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Ian Birrell, The Independent | May 23, 2012 Although Afghanistan remains a hotbed of terrorist activity, NATO will quit the country by 2014. ++ This marks an end to a tragic chapter in the Alliance's history. ++ But little attention has been focused on Mali which suffered a coup just two months ago, resulting in the practice of harsh sharia law and the raising of al-Qaeda flags over buildings. ++ ...More

Brendan O'Reilly, Asia Times Online | May 22, 2012 The leaders of China, South Korea and Japan agreed to launch talks to lay down the foundations for a trilateral free-trade agreement (FTA). ++ Together the economies currently constitute 20% of global economic output and are very likely to surpass the EU’s 28% share of total world GDP with the FTA. ++ However, tensions with North Korea pose the greatest ...More

Des Browne and Volker Rühe, Former Defense Ministers | May 18, 2012 The NATO summit in Chicago needs to be about more than just Afghanistan. ++ The Alliance must also respond to defense cuts, troubled relations with Russia, and the lessons from Libya. ++ There are three main areas for action. ++ First, NATO must help create the conditions for a world free of nuclear weapons. ++ Second, the summit is an opportunity for the ...More

Scott Harold & Alireza Nader, RAND Corporation | May 2012 Over the past few decades, China and Iran have developed a broad and deep partnership centered on China's energy needs and Iran's abundant resources as well as significant non-energy economic ties, arms sales and defense cooperation, and geostrategic balancing against the United States. This partnership presents a unique challenge to U.S. interests and ...More

Editorial, The Washington Post | May 16, 2012 European leaders must pay close attention to the “austerity vs. growth” debate. ++ Although there is much condemnation of Europe’s austerity cure, critics are unsuccessful in finding solutions to fund growth. ++ Debtors must become more competitive in the global market. ++ Spain cut unit labor costs by 8.5%, compared to its European ...More

Jon Kyl, US Senator (R-AZ) | May 15, 2012 Only hours after reassuming the presidency this month, Vladimir Putin called on the United States to provide "firm guarantees" that its missile-defense system in Europe will not be targeted against Russia. ++ President Obama was unable to offer a "legally binding" guarantee, but was more than willing to provide a political assurance. ++ Any such assurance will ...More

Brahma Chellaney, Center for Policy Research, New Delhi | May 14, 2012 Asia faces significant roadblocks to continued success. ++ The region must deal with territorial disputes, historical rivalries, and competition over resources. ++ Asia has no proper security architecture. ++ While China is rising, the other Asian nations are rising as well and feel compelled by Chinese actions to work closer with the US. ++ Asia has also ...More

Malou Innocent is a Foreign Policy Analyst at the Cato Institute. She is a member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, and her primary research interests include Middle East and Persian Gulf security issues and US foreign policy toward Pakistan, Afghanistan, and China. She has appeared as a guest analyst on CNN, BBC News, Fox News Channel, Al ...More

Patrick Jenkins, The Financial Times | May 11, 2012 Spain must be bold in order to reestablish confidence in it banks. ++ Without healthy banks, the Spanish economy will continue downhill. ++ Current measures have been too little, too late. ++ Policymakers have been indecisive and instead of offering solutions are blaming others for unfairly targeting Spain. ++ In reality, the banks need fresh money. ++ Spain ...More

Charles A. Kupchan, Hoover Institution | May 2012 This essay examines transatlantic relationships over the past two decades and the reasons behind why the Western alliance has been able to survive despite predictions of demise. Particular emphasis is given to what the skeptics got right and what they got wrong, including Robert Kagan's paper entitled "Power and Weakness." Attention is also given to a new ...More