Asia & the Pacific

The authors analyze the U.S.–North Korea nuclear standoff and the role of back channel negotiations and then develop a game theory framework for understanding why back channels can be beneficial.

In the wake to the highly anticipated encounter between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore, the Center for International Security and Governance hosted a lecture and panel discussion with Cathryn Clüver Ashbrook, Executive Director of the Future of Diplomacy Project at the Harvard Kennedy School, on June 14^th 2018. Dr. Enrico Fels, who was also scheduled to participate in the panel discussion, regrettably had to cancel his participation last minute due to personal reasons.

Stephen Walt outlines why treating foes as inherently irrational has real costs, such as making preventive war seem like a more attractive option than either diplomacy or deterrence.

Chuck Freilich provides an analysis of the recent Kim-Trump summit in Singapore that includes implications for Israel.

Andrew Taffer writes that negotiating the terms of an alliance with a common enemy is an effective way to undermine confidence among a state’s allies.

Stephen Walt critiques Donald Trump's approach to foreign policy.

Mahsa Rouhi compares and contrasts the situations with Iran and North Korea and warns of the consequences.

Ilan Goldenberg and Ariane Tabatabai analyze the consequences of U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA.

Stephen Walt writes that a successful summit just might be possible if both sides agree on the answers to these three questions: Does the agreement reduce the danger of war?; Is the agreement likely to last?; and How will an agreement affect the U.S. security position in Asia? 

The small open economies of the Gulf and Southeast Asia are pioneers in the establishment of

Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs). The SWFs of countries like Qatar and Singapore are among the

world’s largest in terms of total asset size relative to Gross Domestic Product. This article looks

at the different compulsions behind the setting up of SWFs by small open economies.