Original Commentary written 20 Mar 2008
By John Rosenthal | World Politics Review Exclusive
The Nabucco pipeline project to carry Iranian gas to Europe has long been
central to EU thinking on reducing European energy dependence upon Russia. But public perception of U.S. policy toward Nabucco has recently experienced a sea change: the project has begun being touted as "U.S.-backed." Indeed, some State Department officials have begun expressing vigorous support for the project in seeming contradiction of express U.S. government policy of attempting to isolate Iran economically.
Original News written 26 Oct 2008
By Joseph Kirschke | World Politics Review
While renewed concerns about al-Qaida, reconstituted and ready to plan
new attacks against the U.S., have become the subject of headlines
and presidential debates, the threats posed to American and
international interests by al-Qaida subgroups in places like Chechnya,
Somalia and, most notably, Algeria have gone largely ignored. While experts agree that al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb must be taken seriously, a consensus is emerging that after some initial successes, the North African franchise just might be on the ropes.
Original Commentary written 26 Oct 2008
By Nathan Field | World Politics Review
In trying to determine
whether al-Qaida is stronger or weaker today than it was seven years
ago, analysts tend to view the group exclusively
through the theoretical lens of counterterrorism, an approach that
essentially ignores the many social, cultural and historical factors that effect
al-Qaida's relation to its principle constituency. An examination of the organization's socio-cultural and historical context reveals that despite
posing a short-term tactical threat, al-Qaida's long-term
strategic prospects are relatively bleak.
Original Commentary written 28 Oct 2008
By Geoffrey Cain | World Politics Review
In search of raw materials, China has increasingly used
development assistance to court Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, three
countries "forgotten" since the Vietnam War. The U.S., too, has stepped
up its activities in the region since the Sept. 11 attacks, although
its efforts have focused more on counterterrorism cooperation than on
directly addressing the growing Chinese influence. But as Southeast
Asia increasingly becomes the object of the two powers' attention, some
in the region are expressing discomfort with their growing rivalry.
Original News written 28 Oct 2008
By Richard Weitz | World Politics Review
Last week, the U.S. government completed one of the largest
nuclear recovery operations in history when it helped relocate 341
pounds (154.5 kilograms) of highly enriched uranium -- enough to
construct six nuclear weapons -- from a Soviet-era nuclear research
reactor in Hungary to a more secure storage site in Russia. The latest effort demonstrates the progress made in global clean-out efforts, despite increasingly tense relations between the U.S. and Russia. But much more still remains to be accomplished.
Original Commentary written 05 Nov 2008
By Richard Weitz | World Politics Review Exclusive
No matter who is elected president today, the next leader of the
United States should make reforming the U.S. national security system a
top priority. That's the conclusion of the Project on National Security
Reform (PNSR), a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization funded and
supported by Congress, foundations, and the private sector. The PNSR's research indicates that
the U.S. national security system's performance is inconsistent. And
America needs better to address the challenges it will face.
Original Commentary written 10 Nov 2008
By Thomas P.M. Barnett | World Politics Review
All American presidential doctrines, in one form or another, speak to America's
desire to keep some region or the world-at-large relatively open to
economic connectivity and free of stifling political-military
domination by perceived "bad" actors. Given
the ongoing nature of America's strategic military predicament and our
current financial difficulties, any such Obama doctrine will likely
seek to reconcile Bush's demand for a minimal security rule set with the targeted nations' natural desire for a clear
definition of "safe harbor."
Original News written 11 Nov 2008
By Christina L. Madden | World Politics Review
LIMA, Peru -- Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim met last
week with his Iranian counterpart in Tehran, where the two diplomats
discussed expanding bilateral economic ties. Trade between Iran and
Brazil quadrupled between 2002 and 2007, and if Iran gets its way, it
will further increase as much as five-fold, from $2 billion to $10 billion annually. The
move reflects the fact that while Washington's attention has been
focused on Iraq and the War on Terror, Iran's influence
in Latin America has quietly but steadily grown.