Time to Apply Burma Sanctions Model to Cuba?

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This is a guest note by Anya Landau French, Director of the US-Cuba Policy Initiative at the New America Foundation. As a Cuba policy analyst, I’ve given an surprising amount of thought to our policy toward the politically isolated, resource-rich nation of Burma (Myanmar) half a world away.

The GOP National Security Debate

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The Clemons Grades for the National Security Debate Rick Santorum  D+ [Changed to C-]Michele Bachmann  B+Newt Gingrich  B-Rick Perry  D-Herman Cain  FMitt Romney  B-Ron Paul   BJon Huntsman  B+ [After reviewing my grades, I decided that Rick Santorum‘s honesty about the importance of negotiating and willing to compromise with the “other side” deserves a bit more…

Global Security & Alliances in Era of Austerity

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(photo credit:  Steve Clemons) Yesterday at the 2011 Halifax International Security Forum — basically the Davos for defense and foreign policy junkies at which 18 defense ministers from around the world are in attendance (about a 1:10 ratio with other conference guests and participants) — US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta gave a mostly compelling…

McCain Links Arab Spring to Challenges for Beijing & Moscow

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(photo credit:  Halifax the Forum) I’m up at the 2011 Halifax International Security Forum where 18 defense ministers and a who’s who of the international defense and security community have assembled.  The forum is modestly sized with about 200 attendees — but the diversity of perspective here is impressive.

Iran: Romney Long on Bombast, Short on Strategy

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Steve Clemons talks to Chris Matthews about Mitt Romney’s unserious Iran strategy. Tonight, I participated in a discussion with USIP-Wilson Center Distinguished Scholar and Middle East affairs expert Robin Wright and MSNBC Hardball‘s Chris Matthews.

Fake Progress & Real Progress in Palestine

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After former World Bank President James Wolfensohn had taken over in 2005 as chairman of the Quartet a representative body comprised of the United States, the European Union, Russia, and the United Nations and focused on moving the cause of Israel-Palestine peace forward, he once said that the only way to know whether progress was…

Camel Friends

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Susan Bayh, wife of former Senator Evan Bayh, and I took turns softening up this adorable camel who pretty much hung out with us until the food bell rang. No kicking of spitting. Just an extremely sweet camel.