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Lessons from a Sino-US Dialogue
A day-long Sino-U.S. meeting served more to flag issues worthy of further deliberation—by all concerned with U.S.-China relations—than to settle them. Among the most salient issues discussed during a recent meeting organized by the China Energy Fund and George Washington University is how far tension-reduction measures can take both nations to the promised land of peaceful co-existence.
Dangerous "Assertions" of the Freedom of Navigation
The United States' sailing of a Navy warship within 12 miles of the Chinese-built island of Subi Reef militarizes the growing conflict over which state (or states) has sovereignty rights over disputed islands in the South China Sea. Moreover, this military exercise is more aggressive than previous ones in which the United States "asserted" its self-appointed role as the world's "cop" who is charged with enforcing the freedom of navigation.
Beware of Wrong Mindfulness
At first I was skeptical. A close friend, a rather sensible fellow, told me in no uncertain terms (not his usual style) that I should become "mindful". When I humbly asked what this means, he told me "to be in the moment", to "suspend judgment", and to "run off the inner observer". It reminded me of my days at Berkeley just when the hippies came out of the woodwork.
US-China Relations: Giving Voice to Doves in a Hawkish Environment
As someone who was involved in combat for two and a half years, I much prefer that people, even enemies, talk to each other rather than shoot each other.
"Unbridled Capitalism": New Evidence
If you want to know what Pope Francis has in mind when he points out that capitalism is running amok, or has become "unbridled" and needs to be reined in, you do not have to go far.
Negotiate an End to the War in Syria
The time has come to accept that there are only bad options in Syria, and to choose the least tragic one.
Why ‘Ultimate Encryption’ Should Be Illegal
Tech companies are increasingly adopting what I call “ultimate encryption” (UE), encryption schemes that allow only the sender and the receiver of the communication to decrypt the message. Hence, tech companies are unable to comply when the authorities present a search warrant, based on the government having provided a sufficient level of particularized suspicion.
Hillary Needs a Vision
The commentariat has made much out of the fact that news about Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server has drowned out the policy proposals she has unveiled. These proposals indeed deserve public attention. However, they also reveal one of her campaign's great weaknesses.
We Can Defeat ISIS
A common argument holds that one cannot defeat ISIS because it is not merely a group of brutal terrorists, but also an idea. And, the argument goes, how can you kill an idea?
The Ultimate Encryption Debate
I have been called "irresponsible" by the famous Ronald Rivest of MIT for arguing that a new form of encryption is not merely the techies' major gift to terrorists and criminals -- but also a gross violation of the constitution!
‘Integrating China’ into the Existing Order
Obama “absolutely” rejected the notion that the U.S. seeks to contain China, and instead stated that a principal goal of his administration’s China policy was to “integrate China into the global economy.”
The Public-Private Fusion
For the past two hundred years, much public discourse has centered on the relative merits of the government versus the private sector. However, both liberals and conservatives ignore that the two sectors are ever-more closely linked.
Speaking to America?
The meeting started with an Israeli offering a handshake readily accepted by a retired Saudi general. The hand was extended by Dore Gold, hours before he became the director general of the Foreign Ministry, and accepted by retired general Anwar Eshki, the head of a Saudi think tank.
South China Sea: The One-Move Chess Player
The United States’ announcement that it is considering sending military aircraft and ships within twelve miles of a chain of artificial islands China has built up in the disputed Spratly Islands reveals once again Washington’s propensity to be a one-move chess player – the kind that makes a move without considering how the other side will respond, and what it will do then.
Economic Insecurity: A Major Concern
In informal encounters with regular folks,I gained the impression that there is an issue on their minds which no political leader is addressing.
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