Новости за 04.01.2021

Mustafa Sonmez, Al Monitor

The embattled Turkish lira has relatively recovered and some foreign short-term investors have returned to Turkey since early November, when Ankara replaced two key economy officials — the central bank governor and the treasury minister — in what it presented as a reform drive to overcome the country's two-year economic turmoil, exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. But is the Turkish economy out of the woods?

Jane Arraf, New York Times

BAGHDAD — In a stall off a narrow, winding alley of Baghdad's oldest market, Ahmed Khalaf sells the smallest luxuries: nail polish, plastic hair barrettes, colored pencils.

Robert Farley, The Diplomat

It's not that simple. Any effort to characterize China as an existential threat implies a level of conflict that will provide justification for U.S. intervention anywhere in the world.

Edward Lucas, Times of London

With transatlantic diplomacy in disarray, Britain should set an example by standing up to Beijing

Gideon Rachman, Financial Times

Over the past year, China has crushed the freedom of Hong Kong, intensified oppression in Xinjiang, killed Indian troops, threatened Taiwan and sanctioned Australia. By signing a deal with China nonetheless, the EU has signalled that it doesn't care about all that. As Janka Oertel, director of the Asia programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations think-tank, puts it: "This is a massive diplomatic win for China."

Natalie Gonnella-Platts & Crystal Cazier, Bush Center

Now more than ever, the United States and the international community must do a better job of directly engaging and supporting adolescent girls and young women

Ian Bremmer & Cliff Kupchan, Eurasia Group

Biden won the 2020 presidential election. On 20 January he will be inaugurated as the 46th president of the US. He received 306 electoral votes and more than 80 million popular votes, the most of any presidential candidate in American history. But President Donald Trump's refusal to accept the outcome of an election he declares was stolen is unique in American history, underscoring how divided the country has become—and will remain.

Benjamin Moser, New York Review of Books

Retracing my own steps to Bosnia, which were earlier in Susan Sontag's footprints, I found the city still scarred yet inspiring in its affirmation of human dignity.

Constantin Eckner, Spectator

It took Brussels and Beijing seven years to agree an investment deal. A deal that, until its conclusion a few days ago, had been largely eclipsed by the Brexit process. Once the negotiations had concluded, however, the European side suddenly came under intense criticism — China, detractors said, was not the sort of country the EU should be cosying up to.

Jim Golby & Peter Feaver, WOTR

Joseph Biden will be the most experienced first-time president in nearly 30 years when he enters office, but he and his team will inherit a civil-military relationship as tenuous as any in recent memory. Not only will they have to deal with the fallout of President Donald Trump's unusual legacy as commander-in-chief, they will need to try to avoid some of the unhealthy civil-military dynamics left over from the Obama administration. Biden and his team will... Читать дальше...

10 Former Defense Secretaries, Washington Post

Afshon Ostovar, Newslines

Iran's elite commander has been dead for a year. The machinery he built lives on

Brian Wilson, Scotsman

As night follows day, we have headlines about the "betrayal" of "Scottish fishermen", generated by the industry's barons and politicians who seek favour in their court.

Syed Mohammed Ali, CGP

The United States and China are locked in a new era of great power competition, the implications of which are being felt around the world, perhaps most acutely in Pakistan. With American strategic priorities undergoing a post-election transition, the cost of ignoring Pakistan runs the risk of compelling the economically struggling country more firmly into the Chinese camp, and in turn exacerbating regional instability. The most problematic outcomes of not paying adequate... Читать дальше...

Nic Cheeseman & Yohannes Woldemariam, Foreign Affairs

In early November, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed began a military offensive against the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front, an estranged regional government that once dominated Ethiopia's ruling coalition. Abiy's forces swiftly captured major cities in Tigray, inflicting heavy causalities on the TPLF and sparking fears of a wider conflict that could extend well beyond the country's borders.

Gideon Long & Michael Stott, Financial Times

Juan Guaidó rose to his feet in the gallery of Washington's Capitol building and waved stiffly to acknowledge cheers and applause from members of Congress as President Donald Trump's words rang in their ears. "Here this evening is a very brave man who carries with him the hopes, dreams, and aspirations of all Venezuelans . . . the true and legitimate president of Venezuela, Juan Guaidó," said Mr Trump. Dismissing President Nicolás Maduro as an illegitimate dictator... Читать дальше...

James Pardew, The Hill

In Vladimir Putin, the Biden administration faces the most aggressive anti-American Russian regime since Nikita Khrushchev. An effective response will require the new U.S. president and his national security team to confront Putin's ongoing anti-Western strategy — while looking for areas to engage Russia on areas of common...

John McLaughlin, Ozy

President-elect Joe Biden faces a longer and more complex set of foreign policy challenges than incoming presidents typically encounter. Unlike most of his predecessors, he won't have the luxury of several months to take stock of the issues. All the problems will hit him smack in the face on day one.

Robert Kaplan, National Interest

America is the world's leading democracy, and thus we must return to promoting liberal societies and human rights, but do so with limits in mind.