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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.
Trump’s Devastating Silence on China’s Human Rights Abuses
By Naz El-Khatib and Ashley Wood
Trump’s obsession with “strength” at the expense of human rights has been a defining feature of his views on China.
Is Democracy Dying in Afghanistan?
By Jumakhan Rahyab
The recent presidential election, coupled with a long list of government failures, is a serious alarm heralding the death of democracy in Afghanistan.
Singapore’s New Yale-NUS Controversy: Was Academic Freedom Violated?
By Alicja Polakiewicz
Did the cancellation of an event on dissent challenge the college’s commitment to academic freedom?
Afghanistan-Sri Lanka: Natural Partners in Democracy and Development
By M. Ashraf Haidari
Despite occasional challenges, Sri Lanka’s democracy is vibrant and resilient, inspiring younger democracies such as Afghanistan.
Hypersonic Hype: Just How Big of a Deal Is China’s DF-17 Missile?
By Ankit Panda
Is China’s DF-17 hypersonic missile a serious threat to the United States?
With the Trump Administration in Survival Mode, US Foreign Policy Unpredictability Will Grow
By Ankit Panda
Don’t try to predict how an impeachment-mode Trump is likely to move on foreign policy questions.
The Taliban Go Global
By Rupert Stone
The Taliban, long an isolated and parochial movement, is going global
The Trump Administration Needs Policies to Match its Xinjiang Criticism
By Lucille Greer
China is capitalizing on global apathy toward anti-Muslim bigotry led by the president of the United States.
Erdogan’s Chinese Gamble
By Ilan Berman
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is betting big on China.
Island Diets Are Changing for the Worse. Here’s How to Stop It
By Judith Francis
Across the Pacific, island diets are worsening, with serious human and environmental consequences.
Indonesia’s Haze Crisis and the Problem with Palm Oil
By Oryza Astari
Change -- especially in instances where governments fail to sufficiently act -- truly is in the palm of our hands.
Confronting Southeast Asia’s Plastics Problem
By Mercy Barends
Women play a unique role in plastic management and face different, sometimes greater, risks. No solution is complete without their contribution.