The International Criminal Court is Under Attack

On October 9, shortly after the announcement of the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to Navi Pillay, a former judge on the International Criminal Court (ICC), the Trump administration imposed its latest sanctions on the global judicial body.  According to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, “we will ban transactions with this rogue court, cutting off their resources and crippling its ability to operate.”

When the ICC became operational in 2002, it represented a read more

A Campaign to Address Global Economic Inequality

Although the temper tantrums of Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu dominated mass media coverage of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, which opened in September 2026, the event also included the announcement of a far more significant matter:  a campaign to address the problem of worldwide economic inequality.

On September 24, standing in for South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Ronald read more

How Donald Trump Has Lowered the Wages of American Workers

On June 6, 2025, Donald Trump’s White House staff issued an upbeat statement proclaiming that what it called the “Trump Effect” was creating “higher pay for American workers.”  The reality, though, is that Trump, during his second term in office, has deliberately reduced the wages of millions of workers and, despite substantial inflation, frozen the wages of millions more.

In March 2025, kicking off his assault on workers’ wages, Trump read more

It’s Possible to Salvage Canadian-American Friendship–and Much More

Canada and the United States have frequently maintained that they have a special relationship, characterized by the world’s longest undefended international border, peaceful interaction, common values, and a close defense partnership through NATO.

Nevertheless, the two nations are currently locked in an increasingly destructive battle.

In late 2024, shortly after his re-election as U.S. President, Donald Trump started provoking Canadians read more

World Hunger and Starvation Have Reached a Crisis Level

Starvation is a particularly cruel and horrible way to die.  Beginning with intense hunger and pain and followed by exhaustion and mental deterioration, starvation continues with the body gradually consuming its own tissues on a downward spiral toward death.

The major safeguard against mass starvation around the globe is the World Food Program (WFP), which received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020 for its vital read more

A Dream Deferred, But Still Alive

On March 1, 1945, only six weeks before his death, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered an address to Congress that pointed toward a sweeping transformation of international relations.

With the Axis powers tottering toward defeat in World War II, Roosevelt reported that the recently concluded Yalta conference of Allied leaders had agreed upon “a common ground for peace.”  It would “spell read more

From National Independence to Global Interdependence

As Americans and people of other former colonies recognize, there’s a great deal to be said for national independence.

But, at times, we might also wonder:  is it sufficient?

Until recently in human history, imperialism was widespread.  In 1939, Britain’s Empire and Commonwealth alone had direct or de facto political and economic control of 25 percent of the world’s population and 30 percent of its land mass.  read more

The U.S. Labor Movement as a Force for Peace and International Cooperation

Although the U.S. labor movement is sometimes depicted as hawkish and xenophobic, this characterization ignores its repeated attempts to grapple with the global problem of war.

On June 9, 2026, for example, delegates at the annual national convention of the AFL-CIO, the 15-million member labor federation with which most American unions are affiliated, voted to adopt Resolution 9, “We Want a Just and Peaceful World.”

Declaring that “working people must never be treated as pawns in geopolitical read more

Around the World, Global Solidarity and Cooperation are Remarkably Popular

One of the curious ironies of our time is that, although many politicians spout heated nationalist rhetoric, rail against foreign nations, and belittle international cooperation, this approach to international affairs is not at all what most people want.

The climate of aggressive nationalism is clear enough.  In nations around the globe, demagogues (usually of a rightwing variety) whip up xenophobia, preach superpatriotism, demand vast military buildups, and―if holding public office―often read more