Category Archives: Foreign Policy
China’s Problems
Washington, DC, July 28, 2011 This week has revealed a host of internal and international problems confronting China. While the list is nothing new, the fact that they have all come to a head at once indicates mutually reinforcing crises … Continue reading
Wikileaks, Lady Gaga, and Kim Jong Il
Brookline, MA The past week has seen much speculation about the significance of Wikileaks’ 250,000 leaked diplomatic cables, most of which are still to come. When Private Bradley Manning shared the secret of his “Lady Gaga” CDRW with a … Continue reading
Obama Administration Ups Involvement in Southeast Asia in an Attempt to “Contain” China
Seattle, WA Douglas Paal of the Carnegie Endowment recently commented on America’s bustling and reformed—we can only hope for the long term—foreign policy in the Asia Pacific region, calling the move “the most comprehensive burst of diplomatic and military activity … Continue reading
Is Boycotting Burma’s November Elections Wise?
Seattle, WA While some in the opposition bloc within Burma and the exile community believe boycotting the upcoming Elections (November 7) to be a moral imperative, no one seems to rationalize why they urge Burma’s people to withhold their vote. … Continue reading
Ninjas Aren’t the Problem: Restlessness in East Timor
Chiang Mai, THAILAND As paramilitary forces and police presence escalate in the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, many locals feel increasingly wary, and tensions linger high in a society that only gained official independence in 2002. 2006 saw the outbreak of … Continue reading
A Shift in Foreign Policy: The Battle of “Democratization”
Yangon, MYANMAR 11 JULY, 2010 I’m sure you might be interested to hear about my recent trip to Yangon, Myanmar, but I wrote this post from my hotel room in said city. So I figured I’d let the experience settle … Continue reading
A Mixed Picture in Myanmar
Chiang Mai, THAILAND In the past week, the world has learned a great deal about Myanmar’s military ambitions, possible rifts within the ruling junta, and the nature of Myanmar’s foreign relations, namely with North Korea. But we should not presume … Continue reading