What explains Qatar‘s foreign policy adventurism? For one, the U.S. security guarantee gives it room to play in the region. In addition, some policies — particularly those that facilitate discussions between the United States and its enemies (Hamas, the Taliban) — are aimed at making Qatar uniquely important to Washington. Read Here – Foreign Affairs
What did you make of John Kerry‘s whirlwind run-through of the India-US strategic dialogue? “Well, we didn’t expect much, so we were not disappointed” runs the dominant response in this city, writes Indrani Bagchi. Read Here – The Economic Times
President Xi Jinping has asked senior Party leaders to play a leading role in improving governance, reaching out to the people and exercising frugality. Xi, the top Party leader, made the remarks during a four-day meeting attended by members of the Political Bureau, the Party’s top organ. Read Here – China Daily
The former emir had made his country, and more so himself, the ultimate decider on many regional issues. To leave it all at this critical stage, and hand over power to his son Tamim, does not make much political sense. Read Here – Gulf News
Indian strategists place their greatest hopes for influencing Asia’s security dynamic on naval power. India‘s annual naval spending grew from $181 million in 1988 to $6.78 billion in 2012; the navy is now a professional and capable force that, in combination with the United States and other allies, could potentially balance China in the South China Sea. Read Here […]
Thein Sein often mentions that the aim of Myanmar’s foreign policy is to live peacefully with the rest of the world. Who would disagree with this vague formulation? But in more specific terms, Myanmar’s current foreign policy can be best termed “Look West”—similar to India’s “Look East” and the American “Pivot toward Asia.” Read Here – The […]
In Afghanistan, the unexpected Doha events have unprecedentedly unified the Afghan people in support of their elected government’s efforts to reject any peace deal that infringes on their sovereignty and the democratic achievements of the past 12 years. The Afghan people have not been losing their children day after day, year after year, just to […]
John Kerry has got India thinking. The new US Secretary of State is no stranger to New Delhi and neither are his views, but the fact that he has embarked on a course that threatens to upset the finely tuned balance in Afghanistan prompts the question: Is the US redesigning its approach on Afghanistan post-2014? […]
No matter what one thinks should be done about global warming, the fact is, it’s happening. And its effects are not all bad. In the Arctic, it is turning an impassible region into an emerging epicenter of industry and trade, according to Scott Borgerson, Managing Director of CargoMetrics and Co-Founder of the nonprofit organization Arctic Circle. […]
Southeast Asia, so long a byway of the world economy, has become a well-worn path for foreign investors seeking refuge from the continuing after-effects of the global financial crisis. They have come because the region has been surging ahead over the last few years, even as the West slumped, China readjusted and India stuttered. Read […]
looking beyond borders 