Reading archive 2024-07-14

Opinion A foreign policy that sees the world: I coined the term “progressive realism.” What does it mean? - "The trouble with Biden’s Manichaean mantra begins with the fact that it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. The sanctioning of autocratic and authoritarian nations naturally drives them into closer linkage with one another, reinforcing the Western perception that they represent a monolithic, ideologically motivated threat, a perception that can then lead to more sanctions, still closer linkage, and so on." [ed. note: Biden didn't corner China into supporting the Russian invasion of Ukraine; China has done that all on its own. But otherwise a very comepelling read]

Trump rally shooter Thomas Crooks appears to have acted alone, FBI says: A “rudimentary” explosive device was discovered in his car, but agents see no immediate ideology.

‘BlueAnon’ conspiracy theories flood social media after Trump rally shooting: Researchers who track online conspiracies say liberals are increasingly vulnerable to — and generating — QAnon-like bursts of misinformation. [ed. note: also covers Republican conspiracy theories]

Opinion How Stanford can do away with campus antisemitism: Restoring a culture of tolerance at U.S. universities will require confronting painful realities.

As Gambia weighs end to genital-cutting ban, this girl was cut behind mother’s back: The West African country could become the first in the world to overturn a prohibition on female genital mutilation.