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Monica Duffy Toft

Monica Duffy Toft

The National Interest

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Could Venezuela be another Iraq or Afghanistan? Lessons from American statecraft in force and legitimacy

Reemoving a leader — even a brutal and incompetent one — is not the same as advancing a legitimate political order.

monday 4

Fortune

Monica Duffy Toft

Can the US ‘run’ Venezuela? Military force can topple a dictator, but it cannot create political authority or legitimacy

If Washington governs by force in Venezuela, it will repeat the failures of Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya: Power can topple regimes, but it cannot...

monday 6

The Conversation

Monica Duffy Toft

‘Warrior ethos’ mistakes military might for true security – and ignores the wisdom of Eisenhower

As hundreds of military brass descend on a base in Virginia to be addressed by Pete Hegseth, his newly bestowed title is ‘Secretary of War.’ That...

30.09.2025 20

The Conversation

Monica Duffy Toft

The Return of Spheres of Influence

Will Negotiations Over Ukraine Be a New Yalta Conference That Carves Up the World?

13.03.2025 10

Foreign Affairs

Monica Duffy Toft

Trump’s threats on Greenland, Gaza, Ukraine and Panama revive old-school US imperialism of dominating other nations by force, after decades of nuclear deterrence

The US has largely managed its empire in a more ‘gentlemanly manner’ than many historical empires, says a US foreign policy expert. Trump is...

20.02.2025 6

The Conversation

Monica Duffy Toft

US secretary of state has an expansive job that could make or break peace deals and key foreign alliances

Marco Rubio, Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of state, will begin his confirmation hearing on Jan. 15.

14.01.2025 5

The Conversation

Monica Duffy Toft