In The News

The End of Unipolarity

Gautam Adhikari September 17, 2004
The end of the Cold War ushered in the beginning of a new era – one in which the economic, military, and political superiority of the United States seemed an undisputed fact. Gautam Adhikari reexamines the vocabulary of unquestioned – and often unquestionable – US authority. While the country's influence is undeniable, claims Adhikari, words such as "hyperpower" overstate its...

Bill Easing Travel Ban to Cuba Withdrawn

Pablo Bachelet September 16, 2004
Electoral politics continue to affect US policy toward Cuba. The focus of these policy debates are US restrictions on travel to the island nation. Republican Congressman Jeff Flake, citing election-year politics as a major obstacle, withdrew his initiative to ease such restrictions. "Unfortunately, the timing of this legislation this year does not lend itself to a reasoned and thoughtful...

The Day A Nuclear Conflict Was Averted

Strobe Talbott September 13, 2004
In a book to be published this week, former US Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott tells the story of President Bill Clinton’s personal diplomacy in averting a possible nuclear war in South Asia. The conflict began in May 1999, when Pakistani commandos infiltrated the Indian part of Kashmir in the Kargil region. By the end of June, a furious Indian response with air and artillery assaults...

Beijing's Closed Politics Hinders "New Diplomacy"

Minxin Pei September 12, 2004
In the past year and a half, China has become a key player in several difficult international conflicts, including the North Korean missile threats, the Pakistan-India quarrels, and the war in Iraq. However, argues the author of this Financial Times piece, it should come as no surprise that the nation is quickly losing its newly gained respect in a series of foreign policy mistakes. Ever-present...

South Like North? North Like South? The Great Korean Flap

Tom Plate September 9, 2004
This Khaleej Times opinion piece examines the significance of the recent revelation that a group of South Korean scientists experimented with nuclear materials. Despite North Korean claims to the contrary, the experiment – amounting essentially to a few researchers tinkering in a lab – was not indicative broader South Korean weapons capabilities. The true danger, according to the author, is that...

Anchor the Black Sea Region to the West

Ronald D. Asmus September 8, 2004
Recent violence in the Black Sea region has highlighted the urgency of the area's political instability. Geographically situated at the intersection of Europe, Eurasia, and the Middle East, this region is invaluable to the West, both economically and politically. For this reason, argues policy expert Ronald D. Asmus, both NATO and the EU must reach out to Black Sea countries, bolstering...

Kabul Needs Good Neighbours

Stanley A. Weiss September 7, 2004
Afghanistan's upcoming presidential election has many observers discussing the country's future. The author of this Asian Age op-ed piece asserts that Afghan success and regional stability hinge on "neighborly" support. In addition to security concerns, nearby nations also share economic interests in Afghan development. As potential host to gas pipelines and emerging cross-...