William Bendix
@williambendix.bsky.social
Associate Professor of International Relations & Intelligence, Dakota State University
Opinions, rarely offered, are my own
Opinions, rarely offered, are my own
John Yoo argues, "International law should adopt a cost-benefit approach to interventions. It should allow military intervention today to prevent greater harms tomorrow." In practice, this utilitarian approach to law and security is not workable.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
A New International Law Can Rise From the Ashes
The United States should use this moment to argue for a different approach to the rules of war.
www.theatlantic.com
January 25, 2026 at 3:43 PM
John Yoo argues, "International law should adopt a cost-benefit approach to interventions. It should allow military intervention today to prevent greater harms tomorrow." In practice, this utilitarian approach to law and security is not workable.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
"While Brussels and Washington are lining up hundreds of billions of dollars in long-term funding and pitching Ukraine as a future EU member and investment destination, the strategy hinges on a ceasefire that remains elusive."
www.politico.eu/article/docu...
www.politico.eu/article/docu...
Document reveals EU-US pitch for $800B postwar Ukraine ‘prosperity’ plan
The proposal hinges on a ceasefire that remains elusive while Russian leader Vladimir Putin persists with his full-scale invasion.
www.politico.eu
January 23, 2026 at 11:12 PM
"While Brussels and Washington are lining up hundreds of billions of dollars in long-term funding and pitching Ukraine as a future EU member and investment destination, the strategy hinges on a ceasefire that remains elusive."
www.politico.eu/article/docu...
www.politico.eu/article/docu...
Just checked the Oscar nominations and saw that Nick Cave is up for an Academy Award. Wild.
But his nominated song, "Train Dreams," has got to be dullest thing he's ever written. Still, I hope he wins.
But his nominated song, "Train Dreams," has got to be dullest thing he's ever written. Still, I hope he wins.
January 22, 2026 at 11:30 PM
Just checked the Oscar nominations and saw that Nick Cave is up for an Academy Award. Wild.
But his nominated song, "Train Dreams," has got to be dullest thing he's ever written. Still, I hope he wins.
But his nominated song, "Train Dreams," has got to be dullest thing he's ever written. Still, I hope he wins.
"The two senior government officials said military planners are modelling a U.S. invasion from the south, expecting American forces to overcome Canada’s strategic positions on land and at sea within a week and possibly as quickly as two days."
www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/art...
www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/art...
Military models Canadian response to hypothetical American invasion
Armed Forces envision insurgency tactics like those used by Afghan mujahedeen, sources say. But officials and experts stress a U.S. operation is unlikely, and the scenarios are conceptual
www.theglobeandmail.com
January 20, 2026 at 12:23 PM
"The two senior government officials said military planners are modelling a U.S. invasion from the south, expecting American forces to overcome Canada’s strategic positions on land and at sea within a week and possibly as quickly as two days."
www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/art...
www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/art...
Reposting. Shameless self-promotion.
I have a new open-access article on asymmetric cyberconflict. It looks at why authoritarian states often have an advantage over democracies in cyberspace, even though they usually lag in tech capability.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
The paradox of power in cyberconflict: Why authoritarian states have the advantage
Research on interstate cyberconflict recognizes that many online confrontations are asymmetric, pitting powerful democracies against authoritarian challengers. Yet there is no consensus on whether ...
www.tandfonline.com
January 19, 2026 at 3:32 PM
Reposting. Shameless self-promotion.
"Putin’s Russia exports not only energy resources but also disorder. There is a 'root cause' for this, to use Putin’s own words: the internal structure of the Putin regime."
www.foreignaffairs.com/russia/why-p...
www.foreignaffairs.com/russia/why-p...
Why Putin Still Prefers War
Russia's growing resolve to fight on in Ukraine.
www.foreignaffairs.com
January 16, 2026 at 11:08 PM
"Putin’s Russia exports not only energy resources but also disorder. There is a 'root cause' for this, to use Putin’s own words: the internal structure of the Putin regime."
www.foreignaffairs.com/russia/why-p...
www.foreignaffairs.com/russia/why-p...
"It's OK. That's what he should be doing. It's a good thing for him to sign a trade deal. If you can get a deal with China, you should do that," Trump said, referring to Carney.
www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
Trump seems unconcerned about Canada-China trade deal: 'If you can get a deal with China, you should do that' | CBC
www.cbc.ca
January 16, 2026 at 7:02 PM
"It's OK. That's what he should be doing. It's a good thing for him to sign a trade deal. If you can get a deal with China, you should do that," Trump said, referring to Carney.
www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
"It was easy to separate trade and security concerns in the Cold War: Who wanted to buy anything from the Soviet Union? But in today's world our adversaries are also our trading partners - and our trading partners may become our adversaries."
www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
Opinion: In seeking to deepen trade with China, Canada is hedging its bets
We face the risk of Finlandization – nominal independence, but subordinate to a superpower
www.theglobeandmail.com
January 16, 2026 at 6:17 PM
"It was easy to separate trade and security concerns in the Cold War: Who wanted to buy anything from the Soviet Union? But in today's world our adversaries are also our trading partners - and our trading partners may become our adversaries."
www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
"They fell back on interrogation methods they had probably seen in movies. To intimidate me, Maher would blow smoke in my face, but because he was using an e-cigarette, all I got was a gust of strawberry-smelling vape."
www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
I Was Kidnapped by Idiots
An academic trip to Iraq unexpectedly turned into an immersive field study on the ways authoritarian regimes use brutality.
www.theatlantic.com
January 11, 2026 at 2:29 PM
"They fell back on interrogation methods they had probably seen in movies. To intimidate me, Maher would blow smoke in my face, but because he was using an e-cigarette, all I got was a gust of strawberry-smelling vape."
www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
"A 'snollygoster,' for example, typically refers to a shrewd but unprincipled politician..., while 'mumpsimus' is used to describe someone who insists they’re right, despite evidence to the contrary."
www.cbc.ca/radio/sunday...
www.cbc.ca/radio/sunday...
How an old word like ‘snollygoster’ can give people power over politics | CBC Radio
Susie Dent says labelling the “snollygosters” and “mumpsimus” and other emotions can actually give people a great deal of peace during challenging times.
www.cbc.ca
January 10, 2026 at 9:05 PM
"A 'snollygoster,' for example, typically refers to a shrewd but unprincipled politician..., while 'mumpsimus' is used to describe someone who insists they’re right, despite evidence to the contrary."
www.cbc.ca/radio/sunday...
www.cbc.ca/radio/sunday...
"Eutelsat, a rival to tech billionaire Elon Musk's Starlink, already provides some services to the Canadian military, but wants to deepen the partnership as Canada looks to diversify defence contracts away from suppliers in the United States."
www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
French-U.K. Starlink rival pitches Canada on 'sovereign' satellite service for Arctic military operations | CBC News
Eutelsat, a company largely owned by the French and U.K. governments, is offering Canada an alternative to Elon Musk's Starlink satellite broadband communications in the Far North. The company says it...
www.cbc.ca
January 9, 2026 at 9:13 PM
"Eutelsat, a rival to tech billionaire Elon Musk's Starlink, already provides some services to the Canadian military, but wants to deepen the partnership as Canada looks to diversify defence contracts away from suppliers in the United States."
www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
"The Islamic Republic is not a pyramid of power; it’s a maze. Every corridor looks like an exit until it loops back to the same center. The design isn’t accidental; it’s survival architecture."
www.persuasion.community/p/heres-why-...
www.persuasion.community/p/heres-why-...
Here’s Why the Iranian Regime Seems Invincible
And why it shouldn’t stop the citizens currently fighting for freedom.
www.persuasion.community
January 7, 2026 at 11:27 PM
"The Islamic Republic is not a pyramid of power; it’s a maze. Every corridor looks like an exit until it loops back to the same center. The design isn’t accidental; it’s survival architecture."
www.persuasion.community/p/heres-why-...
www.persuasion.community/p/heres-why-...
"Rep. Mark Amodei, the Nevada Republican who chairs the DHS funding panel, told reporters Tuesday night that House and Senate appropriators are crafting their spending measure to make it 'harder to make the money mobile.'"
www.politico.com/live-updates...
www.politico.com/live-updates...
Lawmakers seek to limit DHS power to shuffle cash in funding bill
“I know that the secretary doesn't like that,” said Rep. Mark Amodei.
www.politico.com
January 7, 2026 at 2:02 AM
"Rep. Mark Amodei, the Nevada Republican who chairs the DHS funding panel, told reporters Tuesday night that House and Senate appropriators are crafting their spending measure to make it 'harder to make the money mobile.'"
www.politico.com/live-updates...
www.politico.com/live-updates...
I have a new open-access article on asymmetric cyberconflict. It looks at why authoritarian states often have an advantage over democracies in cyberspace, even though they usually lag in tech capability.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
The paradox of power in cyberconflict: Why authoritarian states have the advantage
Research on interstate cyberconflict recognizes that many online confrontations are asymmetric, pitting powerful democracies against authoritarian challengers. Yet there is no consensus on whether ...
www.tandfonline.com
January 5, 2026 at 3:39 PM
I have a new open-access article on asymmetric cyberconflict. It looks at why authoritarian states often have an advantage over democracies in cyberspace, even though they usually lag in tech capability.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Federalist no. 4: "absolute monarchs will often make war when their nations are to get nothing by it, but for the purposes and objects merely personal, such as thirst for military glory, revenge for personal affronts, ambition, or private compacts to aggrandize or support their particular families."
January 5, 2026 at 1:31 AM
Federalist no. 4: "absolute monarchs will often make war when their nations are to get nothing by it, but for the purposes and objects merely personal, such as thirst for military glory, revenge for personal affronts, ambition, or private compacts to aggrandize or support their particular families."
"Steve Bannon, who often pushes the 'America first' agenda, praised the president in the immediate aftermath of the military action, calling it 'a bold and brilliant raid.'"
www.politico.com/news/2026/01...
www.politico.com/news/2026/01...
The hawks are winning
The Trump White House has so far dodged a revolt from the MAGA base which has been skeptical of sustained U.S. engagement abroad.
www.politico.com
January 4, 2026 at 12:15 AM
"Steve Bannon, who often pushes the 'America first' agenda, praised the president in the immediate aftermath of the military action, calling it 'a bold and brilliant raid.'"
www.politico.com/news/2026/01...
www.politico.com/news/2026/01...
Reposted by William Bendix
Poland’s top military commander warns the country is in a “pre-war” phase, saying Russia is already preparing for possible aggression by trying to destabilize Poland, undermine trust in state institutions, and create conditions for future attacks.
December 30, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Poland’s top military commander warns the country is in a “pre-war” phase, saying Russia is already preparing for possible aggression by trying to destabilize Poland, undermine trust in state institutions, and create conditions for future attacks.
"Details of the security guarantees have not become public but Zelenskyy said Monday that they include how a peace deal would be monitored as well as the 'presence' of partners."
apnews.com/article/russ...
apnews.com/article/russ...
US offers Ukraine 15-year security guarantee as part of peace plan, Zelenskyy says
The United States is offering Ukraine security guarantees for 15 years as part of a proposed peace plan, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
apnews.com
December 29, 2025 at 12:52 PM
"Details of the security guarantees have not become public but Zelenskyy said Monday that they include how a peace deal would be monitored as well as the 'presence' of partners."
apnews.com/article/russ...
apnews.com/article/russ...
“One cannot help but get the impression that the AfD is working through a list of tasks assigned to it by the Kremlin with its inquiries.”
www.politico.eu/article/germ...
www.politico.eu/article/germ...
Germany’s far-right AfD accused of gathering information for the Kremlin
Alternative for Germany’s opponents accuse the party of attempting to disclose sensitive information on arms supply routes and drone defenses.
www.politico.eu
December 26, 2025 at 6:34 PM
“One cannot help but get the impression that the AfD is working through a list of tasks assigned to it by the Kremlin with its inquiries.”
www.politico.eu/article/germ...
www.politico.eu/article/germ...
"Investigators are pursuing numerous lines of enquiry regarding the murder. One of these is that the crime was orchestrated by Ukrainian intelligence services."
www.cbc.ca/news/world/r...
www.cbc.ca/news/world/r...
Russian general killed by bomb under his car in Moscow | CBC News
A Russian general was killed Monday morning after an explosive device detonated underneath his car in Moscow, and investigators said Ukraine could be behind the attack, the third such killing of a sen...
www.cbc.ca
December 22, 2025 at 1:24 PM
"Investigators are pursuing numerous lines of enquiry regarding the murder. One of these is that the crime was orchestrated by Ukrainian intelligence services."
www.cbc.ca/news/world/r...
www.cbc.ca/news/world/r...
"U.S. partners will have to take seriously the possibility that they will need their own nuclear forces because the United States will refuse to defend them."
www.foreignaffairs.com/united-state...
www.foreignaffairs.com/united-state...
The Allies After America
In search of Plan B.
www.foreignaffairs.com
December 18, 2025 at 2:24 AM
"U.S. partners will have to take seriously the possibility that they will need their own nuclear forces because the United States will refuse to defend them."
www.foreignaffairs.com/united-state...
www.foreignaffairs.com/united-state...
"Politicians become dependent on the wealthy not because the money actually delivers votes, but because they believe it does."
Study after study shows campaign ads barely move the needle. So where does money’s real power come from? I ranked the five ways money corrupts politics—from least to most corrosive. What I’ve learned from 15 years of tracking political money:
Money Doesn't Buy Elections. It Does Something Worse.
Campaign ads barely move the needle. The real influence is hiding in plain sight.
open.substack.com
December 7, 2025 at 12:17 AM
"Politicians become dependent on the wealthy not because the money actually delivers votes, but because they believe it does."
Putin maintains his army through generous signing bones. One Russian explains his decision to fight: “During one argument, my wife said: ‘It would be better if you went to war.’ A month and a half later, I signed the contract. It felt like the only way out.”
www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
How Russia keeps raising an army to replace its dead
An online bazaar of freelance headhunters finds new recruits to fight Ukraine, emboldening Vladimir Putin at the negotiating table and scaring European leaders about what his growing army might do nex...
www.politico.com
December 5, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Putin maintains his army through generous signing bones. One Russian explains his decision to fight: “During one argument, my wife said: ‘It would be better if you went to war.’ A month and a half later, I signed the contract. It felt like the only way out.”
www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
www.politico.com/news/2025/12...