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Commentary

The Era of Nation Cultivation

The concept of nation building has brought nothing but trouble. It's time for a paradigm shift.

China Digs in to Afghanistan

Washington is packing its bags, but Beijing looks set to stay in AfPak for the long haul.

Reaching Iran through South Africa

Why the most successful route to reaching a nuclear deal with Tehran may be through Pretoria.

Essays

Special Issue: Crisis of the Old Order

From Washington to Cairo and Tripoli, old institutions are breaking down. This special issue of TNI explores the profound global transitions taking place, examines the collapse of the Old Order and looks toward the future.

Surge of the 'Second World'

Those nations falling between the developed West and the world’s poorest countries are jockeying for position in their own regions and playing powers against each other. They will make life increasingly difficult for the reigning great powers.

An Asian Security Standoff

An intense security competition is under way in East Asia. Beijing and Washington must take care to ensure that this competition does not give way to entrenched bloody-mindedness or even outright violence.

Unfinished Mideast Revolts

The era of U.S.-approved, iron-fisted Arab dictators is over. Washington must get used to a Middle East in which public opinion matters to a much greater extent, anti-Western sentiment abounds and political Islam emerges as a major force.

The Global Power Shift from West to East

Pax Americana and the age of Western dominance are fading. Washington can manage this decline, but first it must acknowledge its reality. History moves forward with a crushing force and does not wait for the unprepared.

A World in Transformation

The world we know is changing. The result is an uneasy mixture of the traditional Westphalian state system and the forces of globalization. Until we find a balance between them, this is a recipe for drift, transition and increasing chaos.

Blogs

General McChrystal and Academic Freedom

How to foster free, unbiased discourse in the classroom and beyond.

The Baghdad Talks and the Politics of Inflexibility

Iran has shown flexibility. But the P5+1 powers seem willing to take without giving.

Books & Reviews

Whose World Is It Anyway?

Charles Kupchan’s engaging new tome describes a world where global governance is collapsing and nations have only the barest common ground of agreement. But his analysis is marred by unworkable policy prescriptions and a static perspective.

The Hagiography of Mr. Holbrooke

Richard “The Bulldozer” Holbrooke left a deep mark on U.S. foreign policy. Yet this collection of essays by his friends and admirers, which gushes with praise, leaves out significant elements of the story.

The Better War That Never Was

The "better-war" thesis blames generals for failed wars and misses the crucial role of faulty strategies. William Westmoreland's Vietnam ordeal offers a case in point. He deserves better than this latest assault by Lewis Sorley.

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May 26, 2012