In The News

The Gentle Dragon

Jocelyn Chey November 29, 2007
China is promoting soft power as it seeks to establish itself as a major player in world affairs. China’s economic prowess and ancient civilization entice students worldwide for training in Chinese language and culture, but especially in countries like Australia. China replaced Japan as Australia’s top trading partner this summer – and newly-elected Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd speaks...

Bye Bye Belgium?

Jon Henley November 27, 2007
Belgium juggles cultural and linguistic differences – French, Dutch and German – through norms of cooperation and a complex system of federalism. Until recently, the country has stood as proof that polarized groups can live together in peace. The failure of Belgium’s politicians to form a national government for nearly six months – and counting – has many questioning whether the country can...

The Battle of Beijing

Moisés Naím November 26, 2007
China is intent on using the 2008 Olympics as a stage to display the strength of its culture, organized political system and rising economic power. Activists on a range of issues, particularly human rights, are equally earnest, planning to use the Olympics as a platform for exposing flaws of China’s one-party authoritarian regime. State-of-the-art technology common among tourists – including cell...

American Special Forces in Pakistan: Back to the Future?

Paula R. Newberg November 21, 2007
The reaction to the news that the US Defense Department has decided to send Special Forces trainers to Pakistan’s unruly tribal areas has so far been muted. But the irony of the decision and its long-term implication for the Subcontinent is hard to miss. In the eighties, the US administration poured money and weapons in Pakistan to train the Mujahideen to fight the Soviets in Afghanistan. The...

Taiwan Squeezed as US and China Negotiate

Simon Tisdall November 20, 2007
The issue of Taiwan has been a thorny one since the Kuomintang’s relocation from mainland China in 1949. A sense of irredentism has been present on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, though now it persists predominantly on the mainland. The surge in China-US relations in recent years has complicated the Taiwan question even more. Though Taiwan has depended on deals with the US military in the past...

Time for Reality Check in Iran

Dilip Hiro November 19, 2007
With Iran continually expanding its uranium enrichment program despite warnings from the UN Security Council, there has been growing talk of strict sanctions against the country, even murmurs of military action. The idea of military action floated by American neo-conservatives is strongly opposed by many in the US administration. A UN sanction against Iran also appears to be problematic. A...

An Exit Strategy for Crooks and Dictators

Victor Mallet November 16, 2007
Cruel dictators and corrupt politicians who lose favor of their constituents often cling to power to escape retribution. Sometimes deals, including pardons or exile, are made with leaders who follow. “In an ideal world, criminals would be punished for their crimes without regard for their status,” writes Victor Mallet for the Financial Times, noting that political expediency often dictates the...