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By Andrea Bonzanni
03 Sep 2010
World Politics Review
The recently established customs union between Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus represents
the latest of several attempts by Moscow to create an effective trade
bloc with its independent neighbors since the break-up of the
Soviet Union. The economic benefits of unions of this kind are questionable, however, leading some analysts to speculate over why Moscow has assigned such a remarkably high priority to these projects.
By James Locher
02 Sep 2010 |
World Politics Review
The Washington Post's recent series, "Top Secret America,"
depicts significant organizational challenges in the intelligence
community. Many of its observations have merit, but organizational
dysfunction is not confined to the intelligence system. The Post's
description of the sprawling, uncoordinated intelligence bureaucracy
mirrors the shortcomings of the overarching national security system.
By Neeta Lal
01 Sep 2010 |
World Politics Review
NEW DELHI -- The recent passage of India's Civil Liability for Nuclear Damages bill marks the country's return to the international nuclear market. But in its
final form, the law has left few on either side of the debate
entirely satisfied. While the bill's passage is seen as a personal victory for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, critics still accused Singh of
hustling the legislation through parliament in order to serve U.S. interests.
By James M. Dorsey
01 Sep 2010 |
World Politics Review
A covert Israeli-Lebanese intelligence war as well as a recent Lebanese-Israeli border clash have persuaded Lebanese President Michael Sulaiman and Prime
Minister Saad Hariri to increase coordination between Lebanon's army and intelligence services and Hezbollah. The shift has created policy dilemmas for the United States and France, which have both designated the group as a terrorist organization.
By Frank Wilson
31 Aug 2010 |
World Politics Review
JUBA, Sudan -- In an exclusive interview, Southern Sudan President Salva
Kiir Mayardit told World Politics Review that he doesn't think "there
is any point where southerners will declare a unilateral independence." Southern Sudan will hold a referendum in
January 2011 on whether to secede from the North. The vote is one of the
final steps of a peace agreement signed in 2005
that ended the country's two-decade long civil war.
By Mthulisi Sibanda
31 Aug 2010 |
World Politics Review
JOHANNESBURG -- The divisions that have time and again beset South
Africa's tripartite alliance have returned
to haunt the union and further threaten its existence. This time,
the rifts are playing themselves out in a devastating public-service
strike that pits South Africa's president and head of the ANC, Jacob Zuma, on
one side and the leftist allies that propelled him to power within his
party and the country on the other.
By Fabio Scarpello
29 Aug 2010 |
World Politics Review
DENPASAR, Indonesia -- In the tussle for influence in Southeast Asia,
the United States and China have long been competing for Indonesia's
affections. But Washington and Beijing have lately expanded their courtship
of Jakarta from the traditional areas of trade agreements, foreign
direct investment, market access and technical assistance, to
increasingly include offers of military hardware and military
cooperation.
By Gregg Carlstrom
19 Aug 2010 |
World Politics Review
During our publishing hiatus through Aug. 30, we'll be
opening up some of our subscription-only content to non-subscribers.
Today we feature an article that was part of our May 4, 2010, feature,
"Leaving Iraq: What Comes Next?." In "Debating Obama's Withdrawal Timeline," Gregg Carlstrom provides useful background to today's news of the official end of Operation Iraq Freedom and the withdrawal of the last U.S. combat troops from Iraq.
By Parag Khanna
17 Aug 2010 |
World Politics Review
World Politics Review is not publishing the last two weeks in August. We will resume publishing again on Aug. 30. But during this time, we'll be opening up some of our subscription-only content to non-subscribers. Today we feature an article that was part of our July 13 feature, "Rethinking the Post-American World." In "A Second Tour Through the 'Second World,'" Parag Khanna argues that the diffusion of global power away from the United States is inevitable.
By Phil Cain
13 Aug 2010 |
World Politics Review
GRAZ, Austria -- The recent advisory opinion of the International Court
of Justice, that Kosovo's declaration of independence in February 2008
was legal, was a defeat for Serbia. But it also offered an opportunity
for Serbia to start maneuvering out of the impasse into which its
intransigence led. There are signs it is taking this chance.
By Saurav Jha
12 Aug 2010 |
World Politics Review
The indefinite postponement of Saudi King Abdullah's scheduled visit to
the French capital last month does not bode well for France's efforts to
considerably raise its profile in the Gulf Cooperation Council, and it
could well dampen the supposed gains made by French President Nicolas
Sarkozy's two visits to the desert kingdom last year.