| European Union Enlargement: A Status Report on Turkey's Accession Negotiations |
01-Dec-2009 |
|
| Authors:
Carol Migdalovitz; Vincent Morelli; LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
|
 | October 2009 marked the fourth anniversary of the European Union's decision to proceed with formal negotiations with Turkey toward full membership in the Union. And, on October 15, the European Commission issued its fourth formal report on Turkey's accession progress. The Commission's 2009 report, like its previous reports, was marked by a mixed assessment of Turkey's accomplishments thus far in working through the various chapters of the accession process that ... |
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| Lebanon: Background and U.S. Relations |
30-Nov-2009 |
|
| Authors:
Casey L Addis; LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
|
| Lebanon is a religiously diverse, democratic state transitioning toward independence after a ruinous civil war and the subsequent Syrian and Israeli occupations. The United States and Lebanon have historically enjoyed a good relationship due in part to cultural and religious ties; the democratic character of the state; a large, Lebanese-American community in the United States; and the pro-western orientation of Lebanon, particularly during the Cold War. Current U.S. concerns in ... |
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| Saudi Arabia: Background and U.S. Relations |
16-Nov-2009 |
|
| Authors:
Christopher M Blanchard; LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
|
| The kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ruled by the Al Saud family since its founding in 1932, wields significant political and economic influence as the birthplace of the Islamic faith and by virtue of its large energy reserves. Since 2005, King Abdullah bin Abd al Aziz Al Saud has sought to strengthen Saudi relations with European and Asian counterparts and has worked to build and lead an Arab consensus on regional ... |
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| Lebanon: Background and U.S. Relations |
02-Nov-2009 |
|
| Authors:
Casey L Addis; LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
|
| Lebanon is a religiously diverse, democratic state transitioning toward independence after a ruinous civil war and the subsequent Syrian and Israeli occupations. The United States and Lebanon have historically enjoyed a good relationship due in part to cultural and religious ties; the democratic character of the state; a large, Lebanese-American community in the United States; and the pro-western orientation of Lebanon, particularly during the Cold War. Current U.S. concerns in ... |
|
| Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction Quarterly Report to the United States Congress |
30-Oct-2009 |
215 pages |
| Authors:
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL ARLINGTON VA SPECIAL INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION
|
 | The next six months will see a substantial reduction in the size of the U.S. military presence in Iraq, a continuing reorganization of the U.S. Embassy's reconstruction management, and the election of a new Iraqi parliament. Among other things, this Quarterly Report--SIGIR's 23rd--analyzes three key issues that will shape the continuing U.S. effort in Iraq: the transfer of police training from the Department of Defense to the Department of State; ... |
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| COIN Lessons Learned |
28-Oct-2009 |
50 pages |
| Authors:
Storm Savage; UNITED STATES ARMY AND MARINE CORPS COUNTERINSURGENCY CENTER FORT LEAVENWORTH KS
|
| These briefing charts discuss recent lessons learned in Afghanistan, paradoxes of COIN and observations regarding the Afghan people, culture, and government. |
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| European Union Enlargement: A Status Report on Turkey's Accession Negotiations |
20-Oct-2009 |
|
| Authors:
Carol Migdalovitz; Vincent Morelli; LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
|
| October 2009 marks the fourth anniversary of the European Union's decision to proceed with formal negotiations with Turkey toward full membership in the Union. And, on October 15, the European Commission issued its fourth formal report on Turkey's accession progress. The Commission's 2009 report, like its previous reports, was marked by a mixed assessment of Turkey's accomplishments thus far in working through the various chapters of the accession process that ... |
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| Terrorism in Southeast Asia |
16-Oct-2009 |
|
| Authors:
Bruce Vaughn; Emma Chanlett-Avery; Larry A Niksch; Mark E Manyin; Michael F Martin; Ben Dolven; LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
|
| Since September 2001, the United States has increased focus on radical Islamist and terrorist groups in Southeast Asia, particularly those in the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore. Southeast Asia has been a base for terrorist operations. Al Qaeda penetrated the region by establishing local cells, training Southeast Asians in its camps in Afghanistan, and by financing and cooperating with indigenous radical Islamist groups. Indonesia and the southern Philippines have ... |
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| European Union Enlargement: A Status Report on Turkey's Accession Negotiations |
08-Oct-2009 |
|
| Authors:
Carol Migdalovitz; Vincent Morelli; LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
|
| October 2009 marks the fourth anniversary of the European Unions decision to proceed with formal negotiations with Turkey toward full membership in the Union. It will also mark the fourth time a formal report on Turkeys accession progress will be issued by the European Commission. The occasion will likely be marked by a mixed assessment of Turkey's accomplishments thus far in working through the various chapters of the accession process ... |
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| Persian Gulf Issues |
29-Sep-2009 |
9 pages |
| Authors:
Jean-Francois Seznec; GEORGETOWN UNIV HOSPITAL WASHINGTON DC
|
| The main points of these briefing charts are: local wars for oil within the Persian Gulf, tensions between US and China leading to armed conflict, major world players unlikely to seek control of one or more Gulf States, Gulf States policies seem to point to a switch away from an emphasis on military might to economic might, long term interest of Saudi Arabia and of other Gulf States is to ... |
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| Alien: How Operational Art Devoured Strategy |
Sep-2009 |
128 pages |
| Authors:
Justin Kelly; Mike Brennan; ARMY WAR COLL STRATEGIC STUDIES INST CARLISLE BARRACKS PA
|
| There was a time when the world had no need for operational art, a time when sovereigns led their armies in the field and where the yoking of war to politics was their personal undertaking. It was the sovereign who chose whether or not to fight, where to fight, how long to fight, and it was they who were constantly balancing opportunities and threats, risks and returns, costs and benefits. ... |
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| Islamist Terrorist Networks in Bosnia and Herzegovina |
Sep-2009 |
103 pages |
| Authors:
Slaven Blavicki; NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY CA
|
| After the attacks on the United States in September 2001, Bosnia and Herzegovina acquired a reputation as a country supporting international terrorism. This perception was mostly a result of the 1992-1995 war, when foreign fighters tied to Islamist terrorist groups came to support the Bosniaks and spread radical Islam. The thesis investigates three theories about the development or support of terrorist networks and the radicalization of society. The thesis assesses ... |
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| Risk Quantification of Systems Engineering Documents Improves Probability of DOD Project Success |
Sep-2009 |
76 pages |
| Authors:
Thomas C Irwin; NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY CA DEPT OF SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
|
| A frame transition problem exists between project Systems Engineers (SE) and Department of Defense (DoD) Program Managers (PM). Systems engineering organizations, operating in a rational frame, must produce technical documents required for the PM operating in a political frame of constrained resources. These artifacts, required for milestone reviews, are the results of extensive technical effort that must be accounted for and adequately resourced during project planning by the PM. Programs ... |
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| An Exploratory Analysis of the U.S. System of Major Defense Acquisition Utilizing the CLIOS Process |
Sep-2009 |
103 pages |
| Authors:
Jennifer Foil; NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY CA
|
| For decades, the United States' major defense acquisition system has been under scrutiny and undergone much reform. Groups have researched the issues, publishing hundreds of reports identifying various problems and solutions. Yet, many major weapon systems continue to be well over budget and schedule. Major weapon systems are increasing in size, scope, and complexity. Technology is rapidly changing. Customer expectations are rising. Societal concerns, such as workforce and economic development, ... |
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| Telecommunications Growth in Latin America: A Comparative Analysis, the Development and Policy of Technologies in Emerging Markets |
Sep-2009 |
156 pages |
| Authors:
Westley N Simancas; NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY CA DEPT OF INFORMATION SCIENCES
|
| This thesis will focus on the area of telecommunications technologies and its policies as developed and adopted in Latin America. Though the whole of Latin America would provide a great area of research interest, this thesis will delve into the countries of Colombia, Mexico, and Venezuela. These three countries play vital roles in the development of Latin America and retain unique relationships with the United States as allies and trade ... |
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| Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy |
14-Aug-2009 |
|
| Authors:
Kenneth Katzman; LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
|
| Upon taking office, the Obama Administration faced a deteriorating security environment in Afghanistan, despite a build-up of U.S. forces there in preceding years, including an expanding militant presence in some areas, increasing numbers of civilian and military deaths, Afghan and international disillusionment with corruption in the government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai, and the infiltration of Taliban militants from safe havens in Pakistan. Building on assessments completed in the latter ... |
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| Saudi Arabia: Background and U.S. Relations |
13-Aug-2009 |
|
| Authors:
Christopher M Blanchard; LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
|
| The kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ruled by the Al Saud family since its founding in 1932, wields significant political and economic influence as the birthplace of the Islamic faith and by virtue of its large energy reserves. Since 2005, King Abdullah bin Abd al Aziz Al Saud has sought to strengthen Saudi relations with European and Asian counterparts and has worked to build and lead an Arab consensus on regional ... |
|
| Preparing for NATO Missions Integrated Force Planning in the Albanian Armed Forces (CSL Issue Paper, Volume 12-09, August 2009) |
Aug-2009 |
5 pages |
| Authors:
Bernard F Griffard; R C Nation; Shufelt; James W Jr; ARMY WAR COLL CARLISLE BARRACKS PA CENTER FOR STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP
|
| Albania's reintegration into the European community began immediately after the fall of the communist dictatorship in 1990. Following the 1992 elections, which marked the emergence of a multi-party political system, the government's long-term goals were membership in the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). To this end, on January 26, 1994, the Albanian Parliament approved the country's participation in the Partnership for Peace (PfP) program.1 Subsequently, ... |
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| Lebanon: Background and U.S. Relations |
23-Jul-2009 |
|
| Authors:
Casey L Addis; LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
|
| Lebanon is a religiously diverse, democratic state transitioning toward independence after a ruinous civil war and the Syrian and Israeli occupations that followed. The United States and Lebanon have historically enjoyed a good relationship due in part to cultural and religious ties; the democratic character of the state; a large, Lebanese-American community in the United States; and the pro-western orientation of Lebanon, particularly during the Cold War. Current U.S. concerns ... |
|
| Panama: Political and Economic Conditions and U.S. Relations |
15-Jul-2009 |
|
| Authors:
Mark P Sullivan; LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
|
| With five successive elected civilian governments, the Central American nation of Panama has made notable political and economic progress since the 1989 U.S. military intervention that ousted the regime of General Manuel Noriega from power. The current President, Ricardo Martinelli of the centrist Democratic Change (CD) party was elected in May 2009, defeating the ruling Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) in a landslide. Martinelli was inaugurated to a fiveyear term on ... |
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| Saudi Arabia: Background and U.S. Relations |
09-Jul-2009 |
|
| Authors:
Christopher M Blanchard; LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
|
| The kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ruled by the Al Saudi family since its founding in 1932, wields significant political and economic influence as the birthplace of the Islamic faith and by virtue of its large energy reserves. Since 2005, King Abdullah bin Abd al Aziz Al Saudi has sought to strengthen Saudi relations with European and Asian counterparts and has worked to build and lead an Arab consensus on regional ... |
|
| Ghana: Background and U.S. Relations |
08-Jul-2009 |
|
| Authors:
Nicolas Cook; LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
|
| This report provides information on current developments in Ghana and Ghana's relations with the United States, which are close. It describes the purpose of President Barack Obama's forthcoming trip to Ghana, which will focus on issues of good governance and socio-economic and political development, and characterizes the current state of play in bilateral relations. It also summarizes the policy agenda of Ghana's president, John Atta Mills, who won office by ... |
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| The American Political Intervention in the Conflict in the Dutch East Indies 1945-1949 |
12-Jun-2009 |
128 pages |
| Authors:
van; Cornelis W Dijk; ARMY COMMAND AND GENERAL STAFF COLL FORT LEAVENWORTH KS
|
| When the Republic of Indonesia declared itself independent from the Netherlands on 17 August 1945, the Dutch leaders did not accept this and tried to restore colonial authority. This led to a four-year conflict between the Netherlands and the Republic of Indonesia. Dutch forces conducted both counterinsurgency and major combat operations. International pressure forced the Dutch government to negotiate but that did not lead to a settlement. During the conflict, ... |
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| Human Rights in China: Trends and Policy Implications |
12-Jun-2009 |
|
| Authors:
Hannah Fischer; Thomas Lum; LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
|
| Human rights has been a principal area of U.S. concern in its relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC), particularly since the violent government crackdown on the Tiananmen democracy movement in 1989. Some policy makers contend that the U.S. policy of engagement with China, particularly since granting the PRC permanent normal trade relations status in 2000, has failed to produce meaningful political reform. Others argue that U.S. engagement has ... |
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| Taiwan's Political Status: Historical Background and Ongoing Implications |
04-Jun-2009 |
|
| Authors:
Kerry Dumbaugh; LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
|
| In 1979, official U.S. relations with Taiwan (the Republic of China) became a casualty of the American decision to recognize the government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) as China's sole legitimate government. Since then, U.S. unofficial relations with Taiwan have been built on the framework of the Taiwan Relations Act (P.L. 96-8) and shaped by three U.S.-China communiques. Under these agreements, the United States maintains its official relations ... |
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| Chile: Political and Economic Conditions and U.S. Relations |
03-Jun-2009 |
|
| Authors:
Peter J Meyer; LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
|
| Following a violent coup against democratically elected Marxist President Salvador Allende in 1973, Chile experienced 17 years of military rule under General Augusto Pinochet before reestablishing its elected civilian democracy in 1990. A center-left coalition of parties known as the Concertacion has governed Chile for the nearly two decades since the end of the dictatorship. The coalition has enacted a number of constitutional changes to strengthen civilian control of the ... |
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| Brazil-U.S. Relations |
03-Jun-2009 |
|
| Authors:
Clare R Seelke; Peter J Meyer; LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
|
| On January 1, 2007, Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, of the leftist Workers' Party (PT), was inaugurated for a second four-year term as President of Brazil. Lula was re-elected in the second round of voting with fairly broad popular support. His immediate tasks were to boost Brazil's lagging economic growth and address the issues of crime, violence, and poverty. Despite President Lula's personal popularity, many predicted that inter-party rivalries within ... |
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| Deportations: Securing America or Running in Circles |
01-Jun-2009 |
103 pages |
| Authors:
Shannon B Stambersky; NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY CA
|
| The United States was attacked by terrorists in 2001, and the country entered into a highly publicized debate on how to keep the country safe. Immigration reform to counter the ability of terrorists to circumvent U.S. immigration laws became the focus of much anti-terrorism legislation. Many immigration laws, especially concerning the deportability of an individual, which had been in place since the mid-1990s were expanded and additional enforcement mechanisms created. ... |
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| Countering Al Qaeda, Hezbollah, and their Ideologies |
21-May-2009 |
47 pages |
| Authors:
Steven P Bording; ARMY COMMAND AND GENERAL STAFF COLL FORT LEAVENWORTH KS SCHOOL OF ADVANCED MILITARY STUDIES
|
| While all warfare is an expression of politics, none is more pervasively so than irregular conflict. The irregular side, most probably employing a mixture of guerilla tactics and terrorism, will seek favorable political effect from several courses of action. Combating terrorism has become a global effort. Counterterrorism is a struggle of political wills, waged preeminently by the police and other security services, with the military acting in reserve. The most ... |
|
| British Military Mission (BMM) to Greece, 1942-44 |
21-May-2009 |
51 pages |
| Authors:
S S Shrader; ARMY COMMAND AND GENERAL STAFF COLL FORT LEAVENWORTH KS SCHOOL OF ADVANCED MILITARY STUDIES
|
| The study of insurgency and counterinsurgency over the years provides a valuable tool for analysis in the current Global War on Terrorism. Failure to take into account and accurately assess political and military actions in such environments can lead to unintended consequences (potential civil war) affecting the stability of a country. Accurate assessment of the political and military actions does not guarantee success or failure, as every insurgency is a ... |
|
| The Generals' Revolt and Civil-Military Relations |
11-May-2009 |
33 pages |
| Authors:
Lewis R Snyder; ARMY WAR COLL CARLISLE BARRACKS PA
|
| The Generals' Revolt resulted from a crisis in civil-military relations precipitated by a Secretary of Defense who discounted the experience and knowledge of key strategic leaders and refused to accept or even listen to divergent opinion. The gradual and continual politicization of the military along with a decline in military professionalism and ethical decision-making also contributed to setting the conditions for the revolt. As the nation moves forward under the ... |
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| Property & Peace: Insurgency, Strategy and the Statute of Frauds |
May-2009 |
386 pages |
| Authors:
Geoffrey Demarest; FOREIGN MILITARY STUDIES OFFICE (ARMY) FORT LEAVENWORTH KS
|
| The success of a society depends on formal, liberal property regimes. The West's property regimes are successful because of the high quality of evidence of everyday rights, the capacity of citizenry and governments to implement the meaning of that evidence, and because the basic rules which determine what can be owned and who can be owners are liberal in measure appropriate to the common understanding of justice. Formalized property information ... |
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| Termination or Transition: A 21st Century Perspective on the Military's Role in Conflict Resolution |
May-2009 |
59 pages |
| Authors:
Polidoro; John R Jr; ARMY COMMAND AND GENERAL STAFF COLL FORT LEAVENWORTH KS
|
| The termination theories developed since the Korean War that influenced the development of joint doctrine are confusing and contradictory. Joint doctrine therefore did not address the military's role in obtaining US national interests in the long-term. As a result, US military planners developed termination criteria focused on the short-term cessation of military operations for most conflicts between 1990 and 2003. Campaigns framed upon such criteria resulted in destabilization, thus hampering ... |
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| Indicators, Predictors, and Determinants of Conflict Escalation and De-escalation. A Review of the Psychological Literature |
May-2009 |
82 pages |
| Authors:
Michael Stewart; Peter Suedfeld; Ryan W Cross; BRITISH COLUMBIA UNIV VANCOUVER DEPT OF PSYCHOLOGY
|
| This paper reviews psychological theories and quantitative research aimed at the explanation and prediction of decision-making by national and sub-national leaders. Inferences of the strategic intentions of leaders are based on the assessment at a distance of both their stable and changing cognitive, motivational, and emotional processes. The review evaluates profiling approaches, which develop a portrait of the subject's personality as the source of strategic predispositions, and dynamic approaches, which ... |
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| Mexico-U.S. Relations: Issues for Congress |
14-Apr-2009 |
|
| Authors:
Mark P Sullivan; June S Beittel; LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
|
| The United States and Mexico have a close and complex bilateral relationship, with extensive economic linkages as neighbors and partners under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Since 1994, trade between the countries has more than quadrupled. Bilateral relations are close, and characterized by extensive commercial and cultural ties and cooperation on a range of bilateral and international issues. A current trade dispute with the United States involves the ... |
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| Foreign Aid: An Introduction to U.S. Programs and Policy |
09-Apr-2009 |
|
| Authors:
Curt Tarnoff; Marian L Lawson; LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
|
| Foreign assistance is a fundamental component of the international affairs budget and is viewed by many as an essential instrument of U.S. foreign policy. The focus of U.S. foreign aid policy has been transformed since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. This report provides an overview of the U.S. foreign aid program, by answering frequently asked questions on the subject. There are five major categories of foreign assistance: bilateral ... |
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| The Kurds in Post-Saddam Iraq |
06-Apr-2009 |
|
| Authors:
Kenneth Katzman; LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
|
| The Kurdish-inhabited region of northern Iraq has been relatively peaceful and prosperous since the fall of Saddam Hussein. However, the Iraqi Kurds? political autonomy, demands, and ambitions have caused friction with Christian and other minorities in the north, with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and other Arab leaders of Iraq, and with neighboring Turkey and Iran. These outstanding issues between the Kurds and the central government do not appear close to ... |
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| Kuwait: Security, Reform, and U.S. Policy |
03-Apr-2009 |
|
| Authors:
Kenneth Katzman; LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
|
| Kuwait, which has been pivotal to nearly two decades of U.S. involvement in Iraq, has been mired for the past three years in internal wrangling between the elected National Assembly and the ruling Al Sabah family over economic issues and the political dominance of the Al Sabah. In March 2009, this infighting led to the second constitutional dissolution of the National Assembly in the past year, setting up new parliamentary ... |
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| China-U.S. Relations: Current Issues and Implications for U.S. Policy |
02-Apr-2009 |
|
| Authors:
Kerry Dumbaugh; LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
|
| The bilateral relationship between the U.S. and the People's Republic of China (PRC) is vitally important, touching on a wide range of areas including, among others, economic policy, security, foreign relations, and human rights. U.S. and PRC interests are bound together much more closely now than even a few years ago. These extensive inter-linkages have made it increasingly difficult for either government to take unilateral actions without inviting far-reaching, unintended ... |
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| Thailand: Background and U.S. Relations |
02-Apr-2009 |
|
| Authors:
Emma Chanlett-Avery; LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
|
| Since 2006, Thai politics have been dominated by a fight between populist forces led by Thaksin (now in exile) and his opponents: a mix of conservative royalists and military figures, and other Bangkok elites. Until the political turmoil of 2006, Thaksin and his populist Thai Rak Thai party had consolidated broad control of Thai politics through a series of electoral successes beginning in 2001. Like Thaksin, none of the successive ... |
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| Egypt: Background and U.S. Relations |
26-Mar-2009 |
|
| Authors:
Jeremy M Sharp; LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
|
| This report provides an overview of Egyptian politics and current issues in U.S.-Egyptian relations. It briefly provides a political history of modern Egypt, an overview of its political institutions, and a discussion of the prospects for democratization in Egypt. This report will be updated regularly. U.S. policy toward Egypt is aimed at maintaining regional stability, improving bilateral relations, continuing military cooperation, and sustaining the March 1979 Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty. Successive ... |
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| Iraq: Politics, Elections, and Benchmarks |
25-Mar-2009 |
|
| Authors:
Kenneth Katzman; LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
|
| Iraq's political system, the result of a U.S.-supported election process, is increasingly characterized by peaceful competition rather than violence, but sectarianism and ethnic and factional infighting continue to simmer. As 2009 began, there was renewed maneuvering by opponents of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki who view him as authoritarian and were perceived as conspiring to try to replace him, had his party fared poorly in the January 31, 2009 provincial elections. ... |
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| The Proposed U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA): Provisions and Implications |
24-Mar-2009 |
|
| Authors:
Remy Jurenas; William H Cooper; Mark E Manyin; Michaela D Platzer; LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
|
| On June 30, 2007, U.S. and South Korean trade officials signed the proposed U.S.-South Korean Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) for their respective countries. If approved, the KORUS FTA would be the largest FTA that South Korea has signed to date and would be the second largest (next to North American Free Trade Agreement, NAFTA) in which the United States participates. South Korea is the seventh-largest trading partner of the ... |
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| Bear, Dragon and Eagle: America's Central Asia Dilemma |
24-Mar-2009 |
38 pages |
| Authors:
James D Lampton; ARMY WAR COLL CARLISLE BARRACKS PA
|
| Since 2004 the US has been steadily losing ground to Russia and to a lesser extent China in the five former-Soviet Central Asian States (CAS) in terms of economic, political and military influence and access. After a very promising period following the 9/11 attacks, all of the Central Asian states opened their doors to cooperation with US-led efforts to combat Islamist extremists. There are several factors which have led to ... |
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| A Pragmatic Approach to Counterinsurgency |
23-Mar-2009 |
22 pages |
| Authors:
James R Crider; ARMY WAR COLL CARLISLE BARRACKS PA
|
| The US surge strategy in Iraq was almost implemented too late. However, it appears that it has worked to create the opportunity for political progress as a fledgling Iraqi government struggles to enfranchise Sunnis, Kurds, and extremist Shia militias. Increasing this already monumental challenge is the eventual withdrawal of American troops and low oil prices. Despite these challenges, hope now exists where it did not before. This project examines the ... |
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| El Salvador: Political, Economic, and Social Conditions and U.S. Relations |
18-Mar-2009 |
|
| Authors:
Clare R Seelke; Peter J Meyer; LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
|
| Throughout the last few decades, the United States has had a strong interest in El Salvador. During the 1980s, El Salvador was the largest recipient of U.S. aid in Latin America as its government struggled against the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) insurgency during a 12-year civil war. A 1992 negotiated peace accord brought the war to an end and formally assimilated the FMLN into the political process as ... |
|
| Cuba: Issues for the 111th Congress |
18-Mar-2009 |
|
| Authors:
Mark P Sullivan; LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
|
| Cuba, which remains a hard-line communist state with a poor record on human rights, commemorated the 50th anniversary of its revolution on January 1, 2009. Cuba's political succession from the long-ruling Fidel Castro to his brother Raul in 2006 was characterized by a remarkable degree of stability. Fidel stepped down from power temporarily in July 2006 because of health reasons, and Raul assumed provisional control of the government until February ... |
|
| Poppy Eradication in Afghanistan: Why Isn't It Working? |
17-Mar-2009 |
46 pages |
| Authors:
Sharon L Firewicz; MARINE CORPS COMBAT DEVELOPMENT COMMAND QUANTICO VA
|
| Poppy eradication in Afghanistan is not working. Despite the millions of dollars spent annually by the United States government, non-government agencies, and a variety of international partners, Afghanistan continues to be the global leader in the production of this illicit crop. Decades of war and political instability are making any attempts at eradication of the opium poppy in Afghanistan virtually meaningless. This landlocked and mountainous country, which has experienced years ... |
|
| Assessing the Potential for Interstate Conflict Between Chile and Peru: A Political Economy Approach |
01-Mar-2009 |
117 pages |
| Authors:
Eric D Trismen; NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY CA
|
| This thesis argues liberal theories of peace fail to explain the relationship that exists between Chile and Peru. Democratic and Economic Integration theories posit that democratization and economic integration foster cooperation. Yet, these do not accurately reflect the current state of relations. I posit such an explanation must take into account the preferences of actors, and their ability to act on those preferences. I focus on the executive, the military ... |
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| State Capacity and Resistance in Afghanistan |
01-Mar-2009 |
185 pages |
| Authors:
Christopher R Mullins; NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY CA
|
| This thesis seeks to explain why current attempts to expand the reach of the Afghan government in Kabul are met with heavy resistance. It examines the historical dichotomy between state capacity and the prevalence of solidarity groups' opposition to central rule in four Afghan regimes: the monarchy of Amir Abdur Rahman, the communist regime of the Peoples Democratic Republic of Afghanistan and the Soviet occupation, the Taliban's Islamist theocracy, and ... |
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