Bennett Ramberg, Project Syndicate
The purpose of nuclear-arms control is obvious, but the means of achieving it have become more complicated than ever. What worked in the past may not work in the present, and tactics to rein in one country could prove disastrous if pursued with others.
Neville Teller, Jerusalem Post
At the end of September, the population of al-Hol encampment stood at just under 70,000. Living conditions are appalling.During its heyday in 20142015, Islamic State (ISIS) conquered, and ruled over, great tracts of Iraq and Syria. It took four years, but the US coalition, relying heavily on the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), slowly but surely won back ISIS-held territory, squeezing its fighters into an increasingly tight enclave. The final battle took place this year on Saturday... Читать дальше...
Thomas A. Campbell, Atlantic Council
Rapid advances in digital technologies amplify the potential for data acquisition from and influence over other states. One state aggressively pursuing digital advantage globally is China, especially in its leveraging of artificial intelligence (AI). This memo presents recent data from multiple sources and initial analysis to set the stage for discussion about the profound implications of imminent digital power by China.A leading concern for those states not... Читать дальше...
Shankar Iyer, Market Realist
European parliamentary hearingOn October 8, Vestager spoke in front of the European parliament. Her speech was in connection with her nomination for the role of executive vice president of the European Competition Commission. If confirmed by the European parliament, Vestager could soon be back with a vengeance to take on tech corporations. The European Competition Commission's objective is to safeguard business entities in the European Union and maintain healthy competition levels.
Matthew Choi, Politico
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is defending the Trump administration's withdrawal of military support for Kurdish forces in Syria, just as Turkey invaded the northern part of the country to push out Kurdish militias.President Donald Trump late Sunday announced a withdrawal of U.S. forces in northeastern Syria after a phone call with President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an of Turkey, effectively exposing the U.S.-allied Kurds to Turkish and ISIS aggression. Turkey launched airstrikes on northeastern Syria on Wednesday... Читать дальше...
Rene E. Ofreneo, Business Mirror
Asia has arrived. According to McKinsey Global Institute, the 21st century is truly Asia's century. Asia is now the dominant economic force of the world, eclipsing Europe and North America, the global powers in the 19th and 20th centuries.The Financial Times of London more or less agrees with the analysis of McKinsey Global Institute. In its March 26, 2019 issue, FT reporters Valentina Romei and John Reed noted that Asia's output in the 1950s was less than 20 per cent of the world's total; in 2000... Читать дальше...
Stuart Lau, SCMP
Three of the most powerful members of the incoming European Commission have taken a swipe at China during their confirmation hearings, again suggesting Brussels' readiness to take a tough line on Beijing's geopolitical and economic ambitions in the next five years.Europe-based sources also suggested that Ursula von der Leyen from Germany thenext presidentof the commission, the European Union's executive branch would play a more coordinating role on EU-China policies than her predecessor, Jean-Claude Juncker.
Quartz
Since the end of apartheid in South Africa in 1994, South Africa and Nigeria have never had an easy relationship. Over the years, as different presidents have come and gone, the two countries have often been at loggerheads for different reasons.But this was predated by Nigeria's strong solidarity with black people when South Africa was still under apartheid rule. After obtaining independence from Britain on 1 October 1960, Nigeria mounted pressure on the apartheid regime to stop oppressing the black majority. Читать дальше...
Joshua Rovner, War on the Rocks
This week, President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the Syria-Turkey border region. In so doing Trump rekindled debates about credibility, support for allies, and America's role in the Middle East. Critics warned that abandoning the Kurds, who served as coalition partners in the fight against the self-proclaimed Islamic State, would undermine U.S. influence in the region and chip away at its global reputation. The sudden announcement also... Читать дальше...
P. Naidoo, Bloomberg
Africa could be home to 90% of the world's poor by 2030 as governments across the continent have little fiscal space to invest in poverty-reduction programs and economic growth remains sluggish, the World Bank said.That's up from 55% in 2015 and it will happen unless drastic action is taken, the lender said in its biannual Africa Pulse report released Wednesday, in which it also cut growth forecasts for the region's key economies.
Tessa Szyszkowitz, RUSI
Following the election victory of Sebastian Kurz, some are wondering if the Austrian model could be copied across the border in Germany. Kurz's admirers might want to consider the dangers involved following such a model.
The Economist
The move, linked to repression in Xinjiang, strikes at the heart of China's technological ambitions
Judy Dempsey, Carnegie Europe
A selection of experts answer a new question from Judy Dempsey on the foreign and security policy challenges shaping Europe's role in the world.
Nikkei AR
No economy can escape the fallout from the tussle between the U.S. and China over trade, currency management and the role of government in economic growth. But Southeast Asia could ultimately gain more than it loses.As a growing region of 650 million people with a combined gross domestic product approaching $3 trillion, Southeast Asia has provided the heft for what has come to be viewed as "Factory Asia" -- a network of low-cost production bases that produce parts and components for consumer goods exports.
Jarosaw Kuisz & Karolina Wigura, Berlin Policy Journal
After 1989, the countries of Central and Eastern Europe followed the same vision. But as the myth of the West declined, their paths diverged and divisions deepened. It's time to bridge the gaps.
George Friedman, Geopolitical Futures
In order to begin thinking about space-based warfare, we need to think about sea-based warfare. The best place to do that is in World War II with the U.S.-Japanese war. When the United States forced its way into Japan, Japan lacked any powered instruments of production. It was a muscle-driven society. When they saw American warships, already having intelligence on British operations in China, the Japanese rapidly understood that their country could not be... Читать дальше...
Sergey Sukhankin, EDM
On September 27, AldriMer, a Norwegian information outlet specializing in military affairs, claimed that, according to its sources, members of the Russian special services without any insignia and dressed as civilians were spotted on Svalbard [Spitsbergen] Island and on Norwegian continental territory. As noted by the media site, forces deployed to Norway were militarized mercenary formations, whose activities have been very well known starting from the annexation of Crimeain other words... Читать дальше...
Jimmy Yee, Asia Times
Trump and Xi could end up taking a wrecking ball to any deal to end economic war.Donald Trump appeared to take a wrecking ball to the trade talks before they had even begun.In a media briefing, the US President made it clear that a 50-50 deal won't work before discussions were due to resume in Washington on Thursday between China's Vice-Premier Liu He, and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
Jack Detsch, Al-Monitor
The U.S.-led mission to defeat the Islamic State (IS) in Syria was paused today, a senior administration official told Al-Monitor, as Turkey launched airstrikes deep into northern Syria against American-backed Kurdish forces.It was not immediately clear whether the fight that includes approximately 1,000 US troops would resume at all, as Kurdish units the United States considers the strongest group of fighters within the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) left the IS fight... Читать дальше...
Alessandra Bocchi, Washington Examiner
There are no populist governments in power in Western Europe. But populist parties are still on the rise, and their leaders are undeterred.Since the first migrant wave in 2015, parties that were considered fringe in Western Europe began to gain in polls. The Alternative for Germany, the League in Italy, and the National Front in France, previously at less than 5%, started receiving double-digit percentages in elections to the surprise of many. They fought against a rising tide of mass immigration... Читать дальше...
Matina Stevis-Gridneff, New York Times
In a security report, the bloc noted the potential for cyberattacks but stopped short of citing any particular providers.