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'Warm Spring' Greets Hu-Fukuda Summit, but Tensions Persist

By Richard Weitz 13 May 2008
World Politics Review Exclusive

On Saturday, Hu Jintao concluded the first state visit by a Chinese president to Japan in almost a decade. President Jiang Zemin traveled to Japan in 1998, but the subsequent deterioration in relations between Beijing and Tokyo severely curtailed high-level meetings. Although Chinese and Japanese officials managed on this occasion to finesse such recently contentious issues as Tibet and food safety, Hu's sojourn failed to resolve the deeper sources of these earlier bilateral tensions.

How Iran Conquered Lebanon

By Frida Ghitis 13 May 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive While the world's diplomatic and media attention focused on the natural disaster in Burma, a major political and strategic move reshaped the Middle East, handing yet another defeat to the West and a crucial victory to Iran: In the blink of an eye, the Islamic Republic of Iran conquered Lebanon.
The mop up operations have not ended, but the key outcome is clear: Hezbollah, the militia created by Tehran and loyal to Iran's leading Ayatollah, has gained control of Lebanon.

West Must Learn to Manage China's Growing Middle East Influence

By Peter Kiernan 12 May 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive Given the projected robust growth in China's oil consumption over the next few decades, it will increasingly view the Middle East as a cornerstone of its energy security interests. The fact that China is now an aggressive player in the quest for global energy supplies has caused concern in the West, which worries that China seeks to challenge the United States' dominant security role in the Middle East. Is conflict between the U.S. and China over Middle Eastern energy resources inevitable?

U.S.-Russia Accord Could Facilitate Nonproliferation, Civil Nuclear Cooperation

By Richard Weitz 12 May 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive On May 6, during Russian President Vladmir Putin's last day in office, the American and Russian governments finally signed their long-sought civil nuclear energy agreement. The accord facilitates the transfer of technologies, materials, equipment and other components used to conduct nuclear research and produce nuclear power. The U.S. ambassador to Russia, William Burns, said the document symbolized the two countries' transformation from "nuclear rivals" to "nuclear partners."

Saving Candidate Sarkozy: A Year of Disappointment and Broken Promises

By Judah Grunstein 08 May 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive PARIS -- One year after his election as president of France, Nicolas Sarkozy strikes a lonely figure on the French political scene. Having referred to himself as the "buying power president" to emphasize his goal of increasing disposable income, he has instead become the object of a nationwide case of buyer's remorse. In a country where politics is a blood sport, and where the only thing worse than success is failure, his precarious position has already led some to wonder whether his presidency is past saving.

Amin al-Husaini and the Holocaust. What Did the Grand Mufti Know?

By Wolfgang G. Schwanitz 08 May 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive Amin al-Husaini, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, remains a controversial figure. As an officer in the Ottoman army during the First World War, he implemented the German idea of organizing jihad and terror behind enemy lines. He fiercely opposed Jewish settlement. But it is, above all, the Grand Mufti's close ties to National Socialist Germany that are the subject of ongoing debates. There is now no room for doubt that Al-Husaini knew about the Nazis' exterminationist policies toward the Jews.

The Rocky Road to Burma's Salvation Goes Through Beijing

By Frida Ghitis 06 May 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive It comes as no surprise that Burma's army, one of the largest in the world, is largely absent during the people's time of need. With tens of thousands dead and perhaps millions homeless, the brutal government of Burma is a no-show. But instead of attacking the generals, as it is doing when seconds count, the Bush administration should be pressuring Beijing to push the doors to Burma open. Otherwise, no aid will travel the treacherous roads to the region where thousands will soon die without urgent help.

Uganda's Fate Hinges on the Enigmatic Leader of the Lord's Resistance Army

By Blake Lambert 06 May 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive Northern Ugandans are hoping the rebel Lord's Resistance Army will soon sign a peace agreement with President Yoweri Museveni's government. Their hope is understandable. The LRA's 21-year insurgency and the Ugandan government's response have largely destroyed the region north of the Nile and south of Sudan. But resolving the conflict largely hinges on the enigmatic chairman of the LRA, Joseph Kony. A fine new book helps to demystify Kony, the LRA and the conflict which may or may not end soon.

U.S. Presidential Transition Will Create Terrorism Vulnerabilities

By Richard Weitz 06 May 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive On Jan. 20, 2009, the Department of Homeland Security will experience its first presidential transition. The U.S. government's reliance on political appointees creates vulnerabilities during this transition period. Terrorists here and abroad have historically found changes of national leadership an opportune time to strike. As such, DHS has prudently designated a cadre of senior career civil servants who will run its key agencies until the incoming administration is able to secure Senate approval of its own agency heads.

Elements of the Bush Doctrine Will Outlive the Bush Presidency

By Alan W. Dowd 05 May 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive President George W. Bush has been dismissed as a lame duck, but it appears that significant elements of the doctrine that bears his name will endure long after he leaves the White House. Although we haven't heard much about the Bush Doctrine in recent years, its impact on American foreign policy -- both positive and negative -- is as significant as it is misunderstood. All three remaining presidential candidates have embraced elements of the Bush strategy against terrorist threats.

Opposition of Beijing, Nuclear Concerns Scuttle Tehran's Bid for Full SCO Membership

By Richard Weitz 02 May 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive While in Tajikistan on March 24, Iranian Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki declared that Tehran had submitted an official application to become a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The announcement launched a wave of speculation about whether the other SCO countries would agree to elevate Tehran's status. By mid-April, it had become evident that Iran's application did not at present enjoy the required unanimous consent of the other full SCO members.

With Hu Visit, Leaders Look to Continue Thaw in Japan-China Relations

By Jason Miks 02 May 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive TOKYO -- Next week's scheduled visit to Japan by Chinese President Hu Jintao is the latest evidence of a continuing thaw in the two countries' relations. The Japan-China relationship reached a low point in April 2005, when thousands of Chinese protested Japan's approval of textbooks that critics say played down Japanese aggression in World War II. But an October 2006 visit to China by then-Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe marked the start of what the Chinese called an "ice-melting."

Russian-Georgian Military Buildup Raises Fears of War

By Richard Weitz 30 Apr 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive On April 29, 2008, the Russian Foreign Ministry accused the Georgian government in Tbilisi of preparing to invade the pro-Moscow separatist region of Abkhazia, which is located on the eastern shore of the Black Sea, along the Russia-Georgia border. Georgian officials have categorically denied Moscow's latest allegation. The row follows several recent Russian actions that have aggravated relations between Moscow and Tbilisi, and the prospects for reversing the escalating conflict do not look bright.

Pope Benedict XVI on the World Stage: What He Said at the U.N.

By Jonas Clark 29 Apr 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive The visit to the United States earlier this month of Pope Benedict XVI, the spiritual leader of more than 60 million Americans and 1 billion people worldwide, was a whirlwind affair. For all his meetings with American dignitaries, political leaders, and the like, however, Benedict's most important moment was not focused on America, per se, but rather the entire community of nations, as he addressed the United Nations General Assembly for the first time since his elevation to the papacy.

Japan-Russia Summit Fails to Resolve Longstanding Territorial Dispute

By Richard Weitz 29 Apr 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda met with outgoing Russian President Vladimir Putin and his successor, Dmitry Medvedev, outside Moscow this past weekend. The talks addressed preparations for July's G-8 summit, which Japan is hosting, as well as such perennial issues as how to improve the often strained security and economic relations between the two countries. Tokyo-Moscow ties have remained troubled for decades. The summit failed to change the underlying causes of these difficulties.

China and Tibet: Olympic Boycotts Would be Counterproductive

By Nirav Patel 28 Apr 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive The international community has turned up the heat on China, demanding that Beijing engage in dialogue with the Dali Lama and stop repression of Tibetans and other minority groups, such as Uighurs. Heads of state have threatened boycotts on the games' opening ceremony. But those calling for the United States and the international community to boycott the 2008 Olympic Games don't understand that the international community has little leverage with China, and that boycotts could make the situation worse.

Syria: Fighting for the Status Quo

By Frida Ghitis 25 Apr 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive When talking about peace in the Middle East, the first parties that come to mind are Israelis and Palestinians. Lately, however, Syria has broken into the headlines, with conflicting news about peace and war. The talk, which alternates between ominous and promising, reflects the script of a very public performance with a very specific intended audience and a very clear desired outcome. In this case, the talk is aimed at neither peace nor war. Its purpose is to solidify the status quo, at least for now.

Central Asian Rivals Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan Hold Summit

By Richard Weitz 25 Apr 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive Islam Karimov, the president of Uzbekistan, just completed his first official visit to Kazakhstan since September 2006. The two countries are the most influential states in Central Asia. Unfortunately, Uzbek-Kazakh relations have been characterized more by conflict than cooperation. Although Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have signed approximately 100 bilateral agreements since becoming independent in 1991, their relations have long been strained, having become perennial competitors for regional primacy.

Independent Russian Journalists Assess the NATO Accession Controversy

By Matthew Light 25 Apr 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive The analysis of independent Russian journalists suggests some distinctive features of the internal Russian debate about NATO expansion. First, the impression that Russia has played its hand badly is more widespread among Russian observers than the Russian government might like. Second, Russian analysts display more sympathy to the Western European members of NATO than to the United States. Third, Russian journalists are closely attuned to internal political developments in Georgia and Ukraine.

Food Riots Expose Danger of Ignoring Agriculture in 'Development' Strategies

By Michelle Sieff 24 Apr 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive According to the major multilateral institutions there are several causes of recent food price inflation, including droughts, the Western push to use biofuels made from corn to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, and increased demand for meat and dairy products from richer Asian countries. But these explanations highlight external causes and ignore causes -- rooted in the policy choices of developing world governments -- that have led to the stagnation of agricultural sectors, especially in Africa.

Do You Remember Herta Däubler-Gmelin?

By John Rosenthal 24 Apr 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive A German government proposal to grant Iraqi Christians asylum in Germany as a persecuted minority drew criticism last week from the chair of the Bundestag's Human Rights Committee, Herta Däubler-Gmelin. The involvement of Däubler-Gmelin, who in September 2002 famously compared George W. Bush to Adolf Hitler, suggests the potential in Germany for the refugee issue to be hijacked by political agendas that have more to do with grudges against the U.S. than with humanitarian concern.

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Another North Korean Famine?
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