In “Reconcilable Differences: Portraits of Challenging U.S. Partnerships” we examine a handful tricky relationships, highlight complexities of key partnerships, and offer policymakers thoughts on how to approach them.
In an increasingly complex world, the implementation of American foreign policy requires compromises. In “Reconcilable Differences: Portraits of Challenging U.S. Partnerships” we examine a handful of tricky relationships, highlight complexities of key partnerships, and offer policymakers insights on how to approach them.
Wilson Center President & CEO Mark A. Green sets the stage for the issue in this foreword, which reflects on both his upbringing and a long career that has given him an inside look at partnerships with countries that were both integral to U.S. interests and with which we harbored major differences.
The U.S. Pakistan Relationship: Troubled But Not Headed for Divorce
by Michael Kugelman
Pakistan is a country that has repeatedly clashed with Washington, especially on the issue of terrorism, leading to repeated diplomatic crises and extensive mistrust. This essay highlights how Washington has sought to reconcile a seemingly contradictory reality.
Egypt and the U.S.: A Partnership Rooted in the Past
by Marina Ottaway
The United States has long considered Egypt a strategic partner and a major non-NATO ally. However, with a dreadful human rights record and dwindling returns, this essay explores whether it is time for the U.S. to reevaluate its relationship to Egypt.
Washington and Beijing need a relationship with each other more than they want one. Neither can succeed unless it finds a balance between its interests and values. In our interactive feature, Robert Daly uses the structure of traditional Chinese door couplets to examine this tricky relationship.
The chronically fraught U.S.-Saudi relationship has reached a tipping point after multiple crises. In this compelling essay, Saudi Arabia expert David Ottaway asks, can Israel help us find a way back to our oldest Middle Eastern ally?
The Caliph Confronts the West, and the Rest: The Turkish Case
by Ambassador James Jeffrey
Turkey’s strengths have long made it so important to the U.S. that its human rights and other transgressions are at times overlooked. In this essay, a former U.S. Ambassador to Turkey examines why as U.S. interests prevail, they may get a pass yet again, and other challenges for bilateral relations.
