Iran Nuclear Deal a Welcome First Step, by Judah Grunstein
To Succeed, Iran Deal Needs a Dose of Realism, by Steven Metz
Beyond Nuclear Chapter, Many Obstacles Remain to U.S.-Iran Thaw, by Eric Auner
 

WPR Articles 23 Nov 2013 - 27 Nov 2013

Iran Nuclear Deal a Welcome First Step

By: Judah Grunstein | Briefing

The agreement signed in Geneva over the weekend by the P5+1 powers and Iran is inarguably good news. If the deal holds, the next six months will be the first time in eight years that Iran’s nuclear program has been slowed for reasons other than technical difficulties and outside sabotage. The agreement is but the first step in what remains an arduous task, but it is a significant and welcome first step.

Strategic Horizons: To Succeed, Iran Deal Needs a Dose of Realism

By: Steven Metz | Column

The ink was not dry on the agreement with Iran over the weekend before criticism exploded. The freshly signed deal is not intended to be permanent or final. At best it is a tentative first step toward diminishing the threat that Iran poses to its region. Even so, much of the criticism is uninformed by the history of strategy or chooses to distort it. What the Iran issue desperately needs is cold realism.

Global Insights: With Air Defense Zone, China Scores ‘Own Goal’ in South Korea

By: Richard Weitz | Column

China’s decision to establish an air identification zone that encompasses its disputed islands with Japan is yet another attempt to expand its territorial claims by presenting neighboring countries with a fait accompli. But in this case Beijing may have overreached. The declared zone encompasses several important South Korean national territories, triggering sharp rebukes from Seoul not seen in several years.

Policy Debate Over Drone Strikes Muddied by Competing Data

By: Ritika Singh | Briefing

The debate about U.S. targeted killing policy has become familiar. Proponents argue that drones’ accuracy limits civilian casualties and that drones are a valuable tool in an asymmetric war. Opponents argue that civilian casualties are much higher than government estimates, and that the policy creates more terrorists than it kills. It is difficult to reconcile these competing claims with publicly available data.

Diplomatic Fallout: Europe’s Struggle for Strategic Competitiveness, Part I

By: Richard Gowan | Column

The European Union has long aspired to be both a regional and global power. The union’s leaders articulated these goals in the first—and so far only—European Security Strategy in 2003. The strategy prioritized “building security in our neighborhood” and “an international order based on effective multilateralism.” The document will reach its 10th birthday this December. Is it still fit for purpose?

More Beyond Nuclear Chapter, Many Obstacles Remain to U.S.-Iran Thaw By: Eric Auner | Trend Lines The conclusion of an interim deal on Iran’s nuclear program opens the possibility that the U.S. can engage on other areas of concern. Despite Recent Tensions, Mozambique’s Politics Show Signs of Maturity By: Alex Vines | Briefing Mozambique has attracted headlines over the past year mainly for the return to armed conflict in central Mozambique by ex-rebels as well as for new discoveries of world-class offshore gas reserves. But while the results of Mozambique’s recent municipal elections have not attracted the same level of international attention, they are an important indicator of the health of the nation’s political pluralism. Global Insider: Indonesia’s Response to Australia Spying Row Suggests Two No Longer Equal Partners By: The Editors | Trend Lines In an email interview, Richard Chauvel, senior lecturer at the School of Social Sciences and Psychology at Victoria University, discussed the security relationship between Australia and Indonesia. Pakistan’s Kayani Leaves Behind Mixed Legacy of Reform as Army Chief By: Shehzad H. Qazi | Briefing On Nov. 29, Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Pakistan’s powerful chief of army staff, will retire after a six-year tenure. Kayani commanded the Pakistan army through a tumultuous time and was instrumental in enabling it to better cope with security threats. He also distanced the army from politics after a decade of military rule. In other areas, however, his accomplishments were limited and the gains fragile.

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