NATO matters for the US, too

+ history of Arab American enclave in Michigan US Edition - Today's top story: Why the United States needs NATO – 3 things to know [View in browser]( US Edition | 15 February 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Donald Trump is not yet the Republican nominee for president. But his recent comments encouraging Russia “to do whatever the hell they want” with a NATO member that is not paying enough for its defense was enough to raise the hackles of everyone from European leaders to President Joe Biden. After all, while NATO certainly needs the United States’ military and political might, the U.S. also has [several important reasons to support NATO](, writes Klaus W. Larres, a political scientist and expert on US-European relations. “Trump does not view Putin’s Russia as an existential threat to the U.S.-led global order. And thus he does not seem to realize that the U.S. and its European allies need protection from Putin’s Russia, the kind of protection offered by NATO,” Larres writes. Larres explains how NATO works and its overall effectiveness at helping maintain peace and security across Europe. Amy Lieberman Politics + Society Editor A paratrooper with a NATO flag performs during an air show in Radom, Poland, in August 2023. Jakub Porzycki/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images [Why the United States needs NATO – 3 things to know]( Klaus W. Larres, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Donald Trump has threatened to not defend some NATO countries if Russia attacks them. But the US also benefits from the power that NATO gives it, as well as the stability it helped create in Europe. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), right, leaves the U.S. Capitol after the House voted to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on February 13, 2024 in Washington, DC. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images [Mayorkas impeached: Is Congress on a witch hunt? 5 ways to judge whether oversight is legitimate or politicized]( Claire Leavitt, Smith College With its impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, the House exercised its oversight power. How can you tell if it was a legitimate use of that power? Displaced Gazan children wait in line to receive food. Belal Khaled/Anadolu via Getty Images [Israeli siege has placed Gazans at risk of starvation − prewar policies made them vulnerable in the first place]( Yara M. Asi, University of Central Florida Arable land has been destroyed, as have food production sites. But even before the current operation in Gaza, Palestinians there suffered high rates of food insecurity. [A brief history of Dearborn, Michigan – the first Arab-American majority city in the US]( Sally Howell, University of Michigan-Dearborn; Amny Shuraydi, University of Michigan-Dearborn The city often becomes a magnet for anti-Arab sentiment during election years and global conflicts; however, the more interesting story is what happens in the city when the spotlight is turned off. [Israel is a Jewish nation, but its population is far from a monolith]( Jessica Trisko Darden, Virginia Commonwealth University The Israel-Hamas conflict is putting a spotlight on all of the different people affected by the war, including Israel soldiers from Ethiopian, Filipino and Bedouin backgrounds. [Early polls can offer some insight into candidates’ weak points – but are extremely imprecise]( W. Joseph Campbell, American University School of Communication Imprecision in election polling has long been recognized. 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Zechmeister, Vanderbilt University; Luke Plutowski, Vanderbilt University A survey of people across 24 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean found widespread concern over the economy and crime. - [Pakistan’s post-election crisis – how anti-army vote may deliver an unstable government that falls into the military’s hands]( Ayesha Jalal, Tufts University The PTI, the party of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, won the most seats of any one party – but fell short of reaching the threshold for a majority government. - [Back in the day, being woke meant being smart]( Ronald E. Hall, Michigan State University Conservative politicians have launched attacks against the use of the word “woke.” If they knew the history of the word, they might stop wasting their time. - [Prabowo Subianto is poised to succeed in lifelong quest to become Indonesia’s president. 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