Winter 2008 Vol 32:1
Conversations with Europe
Turning 60 years old next year, NATO remains uniquely qualified to deal with transnational threats that impact Europe today. The Forum spoke with Poland’s Foreign Minister, who stressed the importance of balancing closer security cooperation among European Union Member States with Poland’s longstanding commitment to NATO. (View)
As France adapts its foreign policy to changing realities on the ground, The Forum spoke with the Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations, who offered a tour d’horizon of current world affairs and the French positions on issues ranging from Chad to Israel.
Issues and Policy
The evaluation of post-conflict stabilization and nation-building exercises should be based on outcomes and should give due focus to the female majority of the populations in question. Six years into Afghanistan’s reconstruction, it is evident that maintaining utmost caution on the matter of gender does not increase stability. (View)
Ever-increasing challenges test the health of the oceans and amplify the global impact of their ecological deterioration. Though government policy, economics, and multilateral engagement have begun to address environmental concerns, the creation of a Global Environment Organization, in combination with grassroots activism, would provide a viable framework for moving forward. (View)
The study of European fascism during the inter-war years holds important lessons for understanding the roots and nature of contemporary violent Islamist movements. An effective strategy for addressing Islamist security threats must respect a comprehensive doctrine of human rights and could build upon post–World War II economic policies.
Central Asia has become a hub for the global gas industry. In order to navigate the competition for Eurasian energy resources, policymakers must take into account the globalizing impacts in the late twentieth century. The strategic location of gas reserves and the pipelines attached to them generate significant questions for local and regional energy politics.
An import-driven focus on food security that is based on technological packages for industrializing agriculture and food systems severely limits rural development policy options. The challenges this poses to food sovereignty include trade rules balanced against developing countries, cooption and loss of local technologies and resources, and the failure of trade-based models to account appropriately for depletion of natural capital. (View)
Even the most seasoned observers within Burma could not have predicted the mass mobilization, aided with the use of Internet and new media, of the summer 2007 protest by Burmese monks against the ruling junta. To fully understand the demonstrations and their impact, one must consider the role of monks in Burmese society and politics, the repertoires and forms of their protest, and the prevailing state of political opportunity in Burma. (View)
The United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) has helped to facilitate fair elections, the rule of law, economic growth, and domestic stability. In order for MINUSTAH to become the final UN mission in Haiti, the government itself must be able to deliver a credible peace dividend to its citizens. The successes and limitations of MINUSTAH’s mandate and its implementation should inform the objectives of national peace-building initiatives in Haiti.
Humanitarian disaster relief agencies are on the cusp of a leadership crisis, in which a shrinking pool of experienced and effective leaders is not being sufficiently replenished. This dynamic has created a gap in humanitarian management leadership that must be addressed through deliberate and sustained human resources reform within the industry.
Perspectives
The European Commission seeks to strengthen consumer confidence in making cross-border transactions, to level the playing field of the pan-European market, and to enhance cooperation with trading partners, particularly the United States. Existing regulatory framework must be adapted to changing market conditions and needs, and innovative rules must be bolstered by appropriate measures of enforcement managed by EU Member States.
Throughout the twentieth century, international scholars have encountered injustice due to the policies of both their home and host countries. More than ever, the United States is in danger of losing these invaluable visitors due to political conflicts, more robust visa restrictions, and cumbersome bureaucracy.
For the last half century, governments have held the monopoly on public diplomacy initiatives, determining overseas efforts at image-building and influencing public opinion. With a change in focus and a change in audiences, new entrants—from the private sector—are taking the reins on public diplomacy in an arguably more effective and capable way.
Reviews
Reviewed by Bruce M. Everett
Reviewed by Matan Chorev
Reviewed by David Lanz