Recent Posts

The Oil Market Has a Big Russia Sanctions Problem

The US administration is running out of time to prevent European sanctions on Russian crude from causing a spike in oil prices. For months now, the Treasury has been fighting hard — in the face of much skepticism and ridicule — to soften European sanctions that bar providing insurance and …

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What Xi must tell Putin now

The terrible concoction of conscription, annexation and nuclear weapons that Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered last week presents a crucial test to every major world leader. Global outrage is needed, but the spotlight now shines brightest on Chinese President Xi Jinping. He needs to step forward in pressing Putin to …

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Xi Jinping’s Quest for Order

Security at Home, Influence Abroad In April 2022, Chinese President Xi Jinping gave a speech on foreign policy at the Boao Forum for Asia, an annual conference of business executives and world leaders in Hainan Province. In it, he proposed what he called Quanqiu Anquan Changyi, or the Global Security …

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The Myth of an Emerging “Mideast NATO”

To contain what it perceives as an Iranian threat, Israel is seeking greater military cooperation with Gulf Arab states, even speaking of a “Mideast NATO”. But such talk appears premature at best. There is no mistaking Israel’s eagerness. It has been developing below-the-radar bilateral security relationships with Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, …

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