In The News

To Confront North Korea, Talk First and Get Tough Later

William J. Perry January 9, 2017
North Korea borders China, South Korea and Russia, respectively the world’s second, eleventh and twelfth largest economies, and the nation is a few hundred miles away from Japan, third largest economy. North Korea’s nuclear program and erratic leadership could trigger war and economic crisis. The nation is signaling that its intercontinental ballistic missile program is a priority, explains...

Historic Chance for Myanmar Peace Probably Scuttled

Michele Penna January 9, 2017
Hope is dwindling for an end to Myanmar’s ethnic conflict underway since 1947. An outbreak of violence in Rakhine State has been linked to Harakah al-Yaqin, reports Michele Penna, adding that the International Crisis Group has linked the trouble with hardships and discrimination suffered by the Rohingya. “Conflict is also dragging on in Kachin and Shan States, where the army is staging...

The Hopes for Peace and Palestinian Statehood Fade Away

January 6, 2017
Conflicts that linger for decades are costly in many ways and threaten security and reduce trust for all concerned. The Economist reports on the speech by US Secretary of State John Kerry on the ongoing failure to end the “stubborn struggle” between Israel and Palestine. Kerry described the Netanyahu administration as “the most right-wing in Israeli history” and questioned how a hardline agenda...

UN Resolution on Israeli Settlements

Barak Ravid December 26, 2016
The United States abstained at the UN Security Council, allowing a resolution to move forward on opposing Israeli settlements illegal under international law. “The Fourth Geneva Convention bans nations from the moving of populations into and the establishing of settlements in the territory of another nation won in war,” explains Barak Ravid for Haaretz. For now, the “resolution is a form of...

Takeaways on China's Theft of a US Drone in Philippine Waters in the South China Sea

Ankit Panda December 21, 2016
China returned a US underwater drone taken from the South China Sea. The US Department of Defense reports the buoyancy glider was seized about 90 kilometers northwest of Subic Bay. China claims the removal was for safety reasons, but also opposes US reconnaissance activities in the sea. “The development is effectively unprecedented in U.S.-China military-to-military interactions,” notes Ankit...

Russia Pivots to Asia

Taehwa Hong December 20, 2016
US President Barack Obama has emphasized that Russia is a weaker country than the United States. US military spending is 12 times more than Russia’s, and the Russian economy, under sanction for interventions in Ukraine, has been crowded out of the top 10 economies in recent years. Still, Russia confounds rivals and neighbors by regarding the globe as a chessboard, weighing priorities, using...

Turkey’s Effort to Join the EU Is on Life Support

December 19, 2016
In the aftermath of a bloody failed coup in Turkey – including arrests of political opponents and journalists – European leaders are assessing Turkey’s bid to join the EU. They admit that the crackdown in Turkey goes against European principles, particularly as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan adopts increasingly hostile language toward Europe. Talks have been flailing for years, especially since...