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WPR Articles Dec. 15, 2014 - Dec. 19, 2014
The Costly F-35 Program, or How Not to Build a Warplane
By: The Editors | Trend Lines
Canada may scale back its purchase of F-35
fighter jets citing rising cost, according to a government report
released last week. In an email interview, David Axe, editor of War is
Boring, discusses the current status of the F-35 program.
Putin Courts Modi to Advance Russia-India Economic Ties
By: Richard Weitz | Column
On Dec. 11, Russian President Vladimir
Putin became the latest suitor to court Indian Prime Minister Narenda
Modi on the latter’s home territory. While New Delhi has ended its Cold
War alignment with Moscow, India and Russia still share many overlapping
interests, as the visit clearly illustrated.
Wave of Palestine Recognition as EU Figures Out Its Role in Middle East
By: Maria Savel | Trend Lines
The recent groundswell of support across
Europe for the recognition of a Palestinian state comes as EU relations
with Israel are at an all-time low, peace talks between Israel and
Palestine seem as unlikely as ever and the EU tries to figure out its
role in the region.
For NATO, Benefits of Adding Finland and Sweden Outweigh Costs
By: Magnus Nordenman | Briefing
Russian provocations in the Nordic and
Baltic regions have recharged debates in Finland and Sweden over joining
NATO. While the benefits and drawbacks of NATO membership for Sweden
and Finland are clear, bringing the two Nordic countries into the
alliance would have implications for NATO as well.
Emerging Threat of Lone Wolf Terrorism Requires Cold Rationality
By: Steven Metz | Column
Lone wolf terrorism poses a growing threat
to Western nations. Unfortunately, emotion and shaky logic stand in the
way of a coldly effective national security approach. The strategic
significance of lone wolf terrorism is determined less by the terrorists
than by how targeted nations respond.
Global Trends Point to Fragmentation of International Crisis Management
By: Richard Gowan | Column
The convergence of crises in Ukraine, the
Middle East and Africa in 2014 has the potential to reshape
international crisis management profoundly. While the course of future
conflicts remains unpredictable, three trends are raising the risk of a
fragmentation of international crisis management.
Torture Report: Another Episode in CIA’s History of Violating Oversight
By: Loch K. Johnson | Briefing
The Senate report on torture by the CIA
raises more questions about the state of intelligence accountability,
which the CIA has continually undermined since stricter oversight rules
were established in the late 1970s. Rather than treat Congress as a
responsible partner, the CIA has gamed the oversight system.
Down but Not Out: Youth and Revolution in Egypt and Beyond
By: Thanassis Cambanis | Feature
Young people and youthful energy propelled
the Egyptian uprising that began in 2011, and they remain the Arab
world’s best hope. Today the military appears to have won in Egypt, but
the long-term outcome of the struggle there is still in question; how it
unfolds will be a bellwether for the Arab world.
Zimbabwe Infighting Opens Mugabe Succession Battle
By: James Hamill | Briefing
In Zimbabwe, where President Robert Mugabe
recently dismissed his vice president, the ruling ZANU-PF party’s
internal strife has gone public. That is a measure of the depth of the
party’s crisis and a clear indication that factions are now making moves
to secure the post-Mugabe succession.
Falling Energy Prices Offer New Strategic Opportunities for the U.S.
By: Nikolas Gvosdev | Column
The dramatic fall in global energy prices
over the past several months provides the United States with a window of
opportunity to push new solutions to several pressing domestic and
foreign policy challenges, from East Asia to the Americas—if Washington
is focused and prepared to act quickly.
Opposition Victory in Mauritius Sign of Fatigue With Labour Party
By: The Editors | Trend Lines
The center-right opposition coalition
Alliance Lepep won a landslide victory in Mauritius’ general election
earlier this month. In an email interview, Roukaya Kasenally, director
of programs and knowledge management at the African Media Initiative,
discussed Mauritian politics.
Mexico’s Energy Reforms Miss a Key Sector: Renewables
By: Alexis Arthur | Briefing
Many hoped President Enrique Pena Nieto’s
energy reforms would catalyze the renewable sector in Mexico, with its
abundance of wind, solar and geothermal resources. Instead, his
government risks missing an opportunity to make good on its commitment
to a clean energy future and to tackling climate change.
Modi Reboots India’s Foreign Policy With ‘Zero Problems’ Approach
By: Frida Ghitis | Column
In the short time since Indian Prime
Minister Narendra Modi took office in May, he has revolutionized his
country’s foreign relations. Modi has defied conventional wisdom,
upended national traditions and launched a peripatetic campaign of
rebuilding India’s ties to other nations.
Modi’s BJP Seeks Inroads in Kashmir Elections
By: The Editors | Trend Lines
The Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir’s
phased voting process for local elections continued over the weekend. In
an email interview, Sten Widmalm, professor at Uppsala University in
Sweden and author of “Kashmir in Comparative Perspective,” discussed
politics in Kashmir.
Tensions Rise Between Rouhani and Iran’s Powerful Revolutionary Guard
By: Nader Habibi | Briefing
Many observers have interpreted Iranian
President Hassan Rouhani’s recent remarks about the prevalence of
corruption in some Iranian institutions as an implicit criticism of the
country’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, suggesting that his relations with
the corps are entering a new and tense phase.
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