A few years ago, Hampton’s post about democracy promotion and terrorism probably ran the risk of being twisted by unscrupulous critics into an apology for the terrorists. That got me thinking about the logical inconsistency employed by those who argued for democracy promotion, while denying that any real political grievances feed violent Islamic extremism. Fortunately, those days are over, and we can now discuss things as they exist in the real world. Hampton already mentioned all the caveats necessary when considering democracy promotion. To which Dan Drezner will apparently be adding one more in Congressional testimony tomorrow: sovereign wealth funds. [...]
Thomas Barnett’s got about the most clearcut, incisive rundown of the strategic reality we face in terms of Iran that I’ve seen to date. We can’t afford to be naive about Iran’s intentions. But neither can we afford to be naive about our own leverage, which are tactically diminished right now. That means it’s time to start thinking about the long play. So, sure, containment (as opposed to isolation), but combined with engagement. The fact is, the only things that even raise Iran to the level of irritation are its location and its oil reserves. That’s two major factors to [...]
Part I: Series IntroductionPart II: NATO Reintegration and European Defense PARIS — In assessing the strategic environment to which the Livre Blanc, France’s strategic posture review, must respond, none of the French officials and experts interviewed by World Politics Review could really speak with much certainty. Taken together, the conversations we had gave the distinct impression that outside of the stable if evolving configurations of the European Union and the Atlantic alliance, France’s emerging strategic vision is driven more by questions than by answers. Russia’s determination to reclaim its former influence presents both opportunities for partnership and more alarming scenarios [...]
