Category: Foreign Policy

Si Vis Pacem, Parabellum

Reno Gazette Journal January 12, 2020 On January 2nd, a U.S. drone strike targeted and killed Qassam Soleimani, the mastermind behind hundreds of attacks against American Servicemen and American interests in Iraq and other countries in the Middle East. Here’s the recent sequence of events that resulted in his killing according to Reuters: In early-October, […]

Trade War with China is a Strategic Opportunity for the US

Reno Gazette Journal May 20, 2019 https://www.rgj.com/story/opinion/columnists/2019/05/23/trade-war-china-strategic-opportunity-us-says-kumar/1209242001/ The trade war with China continues as the U.S. has given formal notice to China of our intent to raise tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. As I discussed in my column Surrender is not Success in Trade Wars in April 2018, China has been cheating […]

Vietnam Summit a Step in the Right Direction

Reno Gazette Journal March 10, 2019 https://www.rgj.com/story/opinion/columnists/2019/03/07/vietnam-summit-step-right-direction-sam-kumar/3097536002/ President Trump met with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un in Hanoi, Vietnam last week as a follow-up to their previous summit in Singapore last June. Despite the media reports, there has been significant progress. Not reaching an agreement does not necessarily mean failure. After firing 24 missiles […]

US must proceed with caution on Saudi Arabia

Reno Gazette Journal November 25, 2018 https://www.rgj.com/story/opinion/columnists/2018/11/21/us-must-proceed-caution-saudi-arabia-kumar/2082457002/ Washington Post Journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey in early October. Khashoggi, a citizen of Saudi Arabia, is a former friend and advisor to the royal family and has self-exiled in the US since 2017. He has often been critical of the […]

Trump is right on NATO, wrong on Putin

Reno Gazette Journal July 22, 2018 https://www.rgj.com/story/opinion/columnists/2018/07/18/president-trump-right-nato-wrong-putin-sam-kumar/798597002/ Last week the President came under harsh criticism from the media for asking our NATO allies to increase their defense spending. “Trump is gonna fly into NATO like a seagull and defecate all over everything” boomed Fox News’ Chris Stirewalt. “Trump alienates allies!” claimed an NBC headline. ABC […]

Surrender is not success in trade wars

Reno Gazette Journal April 8, 2018 https://www.rgj.com/story/opinion/columnists/2018/04/05/surrender-not-success-trade-wars-sam-kumar/490053002/ Last week, the US unveiled a list of 1300 Chinese imports worth $50 billion that would be subject to a 25% tariff. China retaliated by imposing tariffs on 128 US imports worth $3 billion. While there are concerns about this possible trade war, it is important for us […]

Americans should be united against Putin

Reno Gazette Journal February 25, 2018 https://www.rgj.com/story/opinion/columnists/2018/02/22/americans-should-stand-united-against-putin-sam-kumar/364195002/ One of the cornerstones of socialism called “commanding heights” dates all the way back to Karl Marx. This principle is simple: By controlling a few key sectors of the economy, the government can control the entire economy and impose socialism. During Karl Marx’s time, those sectors were transportation, […]