In The News

If Iraq Falls

Josef Joffe August 29, 2007
More than 30 years ago, US officials warned that communism would sweep through Asia if the US walked away from its mission in Vietnam. The US did leave Vietnam, the North Vietnamese took control of the nation, and communism did not sweep the continent. But with oil and some ruthless neighbors, Iraq has geopolitical significance. “The world's worst political and religious pathologies combine...

The New Myth About Climate Change

Idean Salehyan August 17, 2007
Global warming is a serious problem and could result in a decline of basic resources such as water or food in some regions of the world. But Idean Salehyan rejects the notion that climate change will necessarily lead to civil wars, uncontrollable immigration and global violence. “Dire scenarios like these may sound convincing, but they are misleading,” writes Idean Salehyan for Foreign Policy. “...

Other Cities Sign Up to Turn Off

John Huxley August 9, 2007
Earth Hour is a global-warming awareness initiative that originated in Sydney, but is spreading through Australia and New Zealand and beyond. Polls show that 2 million people, including entire schools and businesses, participated on March 31, 2007, turning off all their lights for an hour. The small gesture demonstrates widespread public support for tackling global warming. Organizers admit that...

Ocean Explorers Plant Russian Flag on Arctic Sea Floor

Randy Boswell August 3, 2007
Canada, Russia, the US, Norway and Denmark all have some overlapping claims throughout the Arctic, each hoping to secure a big share of the rich oil, gas and mineral reserves believed to rest under the ice. “Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, a country can secure rights to seabed territory reaching far beyond the 200-mile limit if it can prove that a portion of the ocean...

Russia Puts Energy Importers Over a Barrel

Michael Richardson July 10, 2007
Russia, the world’s second largest oil exporter and leading exporter of natural gas, has traditionally targeted most of its sales to Europe. But demand for energy products is rising fast in India and China. Hoping to gain both economically and politically, Russia is poised to sell more energy products to Asia. China is the largest potential market, but Russia also targets Japan, South Korea and...

The Rising and Falling Power of Hydrocarbon States

Dilip Hiro July 3, 2007
The global economy runs on oil. Unequal distribution of oil throughout the world bestows power on the few states with ample supplies. Venezuela is one example of a nation that uses oil as leverage in foreign affairs: Besides consolidating his popular base at home, President Hugo Chavez has helped debt-ridden countries in that region, openly mocks the US and signed an arms-procurement deal with...

The Next Globalization Backlash

Sebastian Mallaby July 3, 2007
Globally, with national reserves growing, countries move spare cash into sovereign wealth funds. Oil-rich countries, such as Russia and Nigeria, have experienced high growth rates, and it is unlikely that hydrocarbon prices will fall anytime soon. A global trade imbalance also spurs the funds’ growth. East Asian countries, such as China and Japan, have accumulated large sums, while the US...