In The News

Japan-Russia Territory Dispute: Wall Street Journal

Ann M. Simmons and Chieko Tsuneoka November 5, 2019
Russia and Japan launched a new program aimed at resolving a territorial dispute that has lingered since 1945 when the Soviet Union seized the islands of Kunashir and Iturup. Japanese with no ties to the islands boarded a ship for a visit. One scholar suggests that the trip may have been more symbolic with differences between Russia and Japan still wide. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and...

Impeachment Rules Set: Time

Alana Abramson November 1, 2019
The US House of Representatives voted along party lines, except for two votes, to set rules for the impeachment inquiry of US President Donald Trump. Even supporters of impeachment express concern that the partisan divide will doom the effort to remove Trump from office: “the partisan breakdown of the vote shows the uphill battle Democrats will face as they try to convince their Republican...

Internationalizing the Kashmir Issue: Hindu Times

Karan Thapar November 1, 2019
A small group of EU members of parliament, mostly representing right-wing, anti-immigrant and anti-trade interests, visited Kashmir. Other MPs pointed out they were disinvited after insisting upon meeting ordinary people of Kashmir and opposing the tight restrictions imposed by the Modi government that would prevent hearing opposition voices. Violence broke out in Kashmir during that visit,...

Trump Lifts Sanctions on Turkey: New York Times

Michael Crowley and Lara Jakes October 24, 2019
The price may be heavy for the US abandoning Kurdish allies and its role in stabilizing territory in northeast Syria – delegating security to Russia and Turkey. Turkey’s president advised the US president about its plans to invade northern Syria on Oct 6, and Trump ordered US troop withdrawal. Not waiting for the US troops to exit, Turkey made its move October 9, touting plans to create a buffer...

World Stares at Trump: Washington Post

Dana Milbank October 21, 2019
Whether on denying climate change is a problem or pulling US troops from Syria while giving Kurdish allies five days to avoid Turkish forces, Donald Trump rationalizes policies that the rest of the world find incomprehensible. The US president seems alone against the world, suggests Dana Milbank for the Washington Post. Trump blames the intelligence community, the news media, academia and...

Timeline of Ukraine Scandal: Kyiv Post

Oleksiy Sorokin. October 19, 2019
Government officials withholding military aid to Ukraine for a political favor is at the heart of an impeachment inquiry underway since September 24. A telephone call and testimony to three committees of the House of Representatives indicate that Donald Trump directed his private attorney and government staff to re-investigate and disqualify numerous US investigations that have found Russia was...

Trump Sends Troops to Saudi Arabia: Foreign Policy

Bilal Y. Saab October 17, 2019
Donald Trump is sending 1,800 more troops to Saudi Arabia. During a meeting with congressional leaders, Trump suggested that Saudi Arabia will cover the costs. Abrupt US withdrawal from Syria left Kurds, key allies in the fight against the Islamic State, to fend for themselves against a Turkish invasion. A hasty ceasefire has since been announced by the US and Turkey, both NATO members. Nations...