Section: Foreign Policy (USA)
Do Chinese Care About ‘American Decline?’ In 2014, They Did Only Twice
For Americans, the term “American decline” may conjure up any number of bleak scenarios, from economic stagnation to the creeping corrosion of a liberal international order, or simply a vague, intangible dread. When confronted with this notion, it’s hard not to imagine everyday Chinese chortling at their geopolitical rival’s weakness...
FP’s Situation Report: Peacekeepers might prevent history’s repeat in Iraq; All is not lost after U.S. troops leave Afghanistan; European unity on Russia begins to crack; and much more.
By David Francis with Sabine Muscat Peacekeepers might prevent the rise of another Islamic State. President Barack Obama’s strategy against the Islamic State involves U.S.-led airstrikes and training Iraqi forces to retake captured territory. But the current crisis in Iraq and Syria proves missions to defeat extremism are neither short nor...
It’s Time to Pursue Regime Change in Iran
There are lots of reasons to be skeptical that 2015 will see a diplomatic breakthrough in efforts to end Iran’s nuclear weapons bid. But one of the more compelling is that there’s virtually nothing in the historical record to suggest that the Obama administration’s current negotiating strategy can succeed. Though rarely...
A Risky Year in Global Markets Is Coming
Like many economists, I think timing the market is a pretty hopeless task. Buy-and-hold has been a reliable strategy for increasing wealth over the past several decades, so why waste a bunch of effort trying to predict something that, if markets are truly efficient, ought to be unpredictable? But once in a while I get a little antsy. Now is one...
Democracy Lab Weekly Brief, January 5, 2014
To keep up with Democracy Lab in real time, follow us on Twitter and Facebook. DemLab rings in the New Year with our list of Editor’s Picks from 2014: Mohamed Nasheed shared lessons from his own experience as a pro-democracy activist and ex-president of the Maldives. Syrian doctor Zaher Sahloul described life and work among the snipers of...
Why 2015 Should be the Year of Trade
When surveying the global landscape, there are many reasons for concern. At least two countries — China and Russia — show signs of seeking regional hegemony. Whether your foreign policy goals are to balance power, strengthen global institutions, or advance our ideals, the emergence of an authoritarian regional hegemon should be highly disturbing....
FP’s Situation Report: Taliban’s year starts off badly; Tensions between the U.S. and Russia go nuclear; Boko Haram proves its worth against West African militaries; and much more.
By David Francis with Sabine Muscat The Taliban’s year is off to a bad start. Pakistani air strikes killed 31 militants this weekend. A suspected American drone strike killed another seven. The combined efforts of these two countries are proof that Pakistan’s six-month push to take control of tribal regions held by Taliban militants...
10 Wars to Watch in 2015
The last year was a bad one for international peace and security. Sure, there were bright spots in 2014. Colombia’s peace process looks hopeful. The last round of Iran’s nuclear talks was more successful than many think. Tunisia, though not yet out of the woods, showed the power of dialogue over violence. Afghanistan bucked its...
FP’s Situation Report: U.S. troops come under fire in Iraq; 2014 death toll in Syria is catastrophic; North Korea backs down under U.S. and U.N. pressure; and much more.
By David Francis with Sabine Muscat The war creeps ever closer to American military advisers in Iraq. President Barack Obama has repeatedly pledged no U.S. soldiers would be involved in combat against the Islamic State. In Iraq, they are currently confined to bases, yet 300 Americans are under heavy artillery and rocket fire in western Anbar...
The Foreign Policy Story of the Year
The top foreign-policy story of 2014 sneaks up on you. It generated precious few headlines. It is even a bit counterintuitive. But if you measure the importance of foreign-policy stories in any given year in terms of their likely impact on international relations in the years ahead, this one stands out from the other candidates. It is not a...
