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2802. EU security and defence - Core documents 2004
- Publication Date:
- 02-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- European Union Institute for Security Studies
- Abstract:
- 1. On 8th December 2003, the Council mandated that the EU's military rapid response capability should be further developed. Separately, UK, France and Germany have considered how the Union can contribute further to conflict prevention, peacekeeping and peace enforcement operations in close co-operation with the United Nations (UN). Together, we have proposed that the EU should aim to build upon the precedent set by Operation ARTEMIS in the DRC by developing a number of battle-group size forces available to undertake autonomous operations at short notice, principally in response to requests from the UN. These forces should be capable of operating under a Chapter VII mandate. 2. This paper aims to set out in more detail the battle-groups (BG) concept, to establish its context within the ongoing development of EU rapid response and EU-UN co-operation, and to propose a process of consultation (including with the UN) and implementation.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Security, Defense Policy, and United Nations
- Political Geography:
- United Kingdom, Europe, Turkey, and Ukraine
2803. Information security: A new challenge for the EU
- Author:
- Burkard Schmitt, Alain Esterle, and Hanno Ranck
- Publication Date:
- 03-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- European Union Institute for Security Studies
- Abstract:
- Since the invention of the wheel, technical innovations have driven the history of mankind. Some of them have been particularly important and have changed profoundly the way societies work and individuals live. The Internet is a perfect example of such an innovation. Based on common protocols to send electronic messages and identify machines, it has opened up a new area of communication and information, enabling us to transfer vast amounts of digital data for a great variety of applications within fractions of a second around the globe. Moving into the new domain of cyberspace, the Internet has overcome the barriers of distance and time, and is therefore rightly considered to be the symbol of globalisation.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Civil Society, and Science and Technology
- Political Geography:
- Europe
2804. The War on Terror - Security Sector Governance and Military Implications
- Author:
- Karl-Heinz Rambke
- Publication Date:
- 06-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF)
- Abstract:
- The topic of this conference, “The War on Terror and its Impact on Security Sector Governance and Society”, gives us the opportunity to engage in an intensive dialogue with participants from various countries and with different expertise. Let me briefly introduce my approach to this session. Since June 2003 I have been working at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, currently responsible as the Co-Director of the International Training Course on Security Policy training 30 participants from 23 different countries, amongst them two Russian participants. As our objective is to prepare the participants for international and national assignments in security policy branches, we are trying to create a fruitful balance between academic debates, concepts, practitioners' views and experiences and practical hands-on training. I would like to follow this approach today.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Security, Terrorism, War, and Governance
- Political Geography:
- Russia
2805. Providing Security. The Division of Labour. Armed Forces, Gendarmerie, Police
- Author:
- Alain Faupin
- Publication Date:
- 02-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF)
- Abstract:
- This topic is quite uneasy as the security tasks of all three organizations, namely armed forces, police and gendarmerie, are either very different, or very intermingled. The only common point is the primacy of the civilian authority, a rule of good governance and of democracy scrupulously applied and overseen.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Security, Government, and Governance
- Political Geography:
- Europe
2806. The power of norms in the transposition of EU directives
- Author:
- Antoaneta Dimitrova and Mark Rhinard
- Publication Date:
- 11-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- European Research Papers Archive
- Abstract:
- Transposition research provides an excellent opportunity to bring new data to bear on two of the most dominant theoretical approaches to European Union studies: rational choice institutionalism and sociological institutionalism. Yet the goal of comparable testing is hampered by the underspecified nature of the sociological perspective. This paper takes some steps towards identifying and operationalising a sociological explanation of the transposition of EU directives. Examining an array of alternatives, we single out an approach that focuses on the transmission of norms as a way to explain transposition delay and content changes, and on persuasion to help explain norm change over time. To probe the validity of our explanation, we apply it to a case study of the transposition of two anti-discrimination directives from 2000 in Slovakia. In short, our paper aims to move forward the search for a testable sociological framework in EU studies, while offering an operational approach to studying the process of transposing EU directives.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Development, and Government
- Political Geography:
- Europe and Slovakia
2807. It's the Process Stupid! Process Tracing in the Study of European and International Politics
- Author:
- Jeffrey T. Checkel
- Publication Date:
- 10-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- European Research Papers Archive
- Abstract:
- Process tracing is in, acquiring near buzz-word status in certain circles. Europeanists do it; IR scholars do it – all with the goal of bringing theory closer to what really goes on in the world. This makes our scholarship more policy relevant and increases the reliability of our findings - non-trivial advantages, for sure. Yet, such benefits do not come without costs. In particular, proponents of process tracing should be wary of losing sight of the big picture, be aware of the method's significant data requirements, and recognize certain epistemological traps inherent in its application.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Development, and Politics
- Political Geography:
- Europe
2808. After Hierarchy? Domestic Executive Governance and the Differentiated Impact of the European Commission and the Council of Ministers
- Author:
- Torbjorn Larsson and Jarle Trondal
- Publication Date:
- 10-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- European Research Papers Archive
- Abstract:
- This study offers an organisation theory approach that claims that the differentiated organisational constellation of the European Union contributes to a differentiated Europeanisation of domestic core-executives. It is argued that the European Commission mainly activates the lower echelons of the domestic government hierarchies, notably professional experts within sector ministries and agencies. Furthermore, the European Commission arguably weakens domestic politico-administrative leadership, the Foreign Office and the Prime Ministers Office. By contrast, the Council of Ministers arguably strengthens domestic politico-administrative leadership, the Foreign Office and the Prime Ministers Office. A comparative analysis of the decision-making processes within the central administrations of Norway and Sweden is offered. Based on a rich body of survey and interview data this analysis reveals that multi-level interaction of administrative systems between the European Commission and the Norwegian and Swedish central administrations occur largely outside the control of the domestic politico-administrative leadership, Prime Ministers Office and Foreign Office. In Sweden this tendency is to some extent counterbalanced by the inter-sectorally interlocking effect of the Council of Ministers.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Government, and Sovereignty
- Political Geography:
- Europe
2809. Synergies and Tradeoffs in International Cooperation: Broadening, Widening, and Deepening
- Author:
- Jörg Friedrichs, Jordan Mihov, and Maria Popova
- Publication Date:
- 10-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- European Research Papers Archive
- Abstract:
- International cooperation rests on state preferences with regard to the substantive scope, geographical range, and institutional depth of issue-specific devices to over-come collective action problems. Substantive broadening, geographical widening, and institutional deepening are the elixir of life of the European Union. As is familiar from international cooperation more in general, and not only from European integration, this rests upon a complex process of bargaining among states, each of which has its particular preferences. This paper explores two hypotheses about the relationship be-tween preferences on broadening, widening, and deepening. The first hypothesis as-sumes that the relationship is characterized by a virtuous cycle, while the second hy-pothesis assumes that there are tradeoffs rather than synergies. By looking at a sample of 24 distinct case studies from a specific policy field, namely international coopera-tion against drugs, the paper shows that, at least in this particular policy field, state preferences follow a synergetic pattern of broadening, widening, and deepening.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Development, and International Cooperation
- Political Geography:
- Europe and Germany
2810. When and Why the Council of Ministers of the EU Votes Explicitly
- Author:
- Helen Wallace, Fiona Hayes-Renshaw, and Wim van Aken
- Publication Date:
- 09-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- European Research Papers Archive
- Abstract:
- This paper reports newly collected empirical data sets on explicitly contested voting at ministerial level in the Council of Ministers of the European Union. These data sets cover the period 1994-2004, with more detail for the years 1998-2004. They provide us with rather steady patterns of explicitly contested voting across the period in terms of: proportions of decisions taken where contested voting was recorded; the different levels of contestation by country; and the issue areas in which explicit voting occurred more often. The data sets draw on the material available on the Council's own website, but they have been supplemented by hand-collected data, in particular as regards issue areas and types of decision. Once arranged appropriately the data sets will be posted on the web, so that other researchers can have access to the material. The initial analysis of the data is reported in the second edition of Hayes-Renshaw and Wallace, The Council of Ministers, Palgrave, forthcoming, Chapter 10. The data show that explicit voting on agreed decisions at ministerial level is rather rare, that in nearly half the roll calls dissent is expressed only by singleton member states, that nearly half the cases concern 'technical' decisions on agriculture and fisheries, and that Germany more often votes 'no' or abstains than any other member state. The data confirm that ministers generally endorse collective decisions by consensus, even on the 70% or so cases where they could activate qualified majority voting (QMV). To the extent that voting takes place in these latter cases, it occurs implicitly rather than explicitly, operates mostly at the level of officials rather than ministers, and is not recorded systematically in publicly accessible form. These patterns are consistent with earlier accounts based on qualitative interview evidence.
- Topic:
- International Relations, International Cooperation, and Politics
- Political Geography:
- Europe
2811. Towards Statehood? The EU's move towards Constitutionalisation and Territorialisation
- Author:
- Thomas Christiansen
- Publication Date:
- 08-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- European Research Papers Archive
- Abstract:
- The recent period of Europe an integration has witnessed the attempt by elites to formalise the long-standing trend towards a constitutionalisation of the European Union. The paper asks whether this process of constitutionalisation, together with a twin process of territorialisation – the development of the EU as bounded political space – can be seen as a move towards state- building at the European level. In order to address these issues, the paper assesses in turn the significance and the impact each of the two processes may have on the 'remaking' of Europe. In this context, the EU's Nordic Dimension, the debate surrounding the Turkish application for EU membership and the evolving Neighbour Policy of the Union are looked at in more detail. By way of conclusion this paper argues that the discourses – rather than the decisions – which have dominated the integration process in recent years, mark something of a departure from the previous 'post-Westphalian' path of European integration, and instead point towards a more statist conception of the Europe an Union. It remains to be seen to what extent these discourses will subsequently have ramifications in normative, institutional and policy-terms, and what resistance to the choices implicit in these discourses will have to confront.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Development, and Government
- Political Geography:
- Europe
2812. The EU's fledgling society: From deafening silence to critical voice in European constitution making
- Author:
- John Erik Fossum and Hans-Jörg Trenz
- Publication Date:
- 07-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- European Research Papers Archive
- Abstract:
- The European Union is presently at a major crossroads. The Laeken process which launched the EU onto an explicit constitution-making process, has ground to a halt after the negative referendum results in France and the Netherlands. The European Council at its 16-17 June 2005 meeting decided to postpone the ratification process (by then 10 states had ratified and 2 had rejected) and instead issue a period of reflection. These events represent a significant re-politicization of the European integration process. From a research perspective they underline the need to study the dynamic interrelation between the emerging European polity and its social constituency. In this article we provide an analytical model of EU-constitutionalisation in terms of polity building and constituency building, a model that links institutional performance back to public voice and mobilisation. Our focus on determining the character of the EU's emerging social constituency goes beyond the contentious politics approach because it does not only focus on public voice but also provides a research framework for properly understanding the role of public silence. In empirical terms, this implies looking at the structure of public communication and claims-making in the EU and in the Member States. The European public sphere in relation to constitution making is then our object of analysis. More specifically, we present a research framework that will help us to shed light on the character of the EU's social constituency, as it emerges in dynamic interaction with the process of polity formation.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Politics, and Treaties and Agreements
- Political Geography:
- Europe
2813. Two Variations on a Theme: Different Logics of Implementation Management in the EU and the ILO
- Author:
- Miriam Hartlapp
- Publication Date:
- 06-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- European Research Papers Archive
- Abstract:
- From the perspective of the concept of legalization, the European Union (EU) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) both have a high degree of implementation powers delegated to them by the Member States. Beyond this categorization there are substantial differences in how they use the powers delegated to them. To capture these differences this article analyses the different EU and ILO implementation policies along the lines of three logics of implementation (enforcement, management and persuasion). It provides new empirical data on the instruments and mechanisms used to change Member State behaviour. The relative importance of the three logics within the organization, as well as the absolute strength determined by formal and actual power, are assessed. I argue that within the EU implementation-policy enforcement is most developed, whereas the logic most widely employed in the ILO is management. The analysis shows that it is beneficial to go beyond the broad categorizations of 'high delegation' within the legalization concept in order to move towards an understanding of the success or failure of different implementation policies.
- Topic:
- International Relations, International Law, and Politics
2814. CIAO: War Crimes: The Posse Gathers
- Author:
- Jeremy Brecher and Brendan Smith
- Publication Date:
- 12-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Foreign Policy In Focus
- Abstract:
- Diverse forces are assembling to bring Bush administration officials to account for war crimes. Cindy Sheehan, Gold Star Mother for Peace, insists: “We cannot have these people pardoned. They need to be tried on war crimes and go to jail.” Paul Craig Roberts, Hoover Institution senior fellow and assistant secretary of the treasury under Ronald Reagan, charges Bush with “lies and an illegal war of aggression, with outing CIA agents, with war crimes against Iraqi civilians, with the horrors of the Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo torture centers” and calls for the president's impeachment. Anne-Marie Slaughter, dean of the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton and former president of the American Society of International Law, declares: “These policies make a mockery of our claim to stand for the rule of law. [Americans] should be marching on Washington to reject inhumane techniques carried out in our name.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Government, Peace Studies, and War
- Political Geography:
- Iraq and Washington
2815. President Attempts to Show that Asia Matters to the United States
- Author:
- John Gershman
- Publication Date:
- 11-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Foreign Policy In Focus
- Abstract:
- President Bush is in Asia this week for a series of meetings, including bilateral meetings in Japan, South Korea, China, and Mongolia and attending the economic leaders meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. This trip comes on the heels of a disastrous trip by President Bush to Latin America, but there is little sign this trip will do much to rescue the President's sinking foreign policy reputation.
- Topic:
- International Relations and Foreign Policy
- Political Geography:
- United States, Japan, China, Asia, and South Korea
2816. Beyond Bonn: Revisioning the International Compact for Afghanistan
- Author:
- Peter Middlebrook and Mark Sedra
- Publication Date:
- 11-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Foreign Policy In Focus
- Abstract:
- The Bonn Agreement, signed on December 5, 2001, provided the road map for the transformation of the Afghan state, culminating in the September 18, 2005 legislative elections. The landmark polls, which proceeded largely peacefully, have elected an Afghan Parliament for the first time in more than three decades. Although the Bonn political process has made great strides toward facilitating Afghanistan's transition to democracy, the costs and challenges associated with the reform agenda are immense and continue to spiral. With a narrow revenue base, Afghanistan will remain dependent on support from the international community for many years to come, not just to cover the capital costs associated with reconstruction and poverty reduction but also to underwrite core operating expenditures. Once funding for Coalition military operations is factored in, the cost of maintaining relative peace and stability in Afghanistan could exceed the $16-18 billion per year currently being spent—a prohibitively high figure in light of creeping donor fatigue. With the security situation in the country still volatile, regional posturing intensifying, and the United States signaling that troop withdrawals are imminent, Afghanistan's transition remains fragile and uncertain. Senior Washington officials already quietly acknowledge that the reform process has failed to maintain the critical momentum that the Afghan government's landmark report, Securing Afghanistan's Future: Accomplishments and the Strategic Path Forward, appeared to generate when it was launched at the spring 2004 Berlin Donors Conference.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Politics, and Treaties and Agreements
- Political Geography:
- Afghanistan and Middle East
2817. Karen Hughes' Indonesia Visit Underscores Bush Administration's PR Problems
- Author:
- Stephen Zunes
- Publication Date:
- 10-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Foreign Policy In Focus
- Abstract:
- It is doubtful that the Bush administration will be very successful advancing America's image in the Islamic world as long as its representatives have such trouble telling the truth. A case in point took place on October 21, when U.S. Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy Karen Hughes was talking before a group of university students in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim country. As she has found elsewhere in her visits in the Islamic world, there is enormous popular opposition to the U.S. invasion of Iraq and the ongoing U.S. counter-insurgency war.
- Topic:
- International Relations and Diplomacy
- Political Geography:
- United States, Iraq, America, Indonesia, Middle East, and Southeast Asia
2818. Waiting to Exhale: The Six-Party Talks Agreement
- Author:
- Wade Huntley
- Publication Date:
- 10-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Foreign Policy In Focus
- Abstract:
- Nuclear nonproliferation advocates worldwide welcomed the joint agreement issued September 19 by the participants in the "Six-Party Talks" process aimed at denuclearizing the Korean peninsula. The agreement evinces not only a commitment by North Korea to end all nuclear weapons development, but also a validation of a negotiated approach to the current Korean nuclear crisis which both North Korea and the United States have, at various times, resisted.
- Topic:
- Conflict Resolution, International Relations, and Nuclear Weapons
- Political Geography:
- United States, Asia, and North Korea
2819. Uses of Ambiguity in North Korea Agreement
- Author:
- John Feffer
- Publication Date:
- 10-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Foreign Policy In Focus
- Abstract:
- On September 19, North Korea agreed to give up its nuclear program. As part of the same agreement, which followed the latest round of the Six Party Talks, the United States pledged not to attack or invade North Korea, to coexist peacefully with the country, and to work toward normalized relations. The United States and other parties to the agreement — China, Japan, Russia, and South Korea — offered to put together an energy package for North Korea.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Diplomacy, and Nuclear Weapons
- Political Geography:
- Russia, China, Asia, South Korea, and North Korea
2820. Feeding the Nuclear Fire
- Author:
- Zia Mian and M.V. Ramana
- Publication Date:
- 09-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Foreign Policy In Focus
- Abstract:
- The July 18 joint statement by U.S. President George Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has attracted a great deal of comment. The focus has been on the possible consequences of U.S. promises to support India's nuclear energy program in exchange for India clearly separating its military and civilian nuclear facilities and programs and opening the latter to international inspection.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Nuclear Weapons, and Treaties and Agreements
- Political Geography:
- United States, India, and Asia
2821. Giving Democracy a Bad Name: Afghanistan's Parliamentary Elections
- Author:
- Sonali Kolhatkar and Jim Ingalls
- Publication Date:
- 09-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Foreign Policy In Focus
- Abstract:
- The United States has supposedly created new "democracies" in Afghanistan and Iraq, but these endeavors give democracy a bad name. Sure, the two countries have some ingredients of representative democracy, such as elected officials and a constitution. But both countries are still beset by grinding poverty, insurgencies, and entrenched militia forces that make the exercise of democracy either impractical or dangerous. Both countries have high numbers of foreign troops occupying their land and terrorizing the population while hunting "terrorists." And both countries' governments answer to their respective U.S. ambassador on most issues. In the midst of such a violent and coercive environment, Afghans are pressing ahead with the latest in a series of "democratic" exercises imposed by the United States: the first Afghan parliamentary elections in four decades will take place this Sunday, September 18. Even though many Afghans hope that the elections will empower them to end their troubles, the fear is that the elections will probably be as undemocratic in practice as every other U.S.-inflicted Afghan institution.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Democratization, and Terrorism
- Political Geography:
- Afghanistan, United States, and Asia
2822. U.S.-China Relations — Opportunities, Risks, and the Taiwan Issue
- Author:
- Thomas J. Bickford
- Publication Date:
- 08-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Foreign Policy In Focus
- Abstract:
- China is primarily interested in concentrating on trade and economic development and therefore wants an international environment conducive to continued economic growth. Even with recent defense budget increases, China's ability to project power beyond its borders will be extremely limited for a long time to come. There is a real risk of conflict between the United States and China over Taiwan, and U.S. policy needs to be aimed at avoiding such a conflict.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Security, and Development
- Political Geography:
- United States, China, and Taiwan
2823. August Around the World
- Author:
- Daniel Smith
- Publication Date:
- 08-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Foreign Policy In Focus
- Abstract:
- The prevailing sentiment, less "laid back," refers to "the dog days of summer" from which the rich and well-connected have historically sought relief by getting out of town. Indeed, one can easily picture Caesar Augustus — in whose honor the Roman Senate renamed and lengthened the sixth month in the Julian calendar — abandoning Rome in the same way Congress and the president flee Washington.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Security, and Development
- Political Geography:
- United States and Washington
2824. Security Council Reform Debate Highlights Challenges Facing UN
- Author:
- Ian Williams
- Publication Date:
- 08-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Foreign Policy In Focus
- Abstract:
- Within a day of arriving at the United Nations John Bolton, the former lobbyist for Taiwan and advocate for one permanent seat on the Security Council, the United States, had cut a deal with the Chinese representative. China wants to stop an additional permanent Security Council seat for Japan. The United States had promised Japan its support in return for its loyalty over Iraq, but hated Germany more than it loves Japan. So the two agreed to thwart the attempt by the G-4 (Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan), to secure permanent seats during the current reform proposals.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Security, and United Nations
- Political Geography:
- United States, Japan, China, India, Taiwan, Asia, Brazil, and Germany
2825. Bolton Appointment Provides New Opportunities
- Author:
- John Gershman
- Publication Date:
- 08-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Foreign Policy In Focus
- Abstract:
- President Bush's recess appointment of John Bolton as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations — the first time ever for the post — represents a sad irony in this year, the 60th anniversary of the signing of the San Francisco charter on June, 26 1945 and the ratification of the charter by the 5 permanent members of the Security Council and the majority of the signatories to the San Francisco Charter, on October 24, 1945.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Government, and United Nations
- Political Geography:
- United States and San Francisco
2826. The U.S. and Iran: Democracy, Terrorism, and Nuclear Weapons
- Author:
- Stephen Zunes
- Publication Date:
- 07-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Foreign Policy In Focus
- Abstract:
- The election of the hard-line Teheran mayor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, over former President Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani as the new head of Iran is undeniably a setback for those hoping to advance greater social and political freedom in that country. It should not necessarily be seen as a turn to the right by the Iranian electorate, however. The 70-year old Rafsanjani — a cleric and penultimate wheeler-dealer from the political establishment — was portrayed as the more moderate conservative. The fact that he had become a millionaire while in government was apparently seen as less important than his modest reform agenda. By contrast, the young Teheran mayor focused on the plight of the poor and cleaning up corruption.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Democratization, and Government
- Political Geography:
- United States, Iran, and Middle East
2827. South America's New Militarism
- Author:
- Raúl Zibechi
- Publication Date:
- 07-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Foreign Policy In Focus
- Abstract:
- South American societies are militarizing as a result of the regional superpower's intervention, which is undoubtedly a crucial factor on the continent, but also as a consequence of the profound economic and political changes we have come to call neoliberalism.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Arms Control and Proliferation, and War
- Political Geography:
- South America
2828. A Strategy for Ending the Iraq War
- Author:
- Tom Hayden
- Publication Date:
- 07-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Foreign Policy In Focus
- Abstract:
- In January 2005, a group of fifty peace activists from the Vietnam and Iraq eras issued a global appeal to end the war (online at http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/20996/). The appeal proposed undermining the pillars of war (public opinion, funding, troop recruitment, international allies) and building the pillars of peace and justice (an independent anti-war movement linked to justice issues, a progressive Democratic opposition, soldiers and families against the war, a global network to stop the US empire). This is an update on implementation of the strategy.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Peace Studies, and War
- Political Geography:
- United States, Iraq, and Middle East
2829. Breaking the NPT (Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty) Stalemate: Japan Could Help
- Author:
- Anthony DiFilippo
- Publication Date:
- 06-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Foreign Policy In Focus
- Abstract:
- Deterring attack is usually cited as the main motivation for states to keep or acquire nuclear weapons. Yet today's NPT stalemate involves both security and economic concerns. Nuclear and nonnuclear weapons states alike have associated nuclear-energy-generating capabilities with economic growth. By far the biggest problem that the NPT faces today is that nations have come to see and use it as a self-serving accord.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Arms Control and Proliferation, and Nuclear Weapons
- Political Geography:
- Japan and Israel
2830. Fuelling Mistrust Between Iran and the United States
- Author:
- Roger Howard
- Publication Date:
- 06-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Foreign Policy In Focus
- Abstract:
- Imagine your reaction if, during last November's presidential contest, the mullahs of Iran had suddenly launched a tirade of criticism against the American system of democracy and beamed their message onto our television sets and radios for all of us to hear: democracy in the United States, the mullahs might perhaps have claimed, is a corrupt process that is determined largely by the influence of the wealthiest donors, and a process that wholly fails to address the religious needs of a secular, materialist culture.
- Topic:
- International Relations and Government
- Political Geography:
- United States, America, Iran, and Middle East
2831. Undermining the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty—It Didn't Start With the Bush Administration
- Author:
- Stephen Zunes
- Publication Date:
- 06-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Foreign Policy In Focus
- Abstract:
- Most of the international community and arms control advocates here in the United States have correctly blamed the Bush administration for the failure of the recently-completed review conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. In the course of the four-week meeting of representatives of the 188 countries which have signed and ratified the treaty, the United States refused to uphold its previous arms control pledges, blocked consideration of the establishment of a nuclear-free zone in the Middle East, refused to rule out U.S. nuclear attacks against non-nuclear states, and demanded that Iran and North Korea—but not U.S. allies like Israel, Pakistan, and India—be singled out for UN sanctions for their nuclear programs. Thomas Graham, who served as a U.S. envoy to disarmament talks in the Clinton administration noted that the Bush administration's demands resulted in what appears to be "the most acute failure in the treaty's history."
- Topic:
- International Relations, Arms Control and Proliferation, Nuclear Weapons, and Treaties and Agreements
- Political Geography:
- Pakistan, United States, India, Israel, and Korea
2832. The Me Too Club
- Author:
- Tad Daley
- Publication Date:
- 06-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Foreign Policy In Focus
- Abstract:
- The "nuclear option" may have receded in the U.S. Senate for the time being. Unfortunately, it's still very much on the table for the two newest aspirants to the nuclear club. Not to mention those who already have their membership cards.
- Topic:
- International Relations and Nuclear Weapons
- Political Geography:
- United States and Middle East
2833. Reflections on Vietnam and the Iraq War
- Author:
- Daniel Ellsberg
- Publication Date:
- 06-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Foreign Policy In Focus
- Abstract:
- I'm often asked whether there aren't big differences between the Iraq War and Vietnam. And I'm always quick to say, of course, there are differences. In Iraq, it's a dry heat. And the language that none of our troops or diplomats speak is Arabic rather than Vietnamese.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Democratization, Human Rights, and War
- Political Geography:
- Iraq, Vietnam, and Arabia
2834. The Iglesias Legacy and the IDB's Future
- Author:
- Nadia Martinez
- Publication Date:
- 06-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Foreign Policy In Focus
- Abstract:
- After 17 years at the helm of Latin America's largest source of development financing, the President of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is stepping down. Enrique Iglesias is slated to pass the reins to his successor in September. Like the recent fight over the leadership position at the Organization of American States, this contest promises to be a long and arduous process of political negotiation. As the United States attempts to maintain its traditionally hegemonic role in Latin America, Brazil is more boldly gaining some of that ground. And with annual lending to Latin American countries surpassing $8 billion annually, the IDB has significant influence over the region's economies.
- Topic:
- International Relations and Government
- Political Geography:
- United States, America, Brazil, South America, and Latin America
2835. The Network Paradigm of Strategic Public Diplomacy
- Author:
- R. S. Zaharna
- Publication Date:
- 04-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Foreign Policy In Focus
- Abstract:
- With the nomination of Karen Hughes as the new undersecretary of state for public diplomacy, the United States has the potential to embark on a new and more effective phase in its communication with the international community, particularly with the Arab and Islamic world. Hughes' close working relationship with President Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and other advisers in the administration's inner circle qualifies her as a communication heavyweight. If she uses this asset, she can transform the old model of public diplomacy used during the Cold War into a more strategic approach.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Foreign Policy, and Government
- Political Geography:
- United States
2836. A Unified Security Budget for the United States, 2006
- Author:
- Miriam Pemberton and Marcus Corbin
- Publication Date:
- 05-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Foreign Policy In Focus
- Abstract:
- During the last year, the ground under the security debate has begun to shift. A diverse and growing universe of voices, including former national security advisors, representatives of the business community, and the Bush administration itself, now recognizes that expanding the role of nonmilitary tools in our portfolio of security spending is necessary to keep Americans and the rest of the world safe. In the federal budget, though, where the debate takes concrete form, this shift barely registers. Small increases planned by the administration for some nonmilitary security programs would still leave the overall proportion of resources severely unbalanced.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Security, and Terrorism
- Political Geography:
- United States
2837. The Dragon the Chrysanthemum
- Author:
- Conn Hallinan
- Publication Date:
- 05-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Foreign Policy In Focus
- Abstract:
- At first glance, the growing tension between China and Japan seems almost inexplicable. Massive anti-Japanese demonstrations in China over events that took place more than half a century ago? A heated exchange filled with mutual threats over an offshore petroleum field that western oil companies think is not worth exploiting? Has a Shinto shrine and slanted textbooks really driven the two great Asian powers to the edge of a Cold War or worse?
- Topic:
- International Relations and War
- Political Geography:
- Japan, China, Israel, and Asia
2838. How to End the Occupation of Iraq: Outmaneuver the War Proponents
- Author:
- Gareth Porter
- Publication Date:
- 04-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Foreign Policy In Focus
- Abstract:
- For an anti-war activist of the Vietnam era, the current search for a political strategy for ending the U.S. occupation of Iraq brings to mind the very similar problems facing the movement to end the Vietnam War in 1968-69. In fact, a review of the strategy that the anti-war movement pursued at that juncture of the Vietnam War helps clarify the choices before the present movement and their likely consequences. It should serve as a warning against ignoring the possibility of embracing the negotiation of a compromise peace agreement with those resisting the U.S. occupation as an anti-war strategy.
- Topic:
- International Relations and War
- Political Geography:
- United States, Iraq, Middle East, and Vietnam
2839. GCSP UN Dialogue Series
- Author:
- Derek Lutterbeck (ed.)
- Publication Date:
- 10-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Geneva Centre for Security Policy
- Abstract:
- During the summer of 2005, the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP), with the generous financial support of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland, Political Division III, organised a series of public presentations by distinguished personalities, focusing on the changing role of the UN system in the rapidly evolving international security landscape. The objective of these events was to provide a forum to discuss the most-pressing current challenges facing the UN, as well as other key players in the international system, and to chart possible ways forward in adapting the UN system to the demands of the contemporary security environment.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Security, Development, and United Nations
2840. Three Years of the Global Partnership. A View by Russia
- Author:
- V. Semin
- Publication Date:
- 07-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Geneva Centre for Security Policy
- Abstract:
- Three years have passed since June 2002, when G8 Leaders, in the Canadian town of Kananaskis, launched the Global Partnership against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction (GP), and committed to support projects initially in Russia.After the end of the Cold War and demise of the Soviet Union, Russia inherited a large number of strategic nuclear missiles, means of their delivery (including strategic and generalpurpose submarines) and huge arsenals of chemical weapons. In 1991-1992 we had to consolidate urgently and put into secure storage all nuclear weapons from the Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Byelorussia, which became non-nuclear states under the Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Arms Control and Proliferation, and Weapons of Mass Destruction
- Political Geography:
- Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Soviet Union
2841. The G8 Global Partnership on Weapons of Mass Destruction: What Next?
- Author:
- Daniil Kobyakov and Vladimir Orlov
- Publication Date:
- 06-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Geneva Centre for Security Policy
- Abstract:
- Since the inception of the G8 Global Partnership (GP) program in Kananaskis on June 27 2002, the program has passed through different stages. Initially, it was just a loud political declaration, adopted by the leaders of the G8 following the attacks of 9/11. A Russian participant of the Kananaskis Summit later recalled with some surprise how smoothly and, to some extent, unexpectedly for the Russians involved the "$20 billion" pledge was shaped in that Canadian village. Interviewed on a major European GP-related conference a year after the Kananaskis summit, he was frank to exclaim: "Arriving in Kananaskis, we [Russians] could hardly even expect that this whole giant wave now called Global Partnership would be born from our discussions of non-proliferation and counter-terrorism".
- Topic:
- International Relations, Security, and Weapons of Mass Destruction
- Political Geography:
- Russia
2842. Preventing the Brain Drain: Russia and Beyond
- Author:
- Vitaly Fedchenko
- Publication Date:
- 04-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Geneva Centre for Security Policy
- Abstract:
- As Lao-Tzu once said, 'Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime'. This sentence expresses the essence of effective assistance. If you want to provide somebody with food, there are two options: either to supply him during all his lifetime or to teach him how to earn a living. Similarly, if you want a state to get rid of WMD capabilities, there is always an option to blow up some facilities, but the next day it would be necessary to check whether no new WMD capabilities have developed. Another option is to make the process self-sustaining on the ground, ensuring that the state itself is looking after it.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Arms Control and Proliferation, and Weapons of Mass Destruction
- Political Geography:
- Russia
2843. The G8 Global Partnership: Background and Current Status
- Author:
- Cristina Chuen
- Publication Date:
- 04-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Geneva Centre for Security Policy
- Abstract:
- The Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction is nearly three years old. While the initiative—launched on June 27, 2002, at the G8 annual summit in Kananaskis, Canadai—brought new donors to the table and added a new sense of urgency to nonproliferation projects in Russia, to date the programs have yielded mixed results. There is much that remains to be done if the next seven years are going to fulfill the promise of Kananaskis.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Security, Arms Control and Proliferation, and Weapons of Mass Destruction
- Political Geography:
- Russia
2844. Rational Learning and Bounded Learning in the Diffusion of Policy Innovations
- Author:
- Covadonga Meseguer
- Publication Date:
- 01-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Kellogg Institute for International Studies
- Abstract:
- In political science, rational learning and bounded learning are commonly studied as two opposing theories of policy choice. In this paper, I use a rational-learning approach to reach conclusions about bounded learning, showing that the two theories are not necessarily incompatible. By examining a rational-learning model and the decisions of a set of developing countries to open up their trade regimes, I show that countries are particularly influenced by the choices of neighbouring countries and by particularly successful policy experiences. These are two typical contentions of the bounded-learning literature. I argue that bounded learning and rational learning yield the same results as soon as one drops the rational-learning assumption that there are zero costs to gathering new information. I use the discussion on rational learning versus bounded learning as a basis for exploring more general issues concerning the diffusion of policy innovations.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Foreign Policy, Development, and Politics
- Political Geography:
- Europe
2845. Is Cybersecurity a Public Good? Evidence from the Financial Services Industry
- Author:
- Benjamin Powell
- Publication Date:
- 03-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Independent Institute
- Abstract:
- The September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States heightened concerns about vulnerabilities to future attacks. One new area of concern is cyberterrorism: the possibility of terrorists using computers to attack our critical infrastructure electronically. The government has made efforts to better secure its own computer networks to prevent terrorists from hacking into computer systems in the Pentagon, FBI, and other government agencies. Increasingly, however, the government has been concerned that the private sector is vulnerable to cyberterrorism. The private sector owns approximately 85 percent of the critical infrastructure in the U.S. (Deloitte 2004 p. 15). There are concerns that a cyber attack on dams, trains, electrical grids, pipeline pumps, communications networks, or the financial services industry could cause significant physical or economic damage to the U.S. The policy question being asked is whether private businesses, when left to their own devices, provide enough cybersecurity or if some form of government involvement is justified.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Development, Industrial Policy, and Science and Technology
- Political Geography:
- United States and United Nations
2846. The European Constitution: How to Proceed if France or the Netherlands Votes "No"
- Author:
- E. Greco and G.L. Tosato
- Publication Date:
- 03-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Istituto Affari Internazionali
- Abstract:
- What would happen if France and the Netherlands voted "no" in the coming referendums on the Constitutional Treaty of the European Union? What would be the most effective strategy for finding a solution to the crisis that this would inevitably precipitate? Would it be best to suspend or continue the ratification process? What kind of initiatives should the member states and the European institutions undertake? This paper ponders what road should be taken to deal with a crisis that would be serious and complex. In particular, it discusses the question that is bound to come up first, and that is whether - in the event hypothesised - the ratification process in the other countries should be continued or stopped.
- Topic:
- International Relations and Security
- Political Geography:
- Europe and Netherlands
2847. Engaging Putin's Russia: Challenges and Opportunities for the West
- Author:
- Jason R. Wisniewski
- Publication Date:
- 06-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University
- Abstract:
- The small and medium-sized states in Southeast Asia have undergone significant geostrategic changes with the end of the Cold War and the rise of China. There has been a lively debate over the last decade about whether these countries would balance against or bandwagon with China, and how their relations with the other major powers in the region would change. Recent works that argue against the simple dichotomy of balancing versus bandwangoning are correct in asserting that Southeast Asian countries do not want to choose between the two major powers, the U.S. and China. But this paper goes further to present the results of an empirical study that fleshes out the conceptual thinking that underlies this avoidance strategy. It finds that instead of merely adopting tactical or time-buying policies, key Southeast Asian states have actively tried to influence the shaping of the new regional order. It argues that key Southeast Asian states in fact have (a) distinct coneptualisations of two main pathways to order in the region omni-enmeshment of major powers and complex balance of influence; and (b) a concrete vision of the preferred power distribution outcome, which is a hierarchical regional order.
- Topic:
- International Relations and Government
- Political Geography:
- Russia, United States, China, and Southeast Asia
2848. America's Interests in the United Nations: A U.S. Response to the Report of the UN Secretary-General's High Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change
- Author:
- Donald F. McHenry, Thomas R. Pickering, Peter Burleigh, James Cunningham, Jeanne J. Kirkpatrick, and Edward Perkins
- Publication Date:
- 04-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University
- Abstract:
- During the UN General Assembly meeting in September 2003, Secretary-General Kofi Annan created a High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change to provide him and the member states of the United Nations with ideas about the policies and institutions required for the United Nations to be effective in the twenty-first century. The panel submitted to him in December 2004 a report entitled "A More Secure World: Our Shared Responsibilities," an analysis of how to improve the collective institutionalized response to the most pressing threats and challenges to global peace and security. The report also presented more than one hundred specific recommendations to the secretary-general and the member states.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Security, and United Nations
- Political Geography:
- United States
2849. Unequal Prospects: Disparities in the Quantity and Quality of Labour Supply in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Author:
- Christopher Cramer and John Sender
- Publication Date:
- 03-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- School of Oriental and African Studies - University of London
- Abstract:
- The issue of labour supply in Sub-Sahara n Africa, like so many other economic and social issues in the region, is often discussed as if the whole sub-continent faced essentially similar, overwhelming and intractable problem s. This pessimistic and over-generalised literature has been criticized elsewhere (Sender, 1999). By contrast, this paper stresses the importance of differences between and within Sub-Saharan African economies in the quantity and quality of labour supplies, and highlights the scope for policies to overcome constraints on employment prospects. The paper also points to the dangers of one-size-fits-all policy recommendations for the labour market, while at the same time identifying certain similarities in the characteristics of the most disadvantaged labour market entrants in many Sub-Saharan African economies. The aim is to begin to isolate the sub-set of policies that might be most relevant for these entrants, if donors and governments wish to re-allocate resources to improve prospects for the poorest Africans.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Development, Economics, and International Political Economy
2850. The Role of the Wider Black Sea Area in a Future European Security Space, Volume 1
- Author:
- Jean Dufourcq(ed.) and Lionel Ponsard(ed.)
- Publication Date:
- 12-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- NATO Defense College
- Abstract:
- The Black Sea is at the forefront of the strategic agenda for 2 005, though its ordinary geographical name tends to conceal the dynamic geopolitical realities of an area where a transformation is in full swing.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Security, and Development
- Political Geography:
- Europe
2851. The Role of the Wider Black Sea Area in a Future European Security Space, Volume 2
- Author:
- Jean Dufourcq(ed.) and Lionel Ponsard(ed.)
- Publication Date:
- 12-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- NATO Defense College
- Abstract:
- This second booklet of reflections on Black Sea security issues is the companion volume to the one published during the continuation of the seminar sponsored by the NSC at Constanta (Romana) on 6 and 7 June 2005 on the subject of “The Role of the Wider Black Sea Area in a Future European Security Space”.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Security, and Development
- Political Geography:
- Europe
2852. A Regional Strategy for Promoting a Free Media and Freedom of Expression in the Middle East and North Africa
- Author:
- Keith Henderson
- Publication Date:
- 02-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Academy of Political Science
- Abstract:
- The main objective of this paper is to encourage open debate and reform action in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region on the need to create the legal and political enabling environment necessary to promote good governance, the Rule of Law and citizen participation. The paper notes that many of the defamation laws in the region still contain criminal penalties, including high fines and imprisonment, and that the threat and enforcement of these laws and policies leads to government censorship, self-censorship and sometimes imprisonment. These practices are now well understood as counter to international obligations and best practices as well as to the guarantees of a free media and free speech enshrined in most MENA Constitutions. The net result of these practices is a culture of secrecy that presents high barriers to sustainable economic and political reform. Collectively, this secrecy effectively muzzles open discussion and critical reform debate and makes the promotion of basic human rights and a good governance reform agenda virtually impossible.
- Topic:
- International Relations and Democratization
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Middle East, and North Africa
2853. Ethiopia: Implications of the May 2005 Elections for Future Democratization Programs
- Author:
- Terrence Lyons
- Publication Date:
- 08-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Academy of Political Science
- Abstract:
- May 15, 2005 elections presented the Ethiopian people a remarkable opportunity to express their political views by participating in a poll that offered them a meaningful choice. In contrast to earlier elections in 1995 and 2000, opposition parties did not boycott but rather competed vigorously across the country. Opposition party mistrust of the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE), reports of intimidation and violence, and highly polarizing rhetoric raised concerns during the pre-election period but did not deter opposition parties from campaigning in nearly every constituency. Live, televised debates on matters of public policy, opposition party access to state-owned media, and huge, peaceful rallies in the final week of campaigning made it clear that these elections would represent a critical moment in Ethiopia's political development. The Ethiopian people recognized this opportunity and turned out in overwhelming numbers to vote, forcing some polling stations in Addis Ababa to stay open 24 hours to accommodate those in line.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Democratization, and Human Rights
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Ethiopia
2854. In Good Company? The Role of Business in Security Sector Reform
- Author:
- Francesco Mancini
- Publication Date:
- 10-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- International Peace Institute
- Abstract:
- Security sector reform (SSR) focuses on security institutions of a state, namely the military, police, intelligence and criminal justice institutions, in order to make them capable of delivering security to citizens consistent with democratic norms. Despite the promotion of comprehensive SSR frameworks and guidelines, projects overwhelmingly focus on the reform of traditional security institutions (ie military and police training). Strengthening civil oversight and governance of the overall security sector are still marginal activities.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Security, Development, and Government
2855. An Action Plan for European Defence. Implementing the Security Strategy
- Author:
- Tomas Valasek, Giovanni Gasparini, Annalisa Monaco, Roberto Menotti, Gerard Quille, and Alyson J. K. Bailes
- Publication Date:
- 05-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- International Security Information Service
- Abstract:
- Alyson Bailes captures the essence of the present context and challenge facing Europe in the early decades of the 21st Century with her opening observation that: “Europe has arrived at a point in history when its conception of security, and security ambitions, are possibly running ahead of the contemporary realities: while its military concepts and assets are lagging behind.”
- Topic:
- International Relations, Security, and Defense Policy
- Political Geography:
- Europe
2856. Assessing the Compatibility of SALW Awareness and Mine Risk Education
- Author:
- Bob Keeley
- Publication Date:
- 11-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- South Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons
- Abstract:
- The MRE message is comparatively simple when compared to the SALW message. Even in countries that have not signed the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty1 it is possible to say that all remaining minefields and all items of unexploded ordnance can be considered a hazard, and that anyone finding any mines or UXO should report them. The SALW issue is more complex, as SALW Awareness messages struggle with the problem that not all weapons are illegal and weapon ownership is – in general – not stigmatised. SALW Awareness projects must therefore struggle with the emphasis they place on either (a) attempting to stigmatise gun ownership with the long term aim of reducing the number of weapons in circulation or (b) concentrating on achieving the comparatively short term aim of preventing accidental injuries resulting from poor gun storage and handling. This problem of 'selection and maintenance of the aim' does not occur in MRE.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Arms Control and Proliferation, and Weapons of Mass Destruction
- Political Geography:
- Europe
2857. Overcoming the Security Council Reform Impasse: The Implausible versus the Plausible
- Author:
- Thomas G. Weiss
- Publication Date:
- 01-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Ralph Bunche Institute for International Studies, City University of New York
- Abstract:
- Anniversaries are a typical time to take stock and think about change. The United Nations (UN) roller coaster ride has been severe in the post-Cold War era – from the euphoria surrounding Security Council decision-making to use military force against Iraq in 1990-1991 when "renaissance" was the common multilateral refrain, to the current morass after severe divisions over the decision by the United States (U.S.) and United Kingdom (UK) to go to war in Iraq in 2003 with a return to the "dark ages" of unilateralism.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Security, Development, and International Organization
- Political Geography:
- United States, Iraq, and United Kingdom
2858. Leaders and Laggards: When and Why do Countries Sign the NPT?
- Author:
- Christopher Way and Karthika Sasikumar
- Publication Date:
- 02-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Centre for International Peace and Security Studies
- Abstract:
- The Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) was concluded at the end of the 1960s, a decade which saw the drama of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the height of the nuclear arms race between the superpowers, and the entry of France and China into the club of countries that had tested nuclear weapons. The basic bargain underlying the NPT allows countries to surrender their right to develop nuclear weapons in return for access to international assistance in civilian nuclear technology. Five countries (the United States, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, France, and China) that had tested nuclear devices before 1 January 1967, were conferred the status of Nuclear Weapon State (NWS) by Article IX. All other signatories (Non Nuclear Weapon States or NNWSs) pledged to abjure the development and diffusion of nuclear weapons technology.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Globalization, Nuclear Weapons, and Treaties and Agreements
- Political Geography:
- United States, China, United Kingdom, France, Soviet Union, and Cuba
2859. Working for Women, Worldwide
- Author:
- Paula J. Dobriansky
- Publication Date:
- 02-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
- Abstract:
- In 1995, at one of the largest international conferences ever held, women from around the world, representing both governments and the private sector, gathered in Beijing to set forth a platform for the political, economic, and social empowerment of women.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Development, and Gender Issues
- Political Geography:
- United States and Beijing
2860. Going the Distance: The U.S. Tsunami Relief Effort
- Publication Date:
- 01-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
- Abstract:
- On December 26, 2004, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake off the west coast of Northern Sumatra, Indonesia, triggered a tsunami—a series of giant waves—that inundated coastal areas of Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, and Malaysia, as well as Indian Ocean islands and parts of East Africa.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Development, Economics, and International Cooperation
- Political Geography:
- Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and East Africa
2861. Nontraditional Security Threats in the U.S.-Mexico Bilateral Relationship: Overview and Recommendations
- Author:
- John Bailey
- Publication Date:
- 01-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Wilson Center
- Abstract:
- Before September 11, 2001, security—primarily, anti-drug trafficking efforts—ranked among the top two or three issues in Mexico-U.S. relations. Since that day, security has dominated the U.S. policy agenda in foreign affairs, including the bilateral agenda. Mexico, which had put more emphasis on migration reform, has accepted the new reality as defined by the United States. This background paper identifies some of the more pressing nontraditional security threats in the U.S.-Mexico bilateral relationship and suggests recommendations to address them. Inevitably somewhat U.S.-centric, my approach is to cover a good deal of ground in broad-brush strokes, providing only enough detail to buttress the main points and illustrate the recommendations.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Security, and Regional Cooperation
- Political Geography:
- United States and Mexico
2862. Challenges in Competitiveness: Infrastructure Development
- Author:
- Raul Rodriguez
- Publication Date:
- 01-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Wilson Center
- Abstract:
- Cross-border cooperation between the U.S. and Mexico in infrastructure development has been the topic of a vast number of conferences, discussion groups and reports for quite some time. But actual cooperation pales in comparison to the dramatic strides achieved in economic and business links between both countries.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Economics, Poverty, and Regional Cooperation
- Political Geography:
- United States and Mexico
2863. No Illusions-Paradigm Shifting on Mexican Migration to the US in the Post- 9-11 World
- Author:
- T. Alexander Aleinikoff
- Publication Date:
- 02-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Wilson Center
- Abstract:
- The U.S.-Mexican immigration relationship has never been good. For most of their histories, the two countries have determined policy unilaterally despite a multitude of interconnections and a shared border of thousands of miles. The willful refusal to recognize common interests, the ability to pretend that sound policies can be crafted in isolation, is remarkable—and deeply counterproductive. Hopes for a “grand bargain” under the leadership of Presidents Fox and Bush faded quickly after the events of September 11, 2001. There may be a time in the future when such an agenda might be fruitfully pursued—and Andrés Rozental's pa per makes eminently sensible suggestions as to the elements that might constitute a grand bargain. But at the moment, at least on the U.S. side, policy development is viewed primarily—if not exclusively—as a matter of domestic politics and legislation. Interestingly, however, the debate on the American side may well play out in terms that are compatible with the elements of a “grand bargain.” I will argue that this result is due to shifting paradigms in the understanding of the U.S.-Mexican relationship: the Bush Administration's immigration proposals show movement away from a paradigm of control and toward one of a hemispheric labor market.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Security, and Regional Cooperation
- Political Geography:
- United States and Mexico
2864. A U.S.-Mexico Partnership in Energy- A Policy of Convenience
- Author:
- José Alberro
- Publication Date:
- 01-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Wilson Center
- Abstract:
- Four years have come and gone in the Mexico-US relationship since the almost simultaneous inaugurations of Presidents Bush and Fox. The optimism bred by their first auspicious meetings has given way to aloofness and/or irritation in the post 9/11 era. Indeed, for some in the United States, Porfirio Díaz's dictum should be turned on its head to state “poor United States, so far away from God and so close to Mexico.” The fact remains that geography is destiny. Moreover, in the post-9/11, post-PRI environment, Mexico and the United States have complementary needs that could become the foundation of a policy of convenience and be the basis for a commitment to further strengthen their long- term economic ties.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Security, and Regional Cooperation
- Political Geography:
- United States and Mexico
2865. Renewing the U.S.-Canada Relationship
- Publication Date:
- 02-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Wilson Center
- Abstract:
- Relations between the United States and Canada have fallen into a noticeably cyclical pattern over the past half century or so. The American Assembly has been able during these years to turn its attention to the U.S.- Canada relationship precisely when it could do the most good. In 1964, when the first such Assembly gathered, sharp disagreements between Ottawa and Washington, primarily over defense and economic matters, ended the long, post-war “golden” period of amicable ties. In a similar vein, the 1984 Assembly met shortly after U.S. Secretary of State George P. Shultz had written President Ronald Reagan that something appeared to be “fundamentally wrong” between the United States and Canada.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Foreign Policy, and Government
- Political Geography:
- North America
2866. U.S.-Australia Alliance Relations: An Australian View
- Author:
- Paul Dibb
- Publication Date:
- 08-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Abstract:
- Australia is America's oldest friend and ally in the Asia-Pacific region. The two countries fought alongside each other in World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the 1991 Gulf War, and most recently in Afghanistan and Iraq. The closeness of the two nations today is without precedent in the history of the relationship. Australia is now America's second closest ally in the world, after the United Kingdom.
- Topic:
- International Relations and Defense Policy
- Political Geography:
- Afghanistan, United States, Iraq, United Kingdom, Vietnam, Australia/Pacific, and Korea
2867. Insurgency: Modern Warfare Evolves into a Fourth Generation
- Author:
- Thomas X. Hammes
- Publication Date:
- 01-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Abstract:
- On May 1, 2003, President George W. Bush declared the end of major combat in Iraq. While most Americans rejoiced at this announcement, students of history understood that it simply meant the easy part was over. In the following months, peace did not break out, and the troops did not come home. In fact, Iraqi insurgents have struck back hard. Instead of peace, each day Americans read about the death of another soldier, the detonation of deadly car bombs, the assassination of civilians, and Iraqi unrest.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Politics, and War
- Political Geography:
- Iraq, America, and Middle East
2868. China Brief, The Dragon's Thirst for Canadian Oil
- Author:
- Wenran Jiang, Willy Lam, David G. Wiencek, and Drew Thompson
- Publication Date:
- 05-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Jamestown Foundation
- Abstract:
- April marked a small leap forward in China's energy relations with Canada. China National Offshore Oil Corp. (CNOOC) put down $150 million for a one-sixth stake in MEG Energy Corp., an upstart oil sands company. This is China's first major investment in Canada's vast oil sands industry. Two days later, Petro China International Co. Ltd. signed a memorandum of understanding with Canada's giant pipeline company Enbridge Inc., promising cooperation in the $2.5 billion Gateway pipeline from Alberta to the West Coast that may supply China with 200,000 barrels of crude a day once completed. China's large energy corporations are predicting more such deals but at a “much bigger” scale.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Government, and Political Economy
- Political Geography:
- China, Canada, and Israel
2869. China Brief,Beijing's Growing Politico-Economic Leverage over Ulaanbaatar
- Author:
- Morris Rossabi, Sergei Blagov, Migeddorj Batchimeg, Alicia Campi, and Wang Wei-Fang
- Publication Date:
- 05-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Jamestown Foundation
- Abstract:
- Just before the 2005 Tsagaan Sar (or New Year's) celebrations, a Mongolian government official urged his fellow citizens not to buy Chinese gifts for relatives and friends because if they did he estimated that $30 million would enter China's coffer.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Government, and Political Economy
- Political Geography:
- China, Eurasia, and Israel
2870. China Brief, Anti-Japanese Protests Pose Long-Term Challenges for Beijing
- Author:
- You Ji, Willy Lam, Tarique Niazi, and John C.k. Daly
- Publication Date:
- 04-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Jamestown Foundation
- Abstract:
- It is not surprising that President Hu Jintao and his colleagues decided in mid-April to cool down anti-Japanese protests: a body blow has been dealt to China's reputation as a responsible member of the global community. The fact that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) administration was close to losing control over xenophobic crowds has again alerted Beijing to the reality that nationalism is a double-edged sword. There are also signs that CCP factions not allied with Hu and his sidekick, Premier Wen Jiabao, have used the worsening crisis with Japan to fault the way that the Hu-Wen team has conducted its foreign policy.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Government, and Political Economy
- Political Geography:
- China and Israel
2871. China Brief, Beijing's Alarm Over New “US Encirclement Conspiracy”
- Author:
- Mohan Malik, Frank Ching, Willy Lam, and William R. Hawkins
- Publication Date:
- 04-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Jamestown Foundation
- Abstract:
- One of Beijing's worst nightmares seems to be coming true. Having apparently steadied the course in the Middle East, the Bush administration is turning to Asia to tame its long-standing “strategic competitor.” While this particular term has been shelved since 9/11 – and Sino-U.S. relations have improved thanks to China's cooperation with Washington's global anti-terrorist campaign – there are signs at least from Beijing's perspective that Washington is spearheading multi-pronged tactics to contain the fast-rising Asian giant.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Government, and Political Economy
- Political Geography:
- China, Israel, and Asia
2872. China Brief, Volume 5, Issue 7 (March 29, 2005)
- Publication Date:
- 03-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Jamestown Foundation
- Abstract:
- Next month is the 50th anniversary of the Bandung Conference, where Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai and Indonesian President Sukarno set out to carve a space for Asian and African countries based on principles of mutual interest, respect for national sovereignty and non-alignment with either the United States or the Soviet Union. In 1955, an economically and politically isolated China aspired to economic self-sufficiency through a closed, planned economy that was not dependent on imported food or other raw materials.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Government, and Political Economy
- Political Geography:
- United States, China, and East Asia
2873. China Brief,Factional Politics and Beijing's Tightening Grip on Hong Kong
- Author:
- Frank Ching, Eugene Kogan, Willy Lam, and Richard A. Bitzinger
- Publication Date:
- 03-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Jamestown Foundation
- Abstract:
- The saga of Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa's fall from grace has highlighted Beijing's tightening grip over the Special Administrative Region (SAR), as well as the dicey future of the “one country, two systems” model. While Tung indicated last Thursday that he had submitted his resignation to Beijing earlier that day because of failing health, news about his impending departure had already been splashed across the Hong Kong papers on March 2
- Topic:
- International Relations, Government, and Political Economy
- Political Geography:
- China and Israel
2874. China Brief,U.S.-Japan Security Declaration Causes China to Reconsider Stance on North Korea
- Author:
- Willy Lam, Arnold Zeitlin, Mikyoung Kim, and Ahmad Lutfi
- Publication Date:
- 03-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Jamestown Foundation
- Abstract:
- The likelihood of Beijing putting more pressure on Pyongyang regarding the nuclear issue has decreased given Hu Jintao's perception that a plethora of “anti-China” actions have been emanating from the Bush administration. This has increased the possibility of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) flaunting the North Korean card against America's so-called containment policy against China – as well as Washington's harder line on Iran
- Topic:
- International Relations, Government, and Political Economy
- Political Geography:
- China and Israel
2875. China Brief, Editor's Note on Chinese Sea Power Special Issue
- Author:
- You Ji, Bernard D. Cole, Tarique Niazi, and Tai Ming Cheung
- Publication Date:
- 02-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Jamestown Foundation
- Abstract:
- As a maritime power, China's naval developments remain an issue of intense interest for Western policymakers as its meteoric economic development paves the way for China's transformation as a major global power. In light of Beijing's quest to secure energy resources, its extensive maritime seaboard, and unresolved territorial disputes, Chinese naval interests deserve continued attention. Undoubtedly, the People's Liberation Army Navy's (PLAN) ability to adequately defend China's sea lines of communication (SLOCs) will be critical to protecting its overseas interests. Jamestown is proud to present this special issue of China Brief on Chinese naval developments and maritime strategy.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Government, and Political Economy
- Political Geography:
- China and Israel
2876. China Brief, Thailand's Security and the Sino-Thai Relationship
- Author:
- Wenran Jiang, Willy Lam, William R. Hawkins, and Anthony Smith
- Publication Date:
- 02-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Jamestown Foundation
- Abstract:
- If one theme characterizes Thailand's foreign policy, it is the ability to take advantage of the rivalries of larger powers. Skillfully avoiding occupation during various colonial enterprises, Thai foreign policy has cleverly sensed the prevailing winds and adapted accordingly. Thailand's close relationship with China – arguably one of the closest in Southeast Asia – sits alongside an alliance relationship with the United States. But the re-emergence of substantial independence sentiment in Thailand's southern provinces has now put Thai diplomacy to the test. Although there is no direct link, in a sense Thailand's separatist problem parallels China's own difficulties in Xinjiang. Thailand's latest challenge, this time domestic, finds that country sharing something of a similar strategic outlook to China.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Government, and Political Economy
- Political Geography:
- China and Israel
2877. China Brief, Taiwan's Election Results: Good News, Bad News, Or No News?
- Author:
- Eric Hagt, Willy Lam, Drew Thompson, Gill Bates, Daniel C. Lynch, and Chen Yali
- Publication Date:
- 01-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Jamestown Foundation
- Abstract:
- The good news about the Taiwan Legislative Yuan elections last month, from the perspective of Beijing, Washington, and at least half of the Taiwan electorate, is that nothing will happen. Chen Shui-bian and his pan-green coalition remained a legislative minority, meaning a radical push ahead for more sovereignty – and the instabilities that might bring for cross-Strait relations – does not appear in the cards for now.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Government, and Political Economy
- Political Geography:
- China and Israel
2878. Private Security Companies: The Case for Regulation
- Author:
- Caroline Holmqvist
- Publication Date:
- 01-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
- Abstract:
- It was estimated in March 2003 that 15 000–20 000 private security contractors were working in Iraq, and the conflict there was referred to as 'the first privatised war'. Since then, both the number and the visibility of contract personnel in Iraq have increased, triggering a broad debate on the role of private companies which provide military and security services to states, corporations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). However, the phenomenon is neither new nor exclusive to the Iraqi conflict. The past decade has seen the rise and consolidation of a global industry for private security provision, with over 100 companies operating in as many countries worldwide.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Security, Development, and Government
- Political Geography:
- Iraq
2879. The Mirage of a United Europe
- Author:
- Robert Vickers
- Publication Date:
- 09-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- MIT Center for International Studies
- Abstract:
- To most Americans, the prospect of a united Europe has long been viewed not only as a favorable development, but even as an increasingly inevitable one. Our common political, religious and cultural heritage, democratic governments, market economies, and Cold War experiences have all contributed to the perception of Europe as a friend and natural ally of the United States, occasional differences not withstanding. The formation of NATO in 1949 gave a military tone to the developing political alliance between the U.S. and Western Europe, and the beginnings of united Europe in the early 1950s was generally viewed in Washington as a favorable trend that would make Western Europe a stronger economic partner and a stronger ally in the struggle against Soviet Communism.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Politics, and Regional Cooperation
- Political Geography:
- United States, America, Europe, Washington, and Soviet Union
2880. Who Needs the U.N.?
- Author:
- Gary G. Troeller
- Publication Date:
- 09-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- MIT Center for International Studies
- Abstract:
- There has long been a feeling in the corridors of power in Washington that the United Nations is irredeemably flawed and condemned to ineffectiveness. It is viewed as an irritating constraint on U.S. power, or worse—expensive, wasteful, slow to act, and irrelevant.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Security, and Politics
- Political Geography:
- United States, Washington, and North America
2881. Iran: Rogue State?
- Author:
- Ali Mostashari
- Publication Date:
- 09-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- MIT Center for International Studies
- Abstract:
- Iran is now an important focal point for U.S. foreign policy. Yet many have argued that the United States lacks a coherent foreign policy on Iran, amounting to no more than an enormous list of “evils”: namely, that Iran exports its radical Islamist revolution, supports Hezbollah and Hamas and actively opposes the Middle East peace process, is building nuclear and biological weapons capacity, was involved in the bombings of the Jewish center in Buenos Aires and the Khobar towers in Saudi Arabia, provides Al-Qaeda with safe passage and refuge, helps insurgents in Iraq, assassinates its own dissidents and oppresses its people, and so on.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Security, Nuclear Weapons, and Terrorism
- Political Geography:
- United States, Iraq, Iran, Middle East, and Saudi Arabia
2882. All Weapons of Mass Destruction Are Not Equal
- Author:
- Allison Macfarlane
- Publication Date:
- 07-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- MIT Center for International Studies
- Abstract:
- In the United States, weapons of mass destruction have become the bête noir of the 21st century. They are now the justification for pre-emptive war, for an expansion of the cold war nuclear arsenal, and for the spending of billions of dollars on offensive and defensive measures. Since significant portions of U.S. foreign and domestic policy are based on this categorization, it is high time to reflect on whether these weapons pose such a lethal threat.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Security, Arms Control and Proliferation, and Politics
- Political Geography:
- United States
2883. Introducing a Series
- Publication Date:
- 04-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- MIT Center for International Studies
- Abstract:
- Politics and public policy, like every walk of life, are fraught with “conventional wisdom”—the folk axioms, bromides, platitudes, and generally superficial explanations that, once entrenched, go unchallenged. Academics, journalists, activists, business leaders and just about everyone else in the chattering classes—right, left, and center—are guilty parties. All of us use conventional wisdom as a shortcut—as a handy way to “know” something about which we have not invested the time and trouble to study closely and understand fully.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Foreign Policy, Government, and Politics
2884. Definitions of strategic political communication
- Author:
- Anders G. Romarheim
- Publication Date:
- 12-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Norwegian Institute of International Affairs
- Abstract:
- Political communication comes in various forms. The first part of this paper presents some variants of political communication, and provides a set of definitions of such communication. A centre of gravity is along the borderline and overlap between rhetoric and propaganda. It is argued here that rhetoric unlike propaganda has a potential for deliberation. Propaganda is inherently hostile towards debate and discussion. This reluctance towards debate and discussion has at times been evident as regards the Bush administration's war on terrorism. The second part of the article deals with propaganda from the Bush administration aimed at quelling debate. All the principals from the first George W. Bush administration (2001-2005) took part in this strategy. Most of the material presented here is explained in more detail in Anders G. Romarheim (2005). “Crossfire of Fear: Propaganda in the US War on Terrorism” Hovedoppgave i Statsvitenskap, ISV, UIO.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Civil Society, and Politics
- Political Geography:
- United States
2885. Formative Assessment: Improving Learning in Secondary Classrooms
- Publication Date:
- 11-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
- Abstract:
- Are pupils learning enough, and learning it well in secondary school classrooms – and how can you tell? Can schools and teachers not only measure the progress made by pupils, but also identify their learning needs and respond to them? Effective assessment is needed to provide effective answers to all these critical questions.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Civil Society, Development, and Education
2886. Agricultural Policy Reform in Brazil
- Publication Date:
- 10-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
- Abstract:
- Brazil is a major player in the global economy, one of the world's 10 largest economies, with a population of 180 million and vast natural resources. Brazil's agricultural land is exceeded only by China, Australia and the United States, and agriculture plays an important role in the country's economy. Primary agriculture accounts for 8% of GDP, while agricultural products account for about 30% of exports.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Agriculture, and Economics
- Political Geography:
- United States, China, Brazil, South America, and Australia
2887. OECD Guidelines for Managing Conflict of Interest in the Public Service
- Publication Date:
- 09-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
- Abstract:
- Conflict of interest has become a key issue in public debate worldwide in recent years, not just in the private sector but also increasingly in the public sector. The breaking down of barriers between public and private sectors — through the privatisation of services, public/private partnerships and exchanges of personnel — has created grey zones and opportunities for corruption. For instance, conflicts between public officials' individual private interests and their public duties have multiplied due to the contracting out of government functions such as defence. Temporary public service employees could in particular use information that is not available to the public concerning defence department policies to obtain contracts with future clients.
- Topic:
- Conflict Resolution, International Relations, Government, and Privatization
2888. Nuclear Energy Today
- Publication Date:
- 02-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
- Abstract:
- Nuclear energy has been used to produce electricity for more than half a century. It currently provides about 17% of the world's supply and 23% in OECD countries. The oil crisis of the early 1970s provoked a surge in nuclear power plant orders and construction, but as oil prices stabilised and even dropped, and enough electricity generating plants came into service to meet demand, orders tailed off. Accidents at Three Mile Island in the United States (1979) and at Chernobyl in Ukraine (1986) also raised serious questions in the public mind about nuclear safety.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Development, Nuclear Weapons, and Science and Technology
- Political Geography:
- United States and Ukraine
2889. The Case Against a Near-Term Decision to Reprocess Spent Nuclear Fuel in the United States
- Author:
- Matthew Bunn
- Publication Date:
- 06-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University
- Abstract:
- MADAM CHAIRWOMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE: It is an honor to be here today to discuss a subject that is very important to the future of nuclear energy and efforts to stem the spread of nuclear weapons – reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Development, Energy Policy, and Nuclear Weapons
- Political Geography:
- United States
2890. Global Health Governance: Conflicts on Global Social Rights
- Author:
- Wolfgang Hein and Lars Kohlmorgen
- Publication Date:
- 08-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- German Institute of Global and Area Studies
- Abstract:
- This paper analyses the impact of new institutional structures in global health governance on the realization of social rights in poor countries. Meanwhile, health is broadly seen as an import precondition for social and economic development. This leads to an integration of the “diseases of the poor” (basically infectious diseases) into strategies of fighting poverty. Considering the example of global HIV/AIDS politics, the paper argues that new governance modes increase the participation of civil society groups and affected communities, but that they are also frequently instrumentalised by powerful actors to pursue their particular interests. In fact, increasing resources are mobilized for the fight against poverty related diseases. The paper concludes that global health governance is characterized by a combination of moral values and material interests which does not guarantee a comprehensive realization of social rights, but which allows some progress in the fight against poverty-related diseases – a precondition of the possible further realization of social rights.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Health, and Human Rights
2891. Culture and Collective Action - Japan, Germany and the United States after September 11, 2001
- Author:
- Dirk Nabers
- Publication Date:
- 09-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- German Institute of Global and Area Studies
- Abstract:
- In order to provide a lens to the issue of international security cooperation after 11 September 2001, this paper will examine the question of how collective action in international relations becomes possible. The author maintains that it is possible to understand, if not explain, a fair amount of inter-state collective action by analyzing the culture of the international system. Using discourse analysis as a tool, the analysis addresses the underlying ideas, norms and identities that constitute the relationship between the United States and Japan on the one hand and Germany and the United States on the other hand as it evolved since September 2001. As a result, the paper argues that even if the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington have led to strong pressure on states like the United States, Germany and Japan to form a collective identity, rivalling identities have yet not given way.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Security, and Terrorism
- Political Geography:
- United States, Japan, New York, Washington, Asia, and Germany
2892. Resolving Nigeria's Paris Club Debt Problem: A Case of Non-Performing Creditors
- Author:
- Lex Rieffel
- Publication Date:
- 08-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- Intense domestic pressure has convinced Nigeria's President, Olusegun Obasanjo, to consider a deal that would eliminate the country's $31 billion of debt owed to the governments of the United Kingdom, France, and other aid-giving countries.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Debt, and Economics
- Political Geography:
- Africa, United Kingdom, Paris, France, and Nigeria
2893. Can Rich Countries Afford to Grow Old?
- Author:
- Gary Burtless
- Publication Date:
- 07-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- Observers in many industrialized countries believe population aging represents a serious economic threat. Increases in the percentage of the population past retirement age may impose unsustainable burdens on future workers. Either taxes or government debt will have to rise substantially to pay for old-age income support. This paper considers the extent of these burdens and corrects the widespread impression that the burdens are unsupportable. Population aging means that contributions needed to support the retired elderly must rise. But this extra burden will be at least partly offset by a reduced need to support the dependent young, who will become relatively less numerous. The extra burden of an aging population would be smaller still if labor force participation rates among the working-age and elderly populations increased. Indeed, employment rates among the nonaged have risen in nearly all the industrialized countries as a growing percentage of women has entered the work force. Many countries, including the United States, have adopted policies to encourage work among people past the traditional retirement age.
- Topic:
- Conflict Prevention, International Relations, Economics, Government, and Population
- Political Geography:
- United States
2894. The Millennium Challenge Account: Moving Toward Smarter Aid
- Author:
- Lex Rieffel and James W. Fox
- Publication Date:
- 07-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- The Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) proposed by President George W. Bush in March 2002 is an important step toward smarter US assistance to low-income countries. While it cannot yet be said to represent a revolution in development assistance, it is a welcome experiment and merits substantial funding by the Congress.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Development, Economics, and Human Welfare
- Political Geography:
- United States
2895. U.S. Foreign Assistance to Africa: Claims vs. Reality
- Author:
- Susan E. Rice
- Publication Date:
- 06-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- The Bush Administration has significantly increased aid to Africa, but that increase falls far short of what the President has claimed. U.S. aid to Africa from FY 2000 (the last full budget year of the Clinton Administration) to FY2004 (the last completed fiscal year of the Bush Administration) has not "tripled" or even doubled. Rather, in real dollars, it has increased 56% (or 67% in nominal dollar terms). The majority of that increase consists of emergency food aid, rather than assistance for sustainable development of the sort Africa needs to achieve lasting poverty reduction.
- Topic:
- International Relations and Human Welfare
- Political Geography:
- Africa and United States
2896. WTO Dispute Settlement and the Missing Developing Country Cases: Engaging the Private Sector
- Author:
- Chad P. Bown and Bernard M. Hoekman
- Publication Date:
- 05-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- The poorest WTO member countries almost universally fail to engage as either complainants or interested third parties in formal dispute settlement activity related to their market access interests. This paper focuses on costs of the WTO's extended litigation process as an explanation for the potential but "missing" developing country engagement. We provide a positive examination of the current system, and we catalogue and analyze a set of proposals encouraging the private sector to provide DSU-specific legal assistance to poor countries. We investigate the role of legal service centres, non-governmental organizations, development organizations, international trade litigators, economists, consumer organizations, and even law schools to provide poor countries with the missing services needed at critical stages of the WTO's extended litigation process. In the absence of systemic rules reform, the public-private partnership model imposes a substantial cooperation burden on such groups as they organize export interests, estimate the size of improved market access payoffs, prioritize across potential cases, engage domestic governments, prepare legal briefs, assist in evidentiary discovery, and pursue the public relations effort required to induce foreign political compliance.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Development, Economics, and Third World
2897. Global Health and Global Governance: Prioritizing Health within the Framework of the Millennium Development Goals
- Author:
- Colin I. Bradford
- Publication Date:
- 01-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- Global health conditions are in a state of crisis. Not only are poor health conditions in poor countries ravaging lives and restraining development, but the HIV/AIDS pandemic is threatening to undermine progress on all other fronts in developing countries and menacing the sense of health security in industrial countries.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Development, Human Welfare, and Politics
2898. Nigeria's Paris Club Debt Problem
- Publication Date:
- 08-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- Intense domestic pressure has convinced Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo to seek a deal that would eliminate the country's $31 billion of debt owed to the governments of the U.K., France, and other aid-giving countries that use the Paris Club process to restructure debt that countries cannot repay. The Paris Club creditors have proposed an unprecedented operation—its first-ever buyback at a discount—that would cancel all of Nigeria's debt to them in exchange for a cash payment of roughly $12 billion.
- Topic:
- Conflict Resolution, International Relations, and Debt
- Political Geography:
- Africa, United Kingdom, Paris, France, and Nigeria
2899. Moving Toward Smarter Aid
- Publication Date:
- 08-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is seriously wounded. Unveiled by President Bush in March 2002 as a promising new bilateral aid instrument for tackling global poverty, the most prominent sign of the MCC's distress was the mid-summer resignation of Paul Applegarth, its first CEO. More disturbing are the cuts imposed by the Congressional committees marking up next year's budget. The MCC's original concept was to award $5 billion annually to low-income countries based on objective criteria measuring their performance in ruling justly, investing in people, and promoting economic freedom. Appropriations for the MCC in its third year of funding, however, appear to be stuck below $2 billion. Criticism of the MCC for getting off to a slow start misses the point. Creating a new agency takes time and the original concept remains valid. To enable the MCC to live up to its potential, its newly nominated CEO will have to sell the MCC vision to a skeptical Congress and gain the flexibility required to avoid drifting toward "more of the same."
- Topic:
- International Relations, Debt, Economics, and Poverty
2900. Can the U.S. Government Live Within Its Means? Lessons from Abroad
- Author:
- Allen Schick
- Publication Date:
- 06-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- When George W. Bush leaves office in 2009, the federal government will owe at least $15,000 more for every American than it did when he became president eight years earlier. This unprecedented build-up of public debt will result from budget deficits projected to average more than $250 billion a year during the Bush presidency, plus more than one trillion dollars borrowed from social security trust funds. Although this budget projection may be high, there is far greater risk that actual deficits will exceed current estimates than that they will be lower.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Economics, and Government
- Political Geography:
- United States