‘Ripeness is all’, noted Edgar in Shakespeare’s King Lear. When it comes to negotiations to limit or end international conflicts, he is right: agreements emerge only when the leading protagonists are willing to compromise and …
The United States and China are this week marking the golden anniversary of their modern relationship. In February 1972, US President Richard Nixon and his national security adviser, Henry Kissinger, stepped off a plane in …
Russian President Vladimir Putin regularly showcases his skills in judo and other martial arts. Success in these sports often depends on what the Japanese call kuzushi—unbalancing one’s opponent by employing techniques designed to disrupt their …
My 2017 book, A world in disarray, was published five years ago this month. The book’s thesis was that the Cold War’s end did not usher in an era of greater stability, security and peace, …
In recent months, Russia has positioned a large and capable military force along its border with Ukraine. What we do not know is why Russian President Vladimir Putin has done this (capabilities are always easier …
Negotiations between Iran and the United States on Iran’s nuclear activities are set to resume on 29 November. But while many will welcome this development, they should bear in mind that the talks are unlikely …
Colin Powell, former US national security adviser, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and secretary of state, who died this week at the age of 84, was a quintessential American, the son of immigrants. …
The relationship between the United States and China promises to do much to define this era. And what could determine this relationship might well be whether the two countries are able to continue to avoid …
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has fled the country. His government has collapsed as Taliban fighters enter Kabul. Bringing back memories of the ignominious fall of Saigon in 1975, two decades of America’s military presence in …
The northern summer of 2021 has come to be largely defined by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and accelerating climate change. Both are manifestations of globalisation and the reality of a world increasingly defined by the …
During the Cold War, summit meetings between the United States and the Soviet Union were often dominated by agreements to set limits on nuclear weapons and the systems built to deliver them. The US and …
It’s been a year and a half since we started living with—and too often dying from—Covid-19. Although the pandemic is by no means over, it’s not too soon to take a step back and draw …