NATO’s Total Withdrawal From Afghanistan Could Rock Asia Stability

NATO’s Total Withdrawal From Afghanistan Could Rock Asia Stability NATO'S withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2014 is likely to have far-reaching implications for Central and South Asia. And total withdrawal of troops could be devastating for regional security and jeopardise the safety of western nations, say analysts. The stability of the region is linked directly to the US’s long-term military and economic commitment to Afghanistan after Nato troops are scheduled to leave. Click here to read the full report

The Defector: Escape from North Korea   The award-winning documentary The Defector: Escape from North Korea is a gripping, heart-wrenching look at the risks North Koreans are willing to endure to escape a despotic regime to reach freedom. Join us for the Washington Premiere Screening of this documentary on December 5th at 5:30pm, and a panel discussion afterward featuring the producer, Ann Shin, and Dong-hyuk Shin, Human rights activist and former inmate of North Korean Camp 14. Click Here to RSVP

Trending Terrorism in Asia U.S. Terrorism in Asia is not a threat of the past but a threat of the present. A recent survey of indicators compiled and presented by The Heritage Foundation found that Asian countries comprise three out of the top four countries with the most domestic terrorist attacks. Click here to Read the Full Report

About The Heritage Foundation Founded in 1973, The Heritage Foundation is a research and educational institute -- a think tank -- whose mission is to formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense.

The Heritage Foundation  |  214 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002  |  202.546.4400

Five Myths About China

The third plenum of Chinese Communist Party Congresses is often the time when the country’s rulers introduce major policy shifts. The Eighteenth Party Congress in November and, crucially, implementation over time of policies announced there offers the U.S. an opportunity to reassess China, to see whether top leaders Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang are interested in pursuing reform or will hew to the course of their predecessors. This opportunity could be wasted if the persistent myths that have long plagued American views of China are not dispelled. The key myths feature overstating Chinese economic prowess and understating clashing security interests between the China and the U.S. Click Here to Read the Full Report

What Typhoon Haiyan Taught Us About China   Typhoon Haiyan is one of the worst storms in recent history to hit land, and it is impacting an already impoverished nation. At least 1,774 people have been confirmed dead and the figure is expected to rise.  An estimated 800,000 people have been displaced.  America pledged $20 million in assistance.  China initially offered $100,000--later increasing its pledge to $1.6 million.  American friends and allies in the region should seriously consider the implication of this comparison.   Click Here for More Information

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Visits China The recent visit by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to China demonstrated an ongoing willingness on both sides to cooperate on issues of mutual interest and try to better manage the differences over their shared border.  Click Here for More Information

About The Heritage Foundation Founded in 1973, The Heritage Foundation is a research and educational institute -- a think tank -- whose mission is to formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense.

The Heritage Foundation  |  214 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002  |  202.546.4400

Asia Insights Weekly: 11.12.13

November 12, 2013          Your Weekly Update from The Heritage Foundation's Asian Studies Center A Strong and Focused National Security Strategy This study begins by asking the essential question. Why? America is a wealthy nation. Its affluence and unique commitment to human dignity make it the prime target of aggressive forces throughout the world. It depends on global financial, communications, and transportation networks that are easy to attack and hard to defend. In an age of asymmetric weapons, its very homeland is vulnerable to attack as never before. Its Constitution requires its central government to defend the nation. Why would such a government, with so great a capacity for self-defense and so much to lose if its defenses fail, voluntarily take steps that its own leaders admit are subjecting its people to unacceptable risk? The answer, we believe, is a lack of clarity on a strategic level—an escalating failure over time to define the interests that together give meaning to the term “national security,” to identify the threats to those interests, and to define the basic strategy and operating principles of a foreign policy that will effectively defend America over time. Click Here to Read the Full Report

In China, the Party Still Controls the Gun   General Peng Yong, commander of the Xinjiang Military District in China’s Lanzhou Military Region (MR), has reportedly been fired from the Xinjiang Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Standing Committee after a “terrorist attack” on Tiananmen Square. This removal highlights several key points. Click Here for More Information Ten Questions for Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel on Burma-North Korea Ties A couple weeks ago, Heritage led a discussion on U.S.-Burma military-to-military relations.  Panelist Keith Luse, former Senate Foreign Relations Committee professional staff, speaking in a personal capacity, posed ten critical questions for Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel about Burma’s relationship with North Korea.  The Administration would do well to answer them. Click here for More Information

About The Heritage Foundation Founded in 1973, The Heritage Foundation is a research and educational institute -- a think tank -- whose mission is to formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense.

The Heritage Foundation  |  214 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002  |  202.546.4400

Asia Insights Weekly (11/5/13)

November 5, 2013          Your Weekly Update from The Heritage Foundation's Asian Studies Center Getting North Korean Sanctions Right The U.S. response to North Korea’s nuclear threats has been characterized by firm rhetoric and minimalist measures, in contrast to stronger punitive measures imposed on Iran. Yet in terms of real capabilities, North Korea poses a greater nuclear threat to the U.S. and its allies than Iran.  The Obama Administration should overcome its reluctance to impose more extensive punitive measures against Pyongyang and the foreign entities that assist its nuclear and missile programs. Click Here to Read the Full Report

Lisa Curtis, Senior Research Fellow, Testifies on Afghanistan and Pakistan   Last week, Lisa Curtis testified before the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific and the Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa, House Committee on Foreign Affairs on “After the Withdrawal: The Way Forward in Afghanistan and Pakistan (Part II).” Click Here to Watch the Hearing Click Here to Read Lisa’s Testimony Congressman Steve Chabot Speaks on Burma Has Burma made enough reforms to have military-to-military cooperation with the U.S.?  Congressman Steve Chabot (R-OH) and other specialists from around Washington, D.C. say no. Click Here to Read the Full Report

About The Heritage Foundation Founded in 1973, The Heritage Foundation is a research and educational institute -- a think tank -- whose mission is to formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense.

The Heritage Foundation  |  214 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002  |  202.546.4400