In The News

A Less Super Superpower

Jonathan Schell March 9, 2005
To some, the United States is history's only all-encompassing empire – from military to economics to culture – but according to philosopher Thomas Hobbes, power is only a "present means to obtain some future apparent good." In this sense, writes Jonathan Schell, distinguished fellow at the Yale Center for the Study of Globalization, America's superpower status seems less...

Crafting Intelligence: Iraq, North Korea, and the Road to War

Selig Harrison March 8, 2005
As the North Korea nuclear problem continues to unfold, the need for credible intelligence becomes even more urgent. And to avoid another Iraq-type situation – an overextended US military, thousands of deaths, transatlantic ill will – the American public should be wary of the Bush administration's use of intelligence, writes Selig Harrison. According to Harrison, the administration...

China Doubts US Data on North Korean Nuclear Work

Joseph Kahn March 7, 2005
As diplomatic jousting over East Asian security continues, the United States received a public blow from China. Questioning the accuracy of US intelligence on North Korea's nuclear arsenal, a Chinese official essentially communicated Beijing's unwillingness to pressure its neighbor. The Bush administration had appealed previously to China, North Korea's only significant ally, to...

A Drug-Free Afghanistan Not So Easy

Paula R. Newberg March 7, 2005
The recent announcement of surging Afghan poppy production, while no surprise, is indicative of a dangerous trend – one that may ultimately undo the recovery of the fragile Asian state: Illegal poppy production now, more than ever, forms the basis of Afghanistan's economy. The fledgling state's existence as a cornerstone of both the war on terror and international anti-narcotics...

Abbas: Time to Walk the Walk

Barry Rubin March 4, 2005
The recent death of Yasser Arafat provided a hopeful opening in the search for Mideast peace. Newly-elected Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas quickly instituted internal reforms and pledged his support for a ceasefire. On the Israeli side, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon agreed to withdraw some settlers and release Palestinian prisoners. Regional neighbors have taken an interest in the peace process,...

A Question in Blix

Mohamed Sid-Ahmed March 4, 2005
Developed nations no longer monopolize weapons of mass destruction; nor are rogue states the most troubling new nuclear threats. The secrets of producing nuclear weapons have been spilled, and the cost of their production has fallen, making them available to non-state actors – namely, terrorists. Against this backdrop, UN weapons expert Hans Blix answers a difficult question: "Given that...

Japan Dips its Toe in the Taiwan Strait

Wenran Jiang March 2, 2005
China might not be an "outpost of tyranny," but the new Bush foreign policy team again considers the Asian giant a strategic competitor, writes political scientist Wenran Jiang. Concerns over China's military development and heightened aggressiveness towards Taiwan have led the United States to reassess its previous conclusion that China posed no serious threat to the global...