While U.S.-Russian relations continue to deteriorate in many spheres, the Arctic provides an arena for possible cooperation. In particular, Russian wariness of China’s Arctic ambitions could provide novel opportunities for warming ties between Moscow and Washington. Read More Here
Chinese debts are squeezing Pakistan’s pinched finances as external payments are set to balloon to US$14 billion at the end of this financial year. Nearly half is owed to Chinese commercial banks, largely for Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) related projects. Read More Here
In planning for the year ahead, economic policymakers should pay less attention to the consensus economic forecast and more attention to today’s everything asset and credit market bubble. Maybe then when those bubbles burst, they will not be caught out as flatfooted as they were in 2008. Read More Here
Bangladesh’s motivations are less about growing fondness for China, however, and more about geopolitical realities in South Asia and long-term dissatisfaction with India. Read More Here
The struggle for geopolitical primacy between Iran’s Shiite theocracy and the countries led by Sunni Arabs and, more recently, Sunni Turkey is stoking conflict across the region—eroding social compacts, worsening state dysfunction, and catalyzing extremist movements. Read More Here
Cambodia’s longtime Prime Minister Hun Sen, one of the world’s longest-serving leaders after 36 years in power, has backed his eldest son to succeed him, paving the way for a political dynasty. Read More Here
A dominant public narrative has been created in the United States and much of Europe that Russia is a “revisionist” power, seeking to overthrow the existing status quo, but in the greater Middle East it is in fact the United States that has acted as a disruptor of the existing status quo. Read More Here
An effective policy response to China’s military buildup should consider all aspects of the situation, not just the potential numbers of nuclear weapons or ships, and employ all instruments of policy, not just the military. Read More Here
China’s ultimate goal is to win any war without fighting a major battle by making any potential counter-intervention by the US on behalf of Taiwan too costly to bear. As one Chinese military insider put it, “The ultimate goal…is not to take action but [instead] to deter foreign forces’ attempts to intervene in the Taiwan issue.” […]
The Biden administration’s long-anticipated review of the global U.S. military footprint, most of which will remain out of public view, is being panned on Capitol Hill for failing to move ahead with a Pentagon pivot toward dealing with a resurgent China. Read More Here
looking beyond borders 