Topic: Center for Strategic and International Studies
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North Korea abandons armistice: 4 key questions answered
Tensions on the Korean peninsula are ratcheting up. The US has started its annual war games with South Korean forces, and North Korea has used that fact to declare that it is invalidating the armistice agreement that ended the Korean War in 1953. What really has North Korea upset, though, is the tough, new sanctions passed by the United Nations in response to the North's nuclear test last month.Here are the top four questions analysts are wrestling with on the heels of these developments.
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Afghanistan: 5 areas of concern after the US leaves
The withdrawal of US and NATO forces from Afghanistan will have profound, direct effects on the country's security, economy, and society. Here are five areas that are likely to see an impact.
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What's Ahmadinejad getting out of his Latin America tour?
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s Latin America trip, a whirlwind four-nation tour that began in Venezuela on Jan. 8, is now taking him to the inauguration of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega. The trip is his fifth visit to the region since 2007 and has prompted alarm in some corners of the United States that Iran is using the region as a staging ground to attack US interests.However, many who study Iran’s relationship with Latin America, in particular Venezuela, say fear of an Iranian threat in the Americas is overblown, at least at this point. Here are four reasons why:
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Palestinian statehood: why Arabs have turned on Obama
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Five ways 9/11 has transformed the US military
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Europe rethinks dependence on Libyan oil
Italy and Spain depend on Libya for as much as 22 percent and 13 percent of total crude consumption, respectively, a supply not easily replaced on short notice.
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Somali pirates: Do shootings of four Americans point to armed escalation?
In the past, pirates have been very reluctant to harm captives, but on Tuesday, four Americans taken hostage by Somali pirates were killed.
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US faces difficult situation in Bahrain, home to US Fifth Fleet
The US has important strategic interests in Bahrain, including the US Navy's Fifth Fleet – patrolling oil shipping lanes, keeping an eye on Iran, and involved with the war in Afghanistan. But US officials also worry about Bahrain's violent response to pro-democracy demonstrators.
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Q&A with former National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski
Foreign-policy expert Zbigniew Brzezinski discussed the response to US calls for political change in Egypt, his rating of President Obama's foreign policy, and GOP threats to cut US foreign aid at a Feb. 10 Monitor breakfast.
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Somali pirate gets stiff sentence in US court. Will it deter piracy?
A US judge sentenced Somali pirate Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse to nearly 34 years in prison, citing a need to deter others. But the problem is getting to those who finance piracy operations.
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Opinion: Egypt crisis: Why was the US caught flat-footed -- again?
The uprisings in Egypt are just the latest in a slew of strategic shocks the US has found itself reacting to, rather than predicting. But these hazards are observable, and the US must better consider game-changing crises in advance.
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Video: US challenge in Egypt is to guide 'amorphous mass' toward a process
To avoid bloodshed and ensure democracy in Egypt, a political process of some sort is needed, Zbigniew Brzezinski says. The challenge is tougher than it was to help European freedom movements decades ago.
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Video: Don't be self-righteous on Egypt, Brzezinski cautions US
The Obama administration should pay attention to 'self-restraint, tone, and discretion,' said Zbigniew Brzezinski, who served as national security adviser under President Carter.
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US-Egyptian military ties: How much leverage does the Pentagon have?
The Egyptian military could play a pivotal role in resolving the crisis, but the Pentagon must weigh carefully how hard a line it wants to take with its Egyptian counterparts.
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Regime vs. protesters: Which will Obama back in Arab world?
It's a tricky moment for the US, as demand for reform spreads in the Arab world from Tunisia and Lebanon to Egypt and Yemen. Obama appears to be taking a dual track of backing the street protesters as well as regimes willing to undertake reforms.
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Opinion: European debt crisis: Does Obama get how serious this is?
Europe's debt crisis appears to be getting worse, yet American leadership is absent. How many times will America turn away from Europe only to return to it at great cost?
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With Hu, Obama more direct about US expectations of China
Obama and Hu, at a joint news conference Wednesday, stressed benefits of US-China cooperation. But Obama also urged 'level playing field' for US firms, as Hu stressed principle of 'mutual respect.'
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Stuxnet cyberattack: Does new WikiLeaks cable shed light on who did it?
A German expert urged the US to adopt 'a policy of covert sabotage' of the Iran nuclear program, states a diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks. Big caveat: Stuxnet worm predates the cable.
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Hu Jintao in America: 7 questions about the Chinese president's visit
Hu Jintao will be the guest of President Obama this week for what some US-China experts are calling the most important US visit by a Chinese leader since Deng Xiaoping’s groundbreaking trip in 1979. The intrigue then was around the opening-up of the communist giant. But some three decades later the focus is very different, as China becomes an increasingly active and self-confident player both in the international economy and on the global diplomatic stage. Here are seven key questions pertaining to US-China relations in light of President Hu's visit:
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How retirement is being reinvented worldwide
People are working longer – out of necessity and choice – as the world undergoes one of the biggest demographic shifts in history.
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WikiLeaks list of 'critical' sites: Is it a 'menu for terrorists'?
WikiLeaks releases a 'secret' US diplomatic cable on 'critical infrastructure' around the world. Was it an overlong 'raw list' of obvious key sites, or a menu for 'every extremist group in the world'?
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North Korea says on 'brink of war' as US, South Korea prepare for military exercises
North Korea kept up its harsh rhetoric Friday, indicating that it saw upcoming military exercises as fresh provocation. US Gen. Walter Sharp toured the island area attacked by the North on Tuesday.
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USS George Washington: What message does it send to North Korea?
USS George Washington is being sent to the Yellow Sea after North Korea attacked South Korea's Yeonpyeong island. By dispatching the USS George Washington, Obama is telling North Korea and its ally China that belligerent behavior will bring consequences.
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North Korean attack: What are US options for response?
North Korean attack presents America with a sudden and serious geopolitical challenge. The overriding US goal is to prevent further escalation of the conflict.
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New Afghan war plans could cost US taxpayers an extra $125 billion
At the NATO summit, President Obama's push to soften troop withdrawal deadlines could bring remaining war costs to $413 billion, according to one independent analyst.
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Obama arrives in Indonesia to fanfare, but Mount Merapi ash will cut visit short
President Obama's visit to Indonesia, the world’s fourth-largest democracy and the country with more Muslims than any other, is expected to cover a broader range of issues than his trip to India.
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Deadly Baghdad church siege highlights threat to Iraqi Christians
At least 37 people were killed when Iraqi forces stormed a Baghdad church that was seized Sunday afternoon by Al Qaeda-linked gunmen.
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Where have all Latin America's dictators gone?
Latin America's transition to democracy seems well established, with credible elections this year throughout the region. The recent Ecuador uprising underscores how dangers remain.
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Rogue security companies threaten US gains in Afghanistan war
The Pentagon is dependent upon contractors in the Afghanistan war. But many of the security companies are undermining – or even working against –the US war effort.
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US reaches out to Somalia breakaway regions to stymie terrorists
The US will soon begin direct engagement with would-be states in northern Somalia in hopes of stemming the influence and reach of Somalia's terrorist insurgency.
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