Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
eNews
11/12/2009

FEATURED

U.S. Objectives in Asia
President Barack Obama launched a diplomatic tour of the Asia-Pacific region this week, making stops in Japan, Singapore, China, and South Korea. He will reassure Asian nations that the United States will continue to play a role in balancing Chinese influence in the region, and reassure China that Washington seeks cooperation rather than confrontation with Beijing, explains Douglas Paal.

Related:

U.S. Afghan Strategy: The Big Questions
As discussion over U.S. strategy in Afghanistan continues, the big strategic questions have been lost in the noise over troop numbers. A recent Carnegie event debated the critical strategic questions surrounding the U.S. presence in Afghanistan, including the exact nature of U.S. interests in the region, what would constitute a victory for the United States, and how the perceived failure of the Afghan presidential elections affects U.S. policy.

IN THIS ISSUE...

RUSSIAN PERCEPTIONS
U.S.-Russian Relations: How Does Russia See the Reset?
Early in his presidency, President Obama declared his determination to ‘reset’ U.S.–Russian relations. Dmitri Trenin explains how recent efforts by both nations to recommit to the bilateral relationship have yielded promising results and deeper cooperation on critical issues, including Iran, the post-Soviet states, and arms control and disarmament.

Related Publication:
Missile Defense Could Be the Silver Bullet [op-ed]

Russia's Search for an Identity
There has been a recent warming in Russian attitudes toward Stalin. Perceptions of the former Soviet leader and the crimes he committed have more to do with the nature of Russian statehood than with the monstrous actions of the man himself, Masha Lipman explains.

DRILLING FOR OIL:
Five Alternatives that Make More Sense than Offshore Oil
U.S. offshore oil reserves are too small to significantly impact world oil prices or America’s reliance on foreign oil. Whitney Leonard explains that alternatives to offshore drilling could effectively maximize long-term environmental, economic, and security gains.

U.S.—INDIA 3.0:
The United States and India 3.0
On the eve of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s state visit to Washington, Ashley Tellis explains that the United States and India must agree on three vital security issues to ensure that their relations continue to deepen: terrorism, Kashmir, and the balance of power in Asia.

EMERGING MARKETS:
Capital Flows to Emerging Markets
During the global financial crises, investors fled from developing countries for U.S. and European safe havens. The rapid recovery in emerging markets, however, has sparked a potentially dangerous rush of capital back to developing economies.

IRAN'S ENDGAME:
Iran and the West at a Crossroad
Administration efforts to reach a deal on Iran’s stockpile of low-enriched uranium continue to be met with delays and ambiguity from Tehran. Deepti Choubey suggests that Iran's apparent rejection of the original IAEA plan should unify the major powers to adopt harsher legal and economic measures.

Related Publications:
What's With Iran? [op-ed]
Why a Month Matters [op-ed]
Dealing with Iran: The Power of Legitimacy [policy outlook]

KENYA AND DOHA:
Kenya and the Doha Round
Kenya’s economy has yet to recover from the global financial crisis and the upheaval that followed the disputed elections of 2007. The ongoing Doha Round of trade negotiations could improve Kenya’s competitive position in processed food and agriculture, but long-term development requires the strengthening of other economic sectors.

REFORM IN THE MIDDLE EAST:
Security Sector Reform in Palestine, Lebanon, and Yemen
Development assistance aimed at reforming the security sectors in Palestine, Lebanon, and Yemen mainly consists of military training and equipment and has achieved only limited results. Yezid Sayigh explains that without an integrated approach that includes support for democracy and the rule of law, security sector reforms are not sustainable.

Related Event:
"Fixing Broken Windows”

Challenges for Yemen’s Reform Movement
Under Yemen’s authoritarian regime, President Ali Abdullah Saleh and his General People’s Congress dominate political life. Yemen’s Islamist Congregation for Reform party seeks reform, but it faces deep internal divisions on key issues, and its fractious composition prevents it from developing a clear parliamentary platform.

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