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Peter Brookes: Column Archives
Peter Brookes: Column Archives

 


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August 29, 2005: The Art of (Cyber) War: "The time to take heed of the cyber threat -- Chinese or otherwise -- is now."

August 22, 2005: Iraq's Iranian Insurgency: "It's time to stop handling Iran with kid gloves, especially while Iranian hi-tech bombs deployed by Tehran-backed insurgents are killing Coalition and Iraqi forces."

August 15, 2005: An Alarming Alliance: Sino-Russian Ties Tightening: "China's growing political/economic clout mated with Russia's military would make for a potentially potent anti-American bloc."

August 1, 2005: Cozying Up to India: "The Bush administration's most unheralded foreign policy success is the dramatic upswing in U.S.-Indian relations."

July 18, 2005: Cold Shoulder: "If the EU doesn't stop deferring to Spain's soft Cuba policy, Cuba Libre may never become more than a slogan."

July 12, 2005: The Targets Here
: "We have two enemies in the War on Terror: al Qaeda -- and complacency."

June 28, 2005: Iraq's Independence Day
: "Abandoning Iraq would be the equivalent of handing it over to al Qaeda terrorists or like extremists."

June 20, 2005: Pyongyang's Empty Promise
: "Dealing with Stalinist North Korea never has and never will be easy."

June 13, 2005: Congress' Call for U.N. Reform
: "Since the United Nations can't -- or won't -- reform, Congress will have to step in and save the world body from itself."

June 6, 2005: The New Space Race
: "Failure to protect our space infrastructure would only invite a Pearl Harbor in space, leaving us deaf, dumb and blind."

May 31, 2005: Legion of Amateurs -- How China Spies
: "With the bureau focused on terrorism, the China challenge is overwhelming the FBI's counterintelligence capabilities."

May 23, 2005: CAFTA - New Front in Freedom Fight
: "The United States has rightly been promoting freedom and democracy as an antidote to many of the world's troubles. And the world will be watching our deliberations over CAFTA -- to see whether our deeds match our words."

May 9, 2005: Stalin's Ghost -- W Faces Russian Trouble: "President Bush's Moscow visit must be as carefully choreographed as a Bolshoi ballet."

May 2, 2005: Syria's Spy Lie: "The withdrawal of 14,000 Syrian troops from Lebanon last week was only the tip of the 'Syrian influence' iceberg in Lebanon."

April 25, 2005: W's Saudi BBQ -- What the Prez Will Tell the Prince: "The U.S.-Saudi partnership is increasingly pivotal in beating al Qaeda in its own backyard."

April 18, 2005: Provoking Japan: "Washington should be deeply concerned about the growing Tokyo-Beijing rivalry."

April 11, 2005: The Right Pick: "[The U.N.] is in need of some 'tough love' -- and the smart money says John Bolton is the right man to give it."

April 4, 2005: Castro's Clone: "[Hugo Chavez's] capacity for regional troublemaking shouldn't be discounted, especially as oil prices rocket."

March 28, 2005: Euro Embargo Imbroglio: "It's high time for those Europeans who oppose lifting the ban to stand up to the bullying French and Germans."

March 14, 2005: China Challenge: "Questions about Chinese strategic ambitions are making Asian capitals -- and Washington -- nervous."

March 7, 2005: Europe Needs America: "A strong America and a strong transatlantic relationship will amplify - not diminish - Europe's voice on the global stage."

February 28, 2005: Syria - W's Next Win?: "Thanks to Bush's unwavering stance on freedom and democracy, a new, free Muslim world is just over the horizon."

February 7, 2005: Europe's Gripes: "Our European friends must understand that dialogue - not monologue - is the best way to ease the transatlantic rift."

February 4, 2005: Korean Nuke Games: "For the second time in three years, the N. Koreans have been caught with their hand in the nuclear cookie jar."

January 24, 2005: Defying Doom: "[The Iraqi elections] will serve as a reminder that democracy, Islam and the Muslim world are indeed compatible."

January 18, 2005: Run Silent, Run Nuke: "USS Nautilus is a testimony to the American pioneering spirit and boundless technical ingenuity."

January 10, 2005: Egypt's Nuclear Option: "Preventing nuclear proliferation is tough business. Let's hope we do better with Egypt."

January 4, 2005: Beijing Bear Hug: "Recent developments indicate that the tectonic plates of Sino-Russian relations are shifting. We better pay attention."

December 27, 2004: The Yukos Affair: "[Bush] should look again into Putin's soul and ask what he sees: friend or foe, autocrat or democrat?"

December 20, 2004: Osama's Plan B: "Osama's latest appearance shows he's changing tactics, and he's onto something that just might work this time."

December 13, 2004: The Iraq Plan: "If Iraq's democratization is not handled properly, the country will face the prospect of more nationalist violence."

December 6, 2004: The Bear is Back: "Putin's Cold War xenophobia has inspired him to seek hegemony over the former Red empire."

November 30, 2004: China's Oil Obsession: "If you think gas prices are through the roof now, beware the advent of the Chinese family car."

November 22, 2004: Goss's Got Guts: "The CIA's intelligence is critical to our national security. We've got to get it right."

November 17, 2004: A Fine Legacy: "Colin Powell is an American hero, and one of the most respected Americans at home and abroad."

November 15, 2004: Tokyo's Turn: "Japan is evolving away from a wall flower national-security policy."

November 9, 2004: Mending Fences with Europe: "It's going to take time, effort, a change in tone and some luck to mend the transatlantic rift, but it's possible."

November 3, 2004: What the Winner Faces: "The next president will have no grace period for dealing with the broad spectrum of national-security problems that confront our nation."

October 25, 2004: Syria-S Trouble: "Syria's a dictatorship, has weapons of mass destruction and supports terrorism in Israel through the likes of Hezbollah and Hamas."

October 20, 2004: Iraq Looking Up: "If we (in collaboration with Iraqi counterparts) keep pressing the political and military offensive as we have of late, stability and security is in sight."

October 18, 2004: Bunker-Buster Brouhaha: "President Bush and Sen. John Kerry agree upon one thing ... : The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), especially into the hands of terrorists, is the single greatest threat to American national security."

October 11, 2004: Afghans' Fateful Vote: "The Afghan election will give hope to the Iraqi people that democratic elections can be theirs as well."

October 4, 2004: Why Kerry's Wrong on Korea: "It's become evident that the only effective way to end the North Korean nuclear game - completely, verifiably and irreversibly - is to meet it head-on with a united, multilateral diplomatic offensive."

September 29, 2004: Iran-Israel Confrontation Brewing?: "An Israel-Iran showdown over Tehran's outlaw nuclear-weapons program now seems increasingly imminent."

September 21, 2004: Islam & Liberty Alive in Jakarta: "Indonesia's democracy isn't perfect - but it's flourishing. And if democratic ideals can flourish here, they can prosper anywhere in the Islamic world - including Iraq and Afghanistan."

September 13, 2004: Persian Power: "It's clear that the administration does have a comprehensive policy for dealing with the growing Iranian challenge."

August 23, 2004: Campaign Promise Kept -- Missile Defense: "Bush's plan wisely calls for a layered approach for defending against all ballistic-missile classes."

August 13, 2004: Imagine Fidel Castro with Oil: "Venezuelans vote on a referendum on whether to recall President Hugo Chavez."

August 9, 2004: A Deluge of Dots: "Ignoring these intelligence "dots" would be nothing less than inviting disaster."

August 5, 2004: Terror Tradecraft: "We're not dealing only with lethal terrorists, but highly capable spooks as well."

August 2, 2004: Show of Force: "The U.S. Army may be stretched pretty thin at the moment -- but the U.S. Navy isn't."

July 19, 2004: Arming China: "Why are the Europeans doing this? Two reasons: To balance American global power and — tah dah! — to make money."

July 14, 2004: Philippine Pullout — Terror Wins (Again): "The decision to yield to terrorists' demands — even temporarily — demonstrates that terrorism pays dividends and will encourage its continued use as an evil tool of influence across the globe."

July 12, 2004: The Senate Intel Report - Slam Flunk: "Sorry, but we can't just rely on the intelligence community to reform itself, especially when the stakes are so high and time is so short."

July 6, 2004: Spooks, Lies & Videotape: "Should we be concerned about Iranian security guards running around the Big Apple taking happy snaps? Heck, yeah!"

June 28, 2004: Atomic Ayatollahs: "The Iranians aren’t interested in negotiations - they're interested in having the bomb."

June 23, 2004: Al Qaeda's Saudi Agenda: Terror vs. Oil: "Oil politics are never popular or pretty, but the introduction of terrorism makes them uglier than ever."

June 14, 2004: The China Challenge: Beijing’s Military Buildup : "Beijing sees America's preoccupation with Iraq and terrorism as an opportunity to garner unbridled strength unnoticed."

June 8, 2004: Move It Along: "Changing the structure of American forces overseas is fundamental to meeting the challenges of the new international security environment."

June 7, 2004: Wrong Way to Leave: "Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) George Tenet's abruptly-announced decision to leave his post in less than six weeks leaves the Bush administration - and perhaps the country — in a terribly vulnerable position."

June 1, 2004: Getting the Transition Right: "Now that it’s time for the Coalition to begin ceding control to a new Iraqi government, it’s vitally important that we don’t cede our leverage — or our national interests — to a gaggle of sideline-hugging, Johnny-come-latelies."

May 24, 2004: Augment the Army: "Long-term battlefield success requires developing a force that balances the appropriate troop numbers with the most advanced fighting gear this country can provide our brave warriors."

May 21, 2004: Finishing The Job: "Putting security responsibilities into Iraqi hands at this point is putting the cart before the horse."

May 17, 2004: Taking Stock: "Sowing politically motivated doubt about our wartime leaders discourages our troops and encourages the enemy."

May 11 , 2004: Stealing Defeat From the Jaws of Victory in Iraq
: "The long knives are out, not only for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, but for our Iraq policy as well."

April 26, 2004: Who's Boss?: "The Coalition has to show the insurgents, terrorists and their supporters — inside and outside Iraq — who's boss."

April 19, 2004: Spook Shakeup: "The American intelligence community is quickly becoming a dinosaur. It has to transform itself to combat new security challenges...now."

April 12, 2004: No Time to Go Wobbly: "In war, sometimes the only easy day was yesterday."

April 5, 2004: Unsettled in Uzbekistan: A New Terror Central?: "Al Qaeda, the group, is now al Qaeda, the movement. And the arrows in its quiver are multiplying."

March 15, 2004: HED: Terror's New Front: "The bombings in Madrid sadly remind us — and the world — that the War on Terror isn't just about the United States."

March 1, 2004: Osama's Obit: "Better to underpromise and overdeliver — than overpromise and underdeliver. "

February 23, 2004: Korean Conundrum: "Negotiating with North Korea is like banging your head on the wall: It feels so good when you stop."

February 9, 2004: Nuclear Wal-Mart : "The world's most destructive weapons have been placed in the hands of the world's most despicable regimes."

February 2, 2004: Blame Game : "Politics is the art of shifting blame."

January 26, 2004: Afghan Abyss : "We don't need another Colombia. We must pull Afghanistan back from that abyss."

January 19, 2004: Suicide Psyche : "What would possess a young mother in the prime of her life to strap on a belt laden with 10 pounds of plastic explosives, nails and ball bearings and to willfully widow her husband and orphan her children?"

January 12, 2004: Pakistan’s Plight : "Pakistan may be the most important country Americans don’t know is important."

January 5, 2004: Anti-Terror To-Do's: Priorities for the New Year : "But last month's thwarted Air France hijacking, and the news of security concerns on flights out of Britain and Mexico, can't help but focus the mind on the fact that the war goes on and the world remains a dangerous place."

December 15, 2003: The Terror War Goes On: "Bagging Saddam is great news, but it's not Miller time yet. It's one less face hanging in the rogue's gallery, but letting our guard down in Iraq, or elsewhere, for even a second could be disastrous."

December 8, 2003: Wen Comes to Push: "The dogs of war are barking as China's No. 2 government official, Premier Wen Jiabao, prepares to meet with President Bush on Tuesday."

December 2, 2003: More Than a Visit: "To the insurgents, foreign fighters and terrorists, [Bush's] fly-in said: America is pledged to your demise and I've come here to speak to my charges to make sure it happens."

November 24, 2003: Iran Runaround: "Only a united international front can contain the mullah's atomic efforts. If we don't address Iran's nuclear ambitions with vigor and verve, we'll end up in the same situation we have today with North Korea, where a nasty regime possesses nasty weapons."

November 17, 2003: Success, Not Egress - "Handing over the reins of government before Iraq is stabilized — and before the Iraqis are ready to run it — would be a mistake."

November 10, 2003: Forward Freedom - "The eyes of the Middle East are on Iraq. If we succeed in transforming the cradle of civilization, a tidal wave of freedom will wash over the Middle East. Once exposed to democratic ideals, the region will never be the same. The people of the Middle East will come to be better off. And so will we."

November 3, 2003: Why Iraq Is Worth It - "In war, political and moral support at home is as critical as victory on any battlefield overseas. Americans learned that lesson from our painful experience in Vietnam. We are relearning it today in Iraq."

October 24, 2003: Enabling Iran -
"Don't break out the champagne and caviar yet. The European Union's recent deal with Iran's mullahs over their 'peaceful nuclear energy program' is unlikely to be the last we hear of Tehran's nuclear transgressions."

About the Author

Peter Brookes writes a weekly column on foreign policy and defense for the New York Post and is penning a book on national security affairs for McGraw Hill due out early next fall. He appears regularly on national TV and radio.

Prior to joining the Heritage Foundation, Brookes served in the Bush administration as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for Asian and Pacific Affairs in the Office of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, where he was responsible for the development, planning, guidance and oversight of U .S. security and defense policy for 38 countries and 5 bilateral defense alliances in the Asia-Pacific region.

Brookes has a distinguished military background, including active duty in support of military operations in Iraq/Kuwait (Desert Storm); Haiti (Restore Democracy); and Bosnia (Joint Endeavor). He flew reconnaissance missions in East Asia and the Persian Gulf while stationed in Japan covering military matters related to the Soviet Union, North Korea, China, Vietnam, Iran and Iraq. His personal awards and decorations include: the Joint Service Commendation Medal; the Navy Commendation Medal (3 awards); the Navy Achievement Medal; several naval and joint unit awards; the Defense Language Institute’s Kellogg Award; the Joint Chiefs of Staff service badge; and Naval Aviation Observer (NAO) wings.

Sound Off! - Have an opinion about a Peter Brookes column? Visit the discussion forum.


© 2005 Peter Brookes. Mr. Brookes is a Senior Fellow for National Security Affairs at The Heritage Foundation in Washington, DC. These columns have originally appeared in the New York Post. All opinions expressed in this article are the author's and do not necessarily reflect those of Military.com.


 



 



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