Joshua Ball

Government & PoliticsRussia, Ukraine, United States

Trump Campaign Officials Indicted in Special Counsel Investigation

Joshua Ball

Trump Campaign Chair and associate were charged on 12 counts, including conspiracy against the United States and money laundering. Special Counsel Robert Mueller has indicted Former Trump Campaign Chairman Paul…

Economics & TradeChina, United States

China Faces a Daunting Task in Managing Its Growth and Security

Joshua Ball

Forecast: China's political stability will hang in the balance. Xi will emerge from the party’s congress with the political capital required to see a lot of his ambitious visions through. However,…

Deterrence & Foreign PolicyChina, India, Pakistan, United States

Balancing China: The Foundations of an Indo-U.S. Strategic Partnership

Joshua Ball

The United States' alliances give it a competitive edge against China. China does not engage in alliance structures targeted against third countries. This was to allow for China to retain…

Deterrence & Foreign PolicyForeign Policy, International Security, National Security, United States

The U.S. Must Manage Domestic & Foreign Challenges in Order to Wield Credible Global Influence

Joshua Ball

Despite an overall economic recovery from the 2008 financial crisis, the United States faces considerable challenges. Domestically, these problems include decreased public trust in institutions, “fake news” proliferating on social…

Defense & SecurityChina, Energy, European Union, Foreign Policy, France, International Security, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Middle East, Northern Africa, Oil, OPEC, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, United States

Converging Economic and Demographic Trends Threaten Security in the Middle East and North Africa

Joshua Ball

With oil prices unlikely to recover to levels of the petroleum boom governments may have to limit cash payments and subsidies. In the meantime, social networks have provided new tools…

Defense & SecurityBangladesh, China, India, Pakistan, United States

South Asia: India and Pakistan

Joshua Ball

Nuclear deployment requirements for naval-based delivery vehicles remove a safety valve that, until now, has kept atomic weapons stored separately from missiles in South Asia. At-sea deployments of nuclear weapons…

Defense & SecurityBhutan, China, India

India-China Dispute on the Doklam Plateau

Joshua Ball

The border dispute between China, India, and Bhutan on the Doklam Plateau carries on to be unresolved and seems to be escalating. India has ignored China's August 19 deadline for…

Defense & SecurityBrazil, China, India, Russia, South Africa, United States

The Assertions of Rising and Declining World Powers

Joshua Ball

Expect increasing assertiveness from Beijing and Moscow as both governments seek to lock in competitive advantages. Beijing and Moscow will seek to lock in competitive advantages and also to right…

Government & PoliticsCatalonia, European Union, Spain

Catalonian Secession: Madrid Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Joshua Ball

The Spanish government's bungling of the Catalan referendum only made the situation worse. There is a saying in Catalonia: "once they send in the tanks, they may have missed the…

Defense & SecurityEgypt, Iran, Kuwait, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, United States

Increased Sectarian Tensions in the Middle East as the Saudi-Iran Proxy War Heats Up

Joshua Ball

Security concerns in Saudi Arabia are on the rise. Tensions are increasing between the Shia-minority and the Kingdom's Sunni ruling class in the aftermath of the execution of Shiite cleric…

Government & PoliticsCatalonia, European Union, Spain

Catalonia Moves Toward Independence—Will Madrid Seize Control?

Joshua Ball

If Catalonia's regional government proceeds with a unilateral declaration of independence Madrid could suspend the region's autonomy and take direct control. On Oct. 4, the region's pro-independence parties, Junts pel…

Defense & SecurityForeign Policy, Russia, United States

The Subtext of Secretary Mattis’ Mysterious Memo

Joshua Ball

After a cryptic department-wide memo some are asking if Secretary James Mattis is trying to send a message. Early in August and without pretext, Secretary of Defense James Mattis circulated…