Articles written by Seth McLaughlin
By Seth McLaughlin
10 Nov 2009 |
World Politics Review
China figures into virtually every major U.S. foreign policy objective -- from North Korea and Iran to economic recovery and climate change -- and plays the role of U.S. rival, competitor and partner all at the same time. Managing this complex relationship is a major policy priority for the Obama administration.
By Seth McLaughlin
25 Sep 2009 |
World Politics Review
UNITED NATIONS -- President Barack Obama sprinted through three days of
international diplomacy at the United Nations General Assembly, vowing
to re-engage the world body and pushing through a Security Council
resolution that inched him closer to his dream of a nuclear
weapons-free world -- all the while warning he would never apologize
for defending America's interests.
By Seth McLaughlin
04 Sep 2009 |
World Politics Review
R. Nicholas Burns, the former under secretary of state for political
affairs, says it is unlikely that Iran will make a serious effort to
work with the United States in curbing its nuclear program, but that
President Barack Obama's push for diplomatic talks is a necessary step
in building international support for harsher sanctions and, in a
worst-case scenario, military force.
By Seth McLaughlin
10 Jul 2009 |
World Politics Review
WASHINGTON -- The State Department's reluctance to define the military ouster of Honduras President Manuel Zelaya as a "coup" is fueling a political and legal debate over the definition of "coup," and whether the de facto Honduran government is legal. It is also testing President Barack Obama's desire to improve relations with Latin America and its leaders.
By Seth McLaughlin
08 May 2009 |
World Politics Review
A newly issued U.S. Army field manual has put people on notice: Video games are serious training tools. In its first revision since
9/11, the U.S. Army field manual for training mentions gaming 32 times, describing it as as a key ingredient in replicating "an actual operational environment." The new doctrine is another reminder of how gaming is
rapidly redefining military recruitment and training.
By Seth McLaughlin
15 Apr 2009 |
World Politics Review
The effort to reinstate Cuba to the Organization of
American States is a prominent storyline heading
into the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago,
where 34 leaders from the hemisphere will meet to discuss economic, energy and security issues.
But the meeting's narrative also includes an opportunity for President Barack Obama
to redefine U.S.-Latin American relations.
By Seth McLaughlin
19 Feb 2009 |
World Politics Review
The results of Israel's recent elections have led many to wonder about the future
of peace talks with the Palestinian Authority. But determining who, between the more secular Fatah
leaders in the West Bank and the Islamist Hamas leaders in the Gaza
Strip, represents the Palestinian people is another significant obstacle
to any future peace deals between Israelis and
Palestinians.
By Seth McLaughlin
08 Dec 2008 |
World Politics Review
Ten years ago, Bruce Riedel sent a memo to his boss,
then-President Bill Clinton. In it, he called Pakistan the most
dangerous country in the world. Armed with nuclear weapons, Pakistan sponsored
terrorists, was awash in drugs and consistently teetered on the verge
of wars with neighboring India, its nuclear rival. Today, little has changed and Riedel,
reportedly tapped as President-elect Barack Obama's Pakistan adviser,
continues to bristle at the possible problems the nation of 165 million
people poses for the United States.
By Seth McLaughlin
22 Oct 2008 |
World Politics Review Exclusive
The election of five new non-permanent members to the United
Nations Security Council sent starkly different messages to two
neighboring Muslim nations in the Middle East. Turkey, which has been actively engaged in settling regional disputes and lobbied hard in the months leading up
to the election, easily won a seat. Iran, which has fought U.N. sanctions over its disputed nuclear program and defied UNSC resolutions to freeze its uranium enrichment, saw its
hopes of holding a seat for the first time since 1956 crushed.
By Seth McLaughlin
25 Sep 2008 |
World Politics Review Exclusive
UNITED NATIONS -- In his farewell speech to the United Nations
this week, U.S. President George W. Bush assessed the utility of the
world body in a way that represents a significant departure from his
administration's earlier policy. Bush told
members of the U.N. General Assembly, "a clear lesson has emerged: The
United Nations and other multilateral organizations are needed more
urgently than ever." His Sept. 23 speech also fueled speculation here about the next
U.S. president's policy toward the body.