The Labour Government in Britain After Six Months
Is it time to send 007 to Washington to serve as the new British ambassador? Gideon Rachman, the chief foreign affairs correspondent for the Financial Times, mooted this possibility to me in mid-December as we enjoyed lunch at Sweetings, a restaurant dating to the Victorian era located near his newspaper’s offices in the London City […]
The Rise and Fall of Spain’s New Left
In late October Spanish political life was rocked by the resignation of Iñigo Errejón, a member of parliament and key figure in the current governing coalition, following accusations of sexual misconduct. Errejón led efforts to build a new force on the left, most recently as the spokesman for Sumar (“Join”), a grouping of national and […]
Germany Heads Toward Elections
Germany is facing unexpected headwinds. As Ukraine struggles to fend off Russia, the Middle East erupts, and China menaces Taiwan, it is struggling to meet a welter of domestic and foreign challenges. The recent collapse of Social Democratic chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party coalition has coincided with the election of Donald Trump, creating a sense of […]
Central Europe’s Far-Right on a Roll
This past September I visited the refurbished Wien Museum which covers Austria’s history from the bronze age until the present. Perhaps the most stimulating exhibition was a new one on the top floor that surveys the Nazi era. It’s called “Laboratory of Cruelty.” In its previous incarnation, the museum did not trouble itself to mention […]
Azerbaijan Between Triumph and Turbulence
Over the course of 33 years since the fall of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan has transformed into an independent regional player. Its neighbors in Armenia fear that Azerbaijan’s ambitions will eventually lead to another war. Average Azerbaijanis, meanwhile, wonder when the military achievements will translate into economic prosperity. Regaining Territory Through War It’s impossible to […]
A New German Problem
Is the “Alt Reich,” the London Spectator recently asked on its cover, about to make a comeback? Germany, a model of stability for decades, has been thrown into turmoil by the steady rise of the Alternative Party for Germany, especially in its eastern states. On September 1, the 85th anniversary of Hitler’s invasion of Poland […]
The West Should Develop the Trans-Caspian Trade Corridor
Development of the Trans-Caspian corridor would shift trade and energy routes between Europe and Asia to favor Western commercial and strategic interests. Over the past decade, global trade infrastructure has been transformed by China’s economic rise and its strategic investments in trade routes. Central Asia, the “belt buckle” on China’s Belt and Road Initiative, is […]
Eastern European Views of the Upcoming US Presidential Elections
Despite Russia’s attack on Ukraine, Eastern Europeans feel secure today. They have confidence in NATO as an organization led by the United States and thus appreciated in Moscow as strong. At the same time, some politicians and diplomats in Eastern Europe wonder what might happen to their countries if Donald Trump wins the presidential elections […]
European Parliament Elections Have a Message for the West
The June elections for the European Parliament were more than a setback for Europe’s political establishment. For Germany’s Olaf Scholz and France’s Emmanuel Macron, they were a humiliation. They also contain a warning message for America’s Joe Biden. Across the continent, right-wing populists scored convincing victories. In France, Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party won […]
Quo Vadis Germany: Is It Ready for an Era of Great Power Conflict?
The German term Zeitenwende, or historic turning point, entered the American political lexicon three days after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, on February 24, 2022. On that day, Chancellor Olaf Scholz convoked a special session of the Bundestag and employed this term to underscore the need for a dramatic change in Germany’s foreign and national security […]
A European Plea to Biden
I admire America and feel nothing but deep respect and gratitude for it. Yes, I’m familiar with the reservations among many in Europe, ranging from Vietnam to Guantanamo, from the death penalty to the right to bear arms, from Afghanistan to the second Iraq war. My feelings for America are stronger. That’s because they are […]
Germany’s Far Right Gets Their Day in Court
When he was arrested by German federal police in December 2022, the 72-year-old tweed-jacketed Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss may have looked like a harmless old aristocrat. But on May 21, he went on trial in Frankfurt for plotting a coup d’état to topple the German government on what he called “Day X.” In all, three […]
The Outlook for European Security: An Uncertain Trumpet
The American general Maxwell Taylor wrote a book published in 1960 under the title “The Uncertain Trumpet” about American defense complacency in the Cold War. It triggered a change in strategy. The trumpets of Jericho brought down walls. Today, a trumpet is needed to break through Europe’s walls of inertia and a comfortable “business as […]
Democracy in Poland
Poland’s democratic transition is proving to be turbulent and challenging. The liberal center-right government led by Donald Tusk took office on December 13, 2023, after eight years of rule by “Law and Justice,” a nationalist right-wing party. The new government’s reform efforts face the kind of domestic opposition that may pose the biggest threat to […]
The Rise of Geert Wilders: Making Sense of the Dutch Election Results
A few days before the Dutch general election of November 22, 2023, the polls indicated a close finish. Each of three parties vying for the top position was expected to get just below 20 percent: Labor (in a common list with the Greens); the center-right Liberals; and the far-right Freedom Party. The winner would have […]
Defending the Basic Values of Humanity After October 7
In Europe, we have fancied ourselves to be living in a postmodern world. But after the totalitarian assault by Russia against Ukraine and this month’s terrorist attack by Hamas against Israeli civilians, this dispassion is a luxury we can no longer afford.
Three European Views of the Gaza War
Public Opinion Swings Against IsraelHugh Pope In a recent broadcast, the presenters of The Rest is Politics – a bipartisan British podcast listened to by five million people a month – demonstrated a trend in Europe away from unconditional support for Israel to more sympathy for the Palestinians. Hosts Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart noted […]
“Restraint” in Action: America and the Eastern Mediterranean
Biden administration’s first foreign policy crisis in the Eastern Mediterranean merely conformed to the pattern of gradual American disengagement from a region that was once vital to US interests.
The Growing Political Role of Kurdish Diaspora
The Kurdish diaspora has started to move from the streets into the institutionalized venues and attempt to harness political support among civil society organizations.
Australia’s Submarine Decision
What made Australia withdraw from the contract it signed with France for advanced submarines?
