In The News

Washington Post: Wall a Bad Investment

Heather Long January 9, 2019
Donald Trump insists that a formidable wall along the twisting US-Mexico border – about 1,900 miles in length– is the only solution to what he calls an immigration crisis. Economists argue the wall will do little to reduce illegal migration. Also, the wall “would hurt the U.S. economy because there would be fewer workers and lower output,” report three economists who modeled the wall’s impact, as...

Reuters: Erdoğan Rebukes US Security Adviser

Steve Holland and Orhan Coskun January 8, 2019
Donald Trump announced plans to withdraw US troops from Syria, adding that the Islamic State had been defeated. This followed a December telephone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who offered assurances that Turkey would manage final stages of the military campaign. Turkey and the United States, both NATO members, disagree about terms for the withdrawal. John Bolton, the US...

Salon: 5 Key Trends in Globalization

Edward Goldberg December 30, 2018
Old forms of globalization linked to fear and nationalism – as “angry minority based coalitions determined the fate of the majority” – have reemerged over the past year, explains Edward Goldberg. He offers a list of the top globalization events for 2018 for Salon, and for each the world can repeat history or learn from past events to avoid trouble: After 40 years of opening to the global economy...

Washington Post: Mattis and Shock Waves Abroad

Griff Witte and Isaac Stanley-Becker December 21, 2018
The United States has the world’s largest military, yet national security relies on a network of allies along with expectations that US leaders promote stability and keep their word during times of crisis. The Trump administration has demonstrated little respect for key allies. US Secretary of Defense General James Mattis resigned after Donald Trump abruptly announced withdrawal of US troops from...

Times of India: Orwellian Option

Nayan Chanda December 19, 2018
US-Sino trade tensions run high, especially since the arrest of a Huawei Technologies executive in Canada. Huawei reports it supplies equipment to 45 of the world’s 50 largest telecommunications companies, so the trade war could soon ensnare other nations like India. “Three of India’s top telephone carriers use Huawei equipment and the company has been invited to take part in the next generation...

New York Times: US Africa Strategy Counters China

Mark Landler and Edward Wong December 14, 2018
The United States plans to devote more funding and attention on Africa, according to National Security Adviser John Bolton. He suggests the threat for Africa is not poverty or extremism but expanding Chinese influence. “Bolton conceded that the United States had limited resources to compete with the tens of billions of dollars China is pouring into Africa,” report Mark Landler and Edward Wong for...

Korea Herald: N. Korea’s “Unreported” Missile Base

Yeo Jun-suk December 6, 2018
For decades, governments raised alarms about the global security crisis of a belligerent North Korea, and subduing public worries is not easy without obvious progress. Satellite images continue to show that an unreported missile base in North Korea, near the border with China, remains active with new construction since the June summit between Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump. South Korean and US...