In The News

Why the India Deal Is Good

Selig S. Harrison August 24, 2005
Washington's agreement to support India's nuclear program – for civilian, not military, purposes – has been criticized for undermining the international nonproliferation regime. As Selig A. Harrison writes, much of the antagonism is unfounded. According to Harrison, India's increasing energy demands – along with ample deposits of a rare radioactive mineral – have allowed New...

Africa Needs Fair Trade, Not Charity

Mary Robinson August 23, 2005
Since the July G-8 summit and Live 8 concerts, the topic of African development has received unusual public attention. While the conversations have focused primarily on aid and debt relief, according to Mary Robinson, one topic has received inadequate treatment in international policy circles: free trade. Recalling her travels to cotton producer Mali and sugar producer Mozambique, Robinson...

China's Rise Threatens to Divide Asia, Not Unite It

Daniel Twining August 22, 2005
As the catalyst of Asia's recent economic growth, China has widely been seen as the first non-Western power since Japan to emerge with the potential to transform the global order. Instead of facilitating regional integration, however, China's ascendancy is threatening to divide Asia, causing a clash of national identities and fueling nationalist sentiments. Perceiving China's...

A Tool for Democracy Could Use Some Help

Robert E. Hunter August 19, 2005
In 2000, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright formed the Community of Democracies, an organization dedicated to fostering cooperation among democratic nations and promoting democracy worldwide – starting with 10 nations. Former diplomat Robert Hunter details the challenges for the CD, including perceived competition with the UN and some contradictory membership criteria. Hunter points out...

Shared Pasts, Different Futures

Abdel-Moneim Said August 19, 2005
Often, examining the past sheds light on events of the present. It is in this vein that Abdel-Moneim Said, in Al-Ahram Weekly, explores a crucial issue: "Is jihad a reaction to colonial oppression?" Using China's turbulent history as a basis for comparison, Said finds that violence is not always the only viable response to such oppression. Indeed, from the Opium Wars to forced...

Russia and China Rattle Sabers with Joint War Games

Tom Parfitt August 19, 2005
Russia and China recently began a series of joint military exercises, marking the countries' first cooperative military action. Officials on both sides explained that the collaboration was designed to protect against international terrorism and provide security for the region and the world. Some analysts believe there are some ulterior motives, but one thing is clear: Russia and China are...

Don't Let the Rose Revolution Wilt

Philip H. Gordon August 18, 2005
In November 2003, a frustrated population demanded the ouster of a corrupt and autocratic government. Georgia's Rose Revolution created a model for other peaceful regime changes, as later seen in Lebanon and the Ukraine. Despite its relative success, write Philip H. Gordon and Derek Chollet, Georgia's nascent government still lacks several elements essential for a stable democracy –...