MICHAEL SHANK

Incisive, Principled Analysis of Global Conflicts

Featured Interviews

Israeli Attack on Iran, Harsh US Rhetoric, Nonproliferation Treaties and the US Appetite for War, Al Jazeera English, READ MORE



South Carolina and New Hampshire Primaries, Super PAC Money in Politics, and the Economy
, FOX News, READ MORE



President Obama Announces New Military Strategy and Defense Cuts at Pentagon, CTV News, READ MORE


Congress Punts on Payroll Tax Cut, Faith Drops in Congress, Candidates Queue for Iowa, FOX News, READ MORE


The Obama-Romney Fight Over Middle Class America, FOX News, READ MORE


Afghanistan's Loya Jirga Forms Strategic Partnership Agreement on US Role, Al Jazeera English, READ MORE


US Economic Ire and Income Inequality, CTV News, READ MORE



US Has Failed Across the Board in Afghanistan
, Russia TodayREAD MORE



Shifting Public Opinion on Troop Withdrawal from Afghanistan
, CTV News, READ MORE


Afghanistan Protests Florida's Qur'an Burning
, CTV News, READ MORE


President Obama's Speech on Libya at National Defense University
, CTV News, READ MORE


Mubarak Steps Down: Egyptians Celebrate, Next Steps are Critical
, CTV News, READ MORE


Egypt and American Policy: Analysis by Michael Shank
, CTV News, READ MORE



Day of Departure and What Comes Next for Egypt
, CTV News, READ MORE



Afghan War Strategy Review: Analysis by Michael Shank,
CTV News, READ MORE


Analysis of Iran's Long-Range Missile Testing, Washington's Response, and US Diplomatic Options,
CTV News, READ MORE


Pirates Seize Saudi Super Tanker: Analysis by Michael Shank
, Al Jazeera, READ MORE
Click Here to Follow MS on Twitter: @Michael_Shank


Recent Articles



Will Republicans Suggest an Economic Cure in Nevada?
Al Jazeera, February 4, 2012.  READ ARTICLE


Mandela, Mahatma, Mother Theresa and My Mom,
Politico, February 3-5, 2012.  READ ARTICLE


Climate Change Fight Includes Private Sector,
Roll Call, January 24, 2012.  READ ARTICLE


Time for the Peace Vote?
Washington Post, January 24, 2012.  READ ARTICLE


With Climate Change a Non-Starter Among Republican Candidates and Congress, Private Sector is Picking Up Slack
, Politico, January 14-15, 2012.  READ ARTICLE


Measuring the Cost of Violence
, Philadelphia Inquirer, January 12, 2012.  READ ARTICLE


What My Amish and Mennonite Forefathers Would Think About My Job in Congress (and Why I Left)
, Huffington Post, January 9, 2012.  READ ARTICLE


Why I Left My Job in Congress
, Politico, January 7-8, 2012.  READ ARTICLE


All We Are Saying Is, Give a Thorough Cost-Benefit Analysis a Chance
, Boston Globe, January 1, 2012.  READ ARTICLE


What Trillion Dollar Lessons from 2011 Can Teach Us About New Year's (Conflict) Resolutions in 2012
, Politico, December 31, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


Peace on Earth: A Good Way to Slash the Deficit
, CSR Wire, December 29, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


Consumers, Business Carry the Ball on Climate Change
, Vancouver Sun, December 26, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


Replacing Short-Sighted, Short-Term Extensions with Radical Reform and Restructuring
, Politico, December 23, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


House Punt on Payroll Deal Highlights Need for Radical Reform
, Huffington Post, December 21, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


A Peace Dividend We Should All Want
, The Hill, December 21, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


Eight Ingredients for a Peaceful Society
, Christian Science Monitor, December 19, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


Top Policy Innovations of 2011
, Politico, December 10, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


What River Phoenix and $38 Trillion Can Teach Us About Peace
, Huffington Post, December 5, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


A Jobs Plan for Post-Qaddafi Libya
, Politico, December 4, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


The True Cost of War
, Washington Life Magazine, December 2, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


Iraq's Lesson for Libya: Thousands of Armed, Young and Unemployed Men Now Need Jobs
, Huffington Post, December 1, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


For Reconstruction, Put Libyans to Work
, Roll Call, December 1, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


In Aftermath of Supercommittee Failure, Macro View Needed for Future Economic Reforms
, CSR Wire, November 28, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


Diagnosing the Supercommittee
, Politico, November 25, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


Top Political Book of 2011: The Spirit Level, Why Great Equality Makes Societies Stronger
, Politico, November 24, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


US Can Contribute By Acknowledging Cuba's Reforms
, Financial Times, November 23, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


It is Time for a More Distributive Tax System
, Politico, November 20, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


In Anacostia, the Feeling of Real Community
, Washington Post, November 19, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


Economic Reforms Key to Resetting the US-Cuba Relationship
, CSR Wire, November 16, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


Can Nancy Pelosi Take Back the House?
  Politico, November 15, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


Tax Loophole Exploitation Exacerbates Income Inequality in US
, CSR Wire, November 13, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


Economic Reforms Herald Cuba's New Resolve
, Politico, November 12, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


Perry's Gaffe Represents Poor Texan and U.S. Educational Performance; Civics Lesson Needed
, Huffington Post, November 11, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


Can Rick Perry Recover?
Politico, November 10, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


Governor Kasich Chastened? 
Politico, November 9, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


Should Mississippi 'Personhood' Proposal Pass? 
Politico, November 7, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


Terror Threat? Climate Change Shrinking Plants and Animals Part of Bigger Global Security Threat
, Huffington Post, October 19, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


US Secretary of Defense Panetta's Refusal to Cut Pentagon Spending Puts America at Greater Risk
, Huffington Post, October 13, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


Republican Reasoning: Why 2008 Was the Year for Occupying and Protesting Wall Street
, Huffington Post, October 12, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


Why 'Occupy Wall Street' Protests?  America's High Rates of Poverty and Income Inequality
, Huffington Post, October 11, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


America Cannot Afford Such Inequality
, The Guardian, October 5, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


To Super Committee: Pentagon Corruption in the Millions, Time to Cut Defense Contracting
, Huffington Post, October 5, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


Republican Presidential Candidates' Anti-EPA Extremism
, Huffington Post, October 3, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


On 10th Anniversary of Afghan War, Time to Exit Militarized US Foreign Policy
, Huffington Post, September 28, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


Islamophobia Network Targets Top Performing American Schools
, Huffington Post, September 26, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


How the Arab Spring Sprung From a Nonviolent Source
, Huffington Post, September 22, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


On 9/21/11 (UN Day of Peace): How Peaceful is the World?
Huffington Post, September 21, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


Want to Cut Big Government Spending? Start with Defense Contracting
, The Guardian, August 6, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


The Costly Errors of America's Wars
, The Guardian, July 25, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


Peace is Profitable: Time for the US to Invest
, Christian Science Monitor, July 11, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


America's Lawmakers in Libyan Quagmire
, The Guardian, July 2, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


Why Washington Must Look to Ankara
, The Guardian, May 15, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


Islam's Nonviolent Tradition
, The Nation, April 27, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


Media Training Manual
, Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict, February 15, 2011.  READ PUBLICATION


Bush's True Legacy in Egypt
, The Hill, February 2, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


A Real December Review for Afghanistan, The Nation, January 3, 2011.  READ ARTICLE


A New Way Forward: Rethinking U.S. Strategy in Afghanistan, Published by the Afghanistan Study Group, September 1, 2010.  READ ARTICLE


Restarting Relations with Venezuela,
Washington Times, March 26, 2010.  READ ARTICLE


Americans Find a Rash of Contradictions in Venezuela
, Roll Call, March 24, 2010.  READ ARTICLE


America's Role in Afghanistan - A Quiet One
, San Francisco Chronicle, December 17, 2009.  READ ARTICLE


A Grassroots Visit Belies Washington's View of Afghanistan
, San Jose Mercury News, December 12, 2009.  READ ARTICLE


View From The Ground
, Washington Times, December 9, 2009.  READ ARTICLE


Letter From Kabul
, The Nation, December 4, 2009.  READ ARTICLE


Afghans Want U.S. to Stay but Do Things Differently
, Roll Call, December 3, 2009.  READ ARTICLE


Waking Up to Afghanistan's Realities
, The Guardian, December 3, 2008.  READ ARTICLE


After the Shooting Stops
, The Guardian, November 28, 2008. READ ARTICLE


We Lead Developed World in Poverty and Inequality
, The Hill, November 18, 2008. READ ARTICLE


Somalia Resurfaces
, Foreign Policy in Focus, November 17, 2008. READ ARTICLE


Poverty, Political Instability and Somali Piracy
, Financial Times, November 14, 2008. READ ARTICLE


The Call for Change In the White House Is an Understatement
, Roll Call, October 28, 2008. READ ARTICLE


Talking with the Taliban
, The Guardian, October 14, 2008. READ ARTICLE


A Whole, Different View
, The Hill, September 30, 2008. READ ARTICLE


Energy Is at the Heart of Many Recent Conflicts
, Richmond Times-Dispatch, September 16, 2008. READ ARTICLE


Obama, McCain Don't Grasp Roots of Pakistan's Instability
, The Hill, September 12, 2008. READ ARTICLE


U.S. Airstrike in Pakistan
, New York Times, September 10, 2008. READ ARTICLE


Congress Must Extend Tax Credits for Renewable and Efficient Sources
, The Hill, September 10, 2008. READ ARTICLE


Crime and the Economy are Directly Related
, Financial Times, September 5, 2008. READ ARTICLE


Drill Here, Drill Now? No: Sustainability Lies Elsewhere
, Richmond Times-Dispatch, August 30, 2008. READ ARTICLE


Global Peace Index Ranking Doesn't Flatter the U.S.
, Richmond Times-Dispatch, August 10, 2008. READ ARTICLE


Game Emblematic of Party Politics
, Roll Call, July 22, 2008. READ ARTICLE


U.S. Needs to Take Lead on Reducing Emissions
, USA Today, July 14, 2008. READ ARTICLE


Larger Meaning of 'Use it or Lose it'
, The Hill, July 10, 2008. READ ARTICLE


High-Level Engagement by US and UK is Needed vis a vis Iran
, Financial Times, July 1, 2008. READ ARTICLE


Liberal Persuasions
, The Economist, June 28, 2008. READ ARTICLE


Conference Cites a Growing Gap in Muslim-Western Relations
, Richmond Times-Dispatch, June 17, 2008. READ ARTICLE


McCain's Irresponsibly Rosy Outlook on Iraq, Afghanistan
, The Hill, May 21, 2008. READ ARTICLE


Why Not Firm Call for UN Reform?
Financial Times, May 16, 2008. READ ARTICLE


Poppy, Poverty and the Taliban: An Interview with Afghanistan's Ambassador to the US
, Journal of International Peace Operations, Vol. 3, No. 6, May-June 2008. READ INTERVIEW


US Policy in Iraq: A Plague on Both Houses
, Journal of International Peace Operations, Vol. 3, No. 6, May-June 2008. READ ARTICLE


This Earth Day is Different
, The Hill, April 22, 2008. READ ARTICLE


Poppy Crop Destruction Drives Farmers Towards Taliban
, Financial Times, April 12, 2008. READ ARTICLE


U.N. Security Council Must Act Preemptively - on Climate Change
, Christian Science Monitor, March 24, 2008. READ ARTICLE


Bali Confirmed the Shift: Nation Is On Board Now
, Richmond Times-Dispatch, February 22, 2008. READ ARTICLE


Gilchrest's Defeat a Loss for Congress
, Baltimore Sun, February 15, 2008. READ ARTICLE


Afghan Domestic Opinion Neglected in Ashdown Plan
, Financial Times, February 15, 2008. READ ARTICLE