Countering Iranian Influence in Latin America (Updated)

01/15/2012
01/15/2012 by Richard Weitz Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's recent five-day, four-country Latin American tour, his fifth to the region as president, has been designed to bolster his reelection chances by showing his supposed global clout, achieve economic gains through bilateral deals, and circumvent international sanctions, which are becoming increasingly severe.…

Bold Alligator 2012: The USN-USMC Team Shapes the Future (Updated)

01/13/2012
01/13/2012 by Robbin Laird The USN-USMC team is building forces for the future : as the largest amphibious exercise since the 1990s will take place starting this month in Norfolk, Va, it will include not only US forces but French, Dutch and British forces as well. The USN-USMC team is…

The Long Reach of Aegis

01/12/2012
01/12/2012 by Robbin Laird Combining Aegis with the new Joint Strike Fighter will enhance coverage and lead to a global honeycomb of defensive capabilities…. Aegis capabilities are essential for power projection against missiles and other threats, especially in light of the current instability and uncertainty emanating from areas such as…

Pakistan-US Relations: 2012

01/10/2012
01/10/2012 by Richard Weitz 2012 will prove challenging for the US-Pakistani relationship.  And this relationship will have a core relationship to the Afghan end game and the evolution of security relationships in the region. Dealing with the blow ups at the end of 2011 will be important. The Unites States…

The Frozen in Time 4

01/10/2012
01/10/2011 by Ed Timerplake In a recent personal attack on Dr. Carafano of the Heritage Foundation, Thomas Christie, Pierre Sprey, Chuck Spinney and Winslow Wheeler wander out of the Platonic cave to argue once again against new aircraft. [caption id="attachment_32160" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The Frozen in Time 4 Can't Make the…

Saudi Arms Deal Fortifies US Regional Security Ties

01/08/2012
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="150" caption=" "][/caption] By Dr. Richard Weitz 01/08/2011 - The U.S. Government’s Conventional Arms Transfer Policy requires that major sales advance U.S. national interests, are consistent with the recipient country’s legitimate security needs, and support U.S. regional security objectives. The sales to Saudi Arabia are widely supported…

China and the North Korean Succession

01/07/2012
By Dr. Richard Weitz 01/07/2011 - The international community has looked to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to influence the North Korean succession process in ways that help end the protracted dispute over Pyongyang’s nuclear program and other threatening behavior. The PRC is North Korea’s most important foreign diplomatic,…

Saudi Arms Deal offers Boeing Military Aviation a Lifeline

01/03/2012
01/03/2012 by Richard Weitz On December 29, the Obama administration announced that the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have finalized the deal to provide advanced F-15SA combat aircraft to the Royal Saudi Air Force.  The sale has gained widespread support within the U.S. defense community and will…