In The News

What Surprise?

Nicholas Eberstadt March 1, 2005
North Korea's long-term goal has always been reunification of the Korean peninsula – under the unconditional rule of Pyongyang's socialist dictatorship. While the United States, Japan, and other countries have tried to deter North Korea's nuclear and missile development programs by offering aid, only a short-sighted strategist would reason that Pyongyang's objective is to...

US-Russia Relations Saved for Now

Dmitry V. Suslov February 28, 2005
Though the recent meeting between US President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin ended predictably with handshakes and smiles, all is not well with bilateral relations. As Dmitry V. Suslov reports, the superficial glazing-over of fundamental disagreements, though a short-term diplomatic "band-aid," may do substantial harm to regional and international politics. Of...

Les relations americano-russes sont indemnes, pour le moment

Dmitry V. Suslov February 28, 2005

Eye of the Storm

Dina Ezzat February 25, 2005
In the wake of the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, Syria has landed in hot soup. Though accusations of complicity in Hariri's killing remain unsubstantiated, Syria faces mounting pressure over its occupation of Lebanon. Not only does Washington want to erase Syrian influence in Lebanon, but US officials also hope to coerce Syria into tightening its border with...

Preventing a War over Taiwan

Kenneth Lieberthal February 24, 2005
An escalation of the ongoing standoff between Taiwan and China could draw the already over-committed United States military into an unpleasant – and unnecessary – armed conflict. As political scientist Kenneth Lieberthal writes, political missteps on both sides have inflamed already heated cross-Strait tensions. China's warnings of military action have been seen as empty threats....

Bush to Europe: Let's Move On

Shada Islam February 23, 2005
Speaking of transatlantic relations during his recent European tour, President Bush emphatically claimed that "no temporary debate, no passing disagreement of governments, no power on earth will ever divide us." As journalist Shada Islam explains, there is some basis for the President's optimism. The United States and Europe have agreed to disagree on a number of issues, favoring...

The Beirut Blast Shakes the Middle East

Rami G. Khouri February 18, 2005
Though American and Israeli occupations routinely hog headlines around the world, another occupation in the Middle East has won international attention this week. The assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri on Monday raised fresh questions about the continued Syrian military presence in Lebanon. Syrian troops were initially stationed in Lebanon to preserve its fragile unity...