The National Interest - NUMBER 102, JULY/AUGUST 2009

The Realist

by Jacob Heilbrunn
Mismanaged for eight years by the Bush administration, the Republican Party is in peril. Neoconservative table scraps are neither appropriate nor wise. But the GOP has another foreign-policy tradition to which it can turn. Presidents from Eisenhower to Reagan emphasized prudent restraint coupled with the pragmatic use of force. Unless they want to remain in the wilderness, Republicans would do well to learn from their own history.

Articles

by Bruce Riedel
Don’t be fooled by the recent positive news from Islamabad. We face the potential of a nuclear-armed state run by Islamic extremists. The head of Obama’s AfPak policy review shows us the devastating consequences of a Taliban-led takeover of Islamabad.

by Michael T. Klare
Let the market rule. As oil sources from the Western Hemisphere begin to dry up, we will increasingly turn to dictatorships for our supplies. In our July/August issue, Klare shows that the habit of giving military protection to petro-states in exchange for free-flowing crude shackles us to nefarious governments. We will only break free if we treat oil like any other commodity.

by Ramachandra Guha
India is in many ways two nations, divided between Left and Right, rich and poor, Hindu and Muslim. In its recent election, New Delhi avoided the perils of identity politics. But the center governs neither wisely nor well. With questions of growing economic inequality, lack of sustainability and continuing ideological strife, the national government must work urgently to make the two Indias one whole.

by Douglas S. Massey
Over the past two decades, America has witnessed a dramatic upsurge in illegal immigration, mostly from Mexico. But this is a problem of our own making. Workers previously labeled immigrants became illegals. The border was fortified. And now many migrants have permanently settled here rather than returning home. A more laissez-faire attitude that allows for the freer flow of people will reduce both the number of migrants and illegals.

by Charles A. Duelfer
As featured in the NYT: Weapons inspections are frequently derided as the most feckless tool in our nonproliferation arsenal. In our July/August issue, the head of the Iraq Survey Group runs us through his surreal experience, and shows that the lessons of Iraq can apply to Iran and North Korea. Pyongyang and Tehran are well on their way to functioning nuclear capabilities. Inspectors will be our only way out. To see the op-ed version, click here.

by Barry Schwartz
Six billion people are now sharing one planet, one water supply and limited energy resources with a grab-first-ask-questions-later mentality. But there is hope. New insights into human psychology can help manage everything from environmental negotiations between countries to convincing people to replace plastic sacks with reusable bags. A bit of calculated behavior coupled with a hint of morality is an avenue for exiting the tragedy of the global commons.

Books & Reviews

by Robert D. Kaplan
Iraq, cradle of civilization, has a long and tortured history. Home to the tyrant, the origins of despotism lie in the primordial ooze of the Mesopotamian swamp. Yet for a brief moment fifty years ago, the land of two rivers experienced democracy. America’s adventurism in Baghdad has given the Iraqis an opening to resuscitate this republican interlude. As our forces withdraw, Iraq is being given a second chance at measured liberalism.

by H. W. Brands
It is often noted that history is written by the victors. Does this truism still apply? Nowadays, history is regularly written by the victims, usually in service of a political agenda. And some of the victims’ grievances are centuries-old. Nonetheless, these long-remembered slights continue to poison political debate in many countries, often with violent consequences.

by Fawaz A. Gerges
As the Bush administration began its war on terror, it turned to the wrong people for policy advice. Uninformed pundits and shadowy security types were given a free hand, and they lumped all Islamists together. When academics criticized this approach, they were shut out of the corridors of power. But it turns out the Middle East specialists were right all along. The best way to win the fight against the jihadists is to expose them as a violent fringe.