Cantor Canned; Run, Ryan, Run
On June 10th 2014, the Tea Party movement may have either saved or shattered the Republican Party. Republican Congressman and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor lost to Randolph-Macon College (University) Economics Professor Dave Brat. Former House Majority Leader Cantor was often deemed to be one of the most conservative members of Congress. Cantor was often...
Neither War Nor Peace
As separatists in Eastern Ukraine hoist new Donetsk Republic flags over captured government buildings, Russia masses 40,000 troops along the Ukrainian border, and the Ukrainian acting President puts his nation’s forces on combat alert, European Union and American officials are pondering over what to do next. The West is trying to help Ukrainians diplomatically, financially,...
The Vigilante Militia Presence in Mexico: Self-Defense or Self-Interest?
On Tuesday, Mexican authorities announced the arrest of 46 criminals posing as vigilantes in the town of Huetamo in the southwestern state of Guerrero. This marks yet another victory for law enforcement officials in Mexico, whom have now detained a total of 110 gang members masquerading as members of local vigilante “self-defense” groups over the...
Descansa en paz Gabo (1927-2014)
Gabriel García Márquez died on April 17th 2014 in his home in Mexico City. Although García Márquez was 87 and he had been in poor health for some time now, his death still came as a shock to his readership worldwide, particularly in Latin America. While many have widely cited his book 100 Years of Solitude as...
The Future of Ukraine is Grim
I wish events in Ukraine were not so easy to predict. It was clear from the time of the “Revolution” that Crimea would declare independence from Ukraine and that Russian intelligence would stir up revolt in Eastern Ukraine. This happened and it was not hard to predict. Anyone with a knowledge of Ukraine could have...
Chinese Investment in Africa: Sustainable Development or Neocolonialism?
China’s rapid economic interest in the African continent is quite possibly the most important trend in the Africa’s foreign relations since the end of the Cold War. In 1990 Sino-African trade hit the $1 billion mark. A decade later it jumped to $10 billion before increasing 15-fold to $150 billion in 2011. China is now...
A Return to Public Diplomacy in the Middle East
Syria’s ongoing deadly civil war, Iran’s nuclear weapons program, and a renewed focus to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are the three main diplomatic maneuvers currently at the forefront of U.S. foreign policy in the region, and they present quite a challenge. Our recent performance record includes the 2012 attack on the embassy in Benghazi that...
Bosnia: The Next Ukrainian Crisis?
Violence is nothing new to Eastern Europe, as the most recent events in Ukraine show. However, there are fears among many analysts that the example of violence used in Ukraine to overthrow governments could be repeated in other countries. Such fears were present in February, when Bosnia saw riots in Tuzla and other major cities...
10 Minutes with Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates
It is Thursday 24 October, 2013, 4:10pm to be exact. I am waiting outside a normal-looking home in Williamsburg, Virginia and I am nervous. The thing is, inside that home is the Chancellor of William & Mary who happens to be Robert Gates. Chancellor Gates is a man who is also known as: U.S. Secretary...
Water Security in Southeast Asia
It is surprising to think that among two of the most developed nations in Southeast Asia, water stands as one of the most contested issues. Yet, between Singapore and Malaysia, water security and control over water resources are more than a question of providing for a population. It is the grounds upon which many of...
Opinion: Caracas ≠ Crimea?
If you were to turn on just about any news channel right now, the main story would be the ongoing standoff in the Crimea region of Ukraine. At the moment Russian troops are occupying Crimea and this week there is a referendum which will hopefully put an end to all the tension. According to the...
When it All Comes Crashing Down: The Future of Hun Sen and Cambodia
In 1985, 33-year-old Hun Sen became the youngest prime minister in the world. Nearly thirty years later, Prime Minister Sen is now Southeast Asia’s longest serving non-royal leader. His grip on power, however, is trembling. A dubious General Election in 2013, a brutally enforced crackdown on protests fueled by opposition parties, and an ensuing ban...