In The News

Finally, Washington Is Ready to Play Ball

Jonathan D. Pollack July 19, 2005
On July 9, North Korea announced its willingness to return to six-party discussions, after exiting negotiations more than a year ago. Anticipating the next round of talks, analyst Jonathan D. Pollack reviews the Bush administration's interaction with Pyongyang during "this oddest and most slow moving of crises." In the past, Washington has sought an unequivocal end to North Korea...

Welcome to the Nuclear Club

July 19, 2005
A July 18 meeting between President Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh may signal a breakthrough in relations between the two countries, as the US officially recognized India as "a responsible state with advanced nuclear technology." The symbolic value of this statement was considerable: As The Economist explains, Bush is "offering to help India, which became a nuclear...

Islamic Extremism: Common Concern for Muslim and Western Publics

July 15, 2005
As last week's terror attacks rekindled fears about Islamic extremism in Europe and the US, many journalists and politicians urged Muslims to take action against the extremists hiding in their midst. But it isn't only the residents of non-Muslim countries who worry about extremism. The latest survey conducted by the Pew Research Center indicates that citizens of Muslim countries share...

Indo-US Relations Headed for a Grand Transformation?

Ashley J. Tellis July 14, 2005
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Washington this week could mark a watershed in Indo-US relations. This is the highest level visit since late March, when the US announced its plan to "help India become a major world power in the twenty-first century." Defense specialist Ashley J. Tellis describes Washington's new South Asia policy as offering unprecedented...

Tokyo-Seoul Rift Threatens US Interest

Scott Snyder July 14, 2005
The United States has sought to maintain a steady relationship with South Korea, but recent tensions between South Korea and Japan could pose new challenges for the Bush administration. Whereas Washington has viewed Japan as a consistent and loyal ally since 9/11, Seoul is troubled by a rightward shift in Japanese politics and the prospect of Japan's renewed militarization. South Korea...

China Seeks to Build Regional Influence at Summit

July 7, 2005
In an attempt to gain greater access to the energy resources in Central Asia, China is stepping up its efforts to strengthen the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) – a regional security group featuring China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. By developing the SCO into a major regional alliance, says expert Niklas Swanstrom, China is hoping not only to assure...

Angst of a Stagnating Germany

Dominic Sachsenmaier July 5, 2005
In the midst of fierce debate concerning the future of the EU, German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder's call for a September election has opened a national discussion about the future of Germany. Since the unification of East and West Germany, the economy of the formerly prosperous welfare state has stagnated. Already high jobless rates are intensified by competition with low-wage foreign...