| | | | In Assange Arrest, American Rule of Law Is on Trial | | | Julian Assange is the one under arrest, but in the court of public opinion, American rule of law is being judged. Assange couldn't get a fair trial in the US, by European standards, Bloomberg's Leonid Bershidsky argued recently—suggesting Britain leave it to European, not American, courts to decide if Assange should be treated as a journalist (not a spy) and shielded from prosecution; the ACLU writes that prosecuting him would mark an abuse against press freedom by the Trump administration.The Guardian, which published Assange's leaks, makes the case more sharply: It would "neither be safe nor right for the UK to extradite Mr Assange to Mr Trump's America," the paper writes. Then, there's the case against Assange—and for trying him here. WikiLeaks didn't carefully vet leaked information, but rather just dumped it on the Internet, writes David French of the National Review, arguing Assange works against, not for, US interests. | | Japan, Leader of the Free (Trade) World | | | As the US has taken a protectionist turn under President Trump, Japan has stepped in to become the world's leading voice on free trade, Foreign Policy's Michael Hirsh writes. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has salvaged the Trans-Pacific Partnership into an albeit lesser form, while preparing it for a possible US reentry after Trump, and Canada's trade minister has called Japan's role in upholding the multilateral, free-trade system "exemplary and very important," Hirsh writes. At the same time, Japan is cooking up alternatives to China's Belt and Road Initiative and has jumped ahead of Chinese investments in Australia—signs that Japan is competing strongly in its neighborhood, as well. | | Arab Spring's Underpinnings Endure | | | Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has been ousted in a coup after mass protests, and while the Arab Spring ended badly, new developments (Algeria's longtime president was ousted last week) have resuscitated notions that Arab change still lurks. The reason for these two latest uprisings—and why they may foreshadow a trend—is that the Arab Spring's driving forces remain in place, Andrew England writes in the Financial Times. Young populations are still dissatisfied; the "social contract" of spending programs, in exchange for public support, is collapsing; and the economic forecast isn't good, as the World Bank estimates the Middle East and North Africa will need to add 300 million jobs by 2050, to keep pace with demographic changes. For those reasons, England writes, rulers in the Arab world should take heed of recent developments. | | Brexit Delay Clarifies Nothing | | | Now that the EU has granted an Oct. 31 extension for Brexit, some are hailing it as a new chance for Britain to rethink things and hold another referendum; The Guardian's Anand Menon, meanwhile, says it gives the UK time to hold a general election, which could clarify Brexit by forcing all parties to spell out their intentions. But the delay really gives us no new information, writes John Roberts of The Atlantic Council. It could open the door for a referendum, or for a customs-union deal, but the only news is that Britain won't crash out of the EU imminently. In the meantime, two votes—local elections on May 2, and European Parliament elections on May 23—could at least shed light on public sentiment, but confused parliamentary jockeying is bound to resume in the short term, without much having been solved. | | Projects for a Post-Trump America | | | President Trump's diplomatic disruptions will not be easy to undo, but if he is replaced in 2020 (or in 2024 by anyone other than an acolyte), the next American president will have his or her work cut out, writes World Politics Review Editor in Chief Judah Grunstein. The to-do list will include an apology tour of American allies, after Trump's insults; reengaging with multilateral institutions like the UN and agreements like the Paris climate accord; rebalancing Middle East alliances away from Saudi Arabia and Israel; and mapping out a comprehensive strategy on China, identifying points of agreement and conflict. It's a tall order, but someone will (probably) have to do it. | | | | | | |
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