The National Interest - NUMBER
96, JUL/AUG 2008
by Grover G. Norquist and Dov S. ZakheimPundits across the political spectrum have been busy making pronouncements about the “real” financial and political costs of the war in Iraq. Most of them are just blowing smoke. In TNI’s Realist, Grover Norquist and Dov Zakheim separate fact from fiction—and account for the true costs of the war, both seen and unseen.
by Bruce Hoffman and Seth G. JonesAl-Qaeda’s resurgent and it’s putting itself back together on the Afghan-Pakistan border. How are U.S. efforts stacking up? A trip to the region.
Click here to see a slideshow of photos taken by Bruce Hoffman and Seth Jones during their travels.
by Jeffrey D. SachsIn the lead article of the July/August issue of
The National Interest, Jeffrey Sachs explains why the new world order of the twenty-first century is crisis-prone. The intersecting challenges of our crowded planet, multipolarity, unprecedented demographic and environmental stresses, and the growing inequalities both within and between countries can trigger disease, migration, state failure and more.
by Josh N. RuxinWhen someone ten thousand miles away sneezes, you might indeed catch a cold—or something worse. From the millions of unnecessary deaths in the developing world to the new vulnerabilities of the developed nations, why our current approach to stopping fast-spreading disease is all wrong—and a way to avert global pandemics.
by Ivan ElandIt’s time to rein in America’s crusading zeal and move toward a policy of restraint. We’re suffering from a bad case of foreign-policy overextension, and the only cure is taking a step back to reexamine our global role.
by Daniel AltmanA host of countries are making great economic strides, which means the burgeoning global middle class is demanding an ever-growing piece of the pie. That’s good news, but it’s also causing higher prices for just about everything you could want. Thankfully though, the status quo doesn’t have to be permanent.
by Neil Howe and Richard JacksonGlobal demographic explosions are mixing with population busts—and the consequences could be serious. As some countries get older and others younger, will demography be the key to the wars of our century?
by Daniel BymanThink that state sponsors of terror are pulling all the strings? Think again. Countries like Iran and Syria may play a big role in the terrorism underworld, but they’re quickly losing control over rogues that bite the hands that once fed them.
by Javier BlasWars for oil? Food fights now seem more likely, because we’re paying the price for not keeping up with rising emerging-market demand. Yet there’s light at the end of the tunnel—increasing supply isn’t an impossible task.
by Charli CarpenterBoth sides of the debate over the Geneva Conventions have it wrong. It’s unrealistic to expect states to follow the outdated agreement to a tee. Yet America would also benefit from a code of conduct followed by all the relevant actors—even terrorists. Cutting through the haze, toward a new Geneva.
by Derek Chollet and James GoldgeierNeoconservatives and realists are battling to set the GOP’s foreign-policy agenda—and the future of American diplomacy hangs in the balance. Who’s on what side, what does each one want, and what can we expect if John McCain beats Barack Obama? Inside the struggle for the foreign-policy soul of the Republican Party.
by Jacob HeilbrunnEveryone knows about Bill Kristol and Robert Kagan. But what about their intellectual godfather? A look at the original democracy-promoting liberal defense hawk, JFK and LBJ advisor Walt Rostow.
by Jorge Castañeda and Patricio NaviaLatin America’s post-independence history has been a bumpy ride. Things are getting better thanks to solid growth of late, but inequality threatens to bring the whole thing down. Jorge Castaneda and Patricio Navia take us on a literary tour through the continent.