Elizabeth N. Saunders
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profsaunders.bsky.social
Elizabeth N. Saunders
@profsaunders.bsky.social
19K followers 3.3K following 2.5K posts

Professor of Political Science & Director of the Saltzman Institute of War & Peace Studies, Columbia. New Book: The Insiders' Game: How Elites Make War and Peace https://press.princeton.edu/books/paperback/9780691215808/the-insiders-game .. more

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profsaunders.bsky.social
Elizabeth N. Saunders @profsaunders.bsky.social · Feb 5
Hard to think through problems when we are in a mode where the current problem gets eaten by a bigger problem within hours.

profsaunders.bsky.social
Elizabeth N. Saunders @profsaunders.bsky.social · 2d
No worries, sent me down an interesting logic chase to figure out how this could ALSO be a distraction from that...

Reposted by Shibley Telhami

profsaunders.bsky.social
Elizabeth N. Saunders @profsaunders.bsky.social · 2d
You have got to be kidding. Like, why? Oh wait, I know this one...
mattburgess1.bsky.social Matt Burgess (WIRED) @mattburgess1.bsky.social · 2d
“Imran Ahmed, chief executive of Centre for Countering Digital Hate; Josephine Ballon and Anna-Lena von Hodenberg, leaders of HateAid, a German organization; former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton, who was responsible for digital affairs; and Clare Melford, who runs the Global Disinformation Index.”
US bars five Europeans it says pressured tech firms to censor American viewpoints online
The State Department is barring five Europeans it accuses of leading efforts to pressure U.S. tech firms to censor or suppress American viewpoints.
apnews.com

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders, Stefan Rahmstorf, Kai Arzheimer

mattburgess1.bsky.social
Matt Burgess (WIRED) @mattburgess1.bsky.social · 2d
“Imran Ahmed, chief executive of Centre for Countering Digital Hate; Josephine Ballon and Anna-Lena von Hodenberg, leaders of HateAid, a German organization; former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton, who was responsible for digital affairs; and Clare Melford, who runs the Global Disinformation Index.”
US bars five Europeans it says pressured tech firms to censor American viewpoints online
The State Department is barring five Europeans it accuses of leading efforts to pressure U.S. tech firms to censor or suppress American viewpoints.
apnews.com

profsaunders.bsky.social
Elizabeth N. Saunders @profsaunders.bsky.social · 2d
Remember when Trump had a SecDef who argued that diplomacy helped reduce the need for military hardware?

Reposted by Stephen M. Walt

profsaunders.bsky.social
Elizabeth N. Saunders @profsaunders.bsky.social · 2d
The Party of National Security in 2 headlines
Two headlines in the New York Times, one on the recall of 30 ambassadors, the other on the new “Trump-class” warships

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders, David Darmofal

petridishes.bsky.social
Alexandra Petri @petridishes.bsky.social · 2d
“okay but what does the president say I CAN give this year, besides no more than two dolls and up to three pencils?”

don’t worry, this gift guide has you covered
The Trump Administration’s Guide to Christmas Giving
A piece of East Wing Rubble? An MRI for no reason? The options are endless!
www.theatlantic.com

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders

proftalmadge.bsky.social
Caitlin Talmadge @proftalmadge.bsky.social · 2d
Battleships are just big targets in a war with another great power. If we have money to throw around we should be building more attack submarines, which are dramatically more survivable in all the scenarios that matter. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/22/u...
Trump Announces New ‘Trump Class’ of Warships
www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Jan W. Mueller, Daniel W. Drezner

profsaunders.bsky.social
Elizabeth N. Saunders @profsaunders.bsky.social · 3d
The Party of National Security
“We do not need ships that are not optimized to provide lethality against the Chinese threat,” Montgomery said, adding that the new frigate has “zero tactical use” because it will not be equipped with a vertical launch system or the Aegis ballistic defense system.  “That is not what these are focused on—they are focused on the president’s visual that a battleship is a cool-looking ship,” he said. 

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders, Anne Norton

kairyssdal.bsky.social
Kai Ryssdal @kairyssdal.bsky.social · 3d
Absolutely not

www.wsj.com/politics/nat...
Exclusive | New Class of Warship to Be Named After President Trump
The new vessels, which the president calls battleships, will be the latest in what the White House envisions as a “Golden Fleet.”
www.wsj.com

profsaunders.bsky.social
Elizabeth N. Saunders @profsaunders.bsky.social · 4d
Another policy dismantling that will be harder to reverse in today’s climate.
elizabethjacobs.bsky.social Elizabeth Jacobs, PhD @elizabethjacobs.bsky.social · 6d
It is utterly catastrophic that RFK Jr. plans to end CDC recommendations for most childhood vaccines.

It’s a betrayal of science, ethics, compassion, and the people of the United States.

And it was also a specific goal of Project 2025 (page 254).
Screenshot from project 2025 that says By statute or regulation, CDC guidance must be prohibited from taking on a prescriptive character. For example, never again should CDC officials be allowed to say in their official capacity that school children "should be" masked or vaccinated (through a schedule or otherwise) or prohibited from learning in a school building. Such decisions should be left to parents and medical providers. We have learned that when CDC says what people "should" do, it readily becomes a "must" backed by severe punishments, including criminal penalties. CDC should report on the risks and effectiveness of all infectious disease-mitigation measures dispassionately and leave the "should" and "must" policy calls to politically accountable parties. Conflicts of Interest. There was a time when the CDC could not take money

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders, Juan Cole

filipecampante.bsky.social
Filipe Campante @filipecampante.bsky.social · 4d
The contrast with Brazil jumps at me once again. Brazil has managed to rebuild sanity into the policy process in a way that seems sustainable — even if the right comes back to power next year, it will likely be a sane version. But the way this has been done is by punishing the coup attempt.

profsaunders.bsky.social
Elizabeth N. Saunders @profsaunders.bsky.social · 4d
This. We’ve left the sane world behind. Are we going to rebuild structures and processes to reimpose discipline on the discussion of intelligence? Or on [fill in your favorite policy area]?
tompepinsky.com Tom Pepinsky @tompepinsky.com · 4d
An underappreciated dimension of our media and politics environment is that every policy principal is now terminally online, arguing basic policy matters in public

In no sane world, prior to 2016, would anyone want the DNI (or any admin official) to set or defend U.S. policy or objectives this way
captainfubar.bsky.social Fubar 🇨🇦 @captainfubar.bsky.social · 5d
Hey is it good when the DNI repeats Russian talking points?

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders, Tom Clark

tompepinsky.com
Tom Pepinsky @tompepinsky.com · 4d
An underappreciated dimension of our media and politics environment is that every policy principal is now terminally online, arguing basic policy matters in public

In no sane world, prior to 2016, would anyone want the DNI (or any admin official) to set or defend U.S. policy or objectives this way
captainfubar.bsky.social Fubar 🇨🇦 @captainfubar.bsky.social · 5d
Hey is it good when the DNI repeats Russian talking points?

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders

proftalmadge.bsky.social
Caitlin Talmadge @proftalmadge.bsky.social · 5d
Sobering analysis: "The reality of a possible U.S.-Venezuelan confrontation is that while Venezuela cannot win a conventional war, it can make a U.S. intervention a costly, uncertain, and politically explosive gamble."
warontherocks.com/2025/12/weak...
Weak in Battle, Dangerous in Resistance: Venezuela’s Military Preparedness and Possible Responses to U.S. Action
The dramatic surge in U.S. military power in the Caribbean since August 2025 — anchored by the arrival of the USS Gerald R. Ford, the deployment of F-35s
warontherocks.com

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders, David R. Miller

kawulf.bsky.social
Karin Wulf @kawulf.bsky.social · 5d
NIST having to say to the media "time is not broken." That's 2025 all over. The venn of people who know what NIST is, and are so certain of tech is just two circles.
www.cbsnews.com/colorado/new...
Power outage in Boulder area affects atomic clock, "Time is not broken" NIST says
Due to the power outage, time (very) briefly stood still at the NIST Internet Time Service facility in Boulder.
www.cbsnews.com

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders, Brendan Nyhan, Joshua S. Weitz , and 14 more

elizabethjacobs.bsky.social
Elizabeth Jacobs, PhD @elizabethjacobs.bsky.social · 6d
It is utterly catastrophic that RFK Jr. plans to end CDC recommendations for most childhood vaccines.

It’s a betrayal of science, ethics, compassion, and the people of the United States.

And it was also a specific goal of Project 2025 (page 254).
Screenshot from project 2025 that says By statute or regulation, CDC guidance must be prohibited from taking on a prescriptive character. For example, never again should CDC officials be allowed to say in their official capacity that school children "should be" masked or vaccinated (through a schedule or otherwise) or prohibited from learning in a school building. Such decisions should be left to parents and medical providers. We have learned that when CDC says what people "should" do, it readily becomes a "must" backed by severe punishments, including criminal penalties. CDC should report on the risks and effectiveness of all infectious disease-mitigation measures dispassionately and leave the "should" and "must" policy calls to politically accountable parties. Conflicts of Interest. There was a time when the CDC could not take money

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders

kaine.senate.gov
Senator Tim Kaine @kaine.senate.gov · 6d
Huge news: after many years, my bipartisan bill with Senator Todd Young to repeal the 1991 and 2002 Authorizations for Use of Military Force against Iraq was signed into law. This is a historic win for Americans and allows us to close the book on this forever war.

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders, Jon Green, David R. Miller

brendannyhan.bsky.social
Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 8d
Musgrave: "We are about to speedrun the rediscovery of why states stopped acting like this" musgrave.substack.com/p/literal-co...

profsaunders.bsky.social
Elizabeth N. Saunders @profsaunders.bsky.social · 8d
Yesterday's version: bsky.app/profile/did:...
profsaunders.bsky.social Elizabeth N. Saunders @profsaunders.bsky.social · 9d
This is either the prelude to the biggest US military mistake since Iraq, or Tuesday. I’m not trying to be glib. He’s not being strategically unpredictable. It’s just rantings that may harm untold numbers of innocent people. It’s deadly serious, which his posts are not.
bcfinucane.bsky.social Brian Finucane @bcfinucane.bsky.social · 9d
POTUS announces a blockade of sanctioned oil tankers in an apparent attempt to extort Venezuela.

Real gunboat diplomacy.

profsaunders.bsky.social
Elizabeth N. Saunders @profsaunders.bsky.social · 8d
Again: is the United States about to make the biggest mistake since the Iraq War, or is it Wednesday?
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 8d
Trump on Venezuela: "Getting land, oil rights, whatever we had -- they took it away because we had a president that maybe wasn't watching. But they're not gonna do that. We want it back. They took our oil rights. We had a lot of oil there. They threw our companies out. And we want it back."

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders, Charles W. Smith, David R. Miller , and 9 more

atrupar.com
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 8d
Trump on Venezuela: "Getting land, oil rights, whatever we had -- they took it away because we had a president that maybe wasn't watching. But they're not gonna do that. We want it back. They took our oil rights. We had a lot of oil there. They threw our companies out. And we want it back."

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders, David Darmofal

jfallows.bsky.social
James Fallows @jfallows.bsky.social · 8d
This is a science counterpart to demolishing East Wing at the White House. But with far greater consequences.

These people are dangerous zealots (sort of as Susie Wiles has put it), and every decent person must stand up to stop them.

www.nbcnews.com/science/clim...
Trump administration plans to break up largest federal climate research center
Russ Vought, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, said the National Science Foundation "will be breaking up" the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado.
www.nbcnews.com

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders, Robert C. Richards, Scott A. Imberman

charlesornstein.bsky.social
Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 9d
A story that should shock our collective conscience: After Trump Cuts to Kenya Food Aid, Children Died of Starvation
After Trump Officials Cut Food Aid to Kenya, Children Starved to Death
“Brutal and traumatizing”: Interviews and a trove of internal documents show government officials and aid workers desperately tried to warn Trump advisers about impending disaster and death.
www.propublica.org

Reposted by Anne Applebaum, Elizabeth Saunders, John McLaren , and 7 more

propublica.org
ProPublica @propublica.org · 9d
NEW: Without USAID funding to help buy food for refugees, the World Food Program rushed to prioritize families based on need, determining that only half the population would get food.

Refugees learned which half they were in from a number stamped on the back of their ration card.
After Trump Officials Cut Food Aid to Kenya, Children Starved to Death
“Brutal and traumatizing”: Interviews and a trove of internal documents show government officials and aid workers desperately tried to warn Trump advisers about impending disaster and death.
www.propublica.org

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders

epopppp.bsky.social
Beth Popp Berman @epopppp.bsky.social · 9d
The hate I can at least understand.

The desire to shoot ourselves in the foot, repeatedly, will never cease to mystify me.
Screenshot of tweet from Russ Vought, explaining that the National Center for Atmospheric Research is being broken up for being "one of the largest sources of climate alarmism in the country."

profsaunders.bsky.social
Elizabeth N. Saunders @profsaunders.bsky.social · 9d
Radical Theory of International Relations right here
chriswarcraft.bsky.social Chris Kluwe @chriswarcraft.bsky.social · 9d
I know this is a bold stance in America, but I simply do not believe we should be declaring war on another country for “stealing our oil” when the oil is, in fact, under the ground of that other country

Reposted by Katharine Hayhoe, Elizabeth Saunders, Rebecca Solnit , and 67 more

usatoday.com
USA TODAY @usatoday.com · 9d
Exclusive: The Trump administration is moving to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado, according to a senior White House official, taking aim at one of the world's leading climate research labs.
Trump moves to dismantle major US climate research center in Colorado
The Trump administration is breaking up the National Center for Atmospheric Research, taking aim at one of the world's leading climate research labs.
bit.ly

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders, Noah L. Nathan

scottjshapiro.bsky.social
Scott Shapiro @scottjshapiro.bsky.social · 9d
It’s really not funny that we are starting a war for no apparent reason.

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders, Rosemary A. Joyce

chriswarcraft.bsky.social
Chris Kluwe @chriswarcraft.bsky.social · 9d
I know this is a bold stance in America, but I simply do not believe we should be declaring war on another country for “stealing our oil” when the oil is, in fact, under the ground of that other country

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders, Brendan Nyhan, John Collins , and 1 more

chrislhayes.bsky.social
Chris Hayes @chrislhayes.bsky.social · 9d
Seems like Trump and his groupies think starting a regime change war of conquest out of nowhere is a political masterstroke that will get them back on the front foot, but I don’t think that’s how it will play out.