The next president will need smart, specific, actionable policy ideas at his fingertips to navigate a fraught international environment; To that end, Brookings Foreign Policy experts offer 19 concrete ideas on Europe, security, Asia, the Middle East, and more.
In the ninth edition of our quarterly evaluation of U.S.-European relations, experts analyze key trends from the past three months. One of the main takeaways, Thomas Wright says, is that Europe appears to be in a "wait-and-see" mood ahead of a historic presidential election between Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
Madiha Afzal examines the past four years of U.S. policy towards Pakistan, arguing that any reset has been driven by transactional considerations and that Washington's approach is too "piecemeal and opportunistic" to sustain in the long term.
"I think it's significant that [Pompeo and Esper's visit] is happening even as India is involved in a boundary crisis with China. India might have declined to do a high-profile visit like this with American officials, in case China was provoked further, so it says something about the U.S.-India relationship."
The defense of Europe. Regardless of the outcome of the U.S. election, Germany should do more on defense in order to address regional security issues and turn itself into Europe's "security anchor," argues Constanze Stelzenmüller.
NATO and COVID-19. Giovanna De Maio contends that in spite of major challenges, NATO was able to leverage its experience in crisis management and disaster relief when the pandemic struck.
Arms control with Russia. Though many questions remain about the future of the treaty, New START may avoid its 2021 expiration date via a one-year extension that could give the deal "a new lease on life," writes Steven Pifer.
U.S.-Ukraine policy. Steven Pifer explains how the result of the U.S. presidential election will affect U.S. policy toward Ukraine, with starkly different outcomes depending on which candidate wins.
National security and international affairs
Election security. The potential for violence following next week's election is high due to political polarization, COVID-19-related anxiety, mobilization and counter-mobilization of various groups, and more, explain Daniel Byman and Colin Clarke.
Preventing the next pandemic. Blowing the whistle on corruption in natural resource management and illicit economies can help protect ecosystems and slow the arrival of another zoonotic epidemic, as Vanda Felbab-Brown details.
U.N. leadership. While political influence over senior U.N. appointments will not disappear, the system should be reinvigorated to encourage the impartial, effective leadership envisioned in the institution's charter, Jeffrey Feltman writes.
Water cooperation with Mexico. Vanda Felbab-Brown discusses the growing stressors over water in U.S.-Mexican border areas, which have experienced worsening shortages for decades.
The U.S.-Israel-Sudan deal. In an episode of The Current podcast, Zach Vertin explains the path to Sudan's removal from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list, which paved the way to the country's normalization of relations with Israel.
Politics in Malaysia. Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has played a "never-ending political game," writes Sophie Lemière, and recent shake-ups may offer him yet another opportunity.
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