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China’s Naval Ambitions and America’s Asia Problem
Tweet Share on Facebook June 19, 2013 CommentMedia coverage of the June 7-8 "shirt sleeves" summit between President Obama and new Chinese president Xi Jinping in Rancho Mirage, California has largely focused on the two issues that dominated the official agenda. The first was China's extensive intellectual property theft and hacking activities in cyberspace. The second was the threat posed by the regime of reckless "young leader" Kim Jong Un in North Korea.
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How American Military Assistance Goes Wrong in Africa
Tweet Share on Facebook June 19, 2013 CommentAs the U.S. government gears up to militarize more of the Middle East by arming rebels in Syria, we are witnessing a similar mission creep toward the African continent. Not merely in the more obvious military interventions into Libya, Mali or Somalia, or military bases in Niger or Djibouti, but through growing security partnerships in places including Kenya, Nigeria and even Mauritania. The ramp up of military and counterterror assistance to these countries – and the human rights abuses committed by these same actors – is seriously troubling.
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10 Reasons the Global War on Terror Must Continue
Tweet Share on Facebook June 18, 2013 CommentEarlier this month, this column addressed the lack of grand strategy to combat terrorism from the Obama administration by stating that there are 10 issues that illustrate the need for such a strategy, now more than ever. The administration has continuously avoided the rhetoric and policies of the Global War on Terror, and American interests and lives have paid the price.
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Syrian Crisis Highlights Need to Merge NATO with the EU
Tweet Share on Facebook June 18, 2013 CommentNATO was set up 64 years ago to defend Europe against the Soviet Union. The North Atlantic Treaty that created the Alliance hitched the United States' military might to the defense of Europe and ring-fenced the Soviet empire until it collapsed, leaving Europe without any significant threat. Thanks to European industry and NATO's defense umbrella, Europeans rebuilt their countries from the devastation of World War II, created the European Union and built one of the largest economies in the world.
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The NSA Leaker, Benghazi and Washington's Security Scandals
Tweet Share on Facebook June 18, 2013 CommentWe seem to be in a perpetual "scandal a month" mode in Washington. Especially our foreign observers must be wondering whether there is something in the water making our politicians behave so strangely. Sure, the Europeans have scandals too, but rarely do we see a string of them there like we have had here of late.
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Resilient Iranian Voters Elect Hasan Rowhani as President
Tweet Share on Facebook June 17, 2013 CommentWashington shouldn't fool itself that the unexpected victory of Hassan Rowhani in Iran's presidential election last week justifies optimism about nuclear negotiations. Rowhani may be a moderate in Iran's peculiar political lexicon, but he has neither the power nor, judging by his own statements, the inclination to compromise with the West on Tehran's nuclear program. Nevertheless, the result of the June 14 election reflects the resiliency of Iranians' democratic aspirations and should lead to greater emphasis on democracy in American policy.
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Nelson Mandela's Illness Clouds South Africa's Future
Tweet Share on Facebook June 17, 2013 CommentThe latest and most serious bout of illness racking Nelson Mandela brings closer and into more open discussion what happens to South Africa after Mandela leaves the scene? Seemingly, the answer would be what happens when any great man passes away. Life will simply go on as it always does. After all, there have been two presidents since Mandela wore the mantel of leadership and the country has been just fine, thank you.
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Erdogan’s Power Grab Sparks Turkey’s Taksim Square Protests
Tweet Share on Facebook June 14, 2013 CommentThe spontaneous protests in Turkey, which began in Istanbul and have spread to over 70 Turkish cities, have raised serious questions about Turkey's political stability and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's leadership.
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Think Tanks Try to Fashion a Pentagon Budget After Defense Cuts
Tweet Share on Facebook June 14, 2013 CommentSeveral weeks ago, the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments held a "Strategic Choices Exercise Outbrief" in Washington, D.C. This event brought together teams of experts from not only their shop but also the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the American Enterprise Institute and the Center for a New American Strategy.
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Turkey’s Taksim Square Protesters: Young, Jobless and Angry
Tweet Share on Facebook June 13, 2013 CommentThis month, yet another group of protesters have taken to the streets highlighting what they view as increasingly authoritarian rule, this time in Turkey. But what's interesting about the latest round of upheaval in the broader Middle East is not necessarily the geographic location of the protests (though that's important) but the demographic makeup of the protesters.
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