The US Space Shuttle Legacy and IR: A Realist Perspective
The apparent US retrenchment from space in recent years shows some courage and wisdom. It is now time to focus on the future in a more sustainable way, and win back the command of the edge of space. That is the path chosen by President Obama, though, one must not forget the legacy of the Space Shuttle and the era it represented.
After Osama bin Laden: Is there a Future for Al Qaeda?
Those that believe that the popular uprisings in North Africa and the Middle East and bin Laden’s death have weakened Al Qaeda’s grip on the Arab psyche presuppose that it exercised such a grip in the first place. What seems to be most clear is that Osama bin Laden and his legacy will continue to haunt us from beyond the grave for some time yet.
Greece and the EU: United in Diversity
The European community cannot stand idly by when one of its own members faces disintegration. The Union’s motto is: “United in diversity”. Now, more than ever, the EU must live up to this ideal.
Gates’ Parting Shot
What NATO has demonstrated in the past 20 years is its utility as facilitator of action by its members, deployed on the basis of what are seen as the compelling strategic and political judgements of the time. Despite this, US Secretary of Defence, Robert Gates, has recently warned of a dismal future for the transatlantic alliance. Yet we should not assume that the Alliance is condemned to possible irrelevance.
Bin Laden, Assassination and Democracy
Bin Laden was a cutting-edge public figure of the 21st century, a world citizen of our age, a militant who happened to think, with some justification, that the USA has militarily become much too big for its boots. And that’s why, figuratively speaking, his assassination is an attempted assassination of our inner democratic spirit.
An East Asian Development Fund for North Korea?
The United States is short of good ideas on dealing with Pyongyang. One policy that is sometimes advocated is a ‘wait and see’ approach. But those holding their breath waiting for North Korea’s government to collapse should try not to suffocate. Even the 1994 famine that killed an estimated 500,000 to 3 million people did not trigger regime collapse.
Making it Political: the Challenge to the Monarchy
The recent royal wedding was marketed as a charming British romance. Next year will be the diamond jubilee when citizens of the Commonwealth will be asked to ‘celebrate’ the fact that the Queen has been an unelected Head of State for 60 years. Republicans should seize this chance to challenge the dominant narrative of the monarchy.
Chinese Geo-engineering
For those not aware, China has recently launched missiles containing silver iodide into the atmosphere to make it rain in hopes of relieving drought conditions in some of its more water scare regions. This practice is an example of geo-engineering, a growing field of potential responses to the effects of climate change.
The GCC Plan for Yemen: Still Crazy after All These Months
On April 25, the Gulf Cooperation Council proposed a settlement to resolve the political crisis in Yemen. The GCC initiative will not solve the Yemen crisis, only complicate and prolong it. The dogged American persistence in supporting it adds dangerous legitimacy to the agreement and the failing Saleh regime.
Al-Qaeda: Alive and Qicking
Al-Qaeda is knocked down for now, and may be grovelling in the dust for the present, relying on the deployment of children as suicide bombers. But there’s no room to dismiss the existence of the drive to pursue the campaign of jihad altogether, because the thirst to pursue a hegemonic campaign of jihad is nowhere near its end.
