September 2, 2020
Abe Steps Down; Putin's Problems; A Wary World Watches China; The Race to a Vaccine; Western Woes; and Global Grappling
Quote of the Week
"Even though there is one year to go in my tenure and there are challenges to be met, I have decided to stand down as prime minister (...) I would like to sincerely apologize to the people of Japan for leaving my post with one year left in my term of office, and amid the coronavirus woes, while various policies are still in the process of being implemented."

-- Shinzo Abe, Japan's longest-serving Prime Minister, in his August 28 resignation speech, citing illness. He will remain in office until a successor is found.
Abe Steps Down
“The Coming Chill: Russia-Japan Relations After Abe” James Brown -- The Moscow Times, August 31, 2020

“Shinzo Abe’s Decision to Step Down” Michael Green and Nicholas Szechenyi -- Center for Strategic and International Studies, August 28, 2020

“What Abe Leave Behind for Japan and the World” Brad Glosserman -- The Japan Times, August 29, 2020

“Shinzo Abe Is Resigning: What Does This Mean for North Korea?” Mark Episkopos -- The National Interest, August 30, 2020

“The Abe Era Ends, Cheering China, Concerning Washington” Michael Auslin -- Foreign Policy, August 28, 2020

“The Japan Shinzo Abe Has Left Behind” Bill Emmott -- Project Syndicate, August 28, 2020
Putin's Problems
“What Putin Fears” The Economist, August 29, 2020

“Why Putin Cannot Allow Democracy to Win in Belarus” Peter Dickinson -- Atlantic Council, August 30, 2020

“Understanding the Limits of German Influence Over Russia” Pavel Lokshin -- WorldCrunch, August 28, 2020

“Putin’s Undying Support for Autocracy” Nikolai Petrov -- The Moscow Times, August 28, 2020
A Wary World Watches China
“Why China Is Becoming the Bogeyman in Its Border Lands” Raffaello Pantucci -- South China Morning Post, September 2, 2020

“COVID-19 and Economic Competition With China and Russia” Howard Shatz -- War on the Rocks, August 31, 2020

“What Happens If China Gets the COVID-19 Vaccine First?” Elizabeth Ralph -- Politico, August 31, 2020
The Race to a Vaccine
“What Is the World Doing to Create a COVID-19 Vaccine?” Claire Felter -- Council on Foreign Relations, August 26, 2020
Western Woes
“The Godfather Wars” Barak Seener -- The American Interest, August 28, 2020

“From Pivot to Defiance: American Policy Shift in South China Sea” Felix Chang -- Foreign Policy Research Institute, August 24, 2020

“The Broken Algorithm That Poisoned American Transportation” Aaron Gordon -- Vice, August 24, 2020

“Has the Dollar Started Its Long Decline” Jim O’Neill -- Chatham House, August 28, 2020
Global Grappling
“Addressing Lebanon’s Ailments, Acute and Chronic” Krishna Kumar and Louay Constant -- RealClear World, September 1, 2020

“Macron on Lebanon: ‘It’s a Risky Bet I’m Making’” Rym Momtaz -- Politico EU, September 1, 2020

“Greece Tries to Keep Erdogan at Bay” Gwynne Dyer -- Bangkok Post, September 2, 2020
 
“In Kashmir, Still a Long Way to Go” M.K. Narayanan -- The Hindu, September 2, 2020

“Battle for Idlib Draws Near as Sides Take Position” Sultan al-Kanj -- Al-Monitor, August 28, 2020