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Dec 15, 2014

New strategy unlikely to lift Pyongyang from economic doldrums

By Robert A. Manning

What does the future hold for North Korea? In 2013 North Korean Kim Jong-un proclaimed a national strategy he called byungjin (“parallel strategy”) – simultaneously developing nuclear weapons and the economy. He has raised expectations among North Korea’s 24 million citizens that he will lead the nation to prosperity.

China Korea

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Dec 15, 2014

Column: US Falls Short on Human Rights

By Barbara Slavin

On the same day that the Senate Intelligence Committee released its blockbuster report on CIA interrogation practices after 9-11, President Barack Obama issued a proclamation declaring December 10 “Human Rights Day.”

International Organizations Iran

Article

Dec 4, 2014

Obama needs to act on Syria

By Nicholas Burns

OF ALL the international crises facing President Obama in his final two years in office, how to cope with a burning Iraq and disintegrating Syria may be the most daunting. Syria, especially, is facing the most serious humanitarian crisis in the world today.

Iraq Syria

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Dec 4, 2014

New Iraqi-Kurdish Agreement Bolsters National Unity

By Barbara Slavin

Iraq’s chances of remaining a unitary state increased significantly with the signing of a new oil and budget agreement between the Baghdad government and the Kurds. Building on a partial deal reached last month that permitted the Kurds to legally sell 150,000 barrels of oil a day through a pipeline to Turkey, the new agreement […]

Iraq

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Nov 26, 2014

Column: Truce, Not Breakthrough, Avoids Hard Choices by US and Iran

By Barbara Slavin

After failing to reach their own deadline for a comprehensive nuclear agreement, the world’s major powers and Iran settled for an extended truce that avoids the hard political choices that neither Washington nor Tehran could make. The decision to prolong last year’s interim agreement for another seven months – the best negotiators could achieve after […]

Iran

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Nov 17, 2014

Column: Crunch Time for Iran Nuclear Talks

By Barbara Slavin

With only one week to go before a self-imposed deadline, the nail-biting is accelerating over whether Iran will reach an agreement with the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council plus Germany (P5+1) that curbs its nuclear program for years to come in return for sanctions relief.

Iran

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Nov 17, 2014

Hezbollah in a Time of Transition

By Bilal Y. Saab and Daniel Byman

With the Middle East in flux and sectarianism on the rise, the Lebanese group finds itself overtaxed and on the defensive. Read Now (PDF) The Syrian conflict is transforming the Lebanese Hezbollah. A movement that long claimed to transcend sectarianism is now the longest pole in the Syrian regime’s tent, and has become a bogeyman […]

Middle East Syria

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Nov 14, 2014

Column: ‘Rosewater’ Shows ‘How Ridiculous’ Iran Can Be

By Barbara Slavin

Jon Stewart’s new movie, “Rosewater,” was conceived out of guilt and is being born at a potentially pivotal time for U.S.-Iran relations.

Iran

Article

Nov 7, 2014

Henry Kissinger’s words of wisdom

By Nicholas Burns

FOR 91-year-old Henry Kissinger, establishing a stable, balanced world order has been the overarching goal of his extraordinary life and career. “World Order” is also the title, not coincidentally, of his important new book, further affirmation of his place as one of the most distinguished foreign policy thinkers and diplomats in American history. Kissinger returns […]

Article

Nov 7, 2014

Column: Will US Election Results Undermine Iran Nuclear Talks?

By Barbara Slavin

Foreign policy – apart from scaremongering about Ebola and terrorism – was not a major issue in U.S. midterm elections. But the imminent Republican takeover of the Senate could impact whether the international community and Iran agree to a landmark deal in talks that are nearing a November 24 deadline.

Elections Iran
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