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The Debate
The Debate is our home for the best opinions from around Asia. Whether it is negotiating with Iran, responding to North Korean provocations, discussing Japan's looming demographic issues, or considering the new balance of power in the Asia-Pacific, some of the region's leading thinkers offer their take.
The Legitimacy of the Afghan Government Post-Election and After the US-Taliban Deal
By Najibullah Noorzai
How can the Afghan government revive its legitimacy ahead of the intra-Afghan peace talks?
ASEAN Must Do More to Help the Rohingyas
By Kasit Piromya
ASEAN must move from aid to rights advocacy in Myanmar’s Rakhine state.
The World Sees a Public Health Crisis. Beijing Sees a Political Threat.
By Sarah Cook
Amid the coronavirus epidemic, suppression of dissent remains a top priority for the CCP, and the stakes are higher than ever.
Afghan and Burmese Women: Sisters in the Universal Struggle for Human Rights
By Kamal Ahmad and Farhat Popal
It is essential that the international community continue to invest in women and girls around the world.
The US-Taliban Deal Ignores Human Rights and Women
By Farahnaz Ispahani
The Trump administration's deal with the Taliban ignores human rights concerns.
The World Must Respond to Hong Kong’s Latest Politicized Arrests
By Benedict Rogers
Arresting mainstream politicians and a media mogul for peaceful protest marks a sharp escalation in the assault on Hong Kong’s freedoms.
What Do Afghans Want? Peace, But Not ‘at Any Cost’
By Karl F. Inderfurth
Afghans have been cautiously hopeful about the peace process, but they are not willing to agree to a peace “at any cost.”
Enduring Peace Requires Reforms to Afghan Governance
By Ian J.Lynch
Afghanistan needs both a central government with a monopoly over the use of force and reforms which factor in the self-governance capabilities already found at the local level.
North Korea’s First Missile Launch of 2020 Shouldn’t Be a Cause for Concern
By Dan DePetris
There’s no need to panic over North Korea's latest missile test.
It’s Time for the US to Step Back Up Against Intellectual Property Theft
By Mike Gallagher and Jim Langevin
The United States must lead the way at international fora on intellectual property theft.
Why the Trump Administration’s Central Asia Strategy Improves Over Its Predecessors
By S. Frederick Starr and Svante Cornell
U.S. Central Asia policy has room to improve, but the Trump administration is steering things on the right track.
A Decentralized Government Is Not the Answer to Afghanistan’s Problems
By Ajmal Burhanzoi
In Afghanistan's case, devolving power to local institutions will only encourage further jihadism designed to wring concessions from the state.