TOP NEWS US-North Korea tensions approach boiling point The Hill Iran and North Korea Highlight Pitfalls of Trump’s ‘Maximum Pressure’ Strategy International Policy News What to Expect When You’re Expecting a Defense Budget Masterpiece War on the Rocks Asia & Pacific US-North Korea tensions approach boiling point The Hill3/10/2019 The Trump administration — which canceled two large-scale spring war games between the United States and South Korea in an effort to move along nuclear disarmament talks with North Korea — is now grappling with reports that Pyongyang is preparing to launch a missile soon. Living With a Nuclear North Korea The Wall Street Journal3/8/2019 Most Americans aren’t interested in a military solution to the threat—but also overestimate the U.S. ability to counter it. The good and the bad for China in a return to US-North Korea nuclear tensions South China Morning Post3/10/2019 The failed Kim-Trump talks in Hanoi allow things to stay as they are, preserving China’s regional power. But security risks tied to North Korea’s nuclear weapons threaten Chinese interests. Balakot, Deterrence, and Risk: How This India-Pakistan Crisis Will Shape the Next War on the Rocks3/11/2019 The India-Pakistan crisis seems to have peaked. The two sides continue to trade intermittent small-arms and artillery fire across the Line of Control that divides Kashmir. Skirmishes have occurred elsewhere near their border and at sea, but the situation is no longer escalating. Pakistani airspace is reopening, and even the cross-border passenger train has resumed operations. Middle East After Warsaw and the IAEA meeting, what’s next for Washington on Tehran’s nuclear file? The Hill3/8/2019 Taken together, Iran’s strategic patience — which the nuclear deal rewards — in the face of growing sanctions pressure, as well as Europe’s attachment to the JCPOA requires Washington to recalibrate its policy. Asking the E3 to renounce the JCPOA is futile, yet the U.S. should put forward several tough but reasonable requests for European support to restrain Tehran’s nuclear program. Iran and North Korea Highlight Pitfalls of Trump’s ‘Maximum Pressure’ Strategy International Policy News3/10/2019 Donald J. Trump’s hitherto failed ‘maximum pressure’ approach to Iran, as well as for that matter North Korea, begs the question what the US president’s true objectives are and what options he is left with should the policy ultimately fail. Opinion and Analysis What to Expect When You’re Expecting a Defense Budget Masterpiece War on the Rocks – Commentary3/8/2019 During our time in the Pentagon, we were deeply involved with defense budgets and strategies. Now here we are, over a year later, patiently waiting for a budget request that perfectly aligns resources with the defense strategy and wondering: What would the 2020 defense budget request look like if now-Acting Secretary Shanahan succeeds in delivering on his promised masterpiece? The Lingering Specter of Nuclear War Council on Foreign Relations – Stewart M. Patrick3/7/2019 Technological innovation and strategic competition appear to be increasing the risk of nuclear war. Mending the fraying international nuclear nonproliferation and arms control regimes should be a top global priority.