A nation must think before it acts.
Asia
Bangladesh’s Accommodation of Extremism Spells Danger for the Region
BLOOMINGTON: A specter is haunting Bangladesh – the specter of unbridled, violent religious extremism with attacks on intellectuals, journalists, bloggers and religious minorities. The Islamic State and other forms of fundamentalism are on the rise in the country of...
Read more »Forecasting the South China Sea Arbitration Merits Award
Prediction is difficult—especially about the future. Niels Bohr’s words ring true when it comes to the case brought by the Philippines against the People’s Republic of China over their differences in the South China Sea. It is with caution,...
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Connecting the Dots: Will Xi Stay the Course?
Distinguishing trend lines from temporary phenomena in Chinese policies has never been easy, but recent events have made it even harder to connect the dots. Simply put, the public face that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leadership has heretofore...
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Surviving Taiwan’s Lame Duck Period
The interval between the election and inauguration of Taiwan’s new president has yielded both worrying developments and encouraging signs. Ambiguous signals, competing agendas, mixed messages and complex incentives make it hard to interpret these events, and the high stakes/low...
Read more »Beijing’s March West: Opportunities and Challenges for China’s Eurasian Pivot
Abstract China’s Eurasian frontiers have emerged as a major factor in Beijing’s foreign policy through President Xi Jinping’s “One Belt, One Road” strategy. The article argues that this strategy has been given impetus by the shifting geopolitical landscape in...
Read more »Could Four Simmering Global Crises Boil Over?
Abstract More than once, I have heated milk on a gas stove only to have it boil over disastrously. The U.S. and its allies face at least four major and converging challenges that may also boil over like overheated...
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Donald Trump Folds the Nuclear Umbrella: Is American Extended Deterrence Passé?
It might be said that among foreign policy and national security watchers, Donald Trump is a gift that keeps giving....
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China’s Military Reorganization – and America’s Window of Opportunity
In September 2015, as part of the festivities marking the 70th anniversary of victory in World War II, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) would cut 300,000 troops. ...
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A Strategic Strangulation Campaign for North Korea: Is the International Community Ready for What May Come Next?
The United Nations Security Council passed what has been called the toughest sanctions regime (UNSCR 2270) against North Korea in response to its nuclear weapons program and the threat it poses to the Republic of Korea, Japan,...
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Russia’s Role in the North Korea Conundrum: Part of the Problem or Part of the Solution?
Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il in Vladivostok, Russia in 2002. (Photo ITAR-TASS / Vladimir Rodionov) North Korea’s nuclear test on Jan. 6, 2016 and long-range missile launch on Feb. 7 have...
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