Bay of Pigs has Lessons for Our Time
JFK lacked the self-confidence to stare down the military and intelligence chiefs who thrust a reckless military plan on him, but he learned from the mistake and grew into a far more seasoned global leader.
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Publications
Russia Reform Monitor No. 2454
Russian military buildup spurring Ukrainian fears;
Nine doctors detained as Navalny health concerns soar;
EU regulator to investigate Sputnik trials;
Russia, Pakistan tighten military ties;
White House: Rejoining open skies will send "wrong message";
Zoom blocks government access, Kremlin threatens ban
China Reform Monitor No. 1459
"China's schoolkids buckle under pressure" - CAIXIN;
BBC China correspondent moves to Taiwan after threats;
UK urges G7: "It's time to get tough with China";
Hong Kong does not warrant special status, says Blinken;
A sitting U.S. ambassador visits Taiwan for the first time since 1979
Russia Reform Monitor No.2453
All smart electronics now required to run Russian apps;
Putin signs law that allows him to rule until 2036;
Russia extends space deal with U.S. until 2030;
A Russian buildup in the Arctic;
Kremlin takes aim at Twitter;
Navalny moved to sick ward amid suspected TB outbreak
To Counter Beijing, Send In the Coast Guard
China exploits ambiguity at sea, and the service could be a vital part of the effort to keep the peace.
Iran Democracy Monitor No. 216
Iran's burgeoning naval arsenal;
How Iran learned to love cryptocurrency;
Tehran works to silence its critics;
Iran's deepening religious roots in Syria
How Do You Solve A Problem Like MbS?
In dealing with Mohammed bin Salman, the United States faces a familiar choice: continue to work with him or press for his ouster as crown prince.
Russia Reform Monitor No. 2452
Papering over Siberia's problems;
Hackers targeted emailed account of DHS head;
Father of top Navalny ally arrested;
Slovakia's Prime Minister resigns over Russian vaccine scandal;
Russian physicians sign a petition to examine Navalny
Defense Technology Monitor No. 63
Rethinking rocket fuel sources;
The tech promise of plants;
Simulating the human brain with cobalt;
Resilient, regenerative materials;
U.S. Army develops pulsed laser weapon
Beware the Women of ISIS
The female cadres of ISIS are now poised to expand as a result of a new generation of extremists now being incubated in Syria’s assorted refugees camps.
US withdrawal from Afghanistan spells dangerous geopolitical realignments
The Biden administration, like its predecessor, is poised to withdraw the remaining American troops from Afghanistan — at great cost to both its own and its allies’ interests.
Russia Reform Monitor No. 2451
Navalny allies call for "biggest protest Russia has seen";
Russia, China push for UN summit, oppose outside "interference";
Putin receives first vaccine dose behind closed doors;
Navalny's health "deteriorating," according to aides;
Russian language gains traction in Nagorno-Karabakh;
Worries over Russia's newest vaccine
China Chooses Sides In The Middle East
China's geopolitical ambitions in the Middle East took a giant leap forward over the weekend, when Chinese and Iranian officials convened in Tehran to formally sign a massive new cooperation agreement.
Is America Ready for China’s Belt and Road Challenge?
The Biden administration is going to need a coordinated, multifaceted plan to counter the changing shape of the Belt and Road Initiative if it means to truly engage in great-power competition with Beijing.
US must prepare for cold war with China
The United States and China show growing signs of entering a long-term cold war, strikingly similar to the U.S.-Soviet cold war of decades past...
Russia Reform Monitor No. 2450
Hezbollah curries favor in Moscow;
Three NGOs file legal case against Wagner...;
...as paper targeted;
Putin holds Moscow rally to celebrate Crimean annexation;
Ukrainians stripped of land-owning rights in Crimea;
Moscow recalls envoy after murder "spat"
Beijing’s Schadenfreude Over the Capitol Riots Conceals Deep Anxiety
China’s elite are nervous about the coming succession crisis around Xi Jinping.
Iranians Are Looking Beyond Ayatollahs And The Islamic Republic
Evidence mounts that the captive population that the ayatollahs control is seeking change
China Reform Monitor No. 1458
U.S., Japan will cooperate if China attacks Taiwan;
U.S. punishes 24 PRC officials for Hong Kong policies;
China punishes Microsoft's LinkedIn for lax censorship;
Beijing denies hacking India's COVID-19 vaccine makers;
Anti-China sentiment rises in Myanmar
The Human Rights Element of Iran Policy
Iranians are largely pro-Western and are subjugated by an anti-American regime, their interests and those of the United States align in important and, as yet, untapped ways.
China’s Next Geopolitical Goal: Dominate Antarctica
The Biden administration has an opportunity to push back against China’s ambitions in the Antarctic and affirm the international institutions that it has promised to revive.
Russia Reform Monitor No. 2449
Biden team preps retaliation for Solarwinds hack;
Moscow, Beijing plot joint lunar station;
Bitcoin mine "digs deep" in Siberia";
Sputnik-V vaccine slated for Italian production;
Russia slows down Twitter;
Russia plans conference to further "inter-Afghan talks"
Will Biden’s Real China Strategy Please Stand Up?
From the outset of the Biden administration, there has been widespread speculation about the future of America's China policy.
China Reform Monitor No. 1457
China caught in "low-fertility trap" - Demographers;
Beijing enforces "Patriots Only" rule in Hong Kong;
China and Russia partner on Lunar Space Station;
Pakistan bans China's Tiktok for "immoral and indecent content";
China grants Sri Lanka $1.5 billion currency swap
State of Islamism 2021 | Issue 1 | Jordan
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has faced growing internal instability and a mounting challenge from extremist actors.
Iran’s Opposition Is Sending Washington a Message
Something profound is taking shape inside Iran. Mere months from the country's next presidential election, and in the midst of a U.S. push for reengagement with its clerical regime, recent days have seen new signs of life from—and coordination among—Iran's notoriously fragmented opposition.
Resource Security Watch No. 36
Climate and a volatile Middle East;
The world looks to wind;
Climate and the new U.S. agenda
Global Islamism Monitor No. 86
Thinking anew about ISIS finances in Washington...;
...as the Islamic State surges in Iraq...;
...and focuses on Syria's refugee camps;
France's shifting counterterrorism project in Africa
Israel Has Good Reason to Be Wary of ICC Probe
The question now is whether, as the ICC seeks to assume more power and expand its jurisdictional authority, its upcoming probe will generate more unwarranted slanders against the Jewish state.
U.S. Territories: The Frontlines of Global Competition With China
U.S. territories and possessions in the Pacific and the Caribbean find themselves on the front lines of Beijing's malign influence, economic predation, and military ambitions.
Russia Reform Monitor No. 2448
U.S.-Russian competition heats up in Africa;
Navalny-linked medical union labeled "foreign agent";
Putin tries to take minors off the table;
A social media campaign against pro-Navalny protestors;
The tug-of-war over Nord Stream II heats up
Biden has a Mandate to Compete with China
Since the very start of President Biden’s term in office, speculation has swirled about whether his administration — which is now busy reshaping U.S. policy toward the Middle East and Europe — will stay the course when it comes to the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
China Reform Monitor No. 1456
Schools must "cultivate masculinity" - Ministry of Education;
China uses crackdown on pirates to enhance censorship;
Pakistan military airlifts China's first COVID-19 vaccines;
China cracks down on fake COVID-19 vaccines;
Chinese and Indian troops pull-back from disputed border
Africa Political Monitor No. 12
Asian tensions a boon for Africa;
2020: The year of Tunisian immigration;
Russian vaccines to the rescue;
Eritrean troops believed behind massacre in Axum
Russia Reform Monitor No. 2447
Moscow aborts vote on Dzerzhinsky statue;
Prigozhin and others added to FBI most wanted list;
COVID forces Russian diplomats out of North Korea;
Russian outrage at U.S. strikes in Syria;
Russians mark anniversary of Nemtsov murder;
Navalny sent to notorious penal colony
Biden’s Mideast Policy Could Become A Victim Of Beijing’s Success
Just weeks into its tenure, the Biden administration is already executing a profound pivot in the Middle East.
China Reform Monitor No. 1455
New law expands powers of China's Coast Guard;
White House challenges China, WHO on COVID;
More international outcry over China's Xinjiang abuses;
Chinese COVID-19 vaccines arriving in Africa
Former Finance Minister warns of fiscal risks
Joe Biden’s Pressure On Saudi Arabia Has High Stakes
Washington should have every interest in nurturing Riyadh’s current course, and ample reason to fear the potential consequences of nudging it in the opposite direction.
Extend the Compacts, Strengthen U.S. Security in the Pacific
In mid-January, the White House declassified the "United States Strategic Framework for the Indo-Pacific," a document which had guided U.S. policy toward the region over the past several years
Russia Reform Monitor No. 2446
A new disease rises in Russia;
Russia approves its third vaccine;
EU pushes new sanctions;
A Russian spy in Sweden;
Climate change opens the Arctic;
Prison abuse caught on tape
Defense Technology Monitor No. 62
Space solar power-beaming on the horizon;
Another step toward robotic space-based manufacturing;
Augmented reality advances;
How tea is inspiring technology;
The future of armor: Fish scales?
What Israel Is Telling Biden About Iran
Iran is "at least two years" away from developing a nuclear weapon.
Iran Democracy Monitor No. 215
Iran navigates the vaccine landscape;
Israel's plan B, back on the table?;
The cost of cryptocurrency;
Iran blocks Signal
The risk of China appeasement — redux
When it comes to China, President Joe Biden has proven himself something of a wild card.
Russia Reform Monitor No. 2445
Regional university expels student protestors;
Lavrov threatens EU over sanctions;
Navalny supporters rethink protest tactics;
Whelan lawyer: Swap talks are ongoing;
Cyberattack on France linked to Russian hacker group;
Russia, Iran kick off joint naval drill
Indo-Pacific Monitor No. 15
Burma's military asserts dominance;
Istanbul, Tehran, Islamabad renew plans for Asian railroad;
Thai protesters embrace new tactics;
China ups the ante in the South China Sea
What India’s Relationship with Iran Means for America
No matter how warm relations between Washington and Delhi become, history shows that some level of non-alignment will always be part of India’s policies.
Joe Biden’s Secret Weapon For Resetting Iran Policy
VOA can play a crucial role in outreach to the Iranian people. But the White House should get serious about fixing its problems.
China Reform Monitor No. 1454
China's new anti-monopoly rules target tech giants;
New Pentagon task force to review China policy;
New rules for artists;
UK blocks CGTN, China blocks BBC;
'Deep concern' about WHO probe --NSA Sullivan
Why a crisis in the Pacific islands matters for Washington and Beijing
Last week, five Pacific islands countries withdrew from the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), the region’s premier multilateral organization.