MoreFor the West, Freezing 2014’s Conflicts Will Top Agenda in 2015By: Richard Gowan | Column
It is now conventional wisdom that the
wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, coupled with China’s increasing
assertiveness in the Pacific, signal the looming implosion of the
American-led international order. Like most conventional wisdoms,
however, this may prove to be incorrect.
Russia-Abkhazia Pact a Dangerous Omen for Georgia, Wider RegionBy: David Klion | Trend Lines
Last week, Russian President Vladimir
Putin signed a pact establishing closer ties between Russia and the
breakaway Georgian region of Abkhazia. This move will increase Russia’s
control over the Black Sea and indicates Putin’s willingness to force
confrontations in Moldova and Ukraine as well.
After Ukraine, Black Sea Becomes Contested Zone for Russia, NATOBy: Richard Weitz | Column
The Ukraine crisis has radically altered
the European security equation, with the Black Sea region becoming a
contested zone between Russia and NATO. Tensions are likely to increase
before they dampen down. Yet the region’s governing conventions have
remained virtually unchanged since the Cold War.
Domestic Concerns Drive Indonesia’s Naval ExpansionBy: The Editors | Trend Lines
Last month, Indonesia announced that it
will create a coast guard in an effort to reduce smuggling and piracy.
In an email interview, Brian Harding, director for East and Southeast
Asia at the Center for American Progress, discussed Indonesia’s naval
capabilities.
History’s Postscript: The Populist Threat to Liberal DemocracyBy: Jan-Werner Müller | Feature
Contrary to what has often been alleged,
Francis Fukuyama’s argument in “The End of History” that only liberal
democracy can fulfill basic human aspirations for freedom and dignity
has not been so obviously disproven. But democracy does have a serious
rival today: populism.
PLA Inc.: Xi’s Anti-Corruption Campaign Puts Heat on China’s MilitaryBy: Andrew Wedeman | Briefing
Recent high-profile charges against a
retired general shed new light on corruption within China’s military.
But as Chinese President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign turns to
the military command, the questions raised go beyond graft to the heart
of the PLA’s defense mission.
Strategic Ambiguity Fail: When ‘All Options’ Are Not on the TableBy: Nikolas Gvosdev | Column
U.S. government representatives should
cease and desist from any further use of the phrase, “all options are on
the table.” Strategic ambiguity can be useful. But as the examples of
Iran’s nuclear program and Russia’s intervention in Ukraine show, empty
threats can be counterproductive.
Israel’s ‘Seinfeld Elections’: Netanyahu Gambles for Political GainBy: Frida Ghitis | Column
Nobody is completely sure why Israel has
to have elections now, with two years left in the Knesset’s current
term. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seems to have manufactured a
crisis to trigger a political realignment that he hopes will leave him
in a stronger position against potential challengers.
Israel’s Urban Policies an Unseen Driver of Jerusalem TensionsBy: Hanna Baumann | Briefing
The spikes in violence in Jerusalem last
month are extreme instances of the type of unrest that has been mounting
since the summer. But at stake are more than familiar grievances in the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Israel’s urban planning decisions are
also fueling Palestinian anger.
Assad Conundrum: Why Syria’s Dictator May Be ‘Too Big to Fail’By: Steven Metz | Column
The Islamic State cannot be defeated while
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad remains in power, but removing him
would create new dangers and costs. Thus, no matter how many airstrikes
the U.S. launches or how many more American trainers show up in Iraq,
success will remain elusive.
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Friday, December 5, 2014
WPR Articles Dec. 1, 2014 - Dec. 5, 2014
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