In The News

North Korea: Not Waving. Perhaps Drowning

June 4, 2010
Nations bordering North Korea would prefer less isolation, belligerence and unpredictability. But abrupt collapse of the current regime could be equally dangerous. Any loss of control in a nation with such pronounced poverty, as detailed in this article from the Economist, could destabilize South Korea and China, analysts suggest, with refugees pouring over borders, nuclear weapons unsecured, as...

The Cheonan Attack: Torpedoing Chance of Peace?

Scott Snyder May 27, 2010
North Korea – impoverished and isolated – depends on others for basic needs and lashes out with a series of provocations, most targeting economically vibrant South Korea. The most recent was the March 26 firing of a torpedo at the ROK Navy corvette Cheonan in disputed waters; 46 crew members died. For many years, South Korea aimed for good relations with a sunshine policy, explains Scott Snyder,...

US Is a Top Villain in Pakistan’s Conspiracy Talk

Sabrina Tavernise May 27, 2010
Pakistan and the US are allies in a war against extremism in Afghanistan, with the US providing more than $1 billion in annual aid, but mutual trust remains low. A US citizen originally from Pakistan was accused of placing a failed car bomb in New York’s Times Square. But many in Pakistan are convinced that his plan was devised inside the US. “Conspiracy theory is a national sport in Pakistan,...

Diplomatic Pressure Narrows Iran’s Nuclear Options

Leonard S. Spector May 25, 2010
The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons allows non-nuclear nations to engage in scientific research on using nuclear power for peaceful purposes. States cannot engage in the transfer of nuclear material without safeguards, and non-nuclear states agree to accept safeguards and verification to prevent any diversion from peaceful uses toward weapon programs. The five-year NPT review...

How To Get Rid of Nuclear Weapons

May 5, 2010
As signatories of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty gather to review its forty years’ performance, the danger posed by nuclear weapons remains undiminished. Gareth Evans, Co-Chairman of an International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament, interviewed by Nayan Chanda, Editor of YaleGlobal Online, discusses the threat and urgent tasks ahead for the international community...

NPT Review Faces Challenges as Iran Knocks on Door

Leonard S. Spector May 3, 2010
Threatening to build, possess or use nuclear weapons does not do much to win friends or influence neighbors, as the old saying goes, particularly as more nations acquire the bomb. More than 180 nations convene at the UN this month, starting today, to continue regular five-yearly review and negotiations aimed at reducing these weapons. Progress is slow because decisions at the UN conference on the...

Thailand’s Red Tide

Pavin Chachavalpongpun April 30, 2010
A 2006 coup forced popularly elected Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra from office, abruptly ending his attempts to reform agriculture, education, taxation and other programs. Since then, protesters donning red shirts, led by the National United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship, have rallied against the government, demanding new elections. Demonstrations have swelled since March,...