Asia-Pacific

America’s future is linked to the future of the Asia-Pacific region; and the future of this region depends on America. The United States has a strong interest in continuing its tradition of economic and strategic leadership, and Asia has a strong interest in the United States remaining a dynamic economic partner and a stabilizing military influence.

– Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, 2010

 

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The People’s Republic of China has recently cast itself as an Arctic nation.  In addition to acquiring two icebreakers and building an enormous embassy in Reykjavik, Iceland, Beijing has formally applied for “observer status” in the Arctic Council, an intergovernmental forum of Arctic states founded by the United States and seven other countries in 1996. Beijing hopes to maximize its...
With senior Obama administration officials set to testify on the status of Iran’s nuclear program in hearings before the Senate and the House on May 15th, the crisis over Iran’s nuclear ambitions is becoming graver with each passing day.  Over the last decade, diplomatic engagement and economic pressure have failed to persuade the Islamic Republic to abandon its drive to get nuclear weapons-...
When President Barack Obama hosts Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the White House on Thursday, their talks about Syria will have a fresh urgency. On Saturday, car bombings in the Turkish border town of Reyhanli killed at least 50 people. The Erdogan government blamed the Bashar Assad regime in Damascus for the attack.Assad's ouster is desperately desired by both leaders, and they...
For centuries, leaders of what is now modern-day Iran have evoked the legendary Cyrus Cylinder – the legal instrument dating back to 539 B.C.E. by which Cyrus II, the greatest of the Persian emperors, legitimized his rule, promoted civil and religious tolerance and even permitted Jews to return to Jerusalem, where they would rebuild the Second Temple – as a symbol of national greatness.In...

Mission Statement

The Foreign Policy Initiative seeks to promote an active U.S. foreign policy committed to robust support for democratic allies, human rights, a strong American military equipped to meet the challenges of the 21st century, and strengthening America’s global economic competitiveness.
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