In The News

China's Taiwan Dilemma

Michael Yahuda February 18, 2004
China's leadership believes strongly in the goal of a unified country - and for Beijing that means preventing Taiwan from declaring independence. For many Chinese, uniting with Taiwan is a matter of national pride. China scholar Michael Yahuda argues that pushing the issue politically or militarily would stimulate hostility abroad and cause an economic downturn at home, possibly leading to...

President Bush's New Plan to Stop Proliferation

Joseph Cirincione February 13, 2004
Under US President George W. Bush's newly proposed plan, only a handful of countries would be allowed to develop nuclear fuel. These countries could, in turn, sell fuel only to states that renounce enrichment and reprocessing. Joseph Cirincione, Director of the Non-Proliferation Project at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, believes that although the proposal does represent an...

Hidden Nuclear Drawings Found in Iran

Sonni Efron February 13, 2004
The discovery of blueprints for a device used to enrich uranium has renewed Washington's suspicions of a covert nuclear program in Iran. Washington is considering referring Iran's nuclear activities to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the United Nations Security Council. As the international community considers the most appropriate international response, investigators...

Bush Seeks New Push to Curb N-Weapons

Edward Alden February 12, 2004
To stem the spread of nuclear weapons, President Bush proposes a ban on all sales of civilian nuclear enrichment technology. Under his new plan, nuclear countries would provide fuel only to those countries that renounce enrichment. Recognizing that this could fundamentally change the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, Bush is seeking to make changes through the Nuclear Suppliers Group, a 40-nation...

The Strategic Straitjacket of Globalization

Banning Garrett February 11, 2004
Unlike during the Cold war, when competition was only between the US and the Soviet Union, today all globalizing nations are competitors. However, writes Banning Garrett, Director of Asia Programs at the Atlantic Council, these competing nations are also partners in today's globalizing economy, which is growing increasingly interconnected and interdependent. These new conditions of...

Lessons from an Unpunished Crime in Pakistan

Michael Krepon February 9, 2004
When A. Q. Khan, the 'father of Pakistan's nuclear bomb', spoke publicly last week, he urged the world to believe that only he - not his president or his country's government - was responsible for selling technology and know-how to aspiring bomb makers in Libya, North Korea, and Iran. Yet despite Khan's best efforts, says nuclear arms expert Michael Krepon, his story...

AQ Khan Issue Settled: Jamali

February 9, 2004
Four days ago, Pakistani President Musharraf pardoned nuclear scientist Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, called him a national hero, and declared that Pakistan would not allow International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to inspect its nuclear sites. Several members of Musharraf's government have praised his stance on the 'AQ Khan issue' - in which the chief designer of Pakistan's...