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Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT
In an interview with IBA News, Bruce Riedel discusses President Barack Obama's policy in Afghanistan, emphasizing that victory against Al Qaeda and the Taliban is crucial not only for the stability of Afghanistan itself, but also for Pakistan and the entire Islamic world.
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Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT
While the economic entanglements between the U.S. and China have increased over the last decade, so has the tension. With President Obama visiting China and other Asian nations, Brookings expert Eswar Prasad and Grace Gu of Cornell University discuss the tightening embrace between the two countries—in terms of flows of goods and services, financial capital and people—and the implications.
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Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT
As President Obama prepared for his first visit to China, expectations were high for growth in the U.S.-China relationship. In this Northeast Asia Commentary written prior to the president's visit, Nonresident Senior Fellow David Shambaugh analyzes today’s political and economic landscape in China. Shambaugh currently serves as a Senior Visiting Fulbright Scholar at the Institute of World Economics and Politics, a division of the China Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing.
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Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT
In this CNAPS Working Paper, Liu Shih-chung examines the fluctuations in Taiwan-U.S. relations during 2004-2008. While outlining developments in the bilateral relationship, Liu provides an insider’s view of different influences on Taiwan’s policy-making process including the leadership, the bureaucracy, other internal political forces, and external actors such as China and the United States.
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Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT
President Barack Obama's maiden trip to China was his first face-to-face opportunity to shape U.S.-China relations. In this preview of the president's visit, Cheng Li and Jordan Lee examined new openings for Obama to press Beijing on harder questions, and the fine line he would have to walk between respect for China and pulling all his punches, while reflecting candidly on American ideals.
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Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- November 09, 2009, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
The efforts of China's America-watching community over the past 30 years, and their effect on China's perception of the United States, have been crucial to a constructive relationship between the two countries. On November 9, the John L. Thornton China Center at Brookings and the U.S.-China Education Trust co-hosted a discussion on China’s changing views of America.
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Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
For the 18th year in a row, the United Nations General Assembly unequivocally calls for the end of the U.S. embargo against Cuba. Ted Piccone examines the long-running dispute between the international community and the United States and offers suggestions for the future of U.S.-Cuba relations.
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Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Michael Fullilove explores possible explanations as to why President Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, despite only being elected nine months prior. Fullilove contends that, while the award may be somewhat premature, it can make it harder for the world not to help should Obama ask for it.
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Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Over recent years, politicians and analysts inside and outside the United States contended that America’s popularity was in terminal decline. Michael Fullilove and Fergus Hanson explore new public opinion data showing quite the opposite – a quick return to a positive image of the United States around the world.
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Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Federiga Bindi discusses Italy's role in shaping today's climate for international relations in the future.
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Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Recent reminders have shown Turkey and Armenia to be two traumatized regions in which reconciliation will be difficult. Ömer Taşpınar believes that in order for Armenia to have Western options, it will need Turkey's help, and external conditions between the nations will relieve the weight of historical issues.
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Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
President Barack Obama’s 2009 Nobel Peace Prize immediately triggered strong reactions worldwide. Hady Amr and Steven Barnes write that the prize presents President Obama an opportunity to build on his recent efforts to foster dialogue between America and people of all faiths around the globe.
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Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Martin Indyk says President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize should be seen as an acknowledgment of the promise his presidency holds for a new era of international cooperation. But Indyk also notes that Obama is still left with numerous foreign policy challenges requiring tangible progress.
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Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Prior to President Obama's visit to Beijing in November, Cheng Li and Jordan Lee wrote that the president should recognize that China is becoming a middle class country like the United States. Li and Lee believe focusing on China’s middle class may be a way to find more common ground in U.S.-China relations that will become more important as time goes on.
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Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Michael Fullilove writes that the UN General Assembly in New York and G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh proved fruitful for the United States and Australia. Fullilove notes both Obama and Rudd are tough diplomats who believe national interests are better pursued in concert with others, and he concludes the recent meetings bolstered their ideas and goals.
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Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
In a recent speech in Cairo, President Obama advocated "a new way forward," based on mutual interest and mutual respect in relationships between the United States and Muslim communities across the globe. Cynthia Schneider explains the important role arts, culture, and the media can play in building these relationships and fostering positive social change.
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Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev both see a follow-on agreement to the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty as a top priority in U.S.-Russia relations. Steven Pifer writes that while a post-START treaty should not pose any major obstacles, complex nuclear issues are likely to make this the last “easy” arms control agreement between Washington and Moscow.
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Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Suzanne Maloney writes that Friday’s announcement by President Barack Obama and his French and British counterparts about Iran’s covert nuclear activities had all the ingredients of a blockbuster. Maloney explores the likelihood that the announcement will force Iran's hand and outlines the potential impact on the stances of Russia and China.
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Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The Pittsburgh G-20 summit marks the fourth time this group of leaders has met, but the meetings operate on an ad hoc basis undermining confidence that it will deliver, say Nina Hachigian and Bruce Jones. They argue setting the table at the G-20 to make global decisions that stick is one of the thorniest issues the leaders gathering in Pittsburgh will face.
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Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Kenneth Lieberthal analyzes the politics of U.S.-China cooperation, recommends how to structure a bilateral agreement on clean energy, and describes how the two countries can work together to shape a more successful UN climate change conference in Copenhagen.
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Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
This week, President Obama places himself squarely at the center of multilateral diplomacy, first at the UN General Assembly and later at the G-20 Summitt in Pittsburgh. Bruce Jones and Richard Gowan examine the Obama administration's continuing investment in multilateralism and why it does not always pay off so easily.
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Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
60 years after its founding, the People's Republic of China has achieved significant progress toward becoming a major and global power. Nonresident Senior Fellow David Shambaugh examines the contours of the nation's economic, social, political, and military development and considers some of the implications for China and the world.
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Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd recently appointed Kim Beazley the next ambassador to the United States. Michael Fullilove says it is a savvy move at an important time. Fullilove outlines various reasons as to why Beazley can help strengthen the Australia-U.S. relationship and notes several challenges including the ongoing war in Afghanistan.
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Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
As President Obama travels to the UN and G-20 summits, he will place himself squarely at the center of multilateral diplomacy. His administration has started to lay out its vision, but several tough questions, such as Security Council reform, have yet to be publically addressed. Bruce Jones and Richard Gowan assess President Obama's efforts to restore U.S. leadership in multilateral forums to date.
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Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Justin Vaïsse challenges Tocqueville's judgment that "Foreign policy demands scarcely any of those qualities which are peculiar to a democracy; they require, on the contrary, the use of almost all those in which it is deficient." But Tocqueville himself, Vaisse points out, had identified some of the strengths that explained the success of democracies in the past century. And contrary to Tocqueville, who feared the tyranny of the majority and the feckless character of the people being imposed to a weak president, Vaïsse points out that the major dangers for democracies reside in the tyranny of minorities and the excessive reach of the Executive branch.
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Wed, 09 Sep 2009 09:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- September 09, 2009, 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM
On September 9, the Saban Center at Brookings hosted a policy discussion with Alon Pinkas, former Consul General of Israel in New York and current President of the U.S.-Israel Institute at the Rabin Center in Tel Aviv. The discussion came in advance of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s trip to New York to attend the UN General assembly and amid debate over the health of the United States-Israel relationship.
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Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Though there are many differences between climate change and wars like the one in Afghanistan, Michael Fullilove considers the similarities and how each impacts Australia and the world. Fullilove argues that both require global cooperation and that the surest way to failure is for countries to stand on the sidelines instead of being involved.
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Mon, 24 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The Korean peninsula served as the battleground for an internationalized civil war from 1950-1953. Over a half-century later, the peninsula is still divided and the Korean question remains unresolved. In this CNAPS visiting fellow working paper, Wonhyuk Lim writes that placing Korean unification within the broader context of regional integration in Asia may be an effective geopolitical strategy for the Korean nation.
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Fri, 21 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Cynthia Schneider says the understandable outrage at the release of the convicted Pan Am 103 bomber should not overshadow the memory of the trial—an extraordinary example of international cooperation, justice and diplomacy—that brought him to justice.
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Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The August 20 elections in Afghanistan represent a crucial opportunity to give Afghans a sense of at least some control over their future. Vanda Felbab-Brown examines the leading candidates and argues the international community needs to make it clear to the next Afghan president that assistance is conditioned on improved and accountable governance.
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Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak visited the White House for the first time in five years this week. His message was that Arab nations want peace but Israel must make concessions first. Martin Indyk joined Diane Rehm to discuss the future of U.S.-Egypt relations and the Middle East peace process.
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Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak recently visited Washington for the first time since 2004. Tamara Cofman Wittes and Michele Dunne examine how he and President Obama can achieve shared goals for the Middle East. Wittes and Dunn analyze areas in which the relationship could be improved and offer suggestions for strengthening the partnership with both the citizens and government of Egypt.
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Sat, 15 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Which Path to Persia? objectively presents the most important policy options available to the United States in crafting a new strategy toward Iran.
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Fri, 14 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
As Chinese think tanks begin to acquire qualities that have long described their peers in other countries, business leaders from major state-owned companies private companies now play a crucial role in the management. Cheng Li takes a close look at the formation of prominent think tanks in the country and adds new analysis to the long-standing and complicated relationship between power, wealth and knowledge.
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Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Jeremy Shapiro argues pundits should focus more on what the elections in Afghanistan say about the international community than what they mean for the country. He cautions that actions by international actors are often seen from the inside as rigging elections to a pre-determined outcome and concludes that if these efforts to build a democracy fail it may help Afghanistan become a terrorist state once again.
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Tue, 11 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Over the past decade, much of the commentary on the Australia-U.S. alliance has focused on how the conservative leaders of both nations formulated policy. Michael Fullilove and Michael O'Hanlon analyze the developing relationship between Democratic President Barack Obama and Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and how it may reshape the alliance.
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Tue, 11 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Michael Fullilove examines the Australia-U.S. alliance under Barack Obama and Kevin Rudd. Fullilove believes Obama's popularity in Australia has brought renewed domestic support to the alliance and that the personal relationship between leaders is strong, but he also cautions there will be challenges ahead.
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Wed, 05 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Martin Indyk joined Andrea Mitchell to discuss the inauguration of Mahmoud Ahmedinejad to a second term as president of Iran. Indyk and Mitchell also spoke about former President Bill Clinton’s trip to North Korea, in which he secured a pardon for two U.S. journalists being held by the government.
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Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Michael O'Hanlon assesses Barack Obama's foreign policy record halfway through his first year as president. From Russia to China and India, O'Hanlon concludes that Obama is handling situations about as well as possible. In Iraq and Afghanistan, O’Hanlon believes Obama has been willing to take important advice from commanders on the ground as well as Secretary Gates to make tough but well executed decisions.
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Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Following a surprise meeting with former President Bill Clinton, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il pardoned two jailed American journalists. Dennis Wilder joined other experts on PBS' NewsHour to examine the implications of the meeting.
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Thu, 30 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Erica Downs examines what is behind the recent Iranian invitation to China to invest $43 billion in Iran's oil industry. Downs argues that Iran is aiming to lessen the impact of additional international sanctions by adding to its meager refining capability, but she also believes there are several reasons China will be unwilling to deliver everything Iran wants.
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Thu, 30 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Suzanne Maloney testified before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs on recent developments in Iran and the possibility of new sanctions. Maloney noted that while sanctions may be the only effective means of persuading Iran to cooperate, the willingness of the international community is limited and Iran is somewhat insulated because of its already poor economy and extensive petroleum exports.
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Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Though there have been increased attacks, growing casualties and falling popular support, Michael Fullilove and Anthony Bubalo write that Afghanistan is still winnable. They believe the Obama administration has done well by increasing resources and refocusing on what can be achieved, and say there is too much at stake for the West to conclude Afghanistan is the graveyard of foreign armies and depart.
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Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- July 28, 2009, 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
The Brookings Doha Center hosted a discussion on democracy promotion and key U.S. allies in the Arab world. The panel was addressed by Roula Attar, the resident country director in Jordan for the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs and Anouar Boukhars, Brookings Doha Center visiting fellow. Hady Amr, director of the Doha Center, moderated the discussion.
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Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Steven Pifer joined Bernard Gwertzman to discuss Vice President Joseph Biden's recent trip to Ukraine and Georgia and how it was meant to balance President Barack Obama's Moscow summit earlier in the month.
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Thu, 23 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Anouar Boukhars, visiting fellow at Brookings Doha Center, says the world has watched the rearrangement of practices and strategies of American foreign policy under the Obama administration with interest and fascination. By making Arab-Israeli relations a top priority, Boukhars believes Obama is determined to address the tough unanswered challenges of the past.
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Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Foreign policy observers awaited South African President Jacob Zuma’s May 10 appointment of minister for international relations and cooperation with great anticipation. Xolela Mangcu explores the surprise decision of Maite Nkoana-Mashabane in the broader context of South Africa's role in the region and world.
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Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
T.P. Sreenivasan examines the U.S.-India relationship in the context of Secretary of State Clinton's trip to the country. Though he believes the Obama administration has set the right tone with India, Sreenivasan argues that troubles may arise on several policy fronts including nuclear technology and fighting terrorism.
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Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Steven Pifer analyzes the history of Ukraine’s relations with Russia and the West since the disintegration of the Soviet Union. Pifer also addresses Ukraine’s future geopolitical trajectory in the run-up to the country’s presidential elections in
early 2010, and internal problems that will command urgent attention once the political situation in the country stabilizes.
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Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The Asia Pacific region has undergone fundamental changes since the Cold War. Once perceived as institutionally underdeveloped, a wide range of regional community building initiatives has transformed Asia’s institution-building and major power relations. Richard Weixing Hu, CNAPS visiting fellow, writes that this institutional proliferation now poses challenges to regional community building, and explores how a stable regional architecture may be constructed.
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Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Cheng Li joined the Australian Broadcasting Corporation to discuss the arrest of Rio Tinto executive Stern Hu and the need to understand the continually increasing business opportunities in China.
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Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Kevin Casas-Zamora joined CFR.org's Bernard Gwertzman to discuss Honduran President Manuel Zelaya's ousting as well as how the United States has and should continue to respond. Casas-Zamora said that by putting diplomatic weight behind regional leaders, the Obama administration has demonstrated sensitivity to Latin American sensibilities.
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Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Federiga Bindi explores topics of discussion in the lead-up to the G8 summit in Italy. Bindi points to high-level meetings prior to the summit as hopeful examples of participants speaking freely on issues of global concern like climate change and nuclear proliferation.
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Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Steven Pifer writes that continuing political turmoil in Ukraine and tense relations between Kiev and Moscow have increased the potential for Ukraine to tumble into crisis with Russia. Pifer examines how a crisis may be triggered and offers suggestions how to reduce the chances as well has how to manage one should it occur.
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Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Federiga Binda believes the recent G8 foreign ministers meeting in Trieste has set the stage for pragmatic and operative discussions at the upcoming G8 summit. Bindi examines key issues of the debate including Afghanistan, nuclear proliferation and the future role of the European Union in global governance.
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Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
African development has been a top agenda item at previous G8 Summits, including the creation of the Africa Action Plan and increased financial commitments to support economic growth. Although the continent has seen some progress, Mwangi Kimenyi argues that more should be done and provides specific strategies for more effective development.
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Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
In 2000, leaders from the G8 Summit pledged to achieve universal basic education by 2015. Despite their commitments, donor assistance is declining and investments in education for the developing world are being cut, states David Gartner. He urges the G8 to make good on their promise and proposes President Obama to seize the moment of opportunity with a bold investment in education.
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Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
As the G8 summit nears, Bruce Jones highlights the problems involved in holding international decision-making meetings with just a handful of countries in an increasingly interconnected world. Jones argues that it is time to get serious about new modes of cooperation that gives a stronger voice to rising powers such as India and China.
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Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
In a new Saban Analysis Paper, six Brookings experts analyze the main policy approaches toward Iran. In examining the benefits and drawbacks of the nine options—including engagement, persuasion, airstrikes, and containment—the authors refrain from recommending one policy over the other. Rather, they present the details of the policies in a manner that allows readers to understand the complexity of the challenge that is Iran and decide for themselves which group of policies is best.
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Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Major topics of discussion at the upcoming G8 summit will be energy and climate change policy. Charles Ebinger assesses where the United States currently stands on the issues and outlines what needs to be done to formulate sound policy for the future.
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Sat, 27 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Taiwan and China have made impressive progress over the last year improving relations in the political and economic arenas, but China’s People’s Liberation Army has continued to procure and deploy equipment that puts Taiwan at risk. Richard Bush points out that the rate of growth is a bit less than previous years but it still raises the question, what is going on?
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Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Steven Pifer looks toward President Obama's July visit to Moscow where he will meet with President Medvedev of Russia. Pifer outlines three outcomes—including a successor to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty—the U.S. should hope for from the talks.
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Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Examining both recent events and historical circumstances, Suzanne Maloney points to robust U.S. diplomatic engagement with Iran as the optimal strategic option and candidly outlines what U.S. policymakers should—and should not—hope to accomplish.
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Sun, 21 Jun 2009 08:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- June 21, 2009, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- June 22, 2009, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
On June 21 and 22, the Italian Foreign Ministry held a conference in partnership with the Brookings Institution, Aspen Italia, Club de Madrid, Link Campus University – Sage, and Centro di Eccellenza Jean Monnet – Fondazione Economia Tor Vergata. The goal of the conference was two-fold: to generate ideas that transcend the tyranny of the urgent and could help inform preparations for the Italy-hosted G8 Summit in July 2009; and to generate debate and discussion on longer-term efforts to reform the international system.
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Sat, 20 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Michael Fullilove examines why President Obama enjoys remarkable international prestige and how it relates to his international agenda. Fullilove identifies four main themes in Obama's foreign policy to date, and reminds the president to demonstrate that there are significant costs to be incurred for opposing him on important issues.
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Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The reform movement in Iran has been bolstered by the use of new media including YouTube and Twitter. Ariel Kastner suggests that the Obama administration should be vigilant in protecting access to these outlets and make dissatisfaction clear when countries attempt to block their citizens from using such outlets.
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Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- June 18, 2009, 8:30 AM to 10:00 PM
- June 19, 2009, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
On June 18 and 19, 2009, the Foresight project held its second major regional symposium in Washington, D.C. Organized by the Alfred Herrhausen Society in partnership with Policy Network and the Brookings Institution, it provided a unique opportunity to advance the task of forging a new global consensus on the shape of the emerging world order and the role of the United States within it.
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Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Dennis Wilder joined Gwen Ifill to discuss President Obama and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak meeting about recent provocations in the latest round of the ongoing diplomatic standoff with North Korea.
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Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Hu Jintao's recent visit to Moscow showed off the significant strides in bilateral relations between China and Russia. David Shambaugh notes that the real challenge for the United States and Europe is to engage both nations in a broader global partnership and to break the Beijing-Moscow duopoly that often splits the U.N. Security Council.
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Sun, 14 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was proclaimed the landslide winner in Iran's presidential contest amid accusations of widespread election fraud. Suzanne Maloney argues that although the election has poisoned the atmosphere for diplomacy, it has not changed the fact that negotiations represent the best of a range of unappealing options available to Washington.
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Sat, 13 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Suzanne Maloney explores the main questions left after Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s win in Iran. Among these questions, Maloney addresses how much the vote was manipulated and whether Obama can still pursue diplomacy as an option with a fractured Iran.
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Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Hady Amr explores President Barack Obama's June 4 Cairo speech as seen through the eyes of an Arab-American who has focused a career on tying to explain the relationship between America and the Middle East. Arm writes that Obama evoked social truths and the word of God to speak to the Muslim world in a way he has never witnessed from a U.S. president.
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Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Iraq and Afghanistan continue to pre-occupy U.S. military planners. But North Korea, with its growing nuclear arsenal, would become America's paramount security challenge if the state were to collapse. Michael O’Hanlon writes that the United States and other nations must begin detailed and coordinated planning for stabilization in the event of collapse of the North Korean state.
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Sat, 06 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
For years, Americans and Japanese have discussed what their alliance should do in the post-Cold War era. CNAPS Director Richard Bush argues in the Yomiuri Shimbun that, with its response to the DPRK’s May 25 nuclear test, the U.S.-Japan alliance is fulfilling its most important strategic function: to help manage the rise of China.
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Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
President Obama’s speech in Cairo has been heralded as a historic moment in redefining and reorienting the U.S. approach to the Muslim world. Michael Fullilove examines the issues, themes and tone of Obama’s speech while exploring the implications of the speech for U.S.-Muslim relations, particularly in reference to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
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Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
President Obama's words in his historic Cairo address have raised the hopes of millions of girls around the world. David Gartner discusses how the president's call for educating women is a commitment that can be fulfilled through the creation of a Global Fund for Education.
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Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
In broadly and directly addressing the Muslim World, President Obama undertook a complex task. Mirette Mabrouk points to Obama’s discussion of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and his promises of U.S. economic aid to the Middle East as particularly dynamic areas of the speech.
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Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
In his recent speech in Cairo, Egypt, President Obama signaled a new path for supporting crucial social and economic development for millions of Muslims around the world. Rebecca Winthrop recommends four elements necessary for an effective education partnership between the U.S. and the Muslim world.
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Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
China-Japan relations have been markedly tense and constrained in recent history, especially in the decade following 1995. Richard Bush examines the deterioration of this relationship during that time from three different perspectives, identifies the underlying causes, and suggests steps that can be taken by both countries to further improve relations.
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Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
When President Barack Obama visits the Buchenwald concentration camp site on June 5 and the Normandy beaches on June 6, he will celebrate both the transatlantic alliance and Europe's reconciliation and unity that emerged from these searing events. Justin Vaisse, whose grandfather was liberated from the concentration camp at Buchenwald by units of Patton's Third Army—in which Obama's great uncle served—reflects on the Europe-America relationship.
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Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
In testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Kenneth Lieberthal addressed the growing need for U.S.-China climate cooperation and how it is in the interest of both countries. Lieberthal testified that an important step is for the U.S. to have a realistic understanding of the reasons China's emissions are growing so rapidly, and he offered suggestions for the future of the relationship.
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Thu, 04 Jun 2009 18:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- June 04, 2009, 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
On June 4th, the Brookings Doha Center hosted its largest event to date on President Barack Obama’s address to the Muslim world given from Cairo earlier in the afternoon. Joseph LeBaron, U.S. Ambassador to the State of Qatar, provided remarks on the speech and took questions and comments from audience members. The session was moderated by Hady Amr, Director of the Brookings Doha Center.
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Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
In recent months, North Korea has unabashedly plowed forward with the development of its nuclear program, an action that threatens to erode regional stability in Northeast Asia. Dennis Wilder examines the role of China in reducing the North Korean threat and explores the causes, pointing to necessary limits of China’s calculated caution toward North Korea.
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Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Stephen Grand assesses President Barack Obama's June 4 address from Egypt. Noting that while one speech cannot eliminate years of mutual anger and feelings of disrespect, Grand believes Obama has created the real possibility for what is described as "a new beginning" with the "Muslim world."
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Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
President Obama has proposed expanding the Peace Corps and building a global network of volunteers. To achieve this goal, David Caprara, Kevin F. F. Quigley and Lex Rieffel examine alternative service models and offer policy recommendations to the Obama Administration to further enhance U.S. volunteer opportunities with the goal of strengthening America’s multilateral development engagements.
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Fri, 29 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
On June 4, President Obama continued his efforts to improve America’s relations with the Muslim world by delivering a highly anticipated address at Cairo University in Egypt. Stephen Grand analyzed four difficult challenges for the president in order to make this historic address to the world's approximately 1.3 billion Muslims a success.
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Fri, 29 May 2009 09:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- May 29, 2009, 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM
On May 29, the Center on the United States and Europe at Brookings (CUSE) will host experts and officials from both sides of the Atlantic for the 2009 CUSE Annual Conference to examine the prospect of engagement with Iran and Russia, and how to deal with groups such as Hamas and the Taliban.
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Fri, 29 May 2009 09:22:45 GMT
President Obama travels to Cairo in June to meet with Egyptian President Mubarak and to deliver a major speech to the people of the Muslim world on June 4. Stephen Grand says that in his address, Obama will state his desire to improve the relationship between the United States and nations in the Muslim world.
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Thu, 28 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Michael O'Hanlon writes that while North Korea risks some tightening of sanctions as a result of their recent nuclear test, it probably will not pay a huge and enduring price. O'Hanlon believes if North Korea is unwilling to dismantle its arsenal the U.S., China, and other international partners should set up a maritime quarantine to monitor ships that could transfer nuclear materials and technology to terrorists or other nations.
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Thu, 21 May 2009 12:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- May 21, 2009, 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM
Experts have called for U.S. foreign assistance—and specifically the U.S. effort to support global development—to be reformed in order to become more strategic, coherent and effective. On May 21, the Brookings Institution hosted Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, for a discussion of U.S. foreign assistance reform and the importance of foreign relations authorization.
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Wed, 20 May 2009 08:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- May 20, 2009, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- May 21, 2009, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Together with the ICONS Project at the University of Maryland, Brookings held a two-day exercise on May 20 and 21, 2009 simulating a crisis in the Taiwan Strait. Among other results, participants found that accidental war in the Taiwan Strait was less likely than an escalating crisis over real, substantive issues of importance to the two sides of the Strait.
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Sat, 16 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Michael Fullilove writes that President Obama has gotten off to a remarkably sure-footed start on foreign policy, while confusing both his foreign and domestic opponents. Fullilove examines and debunks the conservative arguments that have surfaced against Obama during his first months in office.
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Fri, 15 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Engagement between Beijing and Washington operates on many levels but none is more critical than a regularized mechanism for strategic discussion by the top officials in economics and foreign policy. Dennis Wilder explores how dialogue should be carried out between the two countries during the Obama administration.
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Fri, 15 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
In an interview with the Council on Foreign Relations, Martin Indyk downplayed the prospects of any confrontation over the Mideast peace process between President Barack Obama and new Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in their first meeting. Still, he said, Netanyahu could have trouble reconciling Obama's desire for a two-state solution with the Palestinians with opposition from his political base.
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Thu, 14 May 2009 14:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- May 14, 2009, 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
On May 14, Foreign Policy at Brookings held a journalist roundtable to discuss upcoming meetings between U.S. President Barack Obama, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Martin Indyk, director of the Saban Center for Middle East Policy, and Tamara Cofman Wittes, senior fellow and director of the Middle East Democracy and Development Project, explored the issues and answered questions.
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Thu, 14 May 2009 14:15:00 GMT
Event Information:
- May 14, 2009, 2:15 PM to 4:00 PM
On May 14, CNAPS hosted Robert “Skipp” Orr, chairman of the board of the Panasonic Foundation, for a presentation entitled “Japanese Politics Today and the Impact on U.S.-Japan Relations.” Dr. Orr discussed the current state of affairs in Japanese politics, the upcoming general elections, and the economic climate in Japan.
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Wed, 13 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Jacques deLisle of the University of Pennsylvania argues that Taiwan’s participation at the 62nd World Health Assembly this month marks a significant development in Taiwan’s quest for international space, in cross-Strait relations, and for the World Health Organization. Implications for Taiwan’s participation in other organizations may be limited, Professor deLisle writes, but this achievement could become an important template for future developments.
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Mon, 11 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Piracy has been a growing problem in the waters off Somalia for several years, and was recently thrust into the headlines with an April hijacking of a United States-flagged cargo ship. Michael O'Hanlon and Stephen Solarz outline a process in which the United States and international partners can combat piracy by using of World War II-style convoys.
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Fri, 08 May 2009 09:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- May 08, 2009, 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM
A transformed alliance of the world’s two largest economies—Japan and the United States—could have far-reaching effects on issues such as trade, development, climate change and international security. On May 8, the Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies at Brookings and the Slavic Research Center at Hokkaido University hosted a forum to examine the U.S.-Japan alliance and its potential for addressing issues beyond the Northeast Asia region.
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Thu, 07 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
While the election of Barack Obama facilitates the transatlantic dialogue, profound structural differences remain between Europe and America—including geography, distinct roles in the international system and contrasted relationship to military force. Justin Vaisse believes this is why Europe and America should not count on "shared values" but on serious diplomatic bargaining to resolve their differences. (in French)