Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
- Follow Carnegie
- Search
- Global Resources
Global Centers
Languages
Russia's stances toward the U.S., NATO and the EU have also become more contentious. Many of these discussions are replete with dubious interpretations of revisionist history and patently unconstructive approaches from both sides, especially concerning the future of Russia's role in the G-8 and its ties with the newly expanded NATO.
The frequency of terrorist acts worldwide attributed to Al Qaeda has increased, compared to the pre-9/11 period. U.S. politicians and analysts have said much about how the war against Al Qaeda in Afghanistan should have been finished before starting another war in Iraq. But the conduct of the war in Afghanistan itself is also to blame.
Since the declaration of war against terror, America and its allies have detained or killed 70 per cent of Al Qaida's senior leaders. But the frequency of terrorist acts has increased. This is because US strategy in Afghanistan assumed that terrorists couldn’t operate without state sponsorship. Ideological motivation is now more important for Al Qaida recruitment than a state sponsor.
U.S. counterterrorism policy and the foreign policy to which it is connected are still flawed. That may be the reason why the number of terrorist attacks worldwide has actually increased, instead of decreasing, after the Bush administration launched the global war against terrorism.
The historic events in Libya, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran and North Korea have raised several key questions that help frame the proliferation debate over the future direction of U.S. non-proliferation policy.
The political progress in Taiwan and Hong Kong is good news. Ever since Taiwan began its transition to democracy in the late 1980s, optimists have hoped that its opening would serve as a shining beacon for the mainland. But only democratization within China can transform the country.