Trump's Pardons, Baltic Tensions, Somalia Strikes, and More
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Hello, everyone.
Truthfully or not, Donald Trump has time and again proclaimed that he wants to pull the United States out of needless wars. But a recent slate of strikes in Somalia — and the Republican president’s record in that country — cast doubt on whether he’ll make good on that promise, Devra Baxter argues.
Speaking of Trump, he made headlines (when does he not?) by pardoning around 1,500 people who had been convicted on charges related to the insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021. The latest episode of the Things That Go Boom podcast takes a deep dive into the controversial legacy of the pardon system, fallout and all.
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“Pardon Me? Pardon You” by Things That Go Boom (Feb. 3)
True to his promise, on the first day of Donald Trump’s second term as president, he pardoned more than 1,500 people charged in connection with the January 2021 Capitol riot. What does their return to public life mean for the rest of us?
“Memory and Impunity Clash at Chile’s Colonia Dignidad” by Ramona Wadi (Feb. 4)
A recent spate of media interest in the legacy of a colony founded by an ex-Nazi fugitive in Chile has human rights groups and politicians talking about memory and impunity. Colonia Dignidad, as it was named, served as the site of detention, torture, and extermination under US-backed dictator Augusto Pinochet.
“Baltic Tensions Rise as Russia’s ‘Phantom Fleet’ Strikes Cables” by Theodore Donguy (Feb. 5)
If the Jotvingis and the dozen other Lithuanian Navy vessels remain on high alert, it is because tensions in the Baltic Sea are at historic levels. As the threat of hybrid attacks in the Baltic Sea intensifies, NATO states are responding with Operation "Baltic Sentry."
“The US is Waging War in Somalia. What Will Trump Do About It?” by Devra Baxter (Feb. 6)
During his first term, Trump ramped up strikes in Somalia, conducting an unprecedented number — more than triple the number launched by presidents Biden, Obama, and Bush. Then, he abruptly yanked hundreds out of the country. What will he do now?
“Deep Dive: Does Populism Make the Workplace More Dangerous?” by Inkstick (Feb. 7)
It’s no surprise that the far right’s rise generally makes life harder for refugees and migrants. But does right-wing populism also make the workplace more dangerous? That’s the question tackled in a new study at the Journal of Population Economics.
From the desk of Patrick Strickland, managing editor of Inkstick Media.