Yemen’s Two Different, Dangerous Wars
Yemen’s government hasn’t focused on Al Qaeda, rather a separatist insurgency.
Asia
South Asia’s Fragile Nuclear Balance
The paradigm shaping foreign policy in Washington DC today reads that the futures of Afghanistan and Pakistan are inherently intertwined. The war in the one cannot be resolved as long as insurgents are able to find safe haven in the other while regional stability demands peace across borders. Yet in Pakistan the Americans have to […]
Turkey’s Irrelevant Islamism
Commentators feared a radical backlash when Recep Tayyip Erdoğan became prime minister.
The Afghan Silk Route: A Pipe Dream?
Afghanistan, situated in the heart of Asia, has for centuries been pivotal to international transport and trade. The argument is made today that for Afghanistan to prosper, it has to reinvent itself as the hub of a modern day “Silk Route” connecting Europe, the Middle East, India and East Asia. The future of Afghanistan, once […]
Reflections on the Asian Financial Crisis
What is now known as the Asian Financial Crisis began in July 1997 in Thailand where the baht fell victim to massive speculative attacks. Before the currency was finally devaluated to lose over half of its value, the country’s economic growth came to a grinding halt amid disastrous layoffs in previously booming sectors as finance […]
Don’t Worry Too Much About China’s Navy
China is building up its fleet, but it is not building the infrastructure needed to support a global naval presence.
China, Taiwan to Sign Free Trade Accord
China and Taiwan are expected to agree to a preliminary free-trade agreement later this month in a effort to normalize relations across the Strait after more than six decades of bickering and mistrust. According to The Economist, the proposed Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) calls for cuts on 539 categories of Taiwanese exports to China […]
British Withdrawing from Sangin, Afghanistan
The United Kingdom will withdraw parts of its forces from the hotly contested Helmand Province in Afghanistan later this year. The region around the town of Sangin, notorious as a Taliban powerbase and a center of the opium trade in the south of the country, has seen heavy fighting in recent months, demanding several casualties […]
Vying for Influence in Central Asia
The United States appear to be scheduling a greater involvement in Central Asia. They should think twice before immersing themselves in this unfortunate quagmire however, boxed in between the conflicting interests of two former Cold War rivals. EurasiaNet reports that the Pentagon is preparing to embark on a small building boom in Central Asia. The […]
Israel Is More Secure Than Ever
After the Israeli Navy intercepted six vessels attempting to circumvent its blockade of the Gaza Strip two weeks ago and killed at least nine on board in the onslaught that ensued, international condemnation came swiftly. Israel doesn’t have to care particularly. Fierce reactions could be expected from the Arab world. Protests broke out in different […]
The Real Threat in the Persian Gulf
Forget terrorism and a nuclear Iran; the biggest threat to Persian Gulf countries is their economy.
Tax Relief for Japanese Business
A corporate tax cut would improve Japan’s competitiveness among industrialized nations.
Don’t Pick Pakistan Over India!
India’s objectives in Afghanistan are aligned with America’s. Pakistan’s are not.
Why North Korea Will Keep Inventing Crises
Since North Korea sank a South Korean corvette in the Yellow Sea last March, the Hermit Kingdom proved once again just how capable it is of causing international consternation. South Korean President Lee Myung-bak promised “firm, responsive measures against the North.” The world’s last bastion of Stalinism threated with “all out war” in turn which […]
Kyrgyz Government Invites Russian Peacekeepers
Kyrgyzstan’s interim government led by Roza Otunbayeva has asked for Russian military support to suppress violence in the south of the country on Saturday. Dozens were reportedly killed in the city of Osh last week amid confrontations between native Kyrgyz and Uzbek youths. Mass riots in Osh escalated into violence on Thursday night, resulting in […]