The World Today China and North Korea: China Card Fails Faced with the possibility of a North Korean nuclear test, Washington reached for the China card to stop such a disastrous development. The fact that the test went ahead demonstrates that the White House overestimated Beijing’s foreign policy prowess.
The World Today NATO in Afghanistan: Too Little... Five years after an international force smashed the Taliban government in Afghanistan, NATO soldiers are having trouble holding their own. More troops are urgently needed, as well as a determined effort to eliminate Al Qaeda and the Taliban from neighbouring Pakistan where the control of nuclear weapons is also an issue.
The World Today NATO Summit: Waiting for Another Day NATO faces some challenging choices. Who should it allow as partner countries and, even more important, which will get the ultimate accolade of membership? And then there is the cost. It is deeply involved in an Afghan campaign where the possibility of failure has to be faced, and about to launch a rapid response force, but the Organisation’s expenses and risks fall unevenly.
The World Today Russia's Oil and Gas – State Control, the Environment and Foreign Investment: Battle for Sakhalin The World’s largest oil and gas companies are working off Sakhalin Island in Russia’s Far East to develop a new energy province. The Sea of Okhotsk has the potential to become another North Sea, located next door to Asia’s energy-hungry economies.
The World Today Russian Energy and the European Union: Gassy Issues With the approach of colder weather in Europe there is new nervousness about energy supplies. Russian actions earlier this year created a climate of mistrust, but is the west guilty of hypocrisy? Could the new energy superpower pump its products east rather than west, or are there dangers in getting cosy with China?
The World Today Books - Russia: Speaking Frankly Engaging With Russia. The Next Phase, Washington, Paris, Tokyo, The Trilateral Commission,Roderic Lyne, Strobe Talbott and Koji Watanabe, 2006, £15
The World Today Middle East - Hamas and Palestinian Politics: Faction Fighting The eruption of violence between Hamas and Fateh supporters in early October dramatically illustrated the growing tension between the two parties and is another milestone in the deterioration of life in the occupied Palestinian territory. Ten were killed and more than a hundred wounded in clashes in the Gaza Strip while government offices in Ramallah were attacked by Fateh supporters. Reconciliation is essential ahead of the day when international attention turns back to trying to solve the Israel-Palestine issue.
The World Today Kosovo: Nationalist Hopes Just seven years ago, Kosovo was recovering from the attempted ethnic cleansing of its Albanian population by Serb forces. NATO airstrikes ended the process and allowed refugees to return. Since then, the United Nations has been in charge and now, almost unnoticed, talks are underway to decide the future of the province.