WPR Articles 26 May 2012 - 01 Jun 2012

Ntaganda Mutiny Shatters Tenuous Peace in Eastern Congo

By: Jon Rosen | Briefing

A 2009 agreement that patched up relations between Congolese President Joseph Kabila and Rwandan President Paul Kagame brought a degree of normalcy to the Democratic Republic of Congo's North Kivu province. Since March, however, a mutiny by soldiers loyal to Gen. Bosco Ntaganda has led to fierce battles between the rebels and the Congolese army and resulted in the displacement of tens of thousands of civilians.

Eurobonds Alone Can't Fix Europe's Debt Crisis

By: Daniel McDowell | Briefing

As if the economic situation in Europe had not been bad enough of late, an even scarier picture has developed over the past few weeks, with uncertainty about the common currency’s future now higher than ever. All the bad news is reviving interest in what some policymakers believe is the zone’s nuclear option: the eurobond. But can issuing common debt really solve the crisis and save the euro?

China Struggling to Respond to U.S. Energy Revolution

By: Iain Mills | Briefing

While China's much-hyped clean energy drive has become bogged down, the U.S. has quietly effected a genuine energy revolution that creates huge cost advantages for America’s manufacturing base going forward. The changing international energy market dynamics present Washington with an opportunity to fundamentally reorient its foreign policy approach toward a broad range of actors in the decades to come.

The Realist Prism: U.S. Faces Strategic Gamble in Syria

By: Nikolas Gvosdev | Column

In the aftermath of the massacre in Houla, Syria, pressure is mounting on the Obama administration to become more directly involved in efforts to remove the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The problem for U.S. President Barack Obama’s national security team is that there is no clear, safe course of action: Intervening or staying out of the conflict both carry their own sets of risks.

Leased Sub Key to India's Naval Modernization

By: Yogesh Joshi | Briefing

India recently inducted a leased Russian Akula-class nuclear submarine into its naval fleet, rechristening it Indian Navy Ship (INS) Chakra. The lease’s terms of use forbid India from mounting nuclear weapons onboard, leading some strategic analysts to question the wisdom of leasing a nonlethal nuclear submarine. However, for the Indian navy, the INS Chakra does fulfill some specific strategic purposes.

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Global Insights: Despite Progress, Challenges Remain for NATO Missile Defense

By: Richard Weitz | Column

At its recent Chicago summit, NATO declared that its new BMD architecture had achieved “Interim Capability.” Yet questions persist regarding potential contradictions between missile defense and other NATO goals such as nuclear deterrence, Russian unease regarding the entire BMD project and the alliance’s ability to sustain the necessary expenditures to construct a comprehensive BMD architecture.

After Serbia's Presidential Surprise, Business as Usual

By: Andrew MacDowall | Briefing

The election of a former ultranationalist as Serbia’s new president has been greeted with surprise in some quarters and alarm elsewhere. But despite Tomislav Nikolic’s far-right past and his penchant for nationalist rhetoric, a radical change in direction seems unlikely. Indeed, Nikolic looks likely to preside over a government headed by the man he defeated, newly ex-President Boris Tadic.

Abu Muqawama: Special Operations Forces' Expanding Global Role

By: Andrew Exum | Column

Over the past several months, we have learned more about plans by the U.S. Special Operations Command to take on a greater role globally. This push for greater prominence comes as special operations forces, long the bastard children of the U.S. military, are enjoying unprecedented esteem. But it is worth examining the risks associated with a “special operationalization” of U.S. foreign policy.

World Citizen: Egypt's Election Leaves Islamists, Liberals Shaken

By: Frida Ghitis | Column

Voters in Egypt gave themselves a jolt during the first round of voting in the country's presidential election. As soon as the smoke began to clear and a picture of the electoral tally emerged, a sense of bafflement was quickly followed by frustration and anger as the dominant emotions. A disappointment for liberals was expected, but Islamist politicians also saw reason to worry in the voters' verdict.

From Trend Lines:

Economic Downturn a Moment of Truth for China's Growth Strategy

Global Insider: EU Must Build on Limited Success Against Somali Piracy

Global Insider: Its Influence Strong, Angola Seeks to Diversify Partnerships

Global Insider: South Korea Sees a Bright Future With ASEAN

Despite Light Footprint, Yemen Drone Strikes Come With Hight Cost

Global Insider: Under Rousseff, Brazil Finds Opening to Address Past Abuses