Beyond the Burka

December 2, 2011 by Lisa De Bode
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Saudi women’s vote is the result of a decade-long battle for political participation. Contrary to Western perception, they waged this battle unfettered by the burka.

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An Interview with Alec Ross, State Department Senior Advisor for Innovation

December 3, 2011 by Meghan Healy Luecke
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Alec Ross joined the State Department in April 2009 after coordinating hundreds of policy advisers for the Obama campaign. This month, he spoke with us about his job, the limitations of new media tools for governance, and how the Arab Spring is changing 21st century statecraft.

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Between the Senkakus and a Hard Place

December 3, 2011 by Leonard Kosinski
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Unresolved territorial disputes are among the key issues — along with China’s continued military growth, a resurgent Russia and a provocative North Korea — that create a balance of power that is not necessarily in Japan’s interest. In light of these challenges, the US-Japan Alliance remains as critical an anchor for security in Pacific Asia as ever before.

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Raining on Pyongyang’s Parade

December 3, 2011 by Sung-Yoon Lee

Behavioral patterns in North Korea’s brinkmanship make preparing for the next provocation possible. Understanding these patterns is important for the year 2012 when North Korea celebrates the centenary of the birth of Kim Il Sung, the founding dictator of North Korea and late father of Kim Jong Il. Pyongyang’s most likely next move would be another nuclear or ballistic missile test in 2012.

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Transformative Force: How Counterterrorism Lessons Built a More Efficient US Military

December 2, 2011 by Colonel William B. Ostlund

Counterterrorism forces in Iraq and Afghanistan facilitated modernization of the U.S. military’s approach to combat through improving interagency coordination.

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Iran’s Plot to Assassinate the Saudi Ambassador: Rhetoric or Reality?

December 2, 2011 by Artin Afkhami

There is no question that the Obama administration’s allegations regarding an Iranian plot to assassinate the Saudi Ambassador to America have aroused international concern. But experts continue to debate the veracity of the plot itself.

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Editor’s Note

December 1, 2011 by Meghan Healy Luecke

Welcome to the new Fletcher Forum online. The site is a portal for the Fletcher School’s print journal on world affairs and also publishes new online-only content, merging the Fletcher Forum with the former student publication The IR Thread. The Fletcher Forum – both online and in print – is committed to open professional exchange across institutions and continents. We encourage our readers to participate by commenting on articles and submitting content for online publication.

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