Journal of International Studies

How no-nonsense negotiations can prevent a war with Iran. BY SEN. RAND PAUL, ISAAC APPLBAUM   |   Peace through strength. It's a philosophy that guided the United States to victory in the Cold War and a policy that protected us from the calamity of nuclear war. But in the heated debate over Syria, our commitment to this approach has wavered -- and it's time we reasserted its prominence. Some say that America's credibility was threatened when President Barack Obama drew a red line on the use of chemical weapons and then allowed the Syrians to cross it without repercussions. We couldn't disagree more -- that would be a profound misreading of Obama's response to the Syrian civil war. Our nation's democratic principles give priority to the voice of individual liberties and freedoms. We will defend them with all of our nation's might. We will not allow any nation or group to terrorize the free world -- now or ever. But foreign policy can often be...

The sad, dangerous lessons of America's budget standoff. BY JAMES TRAUB   |   I've been thinking in recent days about doctrines of national decline. The fact that at the eleventh hour the U.S. Senate managed to paddle the canoe of state away from the thunderous cataract of default is hardly a sign that the United States has preserved its global standing. For one thing, Americans will find themselves witnessing the same melodrama in three months unless Congress agrees on a long-term fiscal plan, which seems, to put it gently, damn unlikely. For another, Americans have been stumbling in a fog of their own devising for the last generation or so. The end is not nigh; but the decline is. The United States is exhibiting extremely idiosyncratic symptoms of great-power decline. Take the classic account of the subject, Paul Kennedy's  The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers . Kennedy describes a syndrome, which afflicted the Roman Empire, imperial Spain, and Victorian E...

In Syria's little town that could, the death and resurrection of the witty, profane campaign to show the world the tragedy of civil war. BY AMAL HANANO   KAFRANBEL, Syria — The Syrian revolution's heart -- not yet ravished by the regime or Islamist extremists -- beats on in the northern town of Kafranbel, where a group of dedicated activists has captured the world's attention through  witty posters and banners  that reflect the state of the revolt since spring 2011. And even as the Syrian narrative has increasingly focused on the extremists or an international plan to dismantle the Assad regime's chemical stockpiles, the artists of Kafranbel have been engaged in their own struggle -- to win back the support of residents of their own town. The 40-year-old Raed Faris and his partner, 33-year-old Ahmad Jalal, are the creative duo behind the banners. Faris -- a tall man with a booming laugh -- writes the banners, while Jalal, quiet and shy, draws the cartoons...

'The Valdai Club' is an annual public relations exercise for the Russian leadership. A group of international think-tankers, academics and journalists gathers in a Russian region and then meets President Vladimir Putin and his senior ministers. This forum has not been particularly successful PR: in recent years much of the world’s press has written critically about the Kremlin. Last month, however, when the club gathered for the tenth time, by the shores of Lake Valdai in Northern Russia, some of the discussions were positive for Russia’s image. Putin had a clear message for the outside world: Russia’s political system is starting to open up, at least at the local level. He also spoke gently about the US. Only on the fraught question of Russia’s relations with neighbouring Ukraine and Moldova did Putin appear – to a western audience – somewhat harsh. What accounts for Putin’s softer approach to domestic politics and to Washington? Russia’s mounting economic problems, the opp...

Putin and his ministers were uncharacteristically polite about Barack Obama, welcoming co-operation with him over Syria’s chemical weapons. Yet only a few weeks previously their relations with Washington had been toxic, with rows over Syria, Edward Snowden and missile defence.Ever since Vladimir Putin returned to the presidency, in May 2012, Russia’s relations with the west have been fraught. He has become increasingly authoritarian, thwarted US diplomacy on Syria and claimed that he is defending the Judaeo-Christian values abandoned by western countries. But now Putin seems to be softening his approach. This may be because of Russia’s mounting economic problems, the opposition’s surprisingly strong showing in local elections, and the convergence with Washington over Syria’s chemical weapons. A new-look Putin was on display at this year’s “Valdai Club”, a group of international think-tankers, academics and journalists that meets once a year in Russia. As we gathered by the shores ...

Commentary: The White House cannot make the same political miscalculation in Tunisia that it did in Egypt.

Analysis: After a rough season, Brazil hopes bidding for its massive offshore oil reserves will right the ship. Now Brazilian oil workers are striking and energy majors like Exxon-Mobil, Chevron and BP aren't placing their bids. Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff poses with workers of state-run oil giant Petrobras. (Vanderlei Almeida/AFP/Getty Images) HOUSTON, Texas — Brazil, a festive land of vast resources and seemingly great prospects, has had a lousy year. Many hope Monday's sale of its vast Libra offshore oil reserves will turn the tide. So what's got the South American giant down? For one, corruption scandals have tarnished the country's high-flying elite. Even Eike Batista, only recently feted by the media as a cross between to John D. Rockefeller and Sean "Puffy" Combs, is bleeding billions, his empire near bankruptcy. The economy, big enough to place Brazil at the head of the club of would-be superpowers known as BRICS (also including Russ...