In The News

A Turning Point for China

Jean-Pierre Lehmann October 1, 2012
China’s progress since the first half of the 20th century is stunning and indeed inspiring. The nation that once rejected globalization, set out to rapidly transform its global reputation, from being pitied for horrific poverty to envied for stable economic growth. The world economy has come to depend on China, notes Jean-Pierre Lehmann, international political economist, in a quick review of the...

Behind the Iron Curtain

David Hawk September 28, 2012
Isolation from the rest of the world, a shroud of obsessive secrecy, allows North Korean leaders to brutalize their own citizens. A ruined economy leads to desperation, with thousands of escapes reported in recent years. The horrific stories from victims take years to emerge, only after prisoners escape and survive – spending months hiding and traveling through China and Southeast Asia until they...

India’s Treacherous Northeast

Bertil Lintner September 26, 2012
The Northeast corner of India may not top a list of volatile trouble spots for most global leaders, yet a quick glance at a map immediately shows the region’s challenges: shared borders with China, Burma, Bangladesh and Bhutan and slim connection to the rest of India via the Siliguri corridor, a legacy of British India. Boundary lines and governments were quickly drafted in 1947 and redrafted...

One Country, Many Voices

Jeffrey Wasserstrom September 24, 2012
China under one-party rule fosters an image of harmony, with unified goals and opinion on any cultural event or political issue. Discussions of the same topics are more lively in online commentary and on China’s streets, argues Jeffrey Wasserstrom, Chinese specialist and author. He compares the sensational, perfectly choreographed opening ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, with recent angry...

Singh Doubles Down on Reform

Ashok Malik September 21, 2012
In a surprising move, India’s coalition government is allowing states to decide if they want foreign direct investment in the retail sector, opening a door for giant stores like Walmart and Tesco. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tried a similar move last year, but pulled back in the face of huge protests. Economic slowdown in India pushed the government to pounce again despite a nationwide protest...

Middle East Protests: A Salafist Trap

Fawaz A. Gerges September 19, 2012
Modern Salafi beliefs emerged from a reform-oriented movement of the late 19th century. The movement eventually became more conservative, evolving into multiple forms. Evidence suggests that a small group of ultraconservative Salafis may have hijacked protests over an obscure, anti-Islamic film and orchestrated attacks on US embassies in the Middle East. “The Salafis are spearheading a drive to...

A Forgotten War in the Himalayas

Jeff M. Smith September 14, 2012
Leaders around the world and Americans, too, fret about whether the United States is a reliable or fickle ally. As the US pivots toward Asia and Indian leaders toy with a return to a policy of nonalignment, people of both nations should recall the 1962 Sino-Indian War, suggests Jeff M. Smith, Kraemer Strategy Fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council. India and China had good “brotherly”...