In the post-Cold War era, the biggest challenge for the U.S. is a rapidly rising China. During the Clinton administration, Washington had a clear hedging strategy toward Beijing — that is, both engagement and deterrence. At that time, China lacked the capability to challenge the U.S. Thus, Washington highlighted engagement in order to involve China […]
China says that 30 countries have been approved as prospective founding members of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). Read Here – Xinhua
Sri Lanka’s new government fears that defeated Tamil Tiger rebels could regroup and orchestrate another conflict, six years after their defeat in the island’s separatist war. Read Here – Yahoo/AFP
“One of the asymmetries of history,” wrote Henry Kissinger of Singapore’s patriarch Lee Kuan Yew, “is the lack of correspondence between the abilities of some leaders and the power of their countries.” Kissinger’s one time boss, Richard Nixon, was even more flattering. He speculated that, had Lee lived in another time and another place, he […]
With a new king and a young, untested defense minister, Riyadh has plunged headlong into war in Yemen. At stake is nothing less than the kingdom’s position of leadership in the Arab world. Read Here – Foreign Policy
There was little Malaysia’s Mahathir Mohamad and Singapore’s Lee Kwan Yew could agree given their historical baggage. Read Here – Wall Street Journal
Xi Jinping is seeking to transform the military into a modern outfit that can “fight and win wars,” acknowledging the effect of corruption on the People’s Liberation Army — the world’s largest ground force — alongside decades of patchy training and tolerance of underperformers. Read Here – Bloomberg
If Netanyahu is ousted, he’ll likely be remembered as a leader who failed to advance the peace process with the Arabs, failed to derail the Iranian nuclear program—despite inveighing against it for years—and devoted most of his energy to preserving a problematic status quo. Read Here – Politico
China’s strongman leader,Xi Jinping, is hoping that a crackdown on dissent and corruption will shore up the party’s rule. He is determined to avoid becoming theMikhail Gorbachev of China, presiding over the party’s collapse. But instead of being the antithesis of Mr. Gorbachev, Mr. Xi may well wind up having the same effect. His despotism […]
Russia doesn’t just need petroleum to fuel its tanks and planes, but to pay for them as well. Because oil and gas revenues comprise half the federal budget, defense spending is tethered to energy prices. Read Here – Moscow Times
looking beyond borders 