Recent Events

  • After the Debacle: How Can the United States Best Protect its Interests in Afghanistan?

    The U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan is all but complete.  It has sparked a vigorous debate over the merits of the war, the wisdom of the decision to withdraw, and the manner in which the withdrawal was executed.  As we wrestle over what has happened, however, we should not lose sight of the questions still

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  • How Stable is North Korea?

    North Korea has fallen out of Western media headlines in recent months, but the situation inside that country appears dire. The Kim regime has been reeling under the pressure of sanctions from the international community, the strains of severe food shortages brought forth by natural disasters and resource mismanagement, and the weight of COVID-19 in a

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  • The Future of U.S. Trade Policy: An Emerging Bipartisan Consensus?

    The Biden administration has made major changes to foreign policy, but it has largely accepted its predecessor’s trade framework. Biden officials have signaled acceptance of Trump-negotiated trade agreements and maintained tariffs and exports controls targeting China—at least for now. Will this situation last? And if there is a new U.S. trade regime that is durable

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  • Can the US and Russia Agree on Cyber Rules?

    Ransomware attacks targeting American businesses and critical infrastructure are highlighting how difficult it will be for the Biden administration to achieve its stated goal of stable and predictable relations with Russia.  The nature of the cyber domain blurs old lines that once separated armed combat from espionage, governments from non-state actors, and public diplomacy from

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  • Why is China Turning up the Heat on Taiwan? A Debate

    Beijing’s political and military pressure on Taiwan has been growing markedly, and some statements by senior Chinese leaders suggest a growing impatience for reunification.  These developments have spurred an American debate over the effectiveness of long-standing US cross-strait policies.  But whether and how to adjust US policy depends critically on assessments of Beijing’s motivations and

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