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102. The Fund for American Studies: Celebrating 50 Years of Educating Leaders Throughout the World
- Author:
- Roger R Ream
- Publication Date:
- 04-2017
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- The Ambassadors Review
- Abstract:
- The Fund for American Studies (TFAS) was founded in 1967 with a mission focused on influencing the intellectual climate in the world by giving young people entering leadership positions a balanced perspective on political and economic systems. It was founded in the heat of the Cold War and during a period of growing unrest and even violent upheaval on college campuses. Many of the founders of the organization were actively engaged in international programs, including former Congressman Walter Judd and political organizer David R. Jones.
- Topic:
- International Organization and International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- America
103. The Power of Rapid-Response Public Diplomacy: The IVLP On Demand
- Author:
- Monica Damberg-Ott
- Publication Date:
- 04-2017
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- The Ambassadors Review
- Abstract:
- The U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program, or IVLP, is often referred to as the “gold standard” of exchange programs th within the public diplomacy community. The program celebrated its 75 anniversary in 2015, and more than 200,000 International Visitors have engaged with Americans through the IVLP, including more than 505 current or former Chiefs of State or Heads of Government,1 since its inception in 1940. Margaret Thatcher, Hamid Karzai, and Indira Gandhi, to name just a few, are alumni. But with recent budget constraints and the need to demonstrate immediate, results-driven programming, the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) is placing greater emphasis on its most flexible rapid-response exchanges. Among those programs is the highly adaptable and policy-responsive option: the IVLP On Demand. So how does it differ from the original model, how does it compare, and how might it help show results more quickly?
- Topic:
- Diplomacy and International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- America
104. U.S.-Ghana Relations Are Strong Following December 2016 Elections
- Author:
- Robert Jackson
- Publication Date:
- 04-2017
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- The Ambassadors Review
- Abstract:
- Ghana is one of the leading democracies on the African continent, with multiple peaceful interparty transitions since the return of multi-party democracy in 1992; a good record on human rights; an apolitical military; and a lively, free media. Ghanaians often note that whenever the Republican Party wins the White House, Ghana’s New Patriotic Party (NPP) wins Jubilee House—a coincidental tradition that held true again in 2016. Ghana’s presidential and parliamentary elections were peaceful, transparent, and credible; U.S. engagement played a critical role in that success, as well as in the resulting peaceful transition of power.
- Topic:
- International Relations and International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- America and Ghana
105. The United States and Namibia: Promoting Success in a Young African Democracy
- Author:
- Thomas F Daughton
- Publication Date:
- 04-2017
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- The Ambassadors Review
- Abstract:
- ust 27 years old, the Republic of Namibia is among Africa’s youngest countries, but one that stands out on the continent for its functioning multiparty democracy, open market economy and history of peaceful transitions of presidential power. The reasons for Namibia’s success lie in the international process that created it and in the pragmatism of its people. That international process and the United States’ involvement in it have also complicated the U.S.-Namibia relationship in the last three decades. But the United States has long recognized that an investment in the success of a country like Namibia is a strategic long-term investment in our own security. With that in mind, the United States has invested heavily since Namibian independence in 1990 to help ensure that the young country succeeds.
- Topic:
- International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- America and Ghana
106. The United States and Colombia: A Special Relationship
- Author:
- Juan Pinzón Carlos
- Publication Date:
- 04-2017
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- The Ambassadors Review
- Abstract:
- The world has changed for Colombia. For the first time in more than 50 years, we are a nation building a lasting and stable peace. What has not changed is the special relationship Colombia shares with the United States. As the oldest and strongest democracies in the Western Hemisphere, the relationship between our two countries is deeply rooted in our steadfast commitment to the shared values of democracy, freedom and equality.
- Topic:
- International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- America and Colombia
107. Take the Money and Run
- Author:
- Jacqueline L. Hazelton
- Publication Date:
- 09-2017
- Content Type:
- Research Paper
- Institution:
- Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University
- Abstract:
- How can the United States best assure its interests abroad when a partner state faces an insurgency? The question has vexed policymakers, military officers, and scholars throughout the Cold War and into the post–9/11 era. When the United States finds its military might turned against itself by insurgents, as in Iraq and Afghanistan, thoughts often turn to the small U.S.-supported counterinsurgency campaign in El Salvador from 1979 to 1992. The Salvadoran government defended itself against Marxist-nationalist-liberal-socialist rebels in a civil war that ended in a peace deal. The small-footprint U.S. intervention is appealing as an alternative to the tens of thousands of troops deployed in bigger quagmires. Conventional wisdom says that the brutal, repressive Salvadoran government instituted liberalizing, democratizing reforms to defeat the insurgency. Analysis of contemporaneous documents and interviews with participants, however, reveals that the campaign is a poor model for future U.S. interventions, for three reasons. First, the government retained power by waging a war of terrorism and attrition against insurgents and civilians alike. Second, Salvadoran elites resisted U.S. pressure for reforms. Third, chance rather than U.S. choices played a significant role in the war's outcome, meaning that replication of the pattern of events is unlikely.
- Topic:
- International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- America
108. Trumps National Security Strategy: A new brand of mercantilism
- Author:
- Salman Ahmed and Alexander Bick
- Publication Date:
- 08-2017
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
- Abstract:
- The sixteen national security strategies issued by presidents Ronald Reagan to Barack Obama reaffirmed U.S. leadership of a liberal international order, even as they acknowledged it enabled the rise of others and eroded U.S. economic dominance. President Donald Trump may decide that is no longer tenable. His forthcoming national security strategy will be closely scrutinized to understand what “America First” means for the U.S. role in the world and whether it represents a shift toward a narrower, neo-mercantile approach.
- Topic:
- International Political Economy
- Political Geography:
- America
109. The Nuclear Ban treaty: What would follow
- Author:
- George Perkovich
- Publication Date:
- 05-2017
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
- Abstract:
- In May 2017, negotiators at the United Nations introduced a draft convention to prohibit the possession of nuclear weapons, as a way to hasten progress toward eventual nuclear disarmament, as called for in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). All the nuclear-armed states except North Korea have boycotted the negotiations, along with many U.S. allies. Unfortunately, the good motives behind the treaty do not mean it will enhance international security, prevent nuclear proliferation, or facilitate actual nuclear disarmament. It may even have unintended consequences that make these goals harder to achieve. Yet there are steps that nuclear-armed states could take, perhaps nudged along by their allies, to help heal rifts that the proposed ban treaty has highlighted.
- Topic:
- International Security
- Political Geography:
- America
110. “Alternative” Strategic Perceptions in U.S.-China Relations
- Author:
- David J. Firestein and Euhwa Tran
- Publication Date:
- 05-2017
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- EastWest Institute
- Abstract:
- The EastWest Institute has released a new report on U.S.-China relations—"Alternative” Strategic Perceptions in U.S.-China Relations. The report lays out the differing strategic perceptions of the United States and China with respect to some of the most topical and challenging issues on the U.S.-China agenda today. These starkly differing perceptions inform and exacerbate actual policy and fuel mistrust and broad mutual strategic suspicion. By exposing the diverging perceptions of the two countries and bringing those perceptions into the fabric of bilateral discourse more explicitly and honestly, this report creates the basis for a more honest, substantive, constructive, fruitful and mutually beneficial dialogue.
- Topic:
- International Political Economy and International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- China and America
111. Dialogue on U.S.-China Infrastructure Cooperation
- Author:
- Natalie Pretzer-Lin
- Publication Date:
- 03-2017
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- EastWest Institute
- Abstract:
- On March 13, 2017, the EastWest Institute (EWI), in concert with the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR), convened the first ever conference on prospects for infrastructure cooperation between the United States and China. This conference, held in Beijing, brought together a U.S. delegation comprising investment and infrastructure experts—some of whom have advised the Trump administration on infrastructure—with Chinese counterparts from a number of private sector and state-owned enterprises. Discussion throughout the conference focused on the policy priorities of the Trump Administration; the Trump administration’s vision for the development of U.S. infrastructure; the current state of U.S.-China relations; and opportunities, challenges and recommendations for U.S.-China infrastructure cooperation.
- Topic:
- International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- China and America
112. U.S. Trade policy under Trump
- Author:
- Peter Gibbon and Jakob Vestergaard
- Publication Date:
- 07-2017
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS)
- Abstract:
- A few weeks ahead of the Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO), to be held in Buenos Aires from 10 to 13 December, the international trade community is gripped with a mixture of angst, disbelief and despair. Although US President, Donald Trump, made radical statements during his presidential campaign – including the infamous statement that the “WTO is a disaster” [for the US] – few expected much of that to translate into actual policies when he was elected and appointed President. Yet, this is very much what has in fact happened over the past 10 months.
- Topic:
- International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- America
113. "Middle Neighborhoods: Action Agenda for a National Movement"
- Author:
- Paul C. Brophy, Pamela Puchalski, and Stephanie Sung
- Publication Date:
- 11-2017
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- American Assembly at Columbia University
- Abstract:
- "Middle Neighborhoods: Action Agenda for a National Movement" is a report that summarizes discussions on policy, practice, and research, as well as priorities and recommendations for action following the meeting, held November 15-16, 2017 in Baltimore
- Topic:
- Social Movement and Domestic Politics
- Political Geography:
- America
114. The Trans-Pacific Partnership The politics of openness and leadership in the Asia-Pacific
- Author:
- MIREYA SOLIS and Mireya Solis
- Publication Date:
- 10-2016
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- Trade policy, and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) in particular, is vitally connected to the national interests of prosperity, security, and governance. With novel rules on the digital economy, high tariff elimina- tion targets, and disciplines to address behind-the-border protectionism, the TPP creates opportunities for American sectors that enjoy competitive strength—services, advanced manufacturing, agriculture—to expand their reach in overseas markets. Projected annual income gains from this trade deal range between $57 billion and $131 billion by 2032, compared to a base- line scenario. In sharp contrast to the experience of import competition with China, the TPP will not impose large adjustment costs in terms of employment and wages, generating instead a net (albeit small) positive effect on job creation and wage rates. However, the individual costs for displaced employees are very high, and the contours of a new pro-adjustment safety net that enables workers to navigate difficult economic transitions (brought about by technological change or trade) are highlighted below.
- Topic:
- Globalization, International Political Economy, and International Trade and Finance
- Political Geography:
- America and Asia-Pacific
115. The 2016 presidential campaign and the crisis of US foreign policy
- Author:
- Thomas Wright and Thomas Wright
- Publication Date:
- 10-2016
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Lowy Institute for International Policy
- Abstract:
- The 2016 US presidential election is the most consequential election for international order since the Second World War. America’s status as a liberal superpower is on the ballot. To understand Donald Trump’s foreign policy, we must distinguish between his three core beliefs that he has held for many decades and rarely if ever waivered from, the central themes of his campaign, and other issues. His core beliefs are opposition to America’s alliance arrangements, opposition to free trade, and support for authoritarianism, particularly in Russia. If he is elected president and governs in a manner consistent with these beliefs, the United States will be transformed from the leader of a liberal international order into a rogue superpower that withdraws from its international commitments, undermines the open global economy, and partners with Putin’s Russia.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Elections, and Geopolitics
- Political Geography:
- America
116. China’s Global Rise Can the EU and U.S. Pursue a Coordinated Strategy?
- Author:
- Philippe Le Corre and Jonathan Pollack
- Publication Date:
- 10-2016
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- China’s emergence as a global economic power and its fuller integration in the international order are among the principal policy challenges facing Europe and the United States in the early 21st century. At the time of Beijing’s entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001, China (though already growing rapidly) was in global terms an economic actor of limited consequence. A decade and a half later, China’s transformation is without parallel in economic history. Over the past 15 years, China has experienced an eightfold increase in GDP, enabling it to serve as the pri- mary engine of global economic growth in the early 21st century. It has leapfrogged from sixth to second place among the world’s economies, trail- ing only the United States in absolute economic size. In addition, China has become the world’s leading trading state and is now the second largest source of outward foreign direct investment. Change of this magnitude has enhanced China’s political power and eco- nomic leverage. It has also stimulated China’s internal economic evolution, simultaneously expanding the power of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) while also contributing to major growth in the private sector. China has also begun to think bigger, devoting increased attention to the rules of global economic governance. Although Beijing insists it has no intention of supplanting the existing international order, China contends that chang- ing power realities will require modification of global rules.
- Topic:
- International Cooperation, International Political Economy, and Geopolitics
- Political Geography:
- China, America, and Europe
117. A Glass Half Full The Rebalance, Reassurance, and Resolve in the U.S.-China Strategic Relationship
- Author:
- Michael O'Hanlon
- Publication Date:
- 10-2016
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Abstract:
- What is the state of the U.S.-China security relationship as President Obama’s term in office concludes? Given the centrality of this rela- tionship to the future of the region and indeed the planet, as well as the emphasis that President Obama has appropriately placed upon it, the question bears asking at this milestone in history.
- Topic:
- International Political Economy and Geopolitics
- Political Geography:
- China and America
118. A Framework for U.S. Policy toward China
- Author:
- Jeffrey Bader
- Publication Date:
- 03-2016
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- Serious people understand that the manner in which the United States deals with China will be a critical, if not the critical, overseas chal- lenge for the United States in the 21st century. China will likely be the largest economy in the world within one or two decades; the second or third strongest military soon, if not already; and competitive with the United States and Europe in global economic, and perhaps political and cultural, influence in some regions. China is ruled by a Communist Par- ty resistant to political liberalization at home and wedded to nationalist rhetoric and behavior in dealing with its neighborhood, enhancing the chances for rivalry with the United States. For those students of history who see conflict as the likely outcome when ris- ing powers encounter dominant powers, these are precursors of a dark future. How should we deal with China? What policy framework best optimizes our interests, which are multiple and not always consistent with each oth- er? Americans are in the midst of an ongoing presidential campaign that, in a better world, would be asking and answering such questions, but this is not such a campaign.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Foreign Policy, and International Political Economy
- Political Geography:
- China and America
119. Nuclear Arms Control Choices for the Next Administration
- Author:
- Steven Pifer
- Publication Date:
- 10-2016
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- rms control has figured on the agenda between Washington and Moscow since the 1960s. Suc- cessive U.S. administrations since that of Richard Nixon have pursued negotiated arms control arrangements to limit and reduce the number of Soviet (and Russian) nuclear weapons, to enhance strategic stability, to increase transparency and predictability, to reduce the costs of U.S. nuclear forces, and to bolster America’s non-proliferation credentials. Negotiations on arms control have proceeded in times of both good and difficult relations. At times, progress on arms control has helped drive a more positive over- all relationship between Washington and Moscow. At other times, differences over arms control and related issues have contributed to a downward slide in rela- tions. The next president will take office in January 2017, when the overall U.S.-Russia relationship is at its lowest point since the end of the Cold War.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Arms Control and Proliferation, Nuclear Weapons, and International Security
- Political Geography:
- Russia and America
120. A Bond Worth Strengthening Understanding the Mexican Military and U.S.-Mexican Military Cooperation
- Author:
- Iñigo Guevara Moyano
- Publication Date:
- 10-2016
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- The Wilson Center
- Abstract:
- Over the past decade, the Mexican military has been crafted into hardened and more professional military, skilled in fourth generation warfare, operating across the spectrum of conflict from surgical small-unit Special Forces missions to division-level stability operations in areas comparable in size to Belgium. As new—state and non-state—threats loom on the horizon, the U.S. and Mexican militaries will need to rely on deepening their connection and increasing bilateral trust to build a stronger and interdependent defense relationship. The increase in dialogue and cooperation builds trust and promotes mutual understanding between Mexico and the United States, crafting deep ties between both militaries during a time when the radicalization of political ideas threatens to transcend electoral campaign rhetoric and affect the economic and social fields of North America. For two neighbors that share an annual trade worth USD 534 billion along a 2,000-mile border, understanding each other’s strengths and weaknesses should be a priority. This paper is meant to provide a deeper understanding of the Mexican military and its contribution to the defense and security of North America. It does so by analyzing the evolution of Mexico’s armed forces, and the past and present cooperation between the Mexican and the U.S. militaries.
- Topic:
- International Cooperation, International Affairs, Armed Forces, and Military Affairs
- Political Geography:
- America and Mexico
121. How Trade with Mexico Impacts Employment in the United States
- Author:
- Christopher Wilson
- Publication Date:
- 11-2016
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Wilson Center
- Abstract:
- The U.S.-Mexico trade relationship is huge. The two countries trade over a half-trillion dollars in goods and services each year, which amounts to more than a million dollars in bilateral commerce every minute. With such a large volume of trade, it is not hard to believe that the number of jobs that depend on the bilateral relationship is similarly impressive. New research commissioned by the Mexico Institute shows precisely that: nearly five million U.S. jobs depend on trade with Mexico. This means that one out of every 29 U.S. workers has a job supported by U.S.-Mexico trade.
- Topic:
- Globalization, International Political Economy, International Trade and Finance, and Employment
- Political Geography:
- America and Mexico
122. Risk, Regulation, and the Innovation Slowdown
- Author:
- Fredrik Erixon and Bjorn Weigel
- Publication Date:
- 10-2016
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- The great value of innovation is not merely in invention but rather diffusion and adaptation. And real innovation requires an economy that runs on the culture of experimentation and is open to innovators and entrepreneurs contesting markets—challenging incumbents to such a degree that it redefines the market (like Apple’s iPhone did with the handset market in 2007). In the past decades, however, these forces of diffusion and adaptation simply have not been powerful enough; in fact, legislators have acted to shield incumbent businesses from them. Now the existential challenge that capitalism faces is the growing resistance to innovation.
- Topic:
- Economics, Political Economy, and Digital Economy
- Political Geography:
- America and Global Markets
123. Gun Control: Grounds for Compromise?
- Author:
- Robert Levy
- Publication Date:
- 10-2016
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- It’s doubtful that new gun controls—imposed mostly on persons who are not part of the problem—will be ef- fective. Accordingly, they should expire automatically after a reasonable test period. If they work, they can be reenacted. The Second Amendment doesn’t bar sensi- bleregulations,butitdemandsrigorfromourlawmak- ers and the courts in legislating and reviewing gun control measures.
- Topic:
- Arms Control and Proliferation
- Political Geography:
- America
124. Back from the Brink Toward Restraint and Dialogue between Russia and the West
- Author:
- William Perry and Deep Cuts Commission
- Publication Date:
- 06-2016
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- This report contains a number of bold proposals on how to better manage relations between the West and Russia in order to avert worst-case scenarios. Specifying that cooperative solutions are pos- sible without giving up on the fundamental interests of each side, it warrants a close look by officials in both Moscow and Washington.
- Topic:
- International Relations, International Cooperation, International Security, International Affairs, and Geopolitics
- Political Geography:
- Russia, America, Europe, and Global Focus
125. Donald Trump and US-Russian relations Geopolitical Bromance or Business-as-Usual?
- Author:
- Flemming Splidsboel Hansen
- Publication Date:
- 10-2016
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS)
- Abstract:
- The Russian regime is ready to re-set its troubled relationship with the USA. While hopes are high, specific expectations are lower and the Trump presidency may eventually offer Russia a smaller action space than suggested by the campaign statements. The 2016 US presidential election was unusually dramatic. Part of the drama was allegedly provided by the Russian authorities as some of their state-spon- sored hackers broke into servers of the Democratic National Committee and released compromising emails immediately prior to the July 2016 Democratic Party Convention.
- Topic:
- Elections, Geopolitics, and Key players to watchPolitics
- Political Geography:
- Russia and America
126. With Trump, US-China relations are no longer business as usual China may stand to gain from a Trump presidency
- Author:
- Andreas Bøje Forsby
- Publication Date:
- 10-2016
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS)
- Abstract:
- Relations between Washington and Beijing are likely to face major change once Donald Trump takes over the White House. This DIIS Policy Brief by Andreas Bøje Forsby offers an overview of US-China relations and how they are likely to develop with Donald Trump in the Oval Office. If Trump follows through on his protectionist campaign statements, China will be targeted by economic sanctions against its export industries. In most other respects, however, the Chinese may actually come to benefit from a Trump presidency, whose ‘America First’ slogan suggests a more self-centered, even neo-isolationist US foreign policy. Most importantly, a Trump administration is unlikely to sustain key elements of the US rebalance to Asia like the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the efforts to build a strategic network of like-minded states in the region to counter the rise of China.
- Topic:
- International Political Economy, Elections, and Geopolitics
- Political Geography:
- Russia and America
127. Survival of the fittest: Trump’s not-so-simple nationalism
- Author:
- Vibeke Schou Tjalve
- Publication Date:
- 11-2016
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS)
- Abstract:
- Despite the general impression that the US president-elect Donald Trump has given us very little clue to predict his foreign policy doctrine, a guiding framework behind his scattered statements does exist. In this DIIS Policy Brief, Senior Researcher Vibeke Schou Tjalve takes a closer look at the surprisingly consistent philosophy of power and interest that Trump has aired during the past two decades. Trump is labelled a ‘nationalist’ and an ‘isolationist’. These are understandable labels, and yet: Trump is not your classical cultural-conservative nostalgic with deep veneration for old alliances or shared norms. His American nationalism does not linger on the memories of the New World European roots. Rather, it is founded on a deeply Darwinist conception of the world as a cutthroat competition, in which raw strength - not cultural characteristics – matters. As such, Trump will have no sentimentality for NATO or Europe, and he will view the world through largely value-neutral eyes. This leaves Europe with a defining set of questions, and to influence a Trump presidency, we should understand and appreciate this not-so-simple nationalism, Tjalve writes.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Nationalism, International Affairs, and Political Theory
- Political Geography:
- America and Global Focus
128. Expanding Ties and New Frontiers in United States-Republic of Korea Relations
- Author:
- Mark W. Lippert
- Publication Date:
- 09-2016
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Council of American Ambassadors
- Abstract:
- The relationship between the United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK) is often framed against the backdrop of our shared goals to deter and defend against the North Korean threat, something I saw first-hand in my previous positions at the White House and the Pentagon. Our shared commitment to a robust North Korea (DPRK) policy that aims, among other things, to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula through authentic and credible negotiations and ensure that the universal human rights of the people of North Korea are protected and promoted is a critical part of our relationship.
- Topic:
- Diplomacy, Peacekeeping, and Nuclear Power
- Political Geography:
- America and North Korea
129. A Renewed Commitment to American Commercial Diplomacy
- Author:
- Charles A. Ford
- Publication Date:
- 09-2016
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Council of American Ambassadors
- Abstract:
- The United States is the world’s leading exporter, the world’s leading importer, and the world’s primary source and destination of funds for foreign investment. Our position as the best place in the world to do business—the most reliable in which to buy, the most lucrative in which to sell, and the safest and surest in which to invest or to raise capital—is the cause, not an effect of American global leadership. Protecting and expanding the US role as the world’s supplier and customer of choice for goods, services, ideas, capital, and entrepreneurial energy should be a foreign policy objective second only to securing the homeland.”
- Topic:
- International Relations, Diplomacy, International Political Economy, and Geopolitics
- Political Geography:
- America and Global Focus
130. The United States and Estonia: Partners for Peace and Prosperity
- Author:
- Jr. James D. Melville
- Publication Date:
- 09-2016
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Council of American Ambassadors
- Abstract:
- In August, Estonia marked 25 years since the end of Soviet occupation and the restoration of its national institutions. Estonia’s rapid reintegration with the West as a sovereign, stable, and prosperous democracy is nothing short of remarkable, and it serves as an inspiration to other nations. Theirs is a journey made possible through disciplined leadership, solid regulatory frameworks, strategic decisions, and a steadfast commitment to being a contributing member of European, transatlantic, and international alliances. Our partnership is one of allies with synchronized goals and values, a rare combination that gives both countries leverage to do even more.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Diplomacy, International Cooperation, and International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- America and Estonia
131. “Caught Trying” in Denmark: The Case for Taking Risks in Using Non-Traditional US Diplomacy to Meet Global Challenges
- Author:
- Rufus Gifford
- Publication Date:
- 09-2016
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Council of American Ambassadors
- Abstract:
- Denmark is one of America’s closest partners. Near the pinnacle of global indices of wealth, well-being, and democracy, Denmark is uniquely positioned to work alongside the United States in support of our shared approaches to addressing 21st century global challenges. It is the only Nordic country that is a member of all three vital multinational organizations: NATO, EU, and Arctic Council. Denmark very much reinforces President Obama’s now-famous foreign policy quote in the April 2016 edition of The Atlantic: “If only everyone could be like the Scandinavians, this would all be easy.”
- Topic:
- Diplomacy, International Cooperation, and International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- America and Denmark
132. The United States and Canada: The Strength of Partnership
- Author:
- Bruce A. Heyman
- Publication Date:
- 09-2016
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Council of American Ambassadors
- Abstract:
- Canada is arguably our most important bilateral relationship. Our exceptional and unique ties are rooted in a common border that stretches for 5,525 miles, over 200 years of closely interwoven history and culture, our largest economic relationship worldwide, our similar values. We have amazingly intertwined supply chains; we work closely as NATO allies; and partner extensively to address global challenges. As President Obama put it during Prime Minister Trudeau’s visit to Washington in March 2016, “Of course, no two nations agree on everything...But in terms of our interests, our values, how we approach the world, few countries match up the way the United States and Canada do.”
- Topic:
- Diplomacy, International Cooperation, International Political Economy, and International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- America and Canada
133. Innovation: Key to a 21st Century Alliance
- Author:
- John Berry
- Publication Date:
- 09-2016
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Council of American Ambassadors
- Abstract:
- Over 200 years ago, one of our founding fathers Benjamin Franklin urged us to innovate, with the warning: “When you’re finished changing, you’re finished.” One of our greatest presidents, Abraham Lincoln, was not only a talented statesman, he was an inventor and tinkerer extraordinaire. Innovation lies at the very heart of what it means to be an American. From the beginning, our country was a grand experiment. We believed then—and now—that freedom plus hard work equals progress. Innovation, invention, and creativity help turn progress into success.
- Topic:
- Development, Diplomacy, International Cooperation, and International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- America and Global Focus
134. Celebrating Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Good Neighbor Policy
- Author:
- William J. vanden Heuvel
- Publication Date:
- 09-2016
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Council of American Ambassadors
- Abstract:
- On January 6, 1941, President Roosevelt came before the Congress and gave us a vision of the world that would be worthy of our civilization. He spoke—simply, eloquently—of a nation dedicated to the Four Freedom everywhere in the world
- Topic:
- International Relations, Diplomacy, and International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- America
135. The US in the Asia-Pacific: Continuing rebalance towards a region in flux
- Author:
- Bart Gaens
- Publication Date:
- 11-2016
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA)
- Abstract:
- The evolving Asia-Pacific region is marked by increased balancing strategies, the forging of flexible partnerships between countries, and economic interconnectedness. In order to retain a central role and achieve a new equilibrium, the US will need to adapt to these changes.
- Topic:
- International Cooperation, International Affairs, Geopolitics, and Political stability
- Political Geography:
- America and Asia-Pacific
136. Election Hacking in Democracies: The example of the U.S. 2016 elections
- Author:
- Mika Aaltola and Mariita Mattiisen
- Publication Date:
- 10-2016
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA)
- Abstract:
- The US, as a highly digitalized state, depends on different cyber platforms for election campaigning, political discussions, forming popular opinions, and – in some cases – the voting process itself. Geopolitically motivated election hacking can aim to influence the direction of foreign policy debates, to promote/demote candidate(s), and to instigate disruptions, suspicions, and distrust towards the election process or the democratic system. The strategic aim to lower democratic appeal and increase the attraction of autocratic "stability”. A state sponsor of hacking can demonstrate that it has sophisticated cyber capabilities, thereby promoting its own major power standing. Even if its efforts raise suspicions, it gains visibility, as its efforts are discussed in the media and it manages to insert itself into the election discussions. The state sponsor can subtly promote the images of its own type of political system as being comparatively more resilient and stable than the US democratic system. The relative success of the election hacking targeting the US might motivate scaling up the intensity and scope of similar operations in future democratic elections. At a minimum, the election hacking incidents point to a scenario that has to be taken seriously.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Corruption, International Affairs, Elections, and Democracy
- Political Geography:
- America
137. Possible Benefits of American Parameters for the Two-State Solution.
- Author:
- Mitvim
- Publication Date:
- 10-2016
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Mitvim: The Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies
- Abstract:
- As US President Barack Obama’s term in office is nearing its end, he may choose to present parameters for an Israeli-Palestinian final-status agreement before departing from the White House, similar to what President Bill Clinton did in 2000. The window of opportunity for this is between the US presidential elections (November 8, 2016) to the inauguration of the next president (January 20, 2017).
- Topic:
- Conflict Resolution, International Cooperation, International Affairs, and Fragile States
- Political Geography:
- America, Israel, and Palestine
138. A Bond Worth Strengthening Understanding the Mexican Military and U.S.-Mexican Military Cooperation
- Author:
- Iñigo Guevara Moyano
- Publication Date:
- 10-2016
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- The Wilson Center
- Abstract:
- For two neighbors that share an annual trade worth USD 534 billioni along a 2,000-mile border, understanding each other’s strengths and weaknesses should be a priority. This paper is meant to provide a deeper understanding of the Mexican military and its contribution to the defense and security of North America. It does so by analyzing the evolution of Mexico’s armed forces, and the past and present cooperation between the Mexican and the U.S. militaries.
- Topic:
- International Cooperation, International Security, Military Strategy, and Military Affairs
- Political Geography:
- America and Mexico
139. Committed: U.S. Foreign Policy in Asia and Completing the Rebalance
- Author:
- Shihoko Goto, Robert Daly, Michael Kugelman, Sandy Pho, Meg Lundsager, Robert Litwak, Robert Person, and James Person
- Publication Date:
- 09-2016
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- The Wilson Center
- Abstract:
- The United States is a Pacific power. It may be so reluctantly, but its continued military, political, and economic engagement has been key to Asia’s stability and prosperity. Ensuring that the Asia-Pacific remains robust politically and economically will be in the United States’ own interest, and will be a key foreign policy challenge for any administration. The realities on the ground in Asia, though, are rapidly changing. The region has become increasingly divided, and rivalries are manifesting themselves in territorial disputes, competition for resources, as well as a growing arms race. Having overtaken Japan as the world’s second-largest economy, China has sought to become as much a political and military power as much as an economic one. Beijing’s vision for the region puts China at its center, which has led to rifts in relations among Asian nations, not to mention Sino-U.S. relations. Continued stability in the region cannot be taken for granted. Washington must continue to be committed to Asia, not least amid growing concerns about North Korea’s nuclear aspirations, maritime disputes, and alternative visions for economic development.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, International Cooperation, International Political Economy, and International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- America and Asia
140. Evaluating Western Sanctions on Russia
- Author:
- Sergey Aleksashenko
- Publication Date:
- 12-2016
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- It has been more than two years since the European Union (EU) and the United States (US) imposed economic sanctions on Russia for its aggression in Ukraine. For some of the measures, though not all, that is time enough to evaluate effectiveness. But before such an assessment can be made, the initial goals of the sanctions should be clearly stated. This is not as straightforward as it might seem.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, International Security, Sanctions, and Geopolitics
- Political Geography:
- Russia, America, and European Union
141. A Measured US Strategy for the New Africa
- Author:
- J. Peter Pham
- Publication Date:
- 12-2016
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- Turmoil in traditional geopolitical hotspots—Europe, Russia, the Levant, and Asia—has distracted the United States from the numerous opportunities and challenges across the Atlantic in Africa. Over the last decade, Africa has celebrated economic growth and new levels of political and economic engagement with the United States. But the continent faces many challenges to its continued economic development, security, and governance. In this latest Atlantic Council Strategy Paper, Atlantic Council Vice President and Africa Center Director Dr. J. Peter Pham persuasively argues that the United States needs to modernize its relations with a changing Africa to best engage a new range of actors and circumstances.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Foreign Policy, Diplomacy, International Trade and Finance, and Geopolitics
- Political Geography:
- Africa and America
142. Majority of Americans- Except for Republicans- Back Congressional Inquiry: Survey Shows 30 Year Low for Russian Favourability
- Author:
- Dina Smeltz, Craig Kafura, and Lily Wojtowicz
- Publication Date:
- 12-2016
- Content Type:
- Research Paper
- Institution:
- Chicago Council on Global Affairs
- Abstract:
- High-profile Republican stalwarts John McCain and Lindsay Graham have contradicted President-elect Donald Trump’s dismissal of CIA conclusions that Russia interfered in the US presidential election. The two senators issued a statement along with Democrats Jack Reed and Charles Schumer calling for a special committee to investigate the Russian cyberattacks. In a joint statement issued December 11, the senators warned that “this cannot become a partisan issue” because Russian interference in the election “should alarm every American.” But among the American public, there is a partisan split on whether to investigate further, and self-described Republicans seem to be taking their cues from Trump rather than the senators. A just-completed Chicago Council Survey conducted over the past weekend (December 16-18) finds that a narrow majority of Republicans oppose a congressional inquiry (51%). By contrast, majorities of Democrats (85%) and Independents (64%) – and two thirds of the overall public – favor an investigation.
- Topic:
- Corruption, Elections, Democracy, and Post Truth Politics
- Political Geography:
- America
143. Reducing Urban Violence and Improving Youth Outcomes in the Americas
- Author:
- The Chicago Council on Global Affairs
- Publication Date:
- 12-2016
- Content Type:
- Research Paper
- Institution:
- Chicago Council on Global Affairs
- Abstract:
- The world today has the largest population of young people in history, yet tragically, far too many of these youth are unlikely to live past the age of 30. Worldwide, youth aged 15 to 29 make up more than 40 percent of all homicides, while millions more fall victim to nonfatal violent crimes. Three organizations—the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, the University of Chicago Urban Labs, and the World Bank—convened approximately 30 leaders in Chicago from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Jamaica, and other Latin American and Caribbean countries and the United States working on the front lines of urban youth violence prevention. They discussed promising ways to strengthen urban public safety and improve the lives of youth in cities throughout the Americas.
- Topic:
- Political Violence and Youth Culture
- Political Geography:
- America and Global Focus
144. US And Russia: Insecurity and Mistrust Shape Mutual Perceptions
- Author:
- Dina Smeltz, Stepan Goncharov, and Lily Wojtowicz
- Publication Date:
- 11-2016
- Content Type:
- Research Paper
- Institution:
- Chicago Council on Global Affairs
- Abstract:
- A breakdown in cooperation between the United States and Russia in Syria, disputes over bilateral arms control agreements, and official US allegations of Russian cyber-meddling in the US presidential election have increased bilateral tensions. Most recently, the Kremlin ended participation in a joint agreement with the United States to eliminate both countries’ excess stocks of weapons grade plutonium. Yet even before these recent developments, increasingly frosty diplomatic relations seem to have taken their toll on mutual perceptions in public opinion.
- Topic:
- International Relations, International Security, and Geopolitics
- Political Geography:
- Russia and America
145. Balancing Priorities:Immigration, National Security and Public Safety
- Author:
- Sara McElmurry, Juliana Kerr, Theresa Cardinal Brown, and Lazaro Zamora
- Publication Date:
- 10-2016
- Content Type:
- Research Paper
- Institution:
- Chicago Council on Global Affairs
- Abstract:
- Current immigration policies and systems play an important role in protecting citizens. Federal immigration agencies are a central component of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Working in collaboration with federal intelligence agencies and local law enforcement at home and foreign governments abroad, the immigration system has become much more sophisticated and effective since DHS was created in 2001. Apprehensions of unauthorized immigrants along the border are at the lowest levels seen in decades. Screenings used to vet visitors, immigrants, and refugees have increased in complexity and efficacy. Programs that remove criminals from the country now increasingly prioritize enforcement resources to address public safety and security threats.
- Topic:
- National Security and Immigration
- Political Geography:
- America
146. When Hunger Strikes: How Food Security Abroad Matters for National Security at Home
- Author:
- Cullen S. Hendrix
- Publication Date:
- 04-2016
- Content Type:
- Research Paper
- Institution:
- Chicago Council on Global Affairs
- Abstract:
- Feeding the world and teaching the world to feed itself is not just a humanitarian endeavor. It is vital to US national security. Food price–related unrest can have an immense impact on the stability of countries vital to US interests. Fortunately, the United States is well positioned to lead the fight against food insecurity across the globe. Even with increases in agricultural productivity, Africa and Asia have become increasingly dependent on global markets to satisfy their growing domestic demand for food. For example, Africa's 20 most populous countries are all net grain importers. This import dependence has made these countries more sensitive to food price volatility than ever before.
- Topic:
- International Political Economy, National Security, and Food Security
- Political Geography:
- America and Global Focus
147. European defence core groups
- Author:
- Margriet Drent, Anne Bakker, and Dick Zandee
- Publication Date:
- 11-2016
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Clingendael Netherlands Institute of International Relations
- Abstract:
- The why, what & how of permanent structured cooperation The deteriorating security situation around Europe and the burgeoning messages from Washington that Europe has to take more responsibility for its own security call for a step change in European defence cooperation. So far, progress has been too slow. This policy brief argues that permanent structured cooperation (Pesco) offers the option to take a more ambitious and more productive route by member states willing to move forward more quickly, set more demanding objectives and commit themselves more strongly. This would end the well-known ‘voluntary basis’ which has often been used as an excuse for doing little or nothing at all.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Terrorism, International Security, International Affairs, and Political and institutional effectiveness
- Political Geography:
- America and European Union
148. Obama’s Legacy on Israel/ Palestine
- Author:
- Josh Reubner
- Publication Date:
- 08-2016
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Institute for Palestine Studies
- Abstract:
- his retrospective assessment argues that despite the arrival in office in 2009 of a president who articulated the case for Palestinian rights more strongly and eloquently than any of his predecessors, U.S. official policy in the Obama years skewed heavily in favor of Israel. While a negotiated two-state resolution of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians continued to be the formal goal of the United States, Israel’s defiant refusal to stop settlement expansion, the administration’s determined actions to perpetuate Israeli impunity in international fora, as well as the U.S. taxpayer’s hefty subsidy of the Israeli military machine all ensured that no progress could be made on that score. The author predicts that with all hopes of a negotiated two-state solution now shattered, Obama’s successor will have to contend with an entirely new paradigm, thanks in no small part to the gathering momentum of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
- Topic:
- Conflict Resolution
- Political Geography:
- America, Israel, and Palestine
149. Major developments in the US and China and US-China Relations Amidst Turmoil in the International Order (US-China Project)
- Author:
- Japan Institute for International Affairs
- Publication Date:
- 01-2016
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Japan Institute Of International Affairs (JIIA)
- Abstract:
- The rise of emerging countries, above all the precipitous rise of China, is a key driving force behind changes in international relations on a global scope. This does not mean, however, that China is taking over the reins of “hegemony” from the US and building a new international order centered on China and other emerging countries, i.e., that a clear-cut “power transition” is underway.
- Topic:
- International Relations and International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- China and America
150. Sub-project I. Domestic factors influencing US foreign policy (US Study Group)
- Author:
- Japan Institute for International Affairs
- Publication Date:
- 01-2016
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Japan Institute Of International Affairs (JIIA)
- Abstract:
- With President Obama’s second term coming to an end, 2016 will mark a major turning point for US politics and foreign policy. Republican majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate since the 2014 mid-term elections have made the Obama administration a “lame duck” but, with no concerns about re-election, the administration is now using its “free hand” to issue executive orders and exercise presidential authority for the sake of “legacy building” through, say, revisions to the Immigration Act and normalization of diplomatic relations with Cuba.
- Topic:
- International Relations and International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- America
151. Sub-project III: US-China Relations and International Relations Involving the US and China (US-China Relations Study Group)
- Author:
- Japan Institute for International Affairs
- Publication Date:
- 01-2016
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Japan Institute Of International Affairs (JIIA)
- Abstract:
- Two of the most important variables influencing trends within the international order are the domestic circumstances within the US and China and the foreign policy shifts stemming therefrom. An element of equal or perhaps even greater significance is the nature of relations between these two major powers.
- Topic:
- International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- China and America
152. 2016 Presidential Race Reveals the Systemic Crisis in American Society
- Author:
- Andrey Korobkov
- Publication Date:
- 01-2016
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Rethinking Russia
- Abstract:
- The 2016 electoral campaign outcome came like a complete bolt out of the blue for the American establishment, including the ruling elites, as well as academics, journalists, and other groups safeguarding the elites’ interests. Ironically, the showy campaign and the scandalous behavior of US billionaire and TV star Donald Trump, now 45th President-elect, overshadowed the fact that such a candidate per se exposed a deep systemic crisis in American society. Both the general public and professionals had overlooked the phenomenon. The crisis is caused by the exhausted potential of the US political and socio-economic system, which took shape in the 1960s and is over 50 years old. That is why the problems that the campaign laid bare will not merely fade away after the elections.
- Topic:
- International Relations, International Organization, International Affairs, and Elections
- Political Geography:
- America
153. Beyond the confrontation. Interview with Edward Luttwak
- Author:
- Edward Luttwak
- Publication Date:
- 01-2016
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Rethinking Russia
- Abstract:
- In the recent months the US-Russian relations have been in this weird place where Russia suddenly emerged again as a topic of a heated and very controversial electoral campaign and again in a form of an Evil Empire. The relations have been strained since 2014 following the events in Crimea, Ukraine and the sanctions rounds even though the same two countries managed to cooperate around Iran, and were rubbing shoulders in Syria. The recent storm has been caused by the leakage of the Democratic party emails, allegedly done by Moscow with the end goal to undermine Hillary Clinton (who is holding firm anti-Russian position) and support Donald Trump (who has praised Vladimir Putin in the past). With the elections taking place this week, Rethinking Russia spoke to an influential Republican geostrategist, CSIS senior associate Edward Luttwak about the current state of the Russian-American elections.
- Topic:
- International Relations, International Cooperation, and International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- Russia and America
154. Less is Better in US-Russian Relations Today
- Author:
- Thomas Graham
- Publication Date:
- 01-2016
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Rethinking Russia
- Abstract:
- Beware of rapid improvement in US-Russian relations. It cannot be sustained, and it always ends in sorrow for both countries. That at least is the history of relations since the end of the Cold War, to which each American president – Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama – can attest.
- Topic:
- International Relations, International Organization, and International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- Russia and America
155. Comments Following Hot on the Heels of Donald Trump’s Triumph
- Author:
- Andrey Korobkov
- Publication Date:
- 01-2016
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Rethinking Russia
- Abstract:
- The 58th quadrennial U.S. presidential elections were held on November 8, 2016. Republican Donald Trump won the White House. Following the elections, «Rethinking Russia» think-tank has collected a set of comments by Russian and foreign experts.
- Topic:
- International Relations, International Organization, and International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- America
156. Moldova to choose between East and West
- Author:
- Danielle Ryan
- Publication Date:
- 01-2016
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Rethinking Russia
- Abstract:
- As the world comes to terms with the knowledge that Donald Trump will soon be handed the keys to the White House, Moldovans are preparing to vote in a runoff presidential election which will set their country either on a firmly pro-Western course or on the path toward better relations with Russia.
- Topic:
- International Relations, International Security, and International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- America and Moldavia
157. The Trump Presidency Will Force Defining Choices On Europe
- Author:
- Vibeke Schou Tjalve
- Publication Date:
- 11-2016
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS)
- Abstract:
- Despite the general impression that the US president-elect Donald Trump has given us very little clue to predict his foreign policy doctrine, a guiding framework behind his scattered statements does exist. In this DIIS Policy Brief, Senior Researcher Vibeke Schou Tjalve takes a closer look at the surprisingly consistent philosophy of power and interest that Trump has aired during the past two decades. Trump is labelled a ‘nationalist’ and an ‘isolationist’. These are understandable labels, and yet: Trump is not your classical cultural-conservative nostalgic with deep veneration for old alliances or shared norms. His American nationalism does not linger on the memories of the New World European roots. Rather, it is founded on a deeply Darwinist conception of the world as a cutthroat competition, in which raw strength - not cultural characteristics – matters. As such, Trump will have no sentimentality for NATO or Europe, and he will view the world through largely value-neutral eyes. This leaves Europe with a defining set of questions, and to influence a Trump presidency, we should understand and appreciate this not-so-simple nationalism, Tjalve writes.
- Topic:
- International Relations and Political Power Sharing
- Political Geography:
- America and Europe
158. Could the Trump Administration Mean a New Beginning for the Kurds?
- Author:
- Zachary Gallant
- Publication Date:
- 12-2016
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Middle East Research Institute (MERI)
- Abstract:
- The shift of United States (US) foreign policy from a heavy international focus with traditional alliances over the past century to the anti-globalist administration promised by President-elect Donald Trump will necessarily upset longstanding regional relations in the Middle East and North Africa. This Policy Paper discusses some of the Trump administration’s most likely foreign policy advisers and their positions on Kurdish self-governance, as well as those of some previous policymakers whose legacies he will be unable to escape.
- Topic:
- Conflict Resolution and International Relations
- Political Geography:
- America and Middle East
159. Trump’s Foreign Policy in the Middle East: Four Key Issues
- Author:
- Dave van Zoonen
- Publication Date:
- 11-2016
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Middle East Research Institute (MERI)
- Abstract:
- Donald Trump, the next President of the United States, will soon be confronted with the difficulty of translating campaign rhetoric regarding his foreign policy in the Middle East into policy and positive outcomes. He is thus likely to be forced to make significant concessions.
- Topic:
- Conflict Resolution, Foreign Policy, and Geopolitics
- Political Geography:
- America and Middle East
160. Implications of US Disengagement from the Middle East
- Author:
- Efraim Inbar
- Publication Date:
- 07-2016
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Begin-Sadat Centre for Strategic Studies (BESA)
- Abstract:
- The United States is retreating from the Middle East. The adverse implications of this policy shift are manifold, including: the acceleration of Tehran’s drive to regional hegemony, the palpable risk of regional nuclear proliferation following the JCPOA, the spread of jihadist Islam, and Russia’s growing penetration of the region. Manifest US weakness is also bound to have ripple effects far beyond the Middle East, as global players question the value of partnership with an irresolute Washington.
- Topic:
- International Relations and International Security
- Political Geography:
- America and Middle East
161. Trends in US Congressional Support for Israel
- Author:
- Amnon Cavari and Elan Nyer
- Publication Date:
- 06-2016
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- The Begin-Sadat Centre for Strategic Studies (BESA)
- Abstract:
- American political leaders have supported the “special relationship” between the US and Israel since the earliest days of Israel’s existence. Support for Israel is invariably invoked during presidential campaigns and in party platforms. During their terms in office, US presidents regularly address issues relating to Israel and assert their commitment to Israel’s security.
- Topic:
- International Cooperation, International Security, and International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- America and Israel
162. Shared Border, Shared Future: A Blueprint to Regulate US-Mexico Labor Mobility
- Author:
- Carlos Gutierrez, Ernesto Zedillo, and Michael Clemens
- Publication Date:
- 09-2016
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Center for Global Development (CGD)
- Abstract:
- Mexico and the United States have lacked a bilateral agreement to regulate cross-border labor mobility since 1965. Since that time, unlawful migration from Mexico to the US has exploded. Almost half of the 11.7 million Mexican-born individuals living in the U.S. do not have legal authorization. This vast black market in labor has harmed both countries. These two neighboring countries, with an indisputably shared destiny, can come together to work out a better way. The time has come for a lasting, innovative, and cooperative solution. To address this challenge, the Center for Global Development assembled a group of leaders from both countries and with diverse political affiliations—from backgrounds in national security, labor unions, law, economics, business, and diplomacy—to recommend how to move forward. The result is a new blueprint for a bilateral agreement that is designed to end unlawful migration, promote the interests of U.S. and Mexican workers, and uphold the rule of law.
- Topic:
- International Political Economy, International Affairs, Labor Issues, and Border Control
- Political Geography:
- America and Mexico
163. Aligning Unevenly: India and the United States
- Author:
- Dinshaw Mistry
- Publication Date:
- 12-2016
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- East-West Center
- Abstract:
- In the early and mid-2000s, US policymakers anticipated India becoming one of America's top global partners. Have New Delhi's policies on key strategic issues actually aligned strongly with US objectives, as would be typical of close partners? An analysis of twelve prominent issues in US-India relations indicates that New Delhi's policies mostly converged moderately, rather than to a high extent, with US objectives. Specifically, the alignment between New Delhi's policies and US objectives was high or moderate-to-high on three issues--UN peacekeeping, nonproliferation export controls, and arms sales. It was moderate or low-to-moderate on six issues--China, Iran, Afghanistan, Indian Ocean security, Pakistan, and bilateral defense cooperation. And it was low or negligible on three issues--nuclear reactor contracts for US firms, nuclear arms control, and the war in Iraq. To be sure, despite the low or negligible convergence, New Delhi did not take an anti-US position on these issues.
- Topic:
- International Relations and International Cooperation
- Political Geography:
- America and India
164. A Canadian Agenda for the USA: Obama and Beyond
- Author:
- Colin Robertson
- Publication Date:
- 03-2016
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Canadian Global Affairs Institute (CGAI)
- Abstract:
- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau can use this week’s Washington Summit to advance Canadian interests with the Obama Administration. Successful outcomes in Washington will also help to set both the agenda and right mood for the upcoming North American Leaders Summit and, next January, for opening discussions with the next U.S. Administration. A Canadian action agenda is outlined below followed by background and historical analysis. Specific initiatives are grouped in four baskets: Security; Trade and Economic; Climate and the North; and Getting It Done.
- Topic:
- International Relations and International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- America and Canada
165. A Primer to the North American Leaders’ Summit (NALS)
- Author:
- Colin Robertson
- Publication Date:
- 06-2016
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Canadian Global Affairs Institute (CGAI)
- Abstract:
- On Wednesday, June 29th, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will host US President Barack Obama and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto for the tenth North American Leaders’ Summit (NALS). All three leaders want this meeting to succeed. For President Obama, it will advance his climate agenda continentally and help to cement his legacy in managing good neighbourhood relations. Climate also rates high in President Peña Nieto’s agenda, along with improving access for Mexican goods and mobility for Mexicans within North America. In terms of Canada-Mexico relations, President Peña Nieto expects Prime Minister Trudeau to announce the lifting of the obnoxious Canadian visa requirement. For Prime Minister Trudeau, making his debut as host of a multilateral summit, it is another demonstration that ‘Canada is back’. He must reset the Mexican relationship by announcing the long-promised lifting of the visa. He will get to know Enrique Peña Nieto better (they met briefly at November’s G20 summit and they were friendly ‘rivals’ for ‘APEC ‘hottie’ at the subsequent Manila summit). The summit represents another opportunity for ‘face-time’ with Barack Obama with whom he has quickly established a strong personal friendship and to reciprocate the hospitality of the White House meetings and state dinner in March. The North American summit comes within a week of the Brexit referendum. It will offer an opportunity for the three leaders to demonstrate a different kind of continental integration – less centralized, less bureaucratic – but still successful in mutually advancing economic prosperity that reinforces the sovereignty of each member.
- Topic:
- International Relations, International Political Economy, and International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- America and Canada
166. Clinton or Trump: Canada’s Energy Relations with the US
- Author:
- Colin Robertson
- Publication Date:
- 11-2016
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Canadian Global Affairs Institute (CGAI)
- Abstract:
- Energy, the environment, and climate change will figure prominently in Canada-US relations after January 20, 2017. The environmental movement will continue to press for ‘environmental justice’ –which means different things to different groups - in alignment with allies, especially indigenous peoples. Regardless of whether it is a Clinton or Trump presidency, Canadian leadership - provincial, federal, and private sector - must pro-actively advance our interests with Congress, the Administration and its agencies, and with state governments. Both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump plan to spend a lot of money on infrastructure, including that related to energy. US business likes this idea. A majority of Republicans and Democrats, in both the Senate and House, as well as governors, would like more money devoted to infrastructure. Again, there will be opportunities for collaboration, improving North America’s relative competitiveness. Trade figured prominently throughout the campaign with Hillary Clinton stating that she would not accept the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) in its current form and would appoint a ‘Trade Prosecutor’. Donald Trump has declared he will “tear up” the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and not sign the TPP. Regardless of who becomes president, we can expect more US protectionist trade action whether aimed directly at Canada - levies on softwood lumber are coming soon - or indirectly, as we recently experienced on aluminum when the US took aim at China.
- Topic:
- International Relations and International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- America and Canada
167. Reflections on the Current State of Political Economy
- Author:
- Richard Vedder
- Publication Date:
- 03-2016
- Content Type:
- Research Paper
- Institution:
- Independent Institute
- Abstract:
- Like most economics professors, I have spent my academic lifetime examining the economic and public policy effects of issues involving the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services—political economy, if you will. There is, however, a “political economy” to the very act of producing and disseminating economic knowledge and examining public policies. And that political economy and my assessment of it has changed over a career spanning more than half a century. In this brief article, I will confine my attention mostly to the research dimension and look at five issues, most relating to the political economy of the study of political economy.
- Topic:
- Global Political Economy
- Political Geography:
- America
168. Armed Resistance to Crime The Prevalence and Nature of Self-Defense with a Gun
- Author:
- Gary Kleck and Mark Gertz
- Publication Date:
- 06-2016
- Content Type:
- Research Paper
- Institution:
- Independent Institute
- Abstract:
- Crime victims used to be ignored by criminologists. Then, beginning slowly in the 1940s and more rapidly in the 1970s, interest in the victim’s role in crime grew. Yet a tendency to treat the victim as either a passive target of another person’s wrongdoing or as a virtual accomplice of the criminal limited this interest. The concept of the victim precipitated homicide highlighted the possibility that victims were not always blameless and passive targets, but that they sometimes initiated or contributed to the escalation of a violent interaction through their own actions, which they often claimed were defensive.
- Topic:
- Arms Control and Proliferation and Crime
- Political Geography:
- America
169. Better Than Government A New Way of Managing Life’s Risks
- Author:
- John Goodman
- Publication Date:
- 10-2016
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Independent Institute
- Abstract:
- For decades, people have increasingly sought to better manage life’s risks by appealing for help from their government, even when other alternatives would yield better results. Moreover, the growing dependence on government to solve major life problems has taken a heavy toll—higher taxes, greater political polarization, and numerous hidden costs and unintended consequences. Fortunately, we need not resign ourselves to this predicament. Opportunities for better managing life’s risks and reducing government waste are all around us, according to Independent Institute Senior Fellow John C. Goodman.
- Topic:
- Government
- Political Geography:
- America
170. Russia-U.S. Relations After the Election: “We Will Be Ready for a New Start”
- Author:
- S Ryabkov
- Publication Date:
- 12-2016
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- East View Information Services
- Abstract:
- Russia-U.S. Relations After the Election
- Topic:
- International Cooperation and International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- Russia and America
171. Statement on the Democratic National Committee Hack
- Author:
- Aspen Institute
- Publication Date:
- 07-2016
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Aspen Institute
- Abstract:
- The Aspen Institute Homeland Security Group’s statement on the Democratic National Committee Hack.
- Topic:
- International Affairs and Democracy
- Political Geography:
- America
172. Terror in Europe: Safeguarding U.S. Citizens at Home and Abroad
- Author:
- Juan Zarate
- Publication Date:
- 04-2016
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Aspen Institute
- Abstract:
- Juan Zarate gives testimony to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs in the wake of the Brussels attacks
- Topic:
- Terrorism and International Security
- Political Geography:
- America
173. Corruption: A Danger to Democracy in Europe and Eurasia
- Author:
- Christopher Davidson
- Publication Date:
- 12-2016
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Hudson Institute
- Abstract:
- Testimony before the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, and Emerging Threats
- Topic:
- International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- America
174. America's Insatiable Demand for Drugs: Examining Alternative Approaches
- Author:
- David W Murray
- Publication Date:
- 06-2016
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Hudson Institute
- Abstract:
- Testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs
- Topic:
- War on Drugs and International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- America
175. Carrier Air Wing and the Future of Naval Aviation
- Author:
- Seth Cropsey
- Publication Date:
- 02-2016
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Hudson Institute
- Abstract:
- Testimony before the U.S. House Committee on Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces
- Topic:
- International Security
- Political Geography:
- America
176. A Legislative Hearing on Four Communications Bills
- Author:
- Robert M McDowell
- Publication Date:
- 01-2016
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Hudson Institute
- Abstract:
- Testimony before the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology
- Topic:
- International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- America
177. 9th U.S.-China High-Level Political Party Leaders Dialogue
- Author:
- Natalie Pretzer-Lin
- Publication Date:
- 11-2016
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- EastWest Institute
- Abstract:
- A delegation of senior officials from the Communist Party of China (CPC) met with U.S. Democratic and Republican Party leaders and global business leaders in Washington, D.C., on November 14, 2016. These discussions were part of the U.S.-China High-Level Political Party Leaders Dialogue organized by the EastWest Institute (EWI) in partnership with the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (IDCPC) and was the ninth round of this dialogue process.
- Topic:
- International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- China and America