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European Disunion: No Unity in Financial Crisis Response

By Frida Ghitis 09 Oct 2008
World Politics Review

Last week, when the financial system threatened to unravel in the United States, European Union leaders called an emergency summit to devise a common approach to the crisis. In Washington, unseemly bickering between political parties had already defeated one attempt to pass a $700 billion rescue package. But what began as an opportunity for a unified Europe to act decisively and effectively in a time of peril instead turned into a fiasco, erasing the idea that the EU is anything resembling a single country.

Will Tainted Elections Open the West's Doors for Belarus?

By Marianna Gurtovnik 08 Oct 2008 | World Politics Review In an attempt to mend fences with the West, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko promised that the country's recent parliamentary elections would be "unprecedentedly democratic and transparent," inviting over 900 international observers to monitor the voting, and allowing the opposition not only to run candidates, but to sit on local precinct committees as well. Despite the improvements, however, observers said the voting in Europe's "last true dictatorship" was neither free, nor fair.

Experience Trumps Hope: North Korean Denuclearization Stalls Again

By Richard Weitz 07 Oct 2008 | World Politics Review Only two months ago, the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea appeared to be rolling back its nuclear program. But events during the past two weeks suggest that North Korea is returning to its rogue ways, at least for the time being, and senior American diplomat Chrisopher Hill has apparently been unable to persuade Pyongyang to return to the denuclearization process. In addition to the thorny issues still to be resolved, the process might be stalled by a leadership vacuum on both sides of the table.

Massoud Barzani: The KRG Representative to the U.S. Responds

By Qubad Talabany 06 Oct 2008 | World Politics Review President Barzani has played a major role in "every major milestone in Iraq's development. His input and involvement in Baghdad with President Talabani has led to breaking of the impasse on many major issues, including the drafting and the ratification of Iraq's permanent constitution."

Qubad Talabany, the Kurdish Regional Government's representative to the U.S. and son of Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, responds to a World Politics Review commentary.

Syria: The Return Address on a Car Bomb

By Frida Ghitis 02 Oct 2008 | World Politics Review When a car bomb rocked Damascus on Sept. 27, the wheels started spinning wildly inside intelligence agencies, Middle Eastern tea houses, and conspiracy theorist circles alike. The explosion, which killed 17 people and injured 14, took place along the Damascus airport highway close to a Syrian intelligence installation. The question on everyone's mind was: Who did this and why? The most striking aspect of the search for the answer is just how many theories are potentially credible.

The Misrule of Massoud Barzani: Iraqi Kurdistan's Yasser Arafat

By Sam Brannen 01 Oct 2008 | World Politics Review Once an oasis of stability in Iraq, the Kurdish north is increasingly a source of unrest. Because of the misrule of Massoud Barzani, president of the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq (KRG), the region is becoming a danger both to the country and to its own people. Barzani's true goal is clear: expand the borders of Iraqi Kurdistan into oil-rich areas before the state of Iraq and a more capable central government solidify. Barzani may go down as the Yasser Arafat of the Kurdish people.

War is Boring: Somalia Shows Danger of U.S. Prioritizing Ideology Over Security

By David Axe 01 Oct 2008 | World Politics Review In just the last few weeks, Mogadishu, one of the world's most desperate cities in one of the world's most desperate countries, has somehow managed to become even more dangerous. It now seems clear the U.S. strategy in Somalia is a failure. Once again, the logic of waging war on any political movement that remotely resembles Islamic extremism has resulted in greater extremism. This is the first installment of "War is Boring," a new biweekly column from World Politics Review Contributing Editor David Axe.

The Future Shape of U.S.-ASEAN Relations

By Prashanth Parameswaran 30 Sep 2008 | World Politics Review Academics and diplomats converged in Washington last week to discuss the future direction of the United States' Southeast Asia strategy. Their assessments, along with broader regional developments, highlight the key challenges, shifts and continuities that will drive the next administration's policy toward the region. The next administration must be more attentive to Southeast Asia in order to balance the levers of Washington's influence and maintain its standing in this dynamic region.

Is Russia Preparing for an Arms Race with the West?

By Richard Weitz 30 Sep 2008 | World Politics Review Since the formation of the Russian Federation in 1991, the Russian government has been careful to limit military spending, hoping to avoid the Soviet error of engaging in a ruinous arms race with the West. As recently as February, then-Russian-President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed that Russia "must not allow [itself] to be drawn into [a new global arms race]." But while Russian defense spending has already been rising in recent years, one long-term effect of the Georgia War could be to accelerate Russia's military rearmament.

Missile Defense Moves Forward

By Alan W. Dowd 29 Sep 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive These are heady and crucial days for the burgeoning international missile defense system (IMD), which the United States is building in cooperation with its closest allies. Indeed, every week seems to bring with it another validation of IMD's necessity, viability or practicality. The past several weeks are no exception. No less than 18 nations are collaborating with the U.S. on IMD, according to Missile Defense Agency director Lt. Gen. Henry Obering. He calls it "an integrated layered system." It's not unlike a chain-link fence stretching from Australia, through the United States and Europe, to the Persian Gulf.

Livni, Barak and Netanyahu: Navigating Israel's Political Waters

By Frida Ghitis 25 Sep 2008 | World Politics Review The next prime minister of Israel will face daunting challenges, from pursuing a risky peace deal with the Palestinians and perhaps Syria, to navigating a dangerous confrontation with Iran, whose nuclear program many in Israel consider an existential threat. Before the new Israeli leader can plunge into these life and death foreign policy issues, though, she (or he) will first need to negotiate the treacherous rapids of Israel's domestic political waters. Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni is doing just that as she works to secure the office of prime minister.

Bush, Zardari Meet as U.S.-Pakistan Relations Deteriorate

By Richard Weitz 24 Sep 2008 | World Politics Review When Pakistan's new president, Asif Ali Zardari, met privately with U.S. President George W. Bush on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York Tuesday, the deteriorating security situation along the Afghan-Pakistani border was certainly a central topic of discussion. But while cross-border attacks from both sides of the frontier are seriously exacerbating relations between Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the United States, they might also paradoxically be driving the three countries to consider ever-deeper levels of cooperation.

South Africa Holds Its Breath After Mbeki Resignation

By Michael Keating 23 Sep 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive South Africa faces an uncertain future in the aftermath of a week that culminated in President Thabo Mbeki agreeing to step down sooner than his already announced departure date in 2009. Mbeki's decision came at the recommendation of the governing body of the African National Congress following a scandal surrounding his government's interference in the attempted prosecution of ANC President (and Mbeki rival) Jacob Zuma. While Mbeki agreed to go, this story may not end there.

What Next for Zimbabwe?

By Henry Kippin 21 Sep 2008 | World Politics Review In the wake of last week's power sharing agreement signed by Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe and rival opposition leaders Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara, questions have arisen as to what kind of government this unlikely alliance will produce, who will hold the balance of power within it, and whether it is even workable in the long-term. On the face of it, the three parties -- Mugabe's ZANU-PF, Tsvangirai' MDC and Mutambara's splinter MDC faction -- look irreconcilably split on a number of key issues.

Beijing-Moscow Rift Over Georgia War Deepens

By Richard Weitz 19 Sep 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive The Russian military intervention in Georgia has imparted a new tension in the Sino-Russian relationship. Chinese officials now appear to fear that the continued Russian-Western dispute over Georgia risks weakening the United Nations Security Council. A series of signs -- including, most recently, Chinese government support of last week's decision of the Asian Development Bank to grant Georgia a $40 million loan at the lowest possible rate -- reveal Chinese disquiet at the Russian military intervention in Georgia.

One Man's Life and the Future of Iraq

By Frida Ghitis 17 Sep 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive Sometimes one man's life can serve as a mirror to reflect the unfolding history of a nation. Keep a watch on the struggles of one Iraqi by the name of Mithal al-Alusi and you will see the drama of Iraq's modern history and the battle for its future. Sometimes the reflection emits a hopeful glow. Often, however, it shoots back like a dagger, causing a wince of pain. Alusi, who marches to the sound of his own idealistic beat, has a way of unsettling and angering Iraqis, even as he seeds the soil with new ideas.

Nuclear Trade Waiver Seen as a Boon to Indian Business, Economy

By Jason Miks 15 Sep 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive The U.S.-Indian civilian nuclear agreement may still have to clear the U.S. Congress, but Indian firms and industry groups are already celebrating the Nuclear Suppliers Group's decision this month that effectively gave the agreement a green light by waiving a ban on the country engaging in nuclear trade. "The waiver will provide a number of benefits for Indian business as well as the economy as a whole," said Hussain Rammal, a lecturer in international business at the University of Adelaide.

Bush Administration Abandons Nuclear Pact with Russia

By Richard Weitz 12 Sep 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive On Sept. 8, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced the most concrete U.S. punishment of Russia for Moscow's military intervention in Georgia. In a press release, Rice related that the president was rescinding the proposed U.S.-Russia Agreement for Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation. "Given the current environment, the time is not right for this agreement," she said. As a result, Russia will be deprived of billions of dollars of potential revenue from new commercial nuclear activities.

Reporting the Georgian War: Is Bernard-Henri Lévy a Fabulist?

By John Rosenthal 10 Sep 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive When war breaks out, French philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy is decidedly in his element. Thus, when war began between Russia and Georgia over South Ossetia last month, BHL packed his bags and set off to Tbilisi. But Lévy's account of Russian burning and pillaging in the Georgian city of Gori is now being called into question. So should his particular brand of war reporting, which tends to cast him in the role of the champion of a cause, even when such a partisan spirit serves to obscure unpleasant truths about war.

Iran's Nuclear Program: The Next President's Options

By Adam Wolfe 09 Sep 2008 | World Politics Review NEW YORK -- Both U.S. presidential candidates agree that Iran's pursuit of nuclear technology is a serious threat to national security, but neither has presented a serious strategy for dealing with the problem. One suggests he can talk Iran out of its nuclear program without specifying what he'd say to change the equation. The other summed up his strategy by inserting a few bombs into an old Beach Boys song. But constraints on their policy options will likely lead them to similar diplomatic strategies.

Azerbaijan Becomes Object of Russian-Western Rivalry

By Richard Weitz 07 Sep 2008 | World Politics Review Exclusive The Georgian war's diplomatic repercussions continue to ripple throughout the region. One major concern in Washington is that Russia's successful military intervention in Georgia will intimidate other former Soviet republics to at least distance themselves from the United States. It is therefore no accident that U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney recently visited Azerbaijan, which has become a clear object of rivalry between a resurgent Russia and an energy-hungry block of Western democracies.
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Europe's Bailout Plans
European Union heads of government held a summit in Paris Oct. 4 to discuss their own plans for how to bail out their threatened banks. National Public Radio reports.

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