The Bear, The Dragon, and The Persian Cat

by Esfandyar Batmanghelidj  “Today, Russia and China effectively shelter Iran from complete isolation and provide it with political support, defence assistance, and economic ties it cannot receive elsewhere.” That is the primary contention of a new book by Dina Esfandiary,… Continue Reading

Central Asians Cautiously Chart Course Independent of China

by James M. Dorsey China’s brutal crackdown in its north-western province of Xinjiang and growing questions about the dark side of some of its Belt and Road investments is fueling anti-Chinese sentiment, prompting some countries to explore ways to chart… Continue Reading

Entering a 1984 World, Trump-Style

by Michael T. Klare The pundits and politicians generally take it for granted that President Trump lacks a coherent foreign policy. They believe that he acts solely out of spite, caprice, and political opportunism — lashing out at U.S. allies… Continue Reading

China Adds Security Component to Belt and Road Initiative

by James M. Dorsey China appears to be shifting gears in its multi-billion dollar Belt and Road initiative. Long projected as driven by economics and the benefit of infrastructure linkages, China appears to be increasingly adding a security component to… Continue Reading