Deborah Avant
@deborahavant.bsky.social
Professor @josefkorble @UofDenver | global politics | climate | technology | security | human rights | democracy | pragmatism. I know, it's a lot. Also ISA, hiking, baking, travel, and #roseistoocute she/her deborahavant.com
The onslaught is endless but some things still stick out as extraordinary reminders of what a bad place we are in. This is one of them. www.npr.org/2026/05/26/n...
Trump DOJ mass-deletes info on Jan. 6 riot cases, including violent assaults on cops
The Trump Department of Justice purged government news releases with information about prosecutions of rioters who attacked the U.S. Capitol and assaulted law enforcement on Jan. 6, 2021.
npr.org
There’s still time to apply for #PayItForward at #ISA2027! This workshop aims to connect #EarlyCareer #Women in #InternationalStudies with mentors and peers to learn about #ProfessionalDevelopment, #Careers, #Research, #Networking, and more. Learn more & apply: buff.ly/Cg0aCrR
"Unfortunately, it seems doubtful that anyone will make this point directly to Bezos." Right. So let's repost so that he sees it indirectly. And thanks @dandrezner.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/danieldr...
The Literally Insensitive Jeff Bezos
You know it's hard out there for a centibillionaire.
open.substack.com
🚨 NEW: A majority of Australians think Donald Trump is the greatest threat to world peace, according to a YouGov poll commissioned for The Australia Institute released today Last year, a Dynata poll (also for The Australia Institute) saw 31% rate Trump as the greatest threat
Actually, it ended with neither peace nor honor.
Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · 4mo agoMcCormick: "We were horrible in Vietnam until we did Rolling Thunder Two, then we won. As soon as we do half-measures, we lose. The faster we get this over the better. If we seize Kharg island, it could be done almost flawlessly. If we have enough firepower, it would be very easy to defend."
McCormick: "We were horrible in Vietnam until we did Rolling Thunder Two, then we won. As soon as we do half-measures, we lose. The faster we get this over the better. If we seize Kharg island, it could be done almost flawlessly. If we have enough firepower, it would be very easy to defend."
I don't always love Ezra Klein, but this is a thoughtful and important essay. www.nytimes.com/2026/03/29/o...
Opinion | I Saw Something New in San Francisco
nytimes.com
Indeed. Nice, beautifully written piece about a disaster in the making.
Phil Klay@philklay.bsky.social · 5mo ago“A veteran of Iraq like Mr. Hegseth should know better. The enemy always gets a vote, and even after a victorious campaign, the effect of war on a population may have complex, unwanted and sometimes catastrophic consequences” I wrote about Iran for @nytimes.com www.nytimes.com/2026/03/22/o...
About to board my flight @denverairport.bsky.social and I have to complement the @tsaprecheck.bsky.social folks here. So cheerful and helpful. Despite everything. Thank you!
Big Tech waking up? "In Washington, representatives of large tech groups have warned of a slippery slope in which the government can suddenly turn on any company." Anthropic showdown fractures Donald Trump’s pact with Silicon Valley - giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... via @FT
Anthropic showdown fractures Donald Trump’s pact with Silicon Valley
Administration faces unprecedented criticism from Big Tech and former supporters over attacks on the AI lab
giftarticle.ft.com
Almost impossible to keep up with all the shit.
Spencer Ackerman@attackerman.bsky.social · 5mo agoDrone strikes in Haiti. Drone strikes. In Haiti. By private contractors. They’re killing Haitians for private profit & the world barely pays attention. The story of Haiti is the story America likes to tell about itself. Except there, it’s true. And the west has never stopped punishing Haiti for it
Iran War Live Updates: First 6 Days Cost U.S. $11.3 Billion, Pentagon Says, Acknowledge that this total "excludes many costs tied to the buildup," so the true cost is likely much higher
Iran War Live Updates: First 6 Days Cost U.S. $11.3 Billion, Pentagon Says
nytimes.com
Shocking that the foreign minister of the murderous Iranian regime sounds so much more sensible than American officials.
Yup, every war. The war of unintended consequences - giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... via @FT
The war of unintended consequences
Israel and the US have achieved many military aims in Iran, but the unpredictable fallout poses threats to everyone
giftarticle.ft.com
"Just 36% approve of how Trump is handling Iran, and a majority (55%) thinks Iran either represents a minor threat or no threat at all to the United States." www.npr.org/2026/03/06/n...
Poll: A majority of Americans opposes U.S. military action in Iran
Most Americans disapprove of President Trump's handling of Iran, and a majority sees Iran as either only a minor threat or no threat at all, an NPR/PBS News/Marist poll finds.
npr.org
First blog since Jan 2025. Inspired by a somewhat depressing interaction with my students. www.deborahavant.com/post/dogs-an...
Dogs and students and this moment
I am a political scientist. I have spent the last 30+ years studying security, including war and how to best manage violence. Today when I picked up the paper (or the NYT app on my phone, actually), I...
deborahavant.com
Searching for a rationale for Iran? Add this to the list. www.militaryreligiousfreedom.org/2026/03/mrff...
MRFF Inundated with Complaints of Gleeful Commanders Telling Troops Iran War is “Part of God’s Divine Plan” to Usher in the Return of Jesus Christ
“This morning our commander opened up the combat readiness status briefing by urging us to not be “afraid” as to what is happening with our combat operations in Iran right now. He urged us to tell our...
militaryreligiousfreedom.org
'You need people’s faith in a democratic project. And what I’m realizing is that accountability for the elite, having some sense of justice, is essential to build trust for the broader vision.” www.nytimes.com/2026/02/15/o...
Opinion | Ro Khanna Is Shaken by What He’s Learned From the Epstein Files
nytimes.com
One of the things I was most surprised to learn about Hitler recently is that his "success" was entirely built on bumbling from failure to failure and declaring victory every time.
In case you're wondering what a Hitler scholar thinks Trump had most in common with Hitler.
TikTok video by LOLGOP
tiktok.com
Raw Story@rawstory.com · 6mo agoWhite House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt declared that President Donald Trump's anti-immigration crackdown in Minnesota was a "resounding success" despite the deaths of U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
One of the best pieces of advice for the Dems that I have seen from @himself.bsky.social BLUF? Ditch the median voter commitment and start experimenting. open.substack.com/pub/programm...
The Median Voter Theorem is a Clarity Trap
What the Democratic party needs; what it demands, is bold, persistent experimentation
open.substack.com
