WPR Articles 20 Apr 2013 - 26 Apr 2013 U.S. Pivot to Asia Passes First Test in Korea Crisis By: Anna Morris | Briefing The U.S. response to the steady drumbeat of threats issuing from North Korea in recent weeks was unambiguous and well-calibrated to this particular crisis, but its implications go far beyond the Korean Peninsula. The strategic subtext was that the U.S. is and intends to remain a Pacific power. The crisis on the Korean Peninsula can be seen as the first test of the U.S. pivot to Asia, and the U.S. passed. Securing Afghanistan Requires a Truly Regional Effort By: Neil Bhatiya | Briefing As the Western drawdown in Afghanistan nears, regional powers are growing increasingly worried. The mild panic over a resurgence of the Taliban has produced a variety of dialogue mechanisms among Afghanistan’s neighbors. These initial overtures toward regional security cooperation are a promising start. But avoiding a repeat of the 1990s will require a more open and inclusive diplomatic and political forum. Generational Shift May Shake Up Ethiopian Politics After Meles Zenawi By: Terrence Lyons | Briefing The death of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi in August 2012 marked the end of an era in contemporary Ethiopian politics. Since 1991, Meles had headed the powerful ruling party that led the country through a massive transformation. But his tenure was not a period of one-man rule, nor does his death create either a political vacuum or an opportunity for liberal reform, as power never rested in Meles’ hands alone. World Citizen: From Chechnya to Boston, a Weak Ideological Link By: Frida Ghitis | Column When authorities revealed that the suspects in the Boston Marathon bombings, Tamerlan and Dzokhar Tsarnaev, were of Chechen origin, the news might have put a smile on Vladimir Putin’s face. After all, the Russian president might have concluded, a terrorist attack by Chechens in America would vindicate his hard-line approach to Chechen rebels. The evidence so far does not support that view, however. Results of Paraguay Elections a Step Back for the Country By: Catherine Cheney | Trend Lines On Sunday, Colorado Party candidate Horacio Cartes was elected as the new president of Paraguay, promising “a new direction” for the country. But an expert who spoke with Trend Lines predicted that the vote would have the opposite impact. More Diplomatic Fallout: Is Failure an Option for Older U.N. Peace Operations? By: Richard Gowan | Column The U.N. may soon be launching a new wave of peace operations, beginning with a mission in Mali in July. Yet the U.N. still has a huge amount of unfinished business to complete in countries where peacekeepers are already deployed. As U.N. officials look for the resources for these new missions, they will face pressure to downsize existing ones, even if that means leaving some fragile states’ problems unresolved. Global Insights: North Caucasus Fertile Ground for Extremism Long Before Boston Bombing By: Richard Weitz | Column The significance of the ethnicity of the two Boston Marathon bombers is still unclear, as are the reasons for their transformation into Islamist terrorists, but the latest evidence seems to suggest that the elder Tsarnaev brother’s trip last year to the North Caucasus played a key role. Many of the family’s relatives still live in the region, which has been a hotbed of militant radicalism for at least a century. On Syria, Jordan Caught Between Hesitant U.S. and Activist GCC By: Muhammad Muslih | Briefing In responding to the growing security crisis emanating from Syria, Jordan finds itself caught between the United States and the Gulf Cooperation Council, with the U.S. insisting on restraint in Syria and the GCC pushing hard to tip the military balance against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Jordan’s King Abdullah must negotiate these competing forces to manage what he sees as an imminent threat in Syria. Arctic Commercial Fishing Deal Would Set a Precedent By: Catherine Cheney | Trend Lines Later this month, representatives from Russia, Norway, Denmark, Canada and the United States will meet in Washington, DC to discuss a possible accord that would regulate commercial fishing near the North Pole. Strategic Horizons: Planning for America’s Next War By: Steven Metz | Column The U.S. is different from most states throughout history. With no major enemies nearby, America's wars have been fought around the world against a wide range of opponents. This meant that U.S. policymakers and military leaders needed to anticipate the location and identity of their enemies. Being wrong had strategic costs. Unfortunately, the U.S. isn't particularly good at predicting its future conflicts. Global Insider: EU Reforms Mean a Less ‘Common’ Agricultural Policy By: The Editors | Trend Lines In an email interview, Wyn Grant, a political scientist at the University of Warwick with research interests in agricultural policy and the European Union, explained the main reforms to the Common Agricultural Policy adopted by the European Council last month and how they will be implemented. Despite Past Successes, Indonesia Faces Major Challenges to Achieve Potential By: Fergus Hanson | Briefing It’s little wonder that corporate executives and governments the world over have begun to take a closer look at the opportunities on offer in Indonesia. But even Indonesia’s most fervent boosters are often disappointed by the country they so desperately want to succeed. Because despite all the opportunities Indonesia promises, it’s going to have to overcome significant obstacles to realize its potential. The Realist Prism: U.S. Can’t Control Syrian Outcomes Without Committing Resources By: Nikolas Gvosdev | Column In his recommendations for the U.S. to become more actively involved in the Syrian civil war, Sen. Bob Corker has fallen victim to one of the more seductive temptations that regularly befall American policymakers: that with enough aggressive leadership and a healthy application of technological acumen, Washington can get other actors to align themselves with and then execute U.S. policy objectives. Read more at World Politics Review