In the Issue

• A Superpower Strategy?
• Th UN's Capacity to Support Countries Emerging From Conflict
• Global Action to Prevent Nuclear Terrorism
• New Forum for Bilateral Relations
• Canada Prepares for G-8/G-20

Features

A Superpower Strategy? What kind of superpower does America want to be? What ability does it have to shape global conditions and trends? What opportunities and obstacles are anticipated in the pursuit of America’s international aims? For any citizen concerned about the challenges of a fast-changing world and uneasy relations between the US and other nations, the recently released National Security Strategy is an important roadmap. Read more from program officer David Shorr about the Obama administration’s policies for engagement with the world as its sole superpower.

Th UN's Capacity to Support Countries Emerging From Conflict. In an increasingly interdependent world, strategic international coordination has often proven a largely elusive ideal. The UN Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) was explicitly designed to confront this challenge, tailored to meet the demands of post-conflict complexity by providing an integrated and coherent approach to post-conflict peacebuilding and reconciliation. Five years after its creation, many of the issues faced by the PBC highlight the challenges it will likely confront in the long term. The Stanley Foundation recently convened experts to take stock of PBC experience and look forward to maximizing its future potential. A new policy memo includes discussion highlights and key questions remaining for the PBC review process.

Global Action to Prevent Nuclear Terrorism. In the summer 2010 edition of Courier, Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins, coordinator of Threat Reduction Programs at the US Department of State, discusses extension and expansion of the G-8 Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction. Brian Finlay of the Henry L. Stimson Center looks at “dual-use” assistance to curb proliferation of WMDs and meet development needs. Co-chair of the Fissile Materials Working Group and president of Partnership for Global Security Kenneth Luongo gives Congress a read out on the Nuclear Security Summit as well as a look ahead. Read more in HTML or PDF.

Beyond the Headlines

New Forum for Bilateral Relations. The US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) convened in Beijing on May 24-25, involving 200 American officials representing the Treasury and State Departments. The meeting, the second since last July, gives both countries a high-level forum to discuss economic and strategic policy. Although some cooperation was reiterated through memorandums and work plans on topics from energy security to illegal logging, there was less substantial progress made on major issues of importance to Washington. These include charges of China’s manipulation of its currency, complaints by the foreign business community about "indigenous innovation" policies in China that exclude them from a highly valuable government-procurement market, and the lack of a tough Chinese stance on North Korea after it allegedly sunk the South Korean navy ship the Cheonan on March 26. Despite the lack of consensus on major issues, US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said of the S&ED, “This is progress.” On June 1-3, the Obama administration also hosted the first US-India Strategic Dialogue to engage another rising Asian power.

Canada Prepares for G-8/G-20. The eye-popping price tag of $1 billion to host this month’s G-8 and G-20 summits is grabbing most of the attention in Canada these days, leading some commentators to declare such leader summits anachronisms. But the meetings do provide an opportunity for world leaders to coordinate on policy leadership in order to solve many pressing global challenges. The G-20, newly minted at the 2009 Pittsburgh summit as the premier leaders’ forum, may even help more formal and inclusive organizations like the United Nations function better. So what is on the agenda of these two summits? As host, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has declared maternal and child health and nuclear nonproliferation as the priorities for the G-8. He has declared the G-20 will focus on building a stronger, more sustainable global economy. Though some, like UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, have called on Harper to expand the agenda to include climate change. Former Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin repeated that call and said poverty eradication should also be discussed. Martin said the G-20 is the world’s new “steering committee” and should not limit its actions to banking and economics. For his part, Harper has rebuffed these suggestions and is refusing to expand the agenda. A draft G-8 communiqué being negotiated has already leaked, with critics noting that the world’s wealthiest nations seem to be reneging on their earlier African aid commitments.