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U.S.-India Relations – More Rhetorical Flourish than Reality

The often-repeated phrase of America being the oldest and India being the largest democracy did not sway New Delhi to join with other democracies and stand up to Moscow.

The China Trail

When presidential candidates discuss foreign policy, a companion mantra would be, “Bash Beijing on the campaign trail, engage from the Oval Office.”The late New York Governor Mario Cuomo said, “Y…

Ex-US national security chief: Karabakh liberation clears path to regional stability

The liberation of Azerbaijani territories from occupation has paved the way for normalisation in the South Caucasus, said David Merkel, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and ex-Director of t…

In foreign policy, Trump needs to be more like Reagan, less like Biden

The Biden administration was justifiably criticized, including by me, announcing what actions they were unwilling to take in order to prevent or respond to Russian aggression. President Biden and his…

America Needs A Special Envoy For The Caspian — Now

A special envoy to the Caspian Sea region would help counter China, Russia, and Iran—and end the impression that Washington treats the region as an afterthought.Robert Kaplan once wrote, “Th…

Leaving the Obama Legacy Behind

As America and the world ready itself for Trump 2.0, the incoming Trump administration must prepare for a foreign policy inbox more challenging than any new administration has been greeted with since…

WACC presents David A. Merkel

A President can select a great number of things, from who will make up the Cabinet to the color of the curtains in the Oval Office. What the holder of the most powerful job cannot control is what glo…

Central Asia Could Be the Graveyard of the Russia-China Alliance

The seeds of division between Moscow and Beijing may be found in Central Asia. We should give them some sun.

Kazakhstan’s backdoor trade with Russia must be stopped

Kazakh Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu traveled to Brussels last month, just weeks after taking office, to plead his country’s case amid growing signs that the EU and U.S.

Seeds of Division Between Moscow and Beijing in Central Asia

On Thursday, April 6, the Clements Center for National Security, the Clements-Strauss Asia Policy Program, and the Center for East European and Eurasian Studies (CREEES) hosted David M…

Losing the Post-Cold War

Today, regrettably, what is equally clear is that while the Cold War was won, through the Obama administration’s actions and inactions, it’s arrogance and lack of strategic vision, the period known t…

A Taiwan Policy to Deter Rather than Tempt China’s Aggression

The first key question that drives a decision on U.S.-Taiwan policy is the likelihood that President Xi might resort to a military option for the unification of Taiwan with the mainland during his te…