Doom: The Politics of Catastrophe by Niall Ferguson review
(Evening Standard) – From plagues and volcanic eruptions to the current Covid pandemic, mankind has always been faced with catastrophes.
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Evan Feigenbaum: Washington Has Lost the Plot in Asia
The United States ignores the region’s lived experience—and the tough political and social trade-offs the war has produced—at its peril.
The ongoing U.S. war with Iran is having far-reaching consequences beyond geopolitics, particularly across Asia. While Washington’s focus remains on strategic competition with China, countries throughout Asia are facing immediate economic and social challenges driven by rising fuel costs and energy disruptions.
From airline crises in South Korea to school closures in South Asia and fuel rationing across Southeast Asia, the conflict is straining national budgets, threatening welfare programs, and forcing governments into difficult trade-offs. Leaders are being pushed to choose between cutting essential social initiatives or exceeding fiscal limits, both of which carry significant political and economic risks.
The article argues that U.S. policymakers are overly focused on abstract geopolitical outcomes, while overlooking the real-world impacts on Asian economies and populations. This disconnect risks weakening America’s position in the region, as countries prioritize stability, affordability, and growth over strategic alignment.
Ultimately, Asia’s response reflects a shift toward pragmatic decision-making centered on energy security and domestic priorities—raising broader questions about U.S. influence and credibility in the region moving forward.
Read the full Evan A. Feigenbaum article here.
Evan Feigenbaum, a leading voice on geopolitics and former diplomat, has advised two U.S. Secretaries of State, a former Treasury Secretary, and the CEOs and boards of leading global companies and investment funds. With experience negotiating with dictators and ex-guerrillas, he brings a rare, on-the-ground perspective to global affairs. Feigenbaum is also the author of a book on China as a high-tech superpower and has worked extensively across regions from China and India to Australia and Kazakhstan. He currently serves as Vice President for Studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the world’s oldest international affairs think tank. To host him for a speaking engagement, contact WWSG.
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