What — and Who — Inspired Anders Behring Breivik’s Violence?
Like many of the violent jihadists he so feared, the man responsible for last week’s attacks in Norway seems to have been radicalized via the Internet.
The author, ØYVIND STRØMMEN, is a Norwegian journalist and a contributor to a forthcoming book on right-wing extremism published by the Green European Foundation.
Read the article here.
How Austerity in the EU Creates Investment Opportunities for Beijing
The EU agreement to refinance Greece’s debt may have calmed the markets, but ongoing austerity measures across Europe are leave open potentially worrying side effect that policymakers have yet to address: the chance for China to buy sensitive assets at fire-sale prices. Mark Blyth, professor of International Political Economy at Brown University, explains.
How Hezbollah Uses Crime to Finance Its Operations
Hezbollah has long relied on foreign patrons for funding. But with Iran’s economy suffering and Syria in turmoil, the group has adopted mafia tactics to fill its coffers. Western countries should shine a spotlight on Hezbollah’s crime wave in order to hurt the group’s reputation and undermine its support, says Matthew Levitt, Director of the Stein Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
Islam and Multiculturalism Under Attack
The attacks in Norway last week targeted the very idea behind the country’s multicultural society and, in particular, the place of Muslims within it. As Norway comes to terms with the tragedy, how will the fallout affect the country’s Muslim community? Shoaid Sultan, the former Secretary General of the Islamic Council of Norway, discusses Norway’s commitment to multiculturalism. He is running as the Green Party candidate in Norway’s upcoming elections.
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How to Build an EU that Works
The EU’s current framework cannot prevent or manage fiscal problems effectively. This does not mean that it is too late to build one that can. In addition to better financial cooperation, eurozone countries need to deepen their political coordination as well, says Lorenze Bini Smaghi, a member of the Executive Board of the European Central Bank.
Policymakers Should Focus Instead on Bringing Costs Down
Export bans, price stabilization schemes, and subsidies for farmers— all policies being proposed to curb the rise in food prices— won’t help those who cannot afford food. The problem is not food price volatility, it is expensive food. Professors Christopher B. Barrett and Marc F. Bellemare, of Cornell and Duke Universities, respectively, suggest an alternative solution.
Most policymakers makers believe that the poor are more susceptible to the appeals of violent groups. Counterterrorism policies have therefore often centered on economic development. In Pakistan, however, it is the middle class that is supportive of militant groups. What does this mean for counterterrorism strategy?
Read the article here.
How the Arab Spring Changed the AKP
The AKP’s reaction to this spring’s uprisings in the Middle East seemed haphazard at times. But a closer look reveals that the party was actually learning to balance hard regional interests with its stated values — as all major powers must do.
Mustafa Akyol, a Turkish journalist, explains.
Also see our recommended reading list on Turkish foreign policy.
American Urban Planning and the Role of Government
New books by Witold Rybczynski and Edward Glaeser celebrate the ever-changing American urban experience. Sandy Hornick, Consultant for Strategic Planning to the New York City Department of City Planning, says both books overlook the role of the government.
How involved should the government be in urban planning? Add your comments below.
Read the book review here.
Is Helping Others Charity, or Duty, or Both?
Is helping others an act of charity or duty? Michael Walzer quotes medieval Jewish philosopher Maimonides and the experience of the Jewish Diaspora to explain that it is both. What does this mean for the humanitarian intervention in Libya, and the future of humanitarianism in US foreign policy?
Read the article here.
