ISDEI Instituto de Seguridad, Defensa y Estudios Internacionales

By  Toshi Yoshihara , Special to CNN Editor’s note: Toshi Yoshihara is John A. van Beuren Chair of Asia-Pacific Studies at the U.S. Naval War College. The views expressed are his own. The Imperial Japanese Navy’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor remains a popular, if somewhat tired, metaphor for the dangers of unpreparedness and overexposure to risk. For years analysts and policymakers have warned Americans about all kinds of new Pearl Harbors in space, cyberspace, the global financial markets, and even the earth’s climate. But the real possibility that U.S. bases in the western Pacific could once again be vulnerable to a bolt-from-the-blue military attack has occasioned little publicity or debate. Yet it should take no stretched metaphors to appreciate this emerging threat. This time, China – armed with a large and growing arsenal of ballistic and cruise missiles – is poised to reprise Pearl Harbor. The People's Liberation Army (PLA) now possesses the means, the motives...

December 8, 2012 -- Updated 1655 GMT (0055 HKT) Morsy: I will not allow murder, sabotage STORY HIGHLIGHTS NEW:  Islamic Alliance rejects any postonement in December 15 constitutional referendum Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy has called for talks to bridge a political divide An opposition leader has called for a boycott of the talks Egypt's military leaders say they are keeping an eye on the political upheava l Cairo (CNN)  -- Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy is pushing forward with talks Saturday in an attempt to end a political crisis that threatens Egypt's stability, despite calls by the opposition to boycott the meeting. Morsy's call for talks is an attempt to end a political divide that has spilled into the streets, pitting the president's supporters and opponents against one another and raising questions about his ability to lead the fragile democracy. Egyptian authorities said at least six people were killed in violent cla...

Ethnic Kachin people sit in the doorways of shelters at a temporary camp for people displaced by fighting between government troops and the Kachin Independence Army, or KIA, outside the city of Myitkyina in the north of the country, February 22, 2012. REUTERS/Soe Zeya BANGKOK (AlertNet) – The United Nations humanitarian urged donors on Saturday to fill a $41 million funding shortfall to help thousands of people displaced by sectarian conflict in western Myanmar, describing conditions at their camps as among the worst she has seen. The UN has received only $27 million out of $68 million needed over the next nine months for some 115,000 people displaced by two waves of violence between Buddhist Rakhines and Muslim Rohingya in Rakhine State, said Valerie Amos, the U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, at a news conference in Bangkok. Inadequate funding “is seriously limiting our capacity to respond,” said Amos after a six-day trip to Bangladesh and Myanmar. ...

Tactical and Weapons Projects CROSSHAIRS (Counter Rocket-Propelled Grenade and Shooter System with Highly Accurate Immediate Response)  - This program aims to develop an all-in-one, vehicle-mounted , detection and weapons unit that will be able to locate enemy ambushers and snipers while moving or while stopped. It will also be designed with the capability to destroy incoming threats, such as rocket-propelled grenades and mortars, by firing directly on them using automated, radar guided weapons. Given combat theatres such as Afghanistan and Iraq, where small, hit and run tactics such as roadside RPG attacks are common, this technology could potentially engender a substantial reduction in casualties and lost equipment. ChemBots (Chemical Robots)  -This program, the product of cooperation between DARPA and technical research institutions such as MIT and Harvard, is developing surveillance robots that are small, flexible, and that use material-chemistry technologies such ...

Although the Xi Jinping administration is now secure enough in its transition to power to put nationalist jingoism back in the box from whence it came, recent events suggest that China will continue to tow a hard line in regards to its military and economic rights in the South China Sea. Earlier this week, Chinese media sources reported that police authorities in Hainan province will be authorized to search and seize foreign vessels operating in Chinese waters starting next year. The announcement prompted an  immediate response from the Philippine government , which condemned the move and requested a clarification as to what exactly can be considered ‘Chinese territorial waters.’ ASEAN also chimed in over the announcement, with Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan calling it a move that “raises the level of concern and great anxiety [in the dispute].” Judging by Chinese official statements on the subject, it seems likely that this expansion of search and seizure powers applies to C...

By Omar Lamrani The battle for Damascus is raging with increasing intensity while rebels continue to make substantial advances in Syria's north and east. Every new air base, city or town that falls to the rebels further underlines that Bashar al Assad's writ over the country is shrinking. It is no longer possible to accurately depict al Assad as the ruler of Syria. At this point, he is merely the  head of a large and powerful armed force , albeit one that still controls a significant portion of the country. The nature of the conflict has changed significantly since it began nearly two years ago. The rebels initially operated with meager resources and equipment, but bolstered by defections, some outside support and their  demographic advantage , they have managed to gain ground on what was previously a far superior enemy. Even the regime's qualitative superiority in equipment is fast eroding as the rebels start to frequently utilize main battle tanks, infantry f...

President seen leaving Cairo palace in convoy as opponents gather to condemn assumption of new powers Abdel-Rahman Hussein in Cairo The Guardian , Wednesday 5 December 2012 A Egyptian woman prays in front of members of the security forces as they lay out barbed wire along streets leading to the presidential palace. Photograph: AFP/Getty Egyptian security forces have clashed with opponents of Mohamed Morsi who gathered outside the presidential palace in Cairo to protest against his assumption of new powers. The march came amid rising anger over decrees Morsi has passed that give him sweeping powers. Opponents say the drafting of a new constitution has been rushed and is a move towards dictatorial rule. Morsi has called for a referendum on the draft constitution on 15 December. Marchers chanted that "the people want the downfall of the regime", and held placards bearing slogans of "no to the constitution". One witness said he had seen Morsi's co...

By George Friedman Founder and Chief Executive Officer Immediately following the declaration of a cease-fire in Gaza , Egypt was plunged into a massive domestic crisis. Mohammed Morsi, elected in the first presidential election after the fall of Hosni Mubarak, passed a decree that would essentially neuter the independent judiciary by placing his executive powers above the high court and proposed changes to the constitution that would institutionalize the Muslim Brotherhood's power. Following the decree, Morsi's political opponents launched massive demonstrations that threw Egypt into domestic instability and uncertainty. In the case of most countries, this would not be a matter of international note. But Egypt is not just another country . It is the largest Arab country and one that has been the traditional center of the Arab world. Equally important, if Egypt's domestic changes translate into shifts in its foreign policy, it could affect the regional balance of power...