News + Media

	In the News March 20, 2007 The United States, India, and the Gulf: Convergence or Divergence in a Post-Iraq World? Persian Gulf Initiative The Persian Gulf Initiative workshop "The United States, India, and the Gulf: Convergence or Divergence in a post-Iraq World?" convened experts on India, the states of the Persian Gulf, and American policy to discuss the interests, perceptions, and policies of these countries. The resulting discussion focused on a set of important dynamics involving the United States, India, and the Gulf that are often overlooked in an American foreign policy community focused on the current conflict in Iraq.
	News Release March 2, 2007 Promoting peace, the Just Jerusalem competition MIT announces today the launch of "Just Jerusalem," a competition that invites participants worldwide to submit urban plans and other creative works to help transform Jerusalem into a more peaceful residence. An international panel of diplomats, researchers and professionals will jury the competition.
	Audit March 1, 2007 Sudan at the crossroads Frances M Deng, MIT There is a tendency in the outside world to see the tragedy in the Darfur region of the Sudan in isolation from the regional conflicts that have been proliferating in the country for a half century. These conflicts reflect an acute crisis of national identity that is both a cause of genocidal wars and a factor in the state’s indifference to the resulting humanitarian consequences.
	Audit March 1, 2007 China’s energy governance: perception and reality Edward A Cunningham, MIT As observers outside of China warn of a looming Chinese end game in global energy assets, manipulated by Beijing, leading policymakers inside of China are facing considerable challenges governing major energy companies—especially those that the state owns.
	Analysis + Opinion February 21, 2007 Many hidden costs line national security path Cindy WilliamsKansas City Star The $625 billion Defense Department budget President Bush sent Congress this month for fiscal year 2008 (which begins this October) is significantly larger after adjusting for inflation than any U.S. military budget since World War II. Even more staggering is the Pentagon’s plan to spend $2.8 trillion during the five years from 2008 to 2012. Unfortunately, the most striking thing about this enormous budget is that it falls far short of the true costs of the current national security path.
	News Release February 7, 2007 CIS regrets actions of Iranian authorities CIS expressed regret and disappointment at the actions of Iranian authorities who barred two prominent Iranian intellectuals from traveling to a conference at MIT. Hashem Aghajari and Abdollah Momeni were stopped from boarding an airplane in Tehran on Sunday, even though they had obtained all required documents.
	Audit February 1, 2007 North Korea: negotiations work Leon V Sigal, Social Science Research Council In a laudable about-face, President Bush has decided at last to accept North Korea’s longstanding offer to suspend production of plutonium by shutting down and sealing its reactor and reprocessing plant at Yongbyon, halting construction of a larger reactor and not restarting a newly refurbished fuel fabrication plant.
	Audit February 1, 2007 Troop levels in stability operations: what we don’t know Peter JP Krause, MIT Troop levels in Iraq have been one of the most hotly contested issues in American foreign policy over the past three years, from debates over the initial deployment in 2003 to those surrounding the troop surge in 2007.
	Analysis + Opinion January 10, 2007 Surge could push troops to breaking point Cindy WilliamsBoston Globe The Bush administration's proposal to send an additional 20,000 troops to join the 152,000 already in Iraq is unlikely to bring significant improvement to the situation in Iraq, but it is certain to further damage the already beleaguered US ground forces.
	Audit January 2, 2007 Iraq’s political factions: the last chance to build a governing coalition? Barry R Posen, MIT President Bush is renewing his effort to create an Iraq that can govern, sustain, and defend itself, and is throwing more resources at the project. The first priority must be governance, however, as administration and defense cannot happen without a functioning government.