Philippines' Duterte Leaves U.S. Policymakers "Baffled"
With a familiar turn of phrase that still finds the world collectively raising its eyebrow, Rodrigo Duterte has added to his list of people and […] More
Asia
Moving in a Different Direction
In the span of six months, the U.S.-Philippines relationship has gone from a 25-year highpoint to a period of worrisome uncertainty. At the center of […] More
Keeping the Relationship Warm
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte rattled decades of foreign policy on October 20 with his announcement of a military and economic “separation” from the United States. […] More
Where is Duterte Leading the Philippines?
“You destroy my country, I’ll kill you,” Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte warned in a recent exclusive interview with Al Jazeera. His warning was directed at […] More
Dealing with a Prickly Ally
Since becoming President in June, Rodrigo Duterte has used his forceful personality to take Filipino policy in new directions. For Western allies like the U.S., […] More
The Critical First Hundred Days
President Rodrigo Duterte’s first hundred days will be some of the most critical for his vision of radical change. Over that period, Duterte demonstrated strong […] More
Will Order Be Maintained in a Post-Bhumibol Thailand?
After seventy years of rule, Thailand’s King Bhumibol has passed away. As a public figure with largely ceremonial power, he promoted Thailand’s rural development and […] More
Combatting Haqqani Network is Key to Afghan Strategy
The Taliban is mounting an increasingly deadly insurgency across Afghanistan, including a breakthrough into Lashkar Gah, the capital of Afghanistan’s southern Helmand Province, earlier this […] More
Deadly and Effective
The Cipher Brief sat down with Bruce Riedel, Director of the Intelligence Project at the Brookings Institution to discuss the current threat posed by the […] More
Pakistan's Influence and Control
The Haqqani network’s continued presence in Pakistan, as well as recent Taliban advances in Afghanistan, have resulted in a “steady deterioration in U.S.-Pakistan relations over […] More
A New Low in U.S.-Russian Relations
As U.S.-Russia tensions escalate, the sharply deteriorating bilateral relationship between the former Cold War foes may be at an inflection point. Experts say that in […] More
China's Ongoing Struggle to Clamp Down on Terrorism
On September 10th in the restive Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) in northwest China, as many as 10 people were killed or injured when police […] More
Much Remains Unknown
Over the last several years, China has learned that its borders and people are not immune to the threat of terrorism. This is particularly true […] More
The Changing Nature of Terrorism in China
On August 14, Director of International Cooperation at China’s Central Military Commission, Rear Admiral Guan Youfei, reached a deal to provide humanitarian aid, military training, […] More
Nuclear North Korea: A No-Win Scenario?
The latest North Korean nuclear test was the largest to date, yet the international consensus on a response is as fractured and indecisive as ever. […] More
Lessons from the Past
The fifth North Korean nuclear test has left policy makers scrambling for both short term and long term solutions to a problem that, so far, […] More
Reenergizing North Korea Policy in a New Administration
The United States and its allies in East Asia have had sound reasons for the current approach to dealing with North Korea. However, it carries […] More
Uzbekistan’s New Leader Must Juggle Multiple Interests to Retain Power
Uzbek Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev is now Uzbekistan’s interim president, following the death of long-time leader Islam Karimov, who had been in power since the […] More