The U.S. military is already strapped for resources trying to police the Indo-Pacific, and this is peacetime. If the United States lost a sizable fraction of the U.S. Pacific Fleet and affiliated joint forces in a contest in the Taiwan Strait—even a triumphant one—its capacity to retain its superpower standing and preside over the liberal […]
The Trump administration has consistently elevated military voices over those of experienced civil servants in the development of foreign policy, and funding cuts to non-defense federal agencies, along with the resignations of many career civil servants, have left government offices woefully understaffed. Read Here | Foreign Affairs
The recent meeting of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue in Tokyo revealed many of the dilemmas the United States faces in its attempt to contain China—no matter who wins the race for the White House. On one level, it was remarkable that the meeting of foreign ministers from Australia, India, Japan, and the United States happened […]
Which of the two Asian giants has more sway in Dhaka these days is debatable. But with India distracted with a spiralling Covid-19 epidemic and with several unresolved bilateral sore points, China may have an upper hand, one it is now seeking to consolidate to its strategic advantage. Read Here | Asia Times
What ails the Atlantic alliance is not a lack of capabilities or resources—after all, the Euro-Atlantic basin holds eight hundred million people, a combined $20 trillion in gross domestic product and several of the world’s leading military powers—but the political commitment to use them. Read Here | The National Interest
North Korea unveiled a massive new intercontinental ballistic missile Saturday at a parade commemorating the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party of Korea, a signal to Washington that the regime is committed to advancing its long-range strike capabilities despite years of on-again, off-again diplomatic outreach with the United States. Read Here | […]
The border crisis has snowballed into an intractable political, diplomatic, and economic challenge for Modi. He can’t accept Beijing’s aggression in the region without denting his own nationalist strongman credentials, but he can’t stand up to China militarily without making enormous investments in his military—investments that are impossible in the midst of an economic crisis. […]
With the most chaotic US election in memory four weeks out, it’s safe to say Asia is not sure what to expect. Neither do Americans, of course. Not with Covid-19-addled President Donald Trump ready to do seemingly anything to cling to the White House. Trump is not just cheating in plain sight, he’s telegraphing lawsuits and manoeuvres […]
What kind of superpower will China be? That’s the question of the 21st century. According to American leaders such as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, China will be a rapacious authoritarian nightmare, intent on destroying democracy itself. Beijing, needless to say, doesn’t quite agree. Read Here | The Atlantic
What would a second Trump term look like for America and East Asia? Second presidential terms usually range from lackluster to disastrous. Bill Clinton’s second term was mired in scandal. George W. Bush saw his popularity plunge into the thirties amid failure in Iraq and a financial crisis. Barack Obama oversaw prolonged economic stagnation that […]
looking beyond borders 