The collapse of Afghanistan in August 2021 is often framed as a singular failure of the Biden administration, but the record shows a far more complex lineage. Under the 2020 Doha Agreement, the Trump administration negotiated directly with the Taliban while excluding the Afghan government, committed to a rapid U.S. withdrawal without enforceable conditions, and orchestrated a dramatic reduction in American forces. These decisions—combined with the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners, the closure of key U.S. airbases, and a refusal to share transition briefings with the incoming administration—left the United States with shrinking leverage and diminished capacity to execute a safe, orderly exit. This feature examines the documented diplomatic, military, and political choices that shaped the withdrawal trajectory, grounding each claim in primary-source evidence from inspector general reports, Pentagon testimony, and contemporaneous news accounts. The result is a clearer view of how policy choices made between 2018 and 2021 directly constrained the final months of the U.S. presence and shaped the outcome on the ground.
Category: Religion
Michelangelo, the Pope, and the Sistine Chapel: Fact vs. Myth
Michelangelo Buonarroti and Pope Julius II are two towering figures of the High Renaissance—one, a multi-talented artist revered for his sculptures, paintings, and architectural feats; the other, a fiery and ambitious pontiff bent on leaving a colossal mark on the Catholic Church’s visual and spiritual legacy. Together, they changed the course of art history in early 16th-century Rome.
Redistricting vs. Gerrymandering: Mapping the Contours of Power and Representation
While the concept of electoral districts might seem straightforward, the processes that determine their shapes and sizes—redistricting and gerrymandering—reveal a more convoluted narrative. As we delve into the distinctions and implications of these processes, we will uncover the nuanced ways in which the mere drawing of lines on a map can serve as a powerful tool, sometimes used to uphold democratic ideals and sometimes to distort them. The contours of these boundaries, quite literally, shape the contours of power and representation in our democracy.
Capitalist Evangelicalism: Faith, Power, and Misused Monies
Capitalist Evangelicalism, at its core, combines the fervent religious convictions of evangelical Christianity with the principles of unregulated capitalism. This marriage of faith and economics is not new, but its recent surge and consequential impact on society are worth an in-depth analysis. As faith becomes entwined with the economic system, the potential for manipulation increases dramatically, manifesting in forms as varied as public policy influence to exploitation of the faithful's goodwill.
Bridges Through Time: Spain’s Turbulent Past and the Echoes of Today
As we delve into the chapters of Spain’s history, you’ll discover a land that has witnessed the extremes of societal discord, mass migrations akin to the global movements we see today, the iron fist of a dictator reminiscent of some of today’s authoritarian leaders, and the indomitable spirit of resistance that resonates with modern-day quests for justice and democracy.