Altogether overshadowed by developing Israel-istine histrionics, the president of Iraq, Jalal Talabani, stood before the United Nations General Assembly on Friday to promote his vision for a democratic state anchored in peace and the rule of law. He extolled the need for a harmonious state, irrespective of sectarian, ethnic or factional affiliations. “This is the […]
Currently reading about the question of European security for my dissertation, I came across a very insightful book – in French – entitled Un Monde sans Europe? (A world without Europe?). The manuscript’s research question is very simple: what are the challenges, and possible opportunities, for France and Europe in this transforming world? In order […]
China has over 400 million internet users, more than any other nation. This exponentially increasing population of Chinese netizens entering the global internet community has not come without serious negative externality. Over the past decade, there has been a marked increase in cyber-espionage and hacking coming from Mainland China. Espionage is not new, even between […]
The U.S. government, like a parent trying to stay hip, has hired younger staffers and put them in charge of using technology to build diplomacy and democracy. For example, Hilary Clinton in the State Department hired Alec Ross to head up technology and innovation in diplomacy. Terms invented include Gov 2.0, Web 2.0, Statecraft 2.0 […]
This batch of links is dedicated to my friends in Washington D.C., who are home from work, staring out their windows in awe of mass precipitation. To ease your Snowmaggedon boredom, some light reading: 1. If the climate accord works, will the climate notice? Maybe. But success depends on what countries do after 2020. 2. […]
I hope the new Nigerian peace plan works. For years, Nigeria has been the poster child for everything that can go wrong when a country discovers oil. Instead of the prosperity, thousands have died violently, the country’s infrastructure has crumbled, the Niger River delta has been environmentally devastated, the army has run amok among the […]