Elections in Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, loom large on the country’s political calendar. Indeed, with a population of 170 million, Uttar Pradesh would, if it were its own country, be the fifth most populous in the world, and it also sends the most members to India’s federal parliament. The importance of the state’s assembly elections, which start April 7 and are to be completed in early May, are therefore clear. Yet despite the seemingly endless amount of ink spilt on the rising India, and despite near double-digit economic growth for the last two years, the country’s ruling Congress [...]
East Timor at a Crossroads as It Prepares for Elections
DENPASAR, Indonesia — On April 9, East Timor will choose who will replace ex-guerrilla leader Xanana Gusmao as president. The vote is the first since the country restored independence on May 20, 2002. But there is little to celebrate, as poverty, social and political upheaval, and widespread violence plague Asia’s newest nation. Among the eight candidates, Nobel Peace Prize winner and current Prime Minister Jose Ramon-Horta is the overwhelming favorite. While the directly elected presidency is a largely symbolic post, Gusmao played a central part in running the country and the next president could have a significant effect on the [...]
Whatever the fate of North Korea’s nuclear weapons program, the strained relations between the United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK) over this and other security issues make clear the need for both countries to take action to reinvigorate their bilateral defense alliance. During the past decade, relations between South Korea and the United States have deteriorated considerably. South Koreans appreciate having an American defense guarantee, both for helping them deter a possible North Korean attack and for enhancing their leverage vis-à-vis China and Japan. Yet, they oppose American military threats against North Korea and U.S. efforts to isolate [...]
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