Many of us feel passionate about international affairs. We read about them. We analyze them. We voice our concerns about policies that are at odds with our core values and view of the world. And we offer support for the policies that, we believe, will make the world a better place, according to our understanding of what "better" is. Depending on where we stand ideologically, we also form various opinions about the people who shape foreign policy as part of their daily jobs—national leaders, diplomats, policy activists, etc. My blog seeks to shed a brighter light on the international movers and shakers in foreign policy to help us understand "where they are coming from," figuratively speaking.
Each week, I will pick a Politician of the Week—someone who has been talked about extensively in the international media in relation to a certain local or regional event that may have international repercussions. I will attempt to dissect that person's political stance by analyzing why they say what they say, and act the way they act. What interests do they represent? What are their deeply held values and beliefs? And what strategic considerations do they have in mind in assuming that particular stance on the issue in question? These are some of the questions I hope to address through my blogging. Please tune in and let me know what you think—I would love to hear from you.
Will Compromises Strengthen Obama and Karzai?
As American politicians and pundits searched for lessons to be learned from September 11, the paucity of domestic experts knowledgeable about South Asia was noted as a weakness the U.S. government had to address urgently, by cultivating a cadre of diplomats and linguists.
Offshore Drilling: Obama's Burden or Opportunity?
"This is not a decision that I've made lightly. But the bottom line is this: given our energy needs, in order to sustain economic growth, produce jobs, and keep our businesses competitive, we're going to need to harness traditional sources of fuel even as we ramp up production of new sources of renewable, homegrown energy," (President Barack Obama on his decision to allow oil and gas exploration off U.S. coasts, April 2, 2010).
Nigeria's Proposed Oil Reform Bill Criticized as Off-Target
"I want to reassure Nigerians and our foreign partners of our unwavering commitment to pursuing the reform in this sector with an eye on our national interest primarily and also in meeting the market demand for energy security," (Nigeria's Vice President and Acting President, Goodluck Jonathan, on the Nigerian government's Petroleum Industry Bill, February 22, 2010).
New Latin American and Caribbean Alliance Excludes the U.S.
The gathering of Latin American leaders in Cancun, Mexico on February 23 grabbed the headlines after its 32 participants pledged to create a Community of Latin American and Caribbean States. The new alliance, which includes Cuba and excludes the United States and Canada, was conceived as an alternative to the Organization of American States (OAS), a regional institution established in 1948 to fight communism and promote democracy and human rights.
Sarah Palin: A Comeback in Sight?
This week, I continue my review of John Heilemann's and Mark Halperin's book, Game Change, and discuss the book's portrayal of Sarah Palin.
Hillary Clinton's 'Race of a Lifetime'
In politics, as in everyday life, a convergence of circumstances can prove fateful -- gleefully so for the winners, and maddeningly unfair in the view of the defeated. This is one of the many observations one may divine from John Heilemann's and Mark Halperin's newly-released book on the 2008 U.S. presidential race, Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime.
Coalition Government May Help Ease Tension in Yemen
The Obama Administration says it's determined not to send American troops to Yemen to fight Al-Qaeda. American equipment and training may be sufficient in helping the Yemeni army to push Al-Qaeda out, so a direct American military involvement may, indeed, be neither necessary nor desirable. However, U.S.
Look Who's Talking Exclusive: Middle East and Terrorism Experts Comment on the Situation in Yemen
I have asked recognized experts on Middle East and terrorism to comment on the current situation in Yemen, which I covered last week, and to share their views regarding the U.S. policy in that country and the nations surrounding it.
Dr. Ariel Cohen Cohen, a Senior Research Fellow at The Heritage Foundation in Washington, DC:
Terrorist Acts in the U.S. Draw Attention to Yemeni President Saleh's Failing Governance
The CIA investigation of the U.S. Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan’s November 5 murder of 13 soldiers at a military base in Fort Hood, Texas, and the December 25 failed attempt by a Nigerian man, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, to detonate a bomb inside a 300-passenger plane in Detroit has revealed links between these terrorists and a spawning Al-Qaeda network in Yemen. Major Hasan reportedly exchanged e-mails and sought spiritual guidance from a radical U.S.-born Islamic cleric, Anwar Al-Awlaki, who grew up in Yemen. Mr. Abdulmutallab said he received training and explosive devices from the Al-Qaeda operatives during his four-month stay in Yemen last year.
Q&A on the November 2009 Political Massacre in the Philippines
This week, we are launching a joint project with the Global Voices Online's (GVO) Philippine page. GVO's Philippine blogger, Karlo Mikhail Mongaya, will invite his readers in the Philippines to comment in my blog on the implications of last November's political massacre in Maguindanao.
