World Politics Review WPR Articles 15 Sep 2012 - 21 Sep 2012

WPR Articles 15 Sep 2012 - 21 Sep 2012

Embassy Attacks in Egypt, Tunisia Could Marginalize Extremists

By: Nader Habibi | Briefing

Some commentators have argued that last week’s attacks on U.S. embassies will strengthen the radical and anti-Western Islamic factions in Egypt and Tunisia. However, a number of political and economic realities suggest that the violent attacks might instead strengthen these countries’ moderate Islamists, who are now responsible for dealing with the economic crises plaguing both countries.

Global Insights: Senkaku Dispute Reflects China-Japan Struggle for Regional Primacy

By: Richard Weitz | Column

Tokyo’s announcement last week that it would purchase the disputed Senkaku Islands from a private Japanese owner set off a wave of anti-Japanese protests across China. The complex relationship between the two countries, burdened by history and intermittent geopolitical disputes, has been further complicated by the fact that China’s rise has coincided with a decade of Japanese economic stagnation.

U.S. Response to Anti-Muslim Video Undermines Internet Freedom

By: Eric Sterner | Briefing

The State Department’s effort to have Google block access to the YouTube video that triggered anti-American protests throughout the Middle East over the past week sets an undesirable precedent. The move raises concerns about freedom of expression in cyberspace and has troubling implications for the State Department’s initiative in defense of Internet freedom launched in January 2010.

World Citizen: The Power Politics of Power Failures

By: Frida Ghitis | Column

When India's electrical grid suddenly and unexpectedly failed last July, exasperated residents responded in a manner that tells us much about what electrical service has come to signify in emerging economies. A common joke asked, What do you call a power failure in Delhi? Answer: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. In other words, an electrical failure is a power failure -- a political power failure.

As Spain's Construction Sector Recedes, Global Rivals Move In

By: Greg Caramenico | Briefing

Tighter credit restrictions proposed by Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy could leave Spanish companies without the funds they need to operate, increasing unemployment and damaging international partnerships that rely on Spanish business. These concerns are especially true of Spain’s flagship construction industry, which is already suffering losses from the end of the country’s building boom.

The Continentalist: The EU Gets Serious About Saving the Euro

By: Ulrike Guérot | Column

In the future, should a continent-spanning republic ever emerge in Europe, historians will probably point to Sept. 12, 2012, as one of the game-changing days in the historic march toward such a goal. The European political class has apparently decided over the summer not only to get serious about the euro, but also about European democracy. What’s more, it seems to have decided to go public.

Global Insider: Long-Term Change Needed to Strengthen U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights

By: The Editors | Trend Lines

In an email interview, Hurst Hannum, a professor of international law at Tufts University’s Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, discussed the high commissioner’s role and capabilities.

U.S.-Japan Missile Defense Cooperation Comes With Risks

By: Catherine Cheney | Trend Lines

While in Japan on Monday to start off a three-nation tour of Asia, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced that the United States and Japan had reached an agreement to deploy a second missile defense radar installation on Japanese soil.

Global Insider: Unshaken By Revolution, Egypt's Oil and Gas Industry Faces Long-Term Challenges

By: The Editors | Trend Lines

In an email interview, Gawdat Bahgat, a professor of national security affairs at the National Defense University’s Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Study, discussed the state of Egypt’s oil and gas industry. 

For U.S., Russia, Interests Trump Rhetoric in Middle East

By: Matthew Rojansky | Briefing

The past year has witnessed a high-profile disagreement between Russia and the U.S. over the civil war in Syria and the broader direction of political change in the Arab world. But when it comes to core U.S. interests in the Middle East, such as managing the rise of political Islam and constraining Iran’s nuclear program, there is more convergence than disagreement between the former Cold War rivals.

Strategic Horizons: America's Failed Strategy in the Islamic World

By: Steven Metz | Column

U.S. strategy in the Islamic world is teetering on collapse. Angry, often violent crowds from Morocco to Afghanistan attacked anything associated with the U.S. or the West during the past week. All indications are that the protests accurately reflect a deep and persistent anger toward the United States, calling into question the logic behind Washington's approach to the region over the past decade.

Tensions Between Turkey, Iraq Have Wide-Ranging Regional Implications

By: Catherine Cheney | Trend Lines

Last week, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Turkey would not extradite Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi, who was sentenced to death in absentia by an Iraqi court.

Global Insider: EU Antitrust Case May Spur New Business Models for Gazprom

By: The Editors | Trend Lines

In an email interview, Pami Aalto, Jean Monnet professor at the University of Tampere, and Kim Talus, professor of European law at the University of Eastern Finland, discussed the EU’s investigation into Gazprom.

Zero Problems 2.0: Turkey as a Caucasus Power

By: Michael Cecire | Briefing

As Turkey’s once-hailed approach to foreign policy flounders in the Middle East, the spirit of “zero problems” continues to consolidate gains in other neighboring areas, notably the Caucasus. Georgia has become a particular beneficiary of Turkey’s Caucasus strategy. For Turkey, Georgia is a fundamental part of its regional energy strategy and an important buffer between it and historical rival Russia.

The Realist Prism: Syria Crisis Could Redraw Middle East Map

By: Nikolas Gvosdev | Column

U.S. pundits commenting on the protests that have swept across the Middle East this past week have focused on finger-pointing and partisan sniping, with conservatives calling for Washington to show more strength and liberals advocating more outreach. Few have wanted to deal with a far more unpleasant reality: The de facto pro-U.S. coalition of Turkey, Israel and moderate Sunni Arab states is disintegrating.

Revolt Against Singh Could Stall India's Economic Momentum

By: Catherine Cheney | Trend Lines

In India, a growing number of political leaders are threatening to withdraw their support for the governing coalition of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the face of new economic measures that, among other changes, would allow for greater foreign investment by global retail giants in India’s heretofore protected domestic retail sector.

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