In his article “Think Again: Failed States,” James Traub argues that a distinction should be made between “hapless” and “intentional” failed states. Contending that the former are more benign than the latter, Traub finds that some failed states pose real threats to the U.S. and the West, while others do not. Using this model, Traub classifies states such … Read more
The golden facades of Peter the Great’s prized Winter Palace glimmered beside us as the northern-summer sun passed behind the statues of the imperial parapet, hardly on its way to sunset. It was 10 P.M. and the beginning of yet another of St. Petersburg’s famed belye nochi (white nights). After nearly an hour, a few … Read more
On Tuesday, June 14, Zion Oil & Gas, Inc. announced it had requested a petroleum exploration permit to develop large shale oil deposits in the Shfela Basin, 30 miles west of Jerusalem. Zion Oil & Gas is one of many companies beginning to develop Israel’s large shale oil deposits. Though the reserves were discovered years … Read more
I have nothing new to contribute on Anthony Weiner’s Twitter debacle. And, whether or not I consider it important enough to cover (read: not), we can count on Sarah Palin to ‘refudiate’ herself at least every few months. But thanks to the pervasive, horizontal nature of social media, you no longer need to be a politician to have … Read more
On March 20, Hugo Chavez once again became the subject of international headlines when the Venezuelan president condemned U.S.-led military action in Libya, arguing that intervention was part of an American plan to control Libya’s oil supplies. Chavez further alluded to the possibility of an American intervention in Venezuela, to which he responded, “Don’t even … Read more
Deep in theLacandon Jungle of Chiapas, Mexico, a balaclava-clad guerilla puffs on his pipe, spouting socialist rhetoric. “What we’re going to do is shake this country up from below, pick it up and turn it on its head,” he declares. At first glance, the insurgent might seem the emblematic Latin American revolutionary, with ideology from … Read more
In 1993, when novelist William Gibson called Singapore “Disneyland with the death penalty,” the phrase struck a chord. Nearly twenty years later, Gibson’s formulation is still around, but the bite it once struck seems to have worn off. In those intervening years, Singapore has risen to become a model state in the eyes of the … Read more
One of the most common motifs in world politics has been fragmentation along sectarian lines. Since the Biblical breakup of Solomon’s kingdom to now in South Sudan, nationalistic, ethnic, and cultural divisions express themselves through movements for secession: the breaking off of one part from a sovereign, whole state entity. In 1900, there were 57 … Read more
On the 16th of February 2011, protests in Benghazi, Libya erupted after the arrest of a civil rights activist and critic of Muammar Gaddafi. By the 20th, the conflict had spread to Tripoli, the country’s capital. Since then, the country has been under siege by opposition groups, and the reality of each side’s progress has … Read more
At first glance, the Colombian presidential election of 2010 seemed a great deal like a turning point in the nation’s politics. The election featured new issues, new parties, and, most important, a field of candidates that did not include Álvaro Uribe. Without the presence of the country’s extremely popular president, debates were contentions and the … Read more