Javier Hernandez, NY Times
The International Criminal Court has decided not to pursue an investigation into China's mass detention of Muslims, a setback for activists eager to hold Beijing accountable for persecution of ethnic and religious minorities.
Ernest Moniz & Sam Nunn, Foreign Affairs
The World Needs a Wake-Up Call
Amy Knight, New York Review of Books
Though not yet restored to full health, Russian opposition politician Aleksei Navalny is recovering in Germany from the poisoning that almost killed him and is preparing to return to Russia to continue his fight for democracy. As he shared on Instagram last week, with a photo of himself in a tracksuit, he was about to begin jogging again: "I'll let you know how it goes. You should start running too…If they poison you...
Margaret Seymour, FPRI
"But does it work?" is a simple, seemingly straightforward question that, unfortunately, is not asked (or answered) nearly enough in the foreign policy space. This may be because policymakers either do not know how to answer the query or perhaps do not want to hear the answer. When it comes to international relations, how do you measure goals? What does "stable, prosperous, and friendly," as denoted in the 2019 National Security Strategy, really mean? Despite the...
Gavin Esler, The National
For three centuries all British governments have shared one strategic foreign policy goal: to ensure Britain was never isolated in Europe. That meant wars in the 18th and 19th century against the dominant power, France, two wars against Germany in the 20th century, and the UK's part in the Cold War until the end of the Soviet threat in 1989.
Tyler Cowen, Bloomberg
With the end of the year approaching, I have been thinking about which of my views have changed over the last 12 months. Here's one: I no longer think Brexit is a bad idea. I'm not ready to endorse it, because I don't feel comfortable with the nationalism and populism surrounding so much of the Leave movement, but I no longer wish the referendum had gone the other way.
Lukas Eberle et al, Spiegel
Germany has squandered the gains it made this spring in dealing with the coronavirus. A series of miscalculations by politicians in the fall has contributed to a sharp increase in COVID-19 infections in recent days. A second lockdown is coming.
James Holmes, 1945
For decades China-watchers have debated what form a People's Liberation Army (PLA) offensive against Taiwan might take. An onslaught seems to be coming. Saying no to a cross-strait union is not an option Chinese Communist Party...
Michael Bustamante, FT
Barack Obama's detente, not hardline Trump sanctions, helped spawn the San Isidro movement
BBC
China is forcing hundreds of thousands of Uighurs and other minorities into hard, manual labour in the vast cotton fields of its western region of Xinjiang, according to new research seen by the BBC.
Chris Buckley, New York Times
China's Communist Party is pushing the narrative that the pandemic has proved the superiority of its authoritarian model. The muscular message is finding fans at home.
Economist
Russian spies are suspected of penetrating the Treasury and other departments
Mark Galeotti, Moscow Times
The bombshell Navalny investigation by Bellingcat and The Insider reveals some alarming conclusions about the mood of the late-Putinist Kremlin.
Donald Rothwell, Lowy Interpreter
The international agreements around outer space, which
date to the Cold War, are being tested by new space activity.
