Friday, December 9, 2011

WPR Articles 03 Dec 2011 - 09 Dec 2011

Syria's Chemical Weapons an Opaque but Alarming Risk

By: Michelle E. Dover | Briefing

Recent reports from Syria of military defectors attacking an Air Force intelligence building in Hasrata highlight the growing likelihood that military sites will become a target in the country’s ongoing conflict. The incident illustrates the possibility of escalating instability within Syria’s military command, making Syria’s alleged chemical weapons program cause for particular concern.

The U.S. Navy's Belated Robot Revolution

By: David Axe | Feature

NATO's recent intervention in Libya marked the major combat debut for the U.S. Navy's growing arsenal of unmanned vehicles. In coming years, the U.S. Navy could add hundreds of flying, swimming and diving robots to its existing fleets of surface warships, submarines and manned aircraft. But the Navy's robotic revolution is a belated one.

Over the Horizon: Brazil's Global Ambitions Outstrip Its Naval Capabilities

By: Robert Farley | Column

Today Brazil is far more prepared to engage in ambitious naval planning than in the past. Its GDP exceeds that of Russia, India and a number of other states that have advanced fleets, and its indigenous shipbuilding industry is gaining the experience necessary for homegrown construction of modern, advanced warships. Nevertheless, the Brazilian navy lags behind those of other comparable states.

EUCOM Must Step Up Cooperation to Secure the Arctic

By: William Johansson | Briefing

With increased future activity in the Arctic inevitable, the United States must begin to address some of the potential security challenges that could result. As part of this effort, the European Command, the U.S. military command responsible for the Arctic, must leverage the progress made by the Arctic Council in nonsecurity matters to facilitate expanded security cooperation efforts in the region.

For U.S. Foreign Aid, Better Strategy is the Answer

By: Alexander Benard | Briefing

The difference between the U.S. and China's aid policies is that China deploys its aid as part of a broader strategy to open markets to Chinese companies and gain access to natural resources. The lesson for the United States, then, is not to do away with foreign aid, but to take a page out of the Chinese playbook and begin deploying aid in such a way that it will yield economic benefits for the United States.

The New Rules: U.S. Clutching for Straws With Energy Independence

By: Thomas P.M. Barnett | Column

Washington's triumphant energy-independence narrative surrounding Western Hempishpere sources of hydrocarbons is a case of clutching at straws in hard economic times. Yes, the energy bonanza is real, even as we are still figuring out the environmental risks. But these developments hardly place America in the 21st-century driver’s seat, much less allow us to continue lording it over rising China.

Below the Surface: The Implications of Asia's Submarine Arms Race

By: Abraham M. Denmark | Feature

Asia’s rising powers are investing in submarine capabilities at unprecedented levels, and the nature of this investment is fundamentally changing the region’s subsurface environment. The implications for America’s subsurface community are profound and should drive a re-evaluation of America’s subsurface strategy for the century ahead.

Global Insights: Turkey Turns on Syria's Assad

By: Richard Weitz | Column

On Nov. 28, the Turkish government imposed sanctions against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who Turkish leaders are now calling on to step down. Thus far, the Turkish government has relied on diplomatic, political and economic instruments to achieve its goals of regime change in Syria. But the possibility of military intervention, though still unlikely, is becoming more plausible.

Disappointing Duma Showing Could Force Russia's Putin to Embrace Reform

By: Daragh McDowell | Briefing

The steady erosion of Vladimir Putin’s grip over the Russian public was on full display Sunday, when Russian voters elected a new Duma. In 2007, Putin’s United Russia party polled almost two-thirds of the vote. This time the party failed to reach 50 percent. And though it will still hold a majority of seats in the Duma, the collapse in support has aroused concern in the Kremlin.

Seeds of Confrontation: The New Naval Balance in the Eastern Mediterranean

By: Eric Grove | Feature

Times are changing in the Eastern Mediterranean, which was recently the scene of several naval incidents. As U.S. naval priorities shift and those of Europe decline, political disputes, both new and longstanding, have combined with recent offshore energy discoveries to raise tensions and focus attention on the naval balance of power in the region.

Myanmar Policy: U.S. Vision, EU Shortsightedness in Asia-Pacific

By: Roberto Tofani | Briefing

Last week’s historic visit to Myanmar by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton represents the culmination of the Obama administration's policy shift toward the pariah state, itself part of a broader effort to play a primary role in the Asia-Pacific region. By contrast, the European Union appears to follow the U.S. lead without policy debates within the union. EU policy toward Myanmar is a case in point.

World Citizen: Syrian Conflict Puts Lebanon in Play

By: Frida Ghitis | Column

It is impossible to predict what the future holds for the Middle East. But there is no question that the future of Lebanon is closely linked to that of its neighbor, Syria. With the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad under growing pressure, the fragile status quo in Lebanon is also in play. If and when the Assad regime is toppled, his fall will unleash fierce political winds in Beirut.

The Realist Prism: In Egypt and Russia, a Tale of Two Elections

By: Nikolas Gvosdev | Column

The recent elections in Egypt and Russia have important lessons for both Washington and Beijing about the limits of authoritarianism and Western-style liberalism. Beijing must be concerned about how neither the Kremlin nor Egypt’s military could “guarantee” the election results. And though the U.S. may take comfort in the fact that the elections took place at all, the results are troubling.

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Friday, December 9, 2011