Flashpoints

Friday Flashpoints – Our Weekend Reading List

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Flashpoints

Friday Flashpoints – Our Weekend Reading List

The Diplomat’s Editor selects the top five defense and foreign policy articles for your weekend reading pleasure.

Every Friday, The Diplomat’s Harry Kazianis looks out across the net to find the best articles and analysis involving defense, strategic affairs, and foreign policy. From America’s pivot to Asia, China’s growing military power, North Korea’s seemingly daily threats to the various territorial spats across the region, The Diplomat has you covered with what you need to know going into the weekend.

Here is our top five this Friday. Have we missed something you think should be included? Want to share an important article with other readers? Please submit your links in the comment box below! Happy Friday!

Park Holds Out 'Joint Development' If N. Korea Comes Forward to Dialogue (Yonhap)- “South Korean President Park Geun-hye said Friday she wants to build trust with North Korea and work together for mutual development if Pyongyang ends its provocative behavior and comes forward for talks.”

10 Ways To Fix The Drone War (Foreign Policy)-  “Obama's targeted-killing policy is a mess. Here's what he can do about it.”

Taliban Attacks Highly Regarded Afghan Army Unit (New York Times) – “Insurgents dealt a serious blow to a battalion in eastern Afghanistan on Friday, killing 13 soldiers and overrunning their outpost.”

Beyond The Pivot (Foreign Affairs) – “The Obama administration’s “pivot” to Asia made sense, because China was starting to doubt U.S. staying power. Now that Washington has sent Beijing a clear message it will be around for the long haul, however, the time has come for the two countries to deepen and institutionalize their relationship in order to secure Asia’s lasting peace and prosperity.”

China’s Unlikely Rival: Japan (Bloomberg) – “Of all the nightmares Chinese President Xi Jinping figured he would have to face, a resurgent Japan Inc. surely wasn’t among them.”