The underlying logic of the Afghan policy is that in order to prevent the risk of Afghanistan becoming a launching pad for terrorist attacks like 9/11, it must be permanently occupied.

Dan Wright
By Dan Wright
MARJAH, Helmand province, Afghanistan - Corporal Mark Hickok, a 23-year-old combat engineer from North Olmstead, Ohio, patrols through a poppy field during a clearing mission April 9. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. John M. McCall)

Published in partnership with Shadowproof. Given America is constantly expanding its military footprint around the world—most recently into Syria and the Central African Republic - one can be forgiven for forgetting about the longest war in the history of the United States: the war in Afghanistan. But a new column by retired colonel and

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Despite Campaign Rhetoric, Trump Wades Further Into Middle East

Despite that campaign platform and electoral mandate, now-President Donald Trump is doubling down on military intervention in the Middle East.

Dan Wright
By Dan Wright
Donald Trump tours the nuclear aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford, at Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Va., Thursday, March 2, 2017. (AP/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Published in partnership with Shadowproof. ANALYSIS --- In the 2016 election cycle, then-candidate Donald Trump drew widespread support for opposing military adventurism by the United States in the Middle East, famously slamming “dumb wars” like Iraq that cost lives and money and ultimately achieved “nothing.” This simple critique resonated

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Michael Flynn Was Taken Down By A Deep State Leak Campaign

There is a raging power struggle going on between the CIA and President Trump. Flynn was one of the CIA’s major targets, but hardly their only one.

Dan Wright
By Dan Wright
Michael Flynn sits in the front row before the start of the President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe joint new conference in the East Room of the White House, in Washington, Friday, Feb. 10, 2017. (AP/Carolyn Kaster)

Published in partnership with Shadowproof. After one of the most blatant leak campaigns by national security officials in recent memory, former General Michael Flynn resigned from office as national security advisor Monday evening. The official reason for the resignation was giving “incomplete information” to the vice president and others about

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Botched Raid Frays US-Yemen Relations As Slaughter Continues

The raid, conducted on January 29th, killed numerous civilians including the eight-year-old daughter of Anwar al-Awlaki.

Dan Wright
By Dan Wright
Photos which allegedly show the home that was the target of the Navy Seal Team 6 raid, published by local Yemeni newspaper, al-Mashhad al-Yemeni.

Published in partnership with Shadowproof. A botched raid by U.S. Special Forces last month that left numerous civilians dead has led, according to The New York Times, to the government in Yemen withdrawing permission for the United States to run ground missions against alleged terrorist groups in the country. At today’s press conference,

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Trump Purges State Department, CIA May Be Next

By “cleaning house” at the State Department, President Trump is going to be able to exert even more influence in shaping the department for years to come.

Dan Wright
By Dan Wright
White House press secretary Sean Spicer speaks to reporters on Air Force One en route to Andrews Air Force Base, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2017, from Philadelphia. (AP /Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Published in partnership with Shadowproof. Today, four State Department senior leaders resigned from their positions. The senior State Department leaders were reportedly asked to leave via letter in what is believed to be an effort to “clean house” at the department. While the officials technically resigned, the real decision was for the

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