Failures and Successes of the BRICS Alliance
Background Officially founded in 2009, BRICS is an informal, multilateral economic alliance between Brazil, Russia, China, India, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates. The acronym “BRIC” (later adapted to include South Africa) was originally coined by Goldman Sachs economist Jim O’Neill in a 2001 paper wherein he highlighted the potential for […]
Failures and Successes of the Phase One Trade Agreement with China
Introduction In recent decades, trade between China and the US has significantly grown, with China being a major source of imports for the United States and a top market for American goods and services. Despite the economic interdependence, the relationship is complex. The trade war that initiated in 2018 exemplifies the complexities in this dynamic. […]
US Response to Iran’s Space Program
Amid US concern over Iran’s nuclear capabilities, the Middle Eastern nation’s space programs have also come under scrutiny. Tehran’s interest in space dates back to 1957, when the country joined the United Nations Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS). Iran’s recent technological achievements have raised concerns about the potential for expanded space development […]
Introduction to the India-China Space Race
Introduction India and China have heavily invested in their respective space programs since the 1960s, with both countries vying to become a leading space power. The space race between the United States and the Soviet Union had a major influence on China and India, leading the two Asian nations to make space development a priority. […]
Pros and Cons of US Aid to Afghanistan
Providing Aid Since 2002 After the attacks against the United States on September 11th, 2001, the U.S. launched a “war on terror,” a global counterterrorism campaign to combat al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups, as well as to topple the Taliban government in Afghanistan. The United States invaded Afghanistan as a part of this campaign. In […]
U.S. Relations With China Regarding Technology
Introduction Over the last four decades, China’s remarkable growth has shaped the world. With an average annual GDP increase of 9% since its economic reforms began in 1978, the country has lifted 800 million Chinese citizens out of poverty. Today, China is responsible for close to 5% of the world’s production. Now, China has shifted […]
Policy Options: U.S. Response to Shifts in India-Russia Relations
India is at a crossroads between its historical relationship with Russia and its growing relationship with the United States. Shifts in the global security order, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the strengthening bond between Russia and China, and India’s cooperation with the U.S. on trade, technology, and security, are changing the dynamics of these relationships. […]
Russia-Ukraine invasion and Southeast Asian Responses
Russia-Ukraine invasion explained The Russia-Ukraine conflict began in early 2014, and tensions have slowly escalated ever since. Last year, the Russian government started sending troops and placing resources in proximity to Ukraine’s border. In December 2021, Russia issued a set of demands calling on NATO to cease expansion to Eastern and Central Europe and reject […]
U.S’s withdrawal in Afghanistan and its effects on ASEAN relations
U.S’s withdrawal in Afghanistan in 2021 In 2021, after twenty years of military occupation, the United States and international forces departed Afghanistan. President Biden remarked: “It’s time to end America’s longest war”. After the withdrawal event, the local Afghan government disbanded, and the Taliban, an Islamic extremist group that formerly took control of the nation, […]
US Military in South Korea
The presence of the American military in South Korea began at the end of WWII, when American and Soviet forces entered the peninsula to facilitate the removal of Japanese forces. The American military was positioned south of the 38th parallel whereas Soviet forces moved north. When North Korean forces invaded South Korea in 1950, triggering […]