Skip to content
TRENDING:
Iran
Advertisement
Author profile
Clifford D. May

Clifford D. May

cmay123@washingtontimes.com

Clifford D. May is president of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a columnist for The Washington Times. He can be reached at cliff@fdd.org.

Columns by Clifford D. May

Illustration on the Syrian Kurd situation by Linas Garsys/The Washington Times

The Kurds are not angels

Angels don't make great soldiers. And the Kurds, with American training, assistance, advice and combat air support, were enlisted to fight the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, a barbaric enemy of Americans, Kurds and other civilized nations.

October 22, 2019
Illustration on the situation in northern Syria by Linas Garsys/The Washington Times

President Trump not ending the endless war in Syria

Mr. Trump's defenders say he is doing it for the troops, bringing them home where they'll be safe. But America's warriors volunteer not to be safe at home but to keep their fellow Americans safe at home by targeting our enemies wherever they live and plot.

October 15, 2019
Columnist George Will, who quit the Republican Party when Mr. Trump won the presidential nomination, went so far as to urge conservatives to vote Democrat in this year's midterm elections to gut the party, which he said had become Mr. Trump's "plaything." (Associated Press/File)

George Will and American power

For more than 40 years, George Will has been producing erudite political commentary. Most often, I find myself agreeing with the arguments presented in his twice-weekly columns for The Washington Post. When I don't, I have to wrack my brains to figure out why, and how I might frame a cogent dissent.

October 8, 2019
Illustration on anti-semitism by Linas Garsys/The Washington Times

Columbia University celebrates anti-Semitism

Malaysia's most celebrated Jew-hater is Mahathir Mohamad, the country's 94-year-old prime minister. Last week, Columbia University joined in the celebration.

October 1, 2019
Illustration commemorating 9/11 by Linas Garsys/The Washington Times

Another unhappy September 11 anniversary

On September 11, 2001, a sparkling late summer morning, enemies of America hijacked four passenger jets and turned them into guided missiles.

September 10, 2019
Hong Kong illustration by Linas Garsys

Why Hong Kong has a right to self-determination

The other day, President Trump took it into his head to buy Greenland. That stirred outrage and anger. "Thankfully," said Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, "the time where you buy and sell other countries and populations is over."

August 27, 2019
In Afghanistan, no deal is better than a bad deal

In Afghanistan, no deal is better than a bad deal

Two years ago this month, Zalmay Khalilzad, the distinguished diplomat who has served as America's ambassador to both Iraq and Afghanistan, praised President Trump for adopting "a realistic position regarding peace talks" with the Taliban, "moving away from President Barack Obama's pursuit of reconciliation regardless of the deteriorating military situation."

August 13, 2019
How art imitates life in Ukraine

How art imitates life in Ukraine

Just over a year ago, Volodymyr Zelensky was a comic actor. One day, his rant against Ukrainian politics and politicians, surreptitiously recorded, goes viral on social media. The result: He's elected president of Ukraine with 67 percent of the vote.

July 30, 2019
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo listens during a Cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Tuesday, July 16, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Getting human rights right

At the State Department, human rights have generally been a not-so-high priority. The big kahunas tend to focus on war and peace, allies and adversaries, national security and global economics.

July 16, 2019
Illusatration on nationalism by Linas Garsys/The Washington Times

Who’s afraid of nationalism?

Is a new "age of nationalism already upon us?" That premise will be debated in Washington, July 14-16, at the "kick-off event" of the Edmund Burke Foundation, a fledgling public affairs institute dedicated to "strengthening the principles of national conservatism in Western and other democratic countries."

July 9, 2019
Illustration on the Middle East peace process by Alexander Hunter/The Washington Times

Palestinians’ ‘opportunity of the century’

Abba Eban, who was serving as his country's foreign minister after Israel defended itself from Egypt, Syria and Jordan in the Six-Day War, is said to have lamented that Palestinians "never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity."

July 2, 2019
Illustration on Hong Kong by Linas Garsys/The Washington Times

Hong Kong freedom fighters deserve more support than they’re getting

"God has planted in every heart," President George W. Bush famously said, "the desire to live in freedom," I've never been convinced that's true. But the desire to live in freedom has been planted in some hearts. In Hong Kong in recent days, we've been witnessing a bracing demonstration.

June 25, 2019
Illustration on nationalism by Linas Garsys/The Washington Times

Why the Trump brand of nationalism works

Donald Trump strutted on the European stage last week and, it seems to me, put in a boffo performance. He wore white tie and tails. He charmed Queen Elizabeth. He gave the heroes of Normandy what may be, sadly, their final curtain call.

June 11, 2019
Illustration on the new rise of socialism by Alexander Hunter/The Washington Times

Socialism rises from the grave

In 2002, Joshua Muravchik, a distinguished scholar, wrote a history of socialism which, he thought, might also be considered an epitaph for socialism.

June 4, 2019