2013-04-02 In a report published in 2012, the Japanese Institute for Defense Studies provided an overview of the evolving challenge posed by how the Chinese are pursuing their defense and security efforts. The report is the third in a series and focuses upon Chinese decision-making and policy coordination involving the…
2013-04-01 by Dr. Harald Malmgren The Troika (EU Commission, ECB, and IMF) enthusiastically declared “success” in the late March bailout of Cyprus banks. Early this year European finance ministers grew increasingly worried that Cyprus banks would default. The total assets of these banks stood at 7 to8 times the total…
2013-03-30 by Richard Weitz Many questions remain regarding the actual capability of Iran’s ballistic missile program, especially the range and accuracy of the missiles, how rapidly Iran could arm them with a nuclear warhead, and Tehran’s intentions and strategy regarding the possible use of these missiles. However, Iran clearly possesses…
2013-03-27 by Richard Weitz The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) is working on an intercontinental-range missile (ICBM) capable of hitting targets as far as California and Alaska. In 1998, 2006, 2009, April 2012, and most recently in December 2012, the DPRK test launched a three-stage long-range missile designed to…
2013-03-26 by Richard Weitz For decades, U.S. strategy has been to defend the territory of the United States, its people, U.S. allies, and U.S. military forces deployed overseas against a deliberate, accidental or unauthorized ballistic missile attack. The United States has been developing and deploying a range of BMD systems…
2013-03-24 We have argued that with the benign neglect of nuclear warfighting by the United States, the American allies in the Pacific will rethink their posture on relying solely on the US nuclear deterrent. And given the modest sized response by the US with its South Korean allies in the current…
2013-03-19 By Ed Timperlake and Robbin Laird When the Senate Armed Services Committee was grilling the new nominee for Secretary of Defense, more time was spent on his views on the surge in Iraq than the focal point of his first test: North Korea. In fact, the subject did not…
2013-03-18 by Robbin Laird The Western powers are facing the end game in Afghanistan. Whether what they do in the next few months is a transition or an exit remains up in the air. I mean this quite literally. If the Afghans as a nation are going to work together…