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Egypt's House of the Rising Son
By Jon B. Alterman 20 Nov 2009World Politics Review
It is a strange kind of republic in which presidents serve for life. It is an even stranger one in which rulers inherit power from their fathers. Yet, that is the direction in which the Arab Republic of Egypt is headed. For more than a decade, President Hosni Mubarak's son, Gamal, has been the only Egyptian for whom it was safe to harbor high political ambitions.
Improving U.S. Strategy Development and Planning
By James Locher 20 Nov 2009 | World Politics Review The National Security Staff is consumed with day-to-day priorities, and without comprehensive strategies for the medium- and long-term timeframe in place, planning and budgeting inevitably lack coordination and coherence. Overcoming these problems requires establishing an improved mechanism for developing and issuing guidance to the U.S. national security community.Serbia Moves Back to Center Stage
By Andrew MacDowall 19 Nov 2009 | World Politics Review After years as a sidelined figure on the European political stage, Serbia is now attracting growing attention from both West and East. While continuing to line up its bid for European Union membership, Serbia is also the focus of Russia's renewed interest in the Balkans. For the time being, Serbia's canny government is strengthening its own position through what amounts to a balancing act.Empowering Interagency Teams
By James Locher 19 Nov 2009 | World Politics Review An increasing number of U.S. national security missions now require interagency approaches. But because of the excessively rigid structures and processes of the current national security system, the White House is compelled to take charge of most strategy development and planning. The result is over-centralization of decision-making, and insufficient coordination for effective policy implementation.Cambodia Riles Thailand with Thaksin Appointment
By Greg Lowe 18 Nov 2009 | World Politics Review BANGKOK -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's recent appointment of Thailand's former premier, Thaksin Shinawatra, as an economic adviser was the diplomatic equivalent of precision bombing, whose shockwaves have sent relations between the neighboring Southeast Asian nations into a tailspin.Thailand's Fading Smiles
By Luke Hunt 18 Nov 2009 | World Politics Review Gripped by simmering cross-border tensions, a dysfunctional democracy and collective unease over the health of the monarchy, Thailand has seen its status as a major power in Southeast Asia and its influence in the wider region cast under a harsh light recently.Creating a Next-Generation State Department
By James Locher 18 Nov 2009 | World Politics Review The current Department of State was not designed to manage the increasingly diverse responsibilities of the U.S. government in a globalized world. To remedy this situation, the United States needs a Next-Generation State Department that can apply an integrated approach to the management of global civilian affairs.Ingushetia: Russia's North Caucasus Policy at a Tipping Point
By Valery Dzutsev 17 Nov 2009 | World Politics Review Observers might disagree about what to call the situation in tiny Ingushetia, a federal republic in Russia's North Caucasus wracked by a bloody Islamist insurgency. But whether the violence that has claimed hundreds of lives in the past few years qualifies as a civil war, a war on terror, or just persistent instability, almost everyone agrees that Ingushetia increasingly displays the features of a failed state.The Iranian Nuclear Crisis: Iran's Greens Join the Fray
By Masoud Shafaee 16 Nov 2009 | World Politics Review It remains uncertain whether Iran will ultimately accept the agreement that negotiators in Geneva drafted late last month to send Iran's stockpiled enriched uranium abroad for further enrichment. But the deliberations in Tehran have made one thing clear: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is under enormous domestic pressure from all sides to reject the P5+1 deal.Engaging Cuba, One Step at a Time
By Patrick Burns 13 Nov 2009 | World Politics Review HAVANA -- The current U.S.-Cuba relationship is a fragile, quid pro quo arrangement with enormous expectations building on both sides. The Obama administration's recent pragmatic measures somehow won support in both Miami and Havana. Still, despite the diplomatic dance taking place, normalization will take time, as the two countries remain deeply divided on core issues.From Dayton to Butmir: The Future of Bosnia
By Risto Karajkov 12 Nov 2009 | World Politics Review Last month, two rounds of high-level meetings on the future of Bosnia took place at a military base on the outskirts of Sarajevo, in an effort to revise the country's constitutional foundations. The talks have already been called "Dayton 2," in reference to the accords that ended Bosnia's civil war in 1995. For now, though, they are unlikely to repeat the success of the original.Holidays Bring Nothing to Celebrate in Eastern Congo
By Lauren Gelfand 12 Nov 2009 | World Politics Review In eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the annual arrival of the holiday season brings with it the sinking realization that no matter the developments of the preceding 12 months, the end of the year will be accompanied by more violence, more sexual assault and more displacement of the civilian population. This year's tragedy is tinged peacekeeper blue.Militants Scatter as Pakistan Takes South Waziristan
By Raza Khan 11 Nov 2009 | World Politics Review ISLAMABAD -- Pakistani security forces succeeded in taking over several Taliban and al-Qaida strongholds in South Waziristan. But tribal leaders and local observers have confirmed that thousands of Pakistani Taliban, Arab al-Qaida and other foreign militants have escaped to other areas of Pakistan, raising fears that militancy will spread and escalate.EEAS: The Birth of a European Diplomatic Corps?
By Nicolas Nagle 11 Nov 2009 | World Politics Review BRUSSELS, Belgium -- With the last obstacles out of the way for the Lisbon Treaty's ratification, a race in Brussels has begun between the European Commission and the European Council to secure influence over the new European diplomatic corps. The integration of elements from the Commission and the Council is causing tensions over who will control the future service.Indonesia's Yudhoyono Puts Politics over Reform
By Prashanth Parameswaran 10 Nov 2009 | World Politics Review In announcing his 37-member cabinet last month, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono lauded his new team as "credible and accountable," and expressed confidence in its abilities. However, many experts did not join in Yudhoyono's glowing encomium, and with good reason: Most of the cabinet-level appointments seem to be based on considerations of political loyalty more than competence.Yudhoyono's Legacy Tied to Corruption Commission Battle
By Fabio Scarpello 10 Nov 2009 | World Politics Review DENPASAR, Indonesia -- The peaceful re-election of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono this year added yet another layer of political stability to Indonesia's democratization process. But a battle between the country's anti-corruption commission and the Attorney General's Office is an indicator of some of the difficulties the country still faces, and could be a legacy-defining moment for Yudhoyono.Mexico's Calderón Shifts Gears on Security Agenda
By Patrick Corcoran 09 Nov 2009 | World Politics Review TORREÓN, Mexico -- Mexican President Felipe Calderón has been irrevocably identified with one issue more than any other: security. But despite some improvements in Mexico's institutional capacity to fight crime, Calderón's security gamble has largely backfired politically. As a result, security is now yesterday's buzzword. Calderón, it seems, is intent on remaking himself as a development president.Russia-Saudi Relations: The Kingdom and the Bear
By Saurav Jha 09 Nov 2009 | World Politics Review Saudi Arabia's possible purchase of at least $2 billion of Russian military equipment has the potential to be the most significant Russian arms deal in the Middle East since the Soviet Union transferred SA-2s to Nasser's Egypt. The deal may also be part of a larger process that leads to a significant realignment in the external relations of both parties.
U.S. Engagement No 'Magic Bullet' in Burma
By Colby Pacheco
06 Nov 2009 |
World Politics Review
This week's visit of a high-level U.S. diplomat to Burma is the latest in a series of moves geared toward engaging with that country's reclusive ruling military junta. Unfortunately, though the aims of the Obama administration are admirable,
effecting change in Burma is something the U.S. cannot accomplish if it
acts alone.
In Ethiopia, Food Stability Through Index Insurance
By John Perra
05 Nov 2009 |
World Politics Review
Since famine killed 1 million Ethiopians 25 years ago, the country has
remained in a cycle of drought-driven crises keeping it dependent on
foreign aid. A new crop insurance program aims to eliminate the need for such emergency aid while bringing sustainability to an ongoing agricultural problem.
To Balance China, India Turns to Japan
By Jason Miks
04 Nov 2009 |
World Politics Review
TOKYO -- The Dalai Lama was not the only influential figure looking for
an audience in Tokyo last month. His visit followed close on the heels
of current Indian National Security Adviser M. K. Narayanan, who met
with recently elected Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama. Indeed, as tensions mount between India and China, some analysts see Japan as a natural ally for New Delhi.
