A few months ago, over at the FPA Arms Control and Proliferation blog, William Sweet, Roger Scher, and I discussed the role Israel’s nuclear program plays in creating regional instability. In particular, Roger wrote, “the acquisition of nuclear weapons in the ME is not driven by Israel, but rather, by other factors…” Today, courtesy of […]
Sunday’s Wall Street Journal reports on Japan’s predicated intention to revise its maritime defense posture to address threats in the oceans South and West of the nation: The shift will be the central theme of Tokyo’s new National Defense Program Guidelines, which will set the defense-policy framework for the next decade and replace ones adopted […]
The fact that government outrage continues to provide the international media with grist for its insatiable mill is one of the great ironies in this scenario: perturbed at the site’s revelation of embarrassing diplomatic discussions and fumblings–tales only mildly interesting to the average reader–government officials are now in the process of creating a better, and far more spectacular story over First Amendment rights and the ‘treasonable’ activities of a Dutch citizen accused of committing “sex by surprise” (in Sweden?).
Even worse, the official call from some quarters for draconian regulation of the internet has given Russia (which suggests nominating Assange for the Nobel Peace Prize) and China, a human-rights violator of mammoth proportion, opportunities to ‘prove’ to an already hostile world that when Washington suddenly finds itself looking out through wall-to-wall glass, this nation of stone-throwers is no better than anyplace else.
Now that Chanukah has drawn to a close, I wonder, as I tend to do around this time of year, why we celebrate the success of the Maccabean Revolt? As Joseph Telushkin writes in Jewish Literacy, “[o]ne of the sadder ironies of Jewish history is that the Macabees led a successful revolt against King Antiochus’s […]
Joelle Fiss of Human Rights First writes in the EU Observer that NATO’s new Strategic Concept offers the European Union the opportunity for better coordination. “Tellingly, Nato’s strategic concept stretches out globally to incorporate new geo-political realities for its future, opening the door to political consultations with powers such as China, India and Russia,” she […]
Wikileaks has successfully created an online forum that publicizes normally secretive communications. Its most recent attacks on the U.S. government and military have brought widespread condemnation from officials, diplomats, and civilian experts. It remains to be seen whether this public shaming will create more transparent government or just encourage diplomats to be increasingly secretive. But […]
On Anarchism THE LIE: According to David Brooks, “Assange seems to be an old-fashioned anarchist who believes that all ruling institutions are corrupt and public pronouncements are lies.” Gideon Rose stole this line and used it on The Brian Lehrer Show, saying Assange is “essentially an old-fashioned anarchist” with “an adolescent world view that all […]
Leading political realist and Harvard professor Stephen M. Walt recently published an article in Foreign Policy which argues that realism is intrinsically at odds with the concept of American exceptionalism. While Walt’s construct of American exceptionalism may appear overly simplified for the sake of the argument, the article does shed light on the inherent dangers […]
Jafar Panahi, a celebrated Iranian filmmaker accused of organizing demonstrations against the government and various other crimes, delivered an impassioned defense in court last month. Panahi was imprisoned in Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison from March 1 to May 25 of this year. Panahi is the director of several internationally acclaimed films, including “The White Balloon,” […]
An open letter, sponsored by forty-six of America’s leading foreign policy academics, was recently posted to the bi-partisan National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform (previously mentioned here: http://powerpolitics.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2010/11/17/slashing-the-us-defense-budget-not-so-fast/ ) criticizing the Obama Administration’s exemption of defense spending from the bulk of austerity measures aimed at restoring “fiscal responsibility”. As a service to my readers, […]
There’s been a lot of discussion at Opinio Juris this week about whether Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks, can be prosecuted under the Espionage Act. See their posts here, here, and here. And read the text of the Espionage Act here. Here’s a relevant portion: Whoever, for the purpose aforesaid [e.g., obtaining information respecting […]
Patrick Frost of FPA Afghanistan writes that “the leaders and leakers of Wikileaks are rightly being near universally condemned” and argues that this condemnation should be extended to encompass the news outlets publishing the Wikileaks material. Patrick and I had this debate earlier this year. Starting here, then here, and here, and here. I suppose […]
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