A Shift in U.S. Policy Is Needed
Since the coup of 2014, the Thai political situation has greatly deteriorated, particularly the violations of basic human rights. The U.S. government has imposed sanctions […] More
Asia
Thailand Under the Junta
The recent series of coordinated bombings that rocked several of Thailand’s popular tourist spots occurred amid an atmosphere of heightened tension within the country. Years […] More
Is the Islamic State on the ropes in Afghanistan?
The death of the leader of the Islamic State in Afghanistan last month was another damaging blow to the hardline group seeking to usurp authority […] More
Japan and China Drift Toward Confrontation
In an announcement on August 9th, Japan’s Foreign Minister stated that China-Japan relations were “deteriorating” in reaction to the recent incursions by Chinese vessels into […] More
China-Japan Relations: Trading Goods While Exchanging Words
In her first press briefing as Japan’s new Defense Minister, Tomomi Inada sidestepped questions over Japan’s actions in the Nanjing massacre during WWII, confirming for […] More
The Military Escalation
The adversarial relationship between China and Japan reaches back centuries, and the memories of Japan’s imperial past continue to plague a productive and peaceful relationship. […] More
Do Economic Ties Limit the Prospect of Conflict?
In the past decade, Sino-Japanese ties have progressively deteriorated over opposing claims to islands in the East China Sea to the point where some analysts […] More
China and the U.S. Election
As Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump enter the final stage of the presidential campaign, China watches their foreign policy statements closely for indications of their […] More
North Korea Missile Test is a Game-Changing Act
North Korea is once again taking provocative actions, this time launching two ballistic missiles in which one landed for the first time in Japanese controlled […] More
The World is Watching: The American Election and China
Most Americans agree that the 2016 presidential election is one of the strangest in their history – and it looks like that feeling extends beyond […] More
China Supports Trump, Loses American Electorate
“Who is Trump?” asks a Chinese official close to the country’s military. “We don’t really know.” China’s leaders are perplexed by the Republican candidate for […] More
Why China Fears a Clinton Presidency
Over the last eight years, China perceived weakness and indetermination in Washington. Whether right or wrong, it used this time to aggressively promote China’s regional […] More
Extremist Groups Target Diversity in Bangladesh
The recent attack at the Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka, Bangladesh where 20 people were brutally murdered finally brought international attention to a disturbing trend […] More
A Battle for the Soul of a Nation
The terrorist attack at Holey Bakery in Dhaka earlier this month deviated in important ways from the previous trend of assassination-style attacks against specific individuals […] More
Troubling Trendlines
Earlier this month, after ISIS claimed responsibility for a brazen and bloody assault on a café in Dhaka, Bangladesh, analysts pointed to the attack as […] More
Stoking Tensions in an Already Volatile Region
South Asia’s critical transboundary waterways are facing unprecedented pressures as a result of rapidly increasing populations, high demand for natural resources, and the consequences of […] More
Sorting Through Water Wars Rhetoric
The eye catching headlines are familiar. “Water Wars” are imminent or already underway in the latest drought or dam-building hotspot. Such “wars” often extend to […] More
Water Security in South Asia: Running Dry and Running Out of Options
In the latest dispute between India and Pakistan, Islamabad has taken New Delhi to the International Court of Arbitration in The Hague over a longstanding […] More