World Policy Journal

Civil conflict in the future is expected to support an ethnic dimension. Ethnic conflict will be characterized by conflict between aggregations or groups sharing a collective perspective of themselves because of their inherent features. Some of the possible causes of civil conflicts in the future include the departures of colonial powers, national unity issues, and coherence of a modern state supporting a mixed colonial history.

The collapse of Serbia?

The US sees the departure of Slobodan Milosevic, Serbia's strongman, from power as the only way to promote peace in the Balkans. However, there is little development that the policy is being implemented. Not only has Milosevic successfully shut down the independent news media in the country, he has also purged critics of his regime. The US is urged to preserve the country's territorial integrity while carrying out its administration policy.

Ready for what? The new politics of Pentagon spending.

Several issues surround Pres Bill Clinton's proposal to increase Pentagon spending by $112 billion in six years. The proposal does not address the main problem facing the armed forces of the country, namely misguided priorities. The proposal would not address the main threats that the US is facing. These include terrorism, escalation of ethnic conflicts, and the spread of weapons of mass destruction.

Brazil in meltdown.

The continuing volatility of Brazil's currency is anticipated to bring about a deep recession and a return of inflation in the country. It is forecast that Brazil will suffer defaults on state and federal government debt and unsustainable interest rates. The International Monetary Fund, which has announced a memorandum of agreement with the government, has suggested the best option for Brazil to take is to float its real. The move is anticipated to minimize federal expenditures and reduce the...

The end of secrecy: U.S. national security and the imperative for openness.

The American public should renounce the obsession with secrecy that has characterized the country's government operations for more than 50 years. The President and Congress should expand the incipient structural reforms and the nation's secrecy and classification system towards the dismantling of the national security state. It is the only way that the US can establish the transparency and accountability needed of a truly democratic country.

The next American century?

Several challenges face the US in the coming century. Certain indications suggest that the country will improve its standing in the international arena. These include the globalization of US commercial standards, the expansion of American culture, and the spread of democracy into other countries. However, the country should prepare itself for a possible backlash resulting from the evils of capitalism and the emergence of other economic powers.

The war that came in from the cold: Clinton and the Irish question.

The Good Friday Agreement has temporarily ended the three-way struggle in Northern Ireland. Although there has been slow process since the agreement was signed, a number of factors indicate that the country would realize lasting peace in the future. There has been less support for armed conflicts in Northern Ireland as the country is experiencing an economic boom. In addition, changes in the international system has made revolutionary republicanism obsolete.

Deliberate disorder: a report from Moscow.

Russia's economic privatization efforts have failed to bring positive changes. The country is undergoing an economic and political crisis, worsened by immense corruption. The government has failed to convince the International Monetary Fund to release an installment of a frozen loan to pay state debts and channel credits to Russian industrialists. The country's plight is further worsened by the elite who are convinced that helping foreign companies gain an advantage in the country and promoti...

Israel in the post-Zionist age: being normal and loving it.

Post-Zionism is an ideological trend that has influenced members of the intellectual class in Israel. Characterized by a shorthand for novel ideas about the future of the country, post-Zionism promotes a vision of Israel as a thriving democratic and liberal state supporting a free market economy. Meanwhile, the country is experiencing a long-term fluidity in domestic politics and uncertainties in the foreign policy arena.

Breaking up Britain: a kingdom no longer united.

Several developments have promoted a political reconfiguration in the UK. The establishment of new regional legislatures in Wales and Scotland is anticipated to bring a number of changes to the country's political union. The British judicial system is also having problems integrating a new layer of European constitutional and commercial law. In addition, republican sentiments have become commonplace in the country's political arena.

Fortress America: The American Military and the Consequences of Peace.

Review

The Haunted Wood: Soviet Espionage in America - The Stalin Era.

Review