Israel and Lebanon clash at the border; Arming the Saudis; Terror title shifts to South Asia; IMU leader Yuldashev dead

Does Washington care about freedom in Iran? On the surface, it seems like a silly question. Ever since Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini swept to power in 1979, Washington policymakers of all political stripes have been holding out hope that a kinder, gentler regime would emerge in Tehran. Republican and Democratic administrations alike have expressed their support for freedom within the Islamic Republic, and both sides of the political aisle have condemned the regime's repressive domestic practices. Yet, concrete proof of the U.S. commitment to pluralism in Iran is hard to come by. The strategies by which the United States can assist Iran's opposition remain poorly understood and even less effectively implemented. This is unfortunate, since with the proper vision and political will, the United States can harness economic, diplomatic, and informational strategies to significantly affect the unfolding struggle for Iran's soul.

Beijing audits new rural medical system; China grapples with syphilis epidemic

The latest issue to raise heckles [in India] has been cyberespionage. In January, India’s National Security Advisor MK Naryanan directly blamed China for multiple hacking attacks, and the chairman of India’s Cyber Law and IT Act Committee warned that same month that China had “raised a cyber army of about 300,000 people and their only job is to intrude upon the secured networks of other countries.” In April, a study by US and Canadian researchers claimed that a Chinese ‘shadow network’ had copied secret files of India’s defence ministry, potentially compromising some of India’s advanced weapons systems.

China-based hackers compromise nine Indian embassies; Beijing sends patrol boats to escort fisherman in South China Sea

RUSSIAN NUKE SUB TO INDIA ON 10 YEAR LEASE; A RECORD YEAR FOR VIOLENCE IN PAK; INDIA FEARS CHINA'S CYBER ARMY; ABYSMAL STATE OF PAK PUBLIC EDUCATION

Russia and cybersecurity: ally or adversary?;
Soviet nostalgia runs deep

China, India continue military buildup along border; Vietnam seeking multilateral forum for South China Sea dispute

Beijing's "Great Firewall" stifling China's netizens; Washington neutral on South China Sea spat

Beijing finds environmental policies ignored; Anti-corruption drive catches another leader in its net

The primary purpose of U.S. public diplomacy is to explain, promote, and defend American principles to audiences abroad. This objective goes well beyond the public affairs function of presenting and explaining the specific policies of various administrations. Policies and administrations change; principles do not, so long as the United States remains true to itself. Public diplomacy has a particularly vital mission during war, when the peoples of other countries, whether adversaries or allies, need to know why we fight. After all, it is a conflict of ideas that is behind the shooting wars, and it is that conflict which must be won to achieve any lasting success.

China, neighbors harden claims to Spratleys; CCP bugging cabs in Beijing

Russia's version of net-centric warfare;
"Root causes" in the Caucasus

China signs blockbuster gas deal with Australia; Beijing warns lawyers not to handle Xinjiang cases

Defiant in Tehran; How Iran sees energy sanctions; A legal offensive

SPECIAL ISSUE: The Islamic Republic Strikes Back

Winning the Long War is a trenchant examination of the past seven years of the Global War on Terror, the future battlegrounds that will confront the United States in the struggle against radical Islam in the years ahead, and how America can reclaim the initiative in what has become the defining struggle of the twenty-first century.

New censorship software to be included in all Chinese PCs; Beijing reforms stale "petition system"

Moscow-Baghdad ties on the mend;
Russians blame the Kremlin for economic malaise

Chinese progress on Beidou satellite system; Moscow and Beijing closing the gap on Jiangsu pipeline