In The News

Australia Must Play the Peacemaker on Taiwan

Hugh White November 10, 2004
The current relationship between the United States and China is the strongest in 50 years, writes Professor Hugh White in The Sydney Morning Herald. Yet Taiwan remains a potentially potent flashpoint for conflict between the two superpowers. The United States is grateful to China for its support in the war on terror and for its regional leadership in organizing the six-party talks with North...

French Attack Sparks Riots in Ivory Coast

Rory Carroll November 8, 2004
Even after attaining independence from French colonial control, many West African states maintain strong and sometimes dependent relationships with their former imperial rulers. The Ivory Coast is no exception. Since the 2002 outbreak of civil war, the French military has policed a delicate ceasefire between the two sides. Last week, Ivorian president Laurent Gbagbo broke the ceasefire by bombing...

US Election and the World – Part I

Patrice de Beer November 8, 2004
What happens in the United States inevitably affects all areas of the globe; nowhere is this clearer than in the selection of the leader of the world's only superpower. In the aftermath of the greatly anticipated US elections, observers worldwide are assessing the consequences of George W. Bush's re-election. In a multi-part series, YaleGlobal checks in with different regions, gauging...

Full Steam Ahead for America's Empire

Peter Hartcher November 6, 2004
In his pre-election campaign, John Kerry pledged that the United States under his administration would exercise restraint and follow a multilateral strategy alien to the last four years of US foreign policy. With the presidency of George W. Bush reconfirmed, many observers anticipate an even more brazen US international agenda. Officials close to the president reveal that the hurdles and pitfalls...

Images and Tasks: Before and After the US Election

Rami G. Khouri November 3, 2004
The outcome of the US presidential election overshadows some of the very real conflicts facing the United States in the Middle East. The author suggests that the challenges to future US foreign policy are mounting, and need to be addressed well – and quickly. The current situation is polarized to a fault, he writes, with civil discourse on both sides hijacked, in a sense, by small groups in...

Is Putin an Anti-Globalization Hero?

Liliana N. Proskuryakova November 3, 2004
Russian President Vladimir Putin has made few friends within the anti-globalization movement, despite government actions that – on the surface, at least – reflect goals espoused by demonstrators – from Seattle to Genoa. Liliana N. Proskuryakova argues that anti-globalization activists have held their applause, as they believe Putin's inconsistent policies betray a different agenda: His...

Saving Iraq

Dina Ezzat November 3, 2004
As violence continues in Iraq, Egypt is organizing an international conference with the hope of uniting the world behind a plan to bring the country peace. Nations participating in the conference will affirm their commitment to the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Iraq. They will also express their support for the interim government and discuss measures to end violence...