Fashioning a Realistic Strategy for the Twenty-First Century
Leslie H. Gelb
“Smart” power and “soft” power have become buzzwords to describe how a state can exert influence short of using force. The Fletcher Forum interviewed Leslie Gelb, president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations, to discuss the nature of power and its importance to U.S. grand strategy in the twenty-first century. Gelb points out that while the essential meaning of power has not changed, power today is measured far more by the size of a nation’s economy than the size of its military force.
Engaging the Muslim World
Hassan Abbas
In June 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama delivered an address in Cairo, Egypt, calling for a “new beginning” between the United States and the Muslim world. Approaching the first anniversary of the speech, The Fletcher Forum sat down with Columbia University Professor Hassan Abbas to discuss if, and how, relations between the United States and the Muslim world have changed during the Obama Presidency.
A Golden Moment: Applying Iraq’s Hard Lessons to Strengthen the U.S. Approach to Stabilization and Reconstruction Operations
Stuart W. Bowen, Jr.
In response to the perceived dysfunction of U.S. civil-military coordination in Iraq, Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction Stuart Bowen proposesdeveloping a United States Office for Contingency Operations (USOCO). He outlines staffing and responsibilities for this permanent office that would improve the ability of the U.S. government to assist in reconstruction activities around the world.
The Hamas-Fatah Conflict: Shallow but Wide
Nathan J. Brown
Ever since the Palestinian Authority violently split into Hamas and Fatah camps in 2007, Gaza and the West Bank have followed markedly different trajectories. The West Bank has experienced relative peace and prosperity while Gaza has suffered under diplomatic isolation and an Israeli-imposed blockade. Nathan Brown, professor of political science and international affairs at George Washington University, elucidates the traditional differences and growing similarities between Hamas and Fatah, including their methods of governing, monopolization of violence, and the nature of the political parties themselves.
The Bioterror Pipeline: Big Pharma, Patent Expirations, and New Challenges to Global Security
Brian Finlay
Brian Finlay, senior associate at the Henry L. Stimson Center, argues that although new biotechnologies have yielded tremendous benefits for humanity, they remain a major potential threat to global security. Increasingly, the fundamental challenge of the biotech revolution is to ensure that technologies with a legitimate use in the civilian economy are neither inhibited by overly invasive legal restrictions, nor diverted for nefarious use as bioweapons.
Reaping the Whirlwind: Pakistani Counterinsurgency Campaigns, 2004-2010
Steve Breyman and Aneel Salman
As the United States and NATO redouble their efforts to restore stability to Afghanistan, the importance of Pakistan’s role in the conflict has become increasingly clear. Pakistan’s willingness to confront insurgent groups, however, has been inconsistent at best. In this article, the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Steve Breyman and Aneel Salman compare Pakistani counterinsurgency strategy under the presidencies of Pervez Musharraf and Asif Ali Zardari.
Ending the Exploitation of Migrant Workers in the Gulf
Mohammad A. Auwal
While the Arab Gulf states have received considerable attention for their tremendous natural-resource wealth, far less focus has been placed on the system of migrant labor that underpins their economic growth. In this revealing article, Mohammad Auwal, professor of communication studies at California State University in Los Angeles, uses first-hand accounts to shed light on the plight of migrant laborers working in the Gulf.
Yemen and the United States: Conflicting Priorities
William A. Rugh
Yemen has once again become a key counterterrorism priority. William Rugh, former U.S. ambassador to Yemen, argues that U.S. officials must strive to align American objectives with those of Yemen’s President, Ali Abdullah Salih.
To Tackle CO2, Start with H2O: How Latin America’s Water Problems Could Affect Climate Change Negotiations
Luis Alberto Moreno
Despite its economic reliance on water resources, Latin America is especially vulnerable to disturbances in water supplies resulting from global climate change. President of the Inter-American Development Bank Luis Alberto Moreno therefore sees a unique opportunity to re-engage Latin American policymakers in global climate negotiations.
From a Global Burden to an Engine of Growth: Reframing Climate Policy After Copenhagen
Tom Brookes
After a prolonged build-up, the international climate summit in Copenhagen disappointed many in failing to conclude a legally binding, international treaty. Tom Brookes, managing director of the Energy Strategy Centre, explores the reasons why the conference fell short of expectations and where global climate policy may go from here.
Book Reviews
A Millennium of Byzantine Power
by Edward N. Luttwak
Political Islam from Muhammad to Ahmadinejad
edited by Joseph M. Skelly