Corey Wallace, East Asia Forum
Throughout 2021, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida downplayed his reputation as a defence dove ahead of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential race. Eventually victorious, the new prime minister — only 26 days into the job — then led his party to a convincing victory in the lower house election. Will this electoral tail wind allow Kishida to push forward on bolder reforms, including defence concerns that were so
Coomi Kapoor, IE
With Gandhis in charge of Congress, a credible alternative to campaign-savvy Modi seems unlikely to emerge for 2024 general elections
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Con Coughlin, The National
It remains to be seen how the British government will go to protect trade with Northern Ireland
B. Tertrais, WPR
Tensions within NATO over the past two decades have led some to assert that the old military alliances of the 20th century are a thing of the past. Soon, the argument goes, they will give way to looser, ad hoc groupings like the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad, comprising Australia, India, Japan and the United States; the AUKUS security pact among Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States; or other "coalitions of the willing" formed to address...
Shun Su-jin, JoongAng Daily
Dec. 17 will mark 10 years since the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. I vividly remember his youngest son saluting next to the black Lincoln Continental lorry. Kim Jong-un, who was in his 20s at the time, is busy creating an atmosphere to celebrate the 10th anniversary of his rule. Foreign policy and security experts tipped me at the time, "The next 10 years for the young leader to consolidate his power base will offer a chance for the Korean Peninsula. Читать дальше...
Syed Irfan Ashraf, Dawn
AFTER the US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Af-Pak region now faces the resurgence of the Islamic State's Khorasan chapter, raising fears of another round of conflict. Both in Pakistan and Afghanistan, IS-K attacks have become a regular feature. After the emergence of IS in ex-Fata in 2015, its fighters were pushed across the border during the Zarb-i-Azb operation, but attacks continued despite the killing of IS chief Hafiz Saeed Khan (ex-TTP commander in former Fata) in a US drone strike. Читать дальше...
Yu Jie & Lucy Ridout, Chatham House
This briefing paper challenges the conventional wisdom that China functions as a unitary player in its foreign policymaking process. In reality, Beijing's approach to external issues is a result of intense bargaining between numerous subnational authorities with a wide range of objectives.
Saurav Jha, The Diplomat
The idea of an Integrated Rocket Force is a clear signal that India is wholeheartedly embracing the era of "non-contact" warfare in a joint force environment.
Chang Kuo-tsai, Taipei Times
The international democratic community is worried about China's "wolf warrior" role, which has been condemned by many countries. The US, which used to think that appeasing China through engagement could guarantee stability and peace, finally started to change its tune during the administration of former US president Donald Trump.
Robert Wilkie, National Interest
But it must recognize that containing China is a global task.
Elbridge Colby, Spectator
How would America respond if China attacked Taiwan? The pressure to defend the island would be compelling, if not overwhelming. Washington nominally maintains a "strategic ambiguity" towards the defense of Taiwan, but the two countries are linked in many ways and the Biden administration recently reiterated its "rock solid" commitment to the island.
Alex de Waal, Foreign Affairs
Coming just two years after Sudan's historic democratic transition, the October 25 coup by the Sudanese army has halted the country's faltering steps toward stability. In the weeks since seizing control of the government, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of the Sudanese Armed Forces, has dissolved civilian institutions and kept deposed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and other leading politicians under detention. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of Sudanese... Читать дальше...
