Scowcroft Center Commentary, Analysis, & Reports

Arctic Climate Change Strategy

By Derek Reveron

Strategy is a roadmap that individuals, organizations, and countries use to advance interests over time. At a minimum, strategy is designed to prevent anticipated tragedies (such as conflict over a disputed territory) or at least be prepare for when tragedy strikes (e.g., humanitarian assistance after an earthquake). When it comes to climate change, emerging strategies […]

Finishing The Job in Bosnia, Serbia, and Kosovo

By Kurt Volker

Remember Bosnia? Kosovo? In the 1990s, we learned a new phrase – ethnic cleansing – and we embarked on the first of what have now been many interventions in regional crises. Yet 15 years after the Serbian massacre of more than 7,000 Muslims at Srebrenica, we have still not finished the job of making the […]

Cut Short-Range Nukes, Too

By Ralston-Robertson-Miller-Schake

With the new START treaty and the Nuclear Posture Review accomplished, the Obama administration has an enormous opportunity to capitalize on its momentum. It should propose that NATO negotiate with Moscow to reduce the number of short-range nuclear weapons in Europe.

Nuclear Iran: Accepting the ‘Unacceptable’

By Harlan Ullman

Iran possessing nuclear weapons is “unacceptable,” a warning repeated by many heads of state and senior government officials. The same was said of North Korea,although it may have little more than a nuclear device and thus far lacks a means of delivery.

Turkey’s Pivotal Future

By Robert Manning

It wasn’t exactly Page 1 news last month when Turkey responded to a Congressional committee labeling the murder of Armenians a century ago “genocide” by freezing its diplomatic, defense and energy ties to the U.S.  

Maritime Disputes and International Law

By Derek Reveron

When looking at the earth from space, one fact is obvious: Water is the dominant feature. In fact, about 70 percent of the planet is covered by water and a significant portion of the earth is covered by frozen water in the Arctic and Antarctica. Water is so prevalent that the astronomer and writer Carl […]

Armchair Warriors

By Arnaud de Borchgrave

It is becoming increasingly difficult to sort fact from fiction between legacy media and the new media of libel-proof blogs sans editors. Blogmocracy is a time-consuming exercise in democracy. Media-watchers say to be well informed and up to speed one must scan at least 100 blogs. Also "Wikileaks," a Web-based investigative journalism outfit that recently […]

U.S. and India One Step Closer to Civil Nuclear Deal

By Ronak Desai

Washington and New Delhi last week announced the successful completion of a nuclear agreement granting India rights to reprocess nuclear fuel imported from the United States, moving the two countries one step closer to implementing a historic civilian nuclear deal that has become the centerpiece of the widely touted US-India “strategic partnership.” 

Afghanistan, Pakistan and NATO’s Strategic Concept

In the latest Issue Brief, Strategic Advisors Group (SAG) members Boyko Noev and Harlan Ullman analyze NATO’s three options for how the Strategic Concept should deal with Afghanistan: ignore and defer; finesse; or confront. Download the PDF

Kyrgyzstan’s New Chance for Democracy

By Borut Grgic

In 2005, Askar Akayev, the then-President of Kyrgyzstan, was deposed and fled from the capital, Bishkek, to Moscow to save his life and the millions of dollars he allegedly stole from the country during his presidency. The driver of change was none other than Kurmanbek Bakiev, riding into the capital on horseback from Osh, a […]

China and the World: Are We Approaching a Tipping Point?

By Robert Manning

Is the pendulum of history shifting? Has China moved from emerging power to emerged? It is difficult not to conclude that China seems to have eaten its Wheaties: whether it is their swagger at the Copenhagen Climate meeting last December, the recent  cyber-flap with Google, or its unusually vitriolic reaction to not unexpected recent U.S. […]

NATO Defense Capabilities: A Guide for Action

Strategic Advisors Group (SAG) members Paul Gebhard and Ralph Crosby address the enduring challenge for NATO nations of how best to enhance their individual and, through the Alliance, their collective capabilities and what could be done through the Alliance’s new Strategic Concept. Download the PDF

Kyrgyzstan Revolution Topples Government

By James Joyner

Kyrgyzstan’s capital is under siege in a brutal riot that appears to have ousted Kurmanbek Bakiyev, the brutal leader who himself came to power in the Tulip Revolution.

The NPR: Obama Finally Leading on NATO Nuclear Policy

By Damon Wilson

After much internal wrangling, the Obama administration has settled on a clever and well-prepared Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) which, without explicitly addressing NATO nuclear policy, clearly steers the unruly Alliance debate in a conservative direction. Consistent with President Obama’s commitment to "listen, learn and lead," the administration is finally leading on nuclear policy. However, the […]