WPR Articles 22 Sep 2012 - 28 Sep 2012

From Resolution to Reconciliation in Postconflict Societies

By: Daniel Bar-Tal | Feature

In trying to sustainably resolve intractable conflicts, the international community faces a challenge on two levels. One is related to the peaceful resolution of the conflict, while the other involves postconflict reconciliation. This latter challenge, which lies at the heart of the peace-building process, is above all a psychological process. The goal of policy should therefore be to advance the psychological processes that lead to reconciliation.

Iran Impasse Threatens Obama's U.N. Legacy

By: Richard Gowan | Briefing

When President Barack Obama addresses the U.N. General Assembly tomorrow, he will be able to point to some notable successes in his administration’s interactions with the organization since 2009. Yet despite these accomplishments, Obama's record at the U.N., and the future of U.S. policy toward it, will be defined by events in the Middle East in the coming months, with the decisive issue being Iran.

With East Asian Missile Defense, U.S. Sends a Clear Message to China

By: Yogesh Joshi | Briefing

The official narrative behind the U.S. and Japan's recently concluded agreement to expand their joint missile defense program is straightforward: Missile defense is insurance against aggression on the part of a North Korean regime in possession of robust missile capabilities. However, the logic driving East Asian missile defense extends beyond Pyonyang and is driven by three principal considerations.

World Citizen: Egyptian Islamists' Divisions Point to Search for Identity

By: Frida Ghitis | Column

In the years that preceded the Arab Uprisings, the term "Islamist" often carried connotations of a monolithic movement. The word served as shorthand, but it blurred significant distinctions that have long existed within the movement. Recent events have made those distinctions even more apparent, making it increasingly clear that Islamists are engaged in a fierce political battle to determine their own identity.

Chávez or Not, It's Time to Rethink the U.S.-Venezuela Relationship

By: Dane Bryant | Briefing

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez will be seeking a third 6-year term on Oct. 7, in what many analysts believe will be Chávez’s closest contest since his initial election in 1998. Given the spectrum of potential outcomes, the United States must take the long view in determining the appropriate strategy to adopt toward Caracas, regardless of who is president at the start of 2013.

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Global Insider: Australia, Japan Look to Cement Close Defense Ties

By: The Editors | Trend Lines

In an email interview, Thomas Wilkins, a senior lecturer at the Center for International Security Studies at the University of Sydney, discussed the strategic relationship between Australia and Japan.

The Continentalist: Germany Trips Up EU on China Ties

By: Ulrike Guérot | Column

There has never been a time when it mattered more for the European Union to be able to speak firmly, coherently and constructively to China in order to avoid the great selloff of Europe. Sadly, however, the German government and the European Commission appear to be doing their best to undercut the EU’s ability to wield international influence and have its ambitions taken seriously in Beijing.

From Agreement to Sustainable Peace in Northern Ireland

By: Stefan Wolff | Feature

The volatile co-existence between Northern Ireland's Loyalist and Republican communities highlights both how much and how little has changed since the conclusion of the historic agreement in April 1998 meant to settle a conflict that had lasted more than 30 years. Three factors help explain why the agreement was possible, how the problems plaguing its implementation were overcome and whether the peace that has prevailed in Northern Ireland for almost two decades is sustainable.

Democracy in Progress: El Salvador's Unfinished Transition

By: Rachel Schwartz | Feature

Despite notable gains, El Salvador’s postconflict reconstruction efforts have fallen well short of fulfilling the promise of the Chapultepec peace accords, signed 20 years ago to end a 12-year civil war that claimed more than 70,000 lives. At every turn, forward progress has been followed by steps back. Indeed, the Salvadoran case illustrates the formidable stumbling blocks to peace and democratic consolidation in postconflict settings.

Global Insights: Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Still Faces Uphill Climb

By: Richard Weitz | Column

Sixteen years after it was opened for signature, 183 out of 196 national governments have signed the the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), and 157 countries have ratified it. Although it has not become a campaign issue, ratification of the treaty will be a question facing the next U.S. presidential administration, with important implications for a wide range of U.S. nuclear nonproliferation goals.

South Korea Angles for Influence on Arctic Policy

By: Steven Borowiec | Briefing

With global temperatures on the rise, melting ice is making the Arctic more accessible, opening up shipping routes for global trade as well as areas containing sizable deposits of minerals and fossil fuels. As the five nations with Arctic coastlines address how to manage these new opportunities and the challenges they raise, South Korea is actively seeking to overcome its geography and gain a seat at the table.

Global Insider: Vatican Remains an Active Player in Global Diplomacy

By: The Editors | Trend Lines

In an email interview, Samuel Gregg, director of research at the Acton Institute, discussed Vatican foreign policymaking.

Mexico's Peña Nieto Seeks to Build Bridges With Latin American Tour

By: Catherine Cheney | Trend Lines

Last week, Mexican President-elect Enrique Peña Nieto began a diplomatic tour of Central and South America, including stops in Guatemala, Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Peru. For Peña Nieto, who will take office Dec. 1, the trip was an effort to reset Mexico’s relations with other major players in the region.

Strategic Horizons: The Future of Roboticized Warfare

By: Steven Metz | Column

In Iraq, Afghanistan and the insurgent sanctuaries of Pakistan, the U.S. military has fielded a wide array of new technologies, with robotics being the most important. Today, 30 percent of U.S. military aircraft flying in those conflicts are drones. Nearly every land unit has robots of one type or another. But while robots are pervasive and innovative, they are not revolutionary. At least not yet.

Global Insider: Retail Opening Will Bring Broad Benefits to Indian Economy

By: The Editors | Trend Lines

In an email interview, Pravakar Sahoo, an associate professor at the Institute for Economic Growth in India, discussed India’s retail opening. 

Despite Slowing Economy, Vietnam Resists Reforms

By: Loc Doan | Briefing

Until a few years ago, Vietnam was considered one of the world’s hottest emerging markets. However, the country’s economy has recently slowed sharply, signaling the end of its economic miracle. Vietnam is now facing serious difficulties, and there are growing fears of an “economic meltdown.” With the boom years now gone, a number of entrenched structural problems are looming large.

The Realist Prism: As Egypt Resets U.S. Ties, China Waits in the Wings

By: Nikolas Gvosdev | Column

Since Egypt's transition to an Islamist-dominated government, Washington has tried to use the sizable financial assistance it provides Egypt as leverage with the new civilian leaders. Though seemingly amenable to this approach, President Mohamed Morsi has also demonstrated an independent streak, raising questions about what would happen if there were a serious rupture in U.S.-Egypt relations in the future.

Distributing the Pain From Europe's Austerity Cure

By: Catherine Cheney | Trend Lines

Protests erupted across Spain and Greece this week, with demonstrators in both of the debt-hobbled countries expressing their growing displeasure with austerity reforms.