Central Asia’s Looming Conflict Over Water, Part 1: The Upriver Countries
Two of Central Asia’s poorest countries, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, are attempting to leverage one of their few geographic advantages — control over the headwaters of two major regional rivers — to build new hydropower dams. Financing for the dams has not yet been secured, but if the projects do proceed, the already tense relations are likely to become even more fraught among Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and their richer downriver neighbors, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, which depend on the rivers’ waters.
The Limits of India’s Moves in Myanmar
Over the past few decades, with Myanmar focused on domestic issues and secluded from the West and with India distracted by internal matters, China gained a strong foothold in its Southeast Asian neighbor. Recently, however, Myanmar has sought to break out of its international isolation and reduce its dependence on China.
The Challenge of Second Terms
U.S. President Barack Obama on Jan. 21 began his second term, during which he may find himself dealing with unforeseen consequences of decisions made in his first term. Common sense might dictate that Obama now has more maneuverability in domestic and foreign policy decision-making than he did during his first term given that he will not face another re-election campaign. Empirically, however, this appears not to be the case.