In The News

The Al Qaeda Menace in Africa

Bruce Riedel January 21, 2013
Throughout 2011, protests that came to be known as the Arab Spring swept through Northern Africa and the Middle East. NATO stepped in on the Libyan protests, restricted to civilian protection. But the US gave a nod to Qatar sending machine guns, ammunition to rebels in the Libyan rebels; France provided guns and grenades, too. Because of looting and trade, weapons intended for rebels and civilian...

The Jihadist Eruption

Shiraz Maher January 18, 2013
The Arab Spring has triggered unrest among competing ethnic groups in Northern Africa, the latest manifestation of which is the taking of 40 gas-plant employees taken hostages in eastern Algeria. The captors blamed French military intervention in nearby Mali. But Shiraz Maher, writing for the Wall Street Journal, explains animosity in the region lingers after NATO forces assisted Libyan rebels in...

Deafness at Doomsday

Lawrence M. Krauss January 17, 2013
Global leaders routinely ignore the views of scientists in many areas of policymaking, and this threatens global security. “Scientists’ voices are crucial in the debates over the global challenges of climate change, nuclear proliferation and the potential creation of new and deadly pathogens,” writes Lawrence M. Krauss, theoretical physicist at Arizona State University. Nine countries have...

Is Mali Another Loss for Counterinsurgency?

Max Fisher January 16, 2013
The world’s most powerful nations continue to struggle over how to defeat extremists, often a minority faction that can destabilize entire nations – from Afghanistan in Central Asia to Mali in Africa. The strategies range from those small in scale, including intelligence collection, deployment of special forces, use of drones and working with local forces, to a heavy military presence, including...

In Disputes Over Asian Seas, Winner May Take Zilch

Robert A. Manning January 14, 2013
Three senior US officials are visiting America’s two East Asian allies, South Korea and Japan, in a bid to defuse tensions over territorial claims. Strains of nationalism and saber-rattling with modern weaponry like drones could derail Asia’s quest for prosperity and global leadership and threaten the dream of an Asian Century, explains Robert A. Manning, senior fellow with the Brent Scowcroft...

Japan and China Step Up Drone Race, Tension Builds Over Disputed Islands

Jonathan Kaiman, Justin McCurry January 11, 2013
About 200 kilometers north of Taiwan are small islands claimed by major trade partners Japan and China. The islands are uninhabited, but analysts have suggested that oil and gas reserves could rest underneath nearby waters. The new leaders of the two nations are turning to drones and fighter jets for surveillance of the islands, called Diaoyu by China and Senkaku by Japan. Japan plans on...

Two Diverging Roads for Afghanistan

Thomas Barfield January 11, 2013
US President Barack Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai are meeting throughout the day at the White House, developing specifics on troop withdrawal from Afghanistan and the US role in the region. Afghanistan faces two futures. “The direction depends on whether Afghanistan breaks its longstanding lack of economic integration with the outside world,” suggests Thomas Barfield, Afghanistan...