Sam Ratner (@samratner.bsky.social)

Policy director @WinWithoutWar, working to enact a more just and progressive US foreign policy. Formerly @ACLEDINFO and @ZitamarNews. He/him. Views my own.

[Sam Ratner (@samratner.bsky.social) @samratner]

Some professional news! I couldn't be more excited to join the incredible team at @WinWithoutWar. The global challenges we face today demand progressive responses, and I'm thrilled to join an organization dedicated to developing truly progressive foreign policy.

[Win Without War (winwithoutwar.bsky.social) @WinWithoutWar]

We’re thrilled to announce that @samratner will become our new Policy Director! Sam recently worked on security & humanitarian issues in Mozambique and as a journalist, incl. as writer of Critical State newsletter & founding editor of @ftravelersblog. https://t.co/iSDr7zJBEJ

[Negar Mortazavi نگار مرتضوی @NegarMortazavi]

Democrats who oppose the war on Iran should welcome the peace deal.

It may not be a great deal. But the alternative is continuing a devastating war that has already unleashed massive death and destruction across the region and could escalate even further.

Criticize the process. Debate the details. But don’t lose sight of the goal: ending this unnecessary war.

[Sam Ratner (@samratner.bsky.social) @samratner]

@nana_alaouie Iman checking your tweets after Arsenal games has been a key part of my game day routine for years and years — I can’t believe we did it. Thank you for the joy you’ve given all of us, free Palestine, WE’RE CHAMPIONS

[Antonio De Loera 🇺🇸🇲🇽 @AntonioDeLoeraB]

Puebla, May 5, 1862.

A republic defeated a monarchy.

Mexican peasants defeated the elite of the French infantry.

The New World defeated the Old.

Don’t forget the reason for the season!

¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

🇲🇽⚔️🇫🇷

[Thanassis Cambanis @tcambanis]

The Minab Girls School bombing will go down in history along with My Lai and Abu Ghraib as signal, and shameful, American war crimes.

[Jonathan Guyer @mideastXmidwest]

The US is spending on average $260 billion a year to counter China militarily.

That's $3.4 trillion since 2012.

via @CostsOfWar

[Sam Ratner (@samratner.bsky.social) @samratner]

This is some of the most embarrassing shit imaginable. "Come make six figures to help kill kids and, as a bonus, you can cosplay while you do it!"

[Ted Mabrey @MabreyTed]

Former hobbits. If you have ever considered returning to Palantir, this is the week to do it. The world is demanding every last unit of creative energy we can muster. If you return, you will be on a plane day one and committing code that matters within hours of getting your laptop. From the foxhole to the factory floor the surface area to support something incredibly meaningful, immediately, is immense. I promise you nothing other than the sense of satisfaction that comes from the purpose and intensity of the most intense deployments you ever worked on. If you have been chasing that spark, come find it again. The shire is calling.

[Sina Toossi @SinaToossi]

What’s the actual evidence for this? For Iranians inside Iran?

Sweeping claims like this — often rooted in projection and wishful thinking — have repeatedly distorted analysis and helped set the stage for the catastrophe we’re now witnessing.

[Matt Duss @mattduss]

These guys spent a lot of time skirting US law and dodging Congressional oversight to keep arming the Gaza genocide, so I’m really not interested in their newfound concern about the consequences of lawless violence. The only thing I need to read from them is a confession.

[Julia Gledhill @JuliaGledhill]

Lol. Lmao even. According to the Sec 803 of the FY26 NDAA, military contractors' interest payments are now allowable costs -- meaning the government will reimburse them. The government has refused to do so for 85+ years. In the DOD's own words, a la a 2022 Contract Finance Study

[Dylan Williams @dylanotes]

Wanting to punish someone for giving expert advice to a democratically-elected government on how to further democratize is peak “Foundation for Defense of Democracies” fatuousness.

Keep attacking actual human rights, rule of law and democracy activists, guys. You’re doing great!

[@emmaclairefoley.bsky.social @emmaclairefoley]

For @jacobin, I addressed a recent article in @ForeignAffairs arguing that the U.S. should give nuclear weapons to Germany, Japan, and Canada: https://t.co/sRDEhbhRZu

[John Hudson @John_Hudson]

FDD expresses "gratitude" to Laura Loomer on her work "highlighting the threat of violent Islamism." (Loomer has called herself a "proud Islamophobe," Islam a “cancer on humanity” and was banned from Uber/Lyft for saying "I never want to support another Islamic immigrant driver”

[Gillian Branstetter @GBBranstetter]

This being named a Notable Book of 2025 by The New York Times thereby confirming it's thesis

[Sam Ratner (@samratner.bsky.social) @samratner]

If only there was some sort of pre-existing indication of how Bridge views the legislative branch...

[Idrees Ali @idreesali114]

@SenatorWicker @SenRickScott This hearing has quite a few Republican lawmakers frustrated with the Pentagon. @SenDanSullivan says the toughest person to get a hold of in the administration is Elbridge Colby-- even tougher to speak with than the Trump and Hegseth, the Republican Senator says.

[Matt Duss @mattduss]

We need these reports made public. The American public should know what the Biden and Trump administrations knew and when they knew it.

[Leah Greenberg says NO KINGS ❌👑 @Leahgreenb]

two schools of thought on protecting Jewish safety in America:

1) we either fight for a pluralistic democracy where we are safe because minority rights are protected or 2) we seek junior partner status in the MAGA white nationalist alliance

the ADL has chosen door #2

[Van Jackson @RealVanJackson]

“If you want an antiracist foreign policy, you have to move toward disarmament.” Had a blast on the pod talking nukes, disarmament, and the end of the world with @andrewfacini @samratner @rubin_lyle

[Jeremy Konyndyk @JeremyKonyndyk]

A disastrous failure that needlessly cost tens of thousands of Palestinian lives while helping put Trump in the White House. A moral, strategic, and political catastrophe akin to the Iraq war.

The architects of which should have no place in Democratic foreign policy ever again.

[alex bronzini-vender @alexbronzini]

An interesting consequence of Bari Weiss soon running CBS, David Ellison soon owning CNN, and Bezos’s ongoing reshaping of WaPo is that a sizable chunk of American media will soon hold an editorial line—Trump-skeptical conservatism—that has basically zero popular base