In The News

Guide to Reform the Middle East? Try East Asia

Humphrey Hawksley April 20, 2011
Opposition movements in the Middle East and North Africa enjoyed early successes in Tunisia and Egypt, yet the struggle proves hard in Syria, Libya, Bahrain and Yemen. The outcomes – new democracies or brutal crackdowns – could alter the region’s relationships in unimaginable ways. East Asia is a model of what can go wrong then right: US failure to deliver democracy to Vietnam four decades ago...

Rebels Hijack Gaddafi's Phone Network

Margaret Coker, Charles Levinson April 18, 2011
As protests surge, autocratic governments immediately shut down communications. The story of how skilled expatriates moved in to restore phone and internet services for Libya reads like a high-tech spy thriller. A Libyan-American telecom executive, 31 and raised in Alabama, organized a team of techie friends to assist in reopening communications for rebel forces. “[T]he network has enabled rebel...

Africa and the Emerging South

Chris Alden April 15, 2011
The relationship between Africa and the so-called BRICS – Brazil, Russia, India, China and now South Africa – is rapidly changing the face of the continent. Chris Alden of the London School of Economics analyzes how growing trade ties shape Africa’s future. The original BRIC countries seek raw materials from Africa and undercut some local industries. Yet competition among BRICS, their investment...

China’s Foreign-Policy Balancing Act – Part I

Jonathan Fenby April 13, 2011
Every move of fast-rising China in international affairs is closely studied for a shift from old patterns. Some analysts expect China to shoulder new global responsibility; others anticipate continuation of policies upholding national sovereignty. This two-part YaleGlobal series analyzes China’s approach in determining foreign-policy priorities. China’s evolving policy on Libya reveals its...

France and Britain Urge Stronger NATO Action in Libya

Alan Cowell, Kareem Fahim April 12, 2011
NATO is divided about how to achieve a quick resolution of conflict in Libya as rebels fail to gain ground against Muammar Gaddafi’s forces. Stalemate reduces the likelihood of a political solution, reports a New York Times team of reporters. Libyan rebels flatly rejected a ceasefire proposal from an African Union delegation because it included no mechanisms for removal of Gaddafi or family...

Italy Seeks to Pass Problem on to EU Partners

Hans-Jürgen Schlamp April 11, 2011
As protests rage throughout northern Africa, young men crowd onto small vessels to cross the Mediterranean for Italy. For 23,000 Tunisian immigrants, Italy’s interior minister negotiated a deal with Tunisia to grant six-month residence permits. Criminals or those with a record of deportation, as well as those who arrived after the initial wave or are not from Tunisia, will be turned away,...

Declare Victory and Get on With Ousting Gaddafi

Mark Malloch-Brown April 7, 2011
As a conference in London revealed, the international community is divided over the next steps for Libya.. The task of saving Libyan civilians from massacre has been completed, argues Mark Malloch-Brown, former UN deputy secretary. Debate focuses what UN Resolution 1973 allows: Germany and Italy support a ceasefire, the US and UK suggest more military action is required, and Saudi Arabia and the...