Portraits of Challenging U.S. Partnerships
WQ Dispatch October 2023
– Stephanie Bowen
Reconcilable Differences
– Ambassador Mark A. Green
In this issue of the Wilson Quarterly, we explore some of the United States' trickiest relationships—countries we work with out of necessity or affinity, but with which we also harbor major differences.
U.S.-China Engagement: Regrettable or Inevitable?
– Robert Daly
Our interactive feature uses the structure of Chinese door couplets to examine this tricky relationship.
The U.S.-Pakistan Relationship: Troubled but Not Headed for Divorce
– Michael Kugelman
The U.S.-Pakistan relationship is rife with policy disconnects, divergent interests, and deceptive tactics, but is also a story of cooperation.
The U.S.-Saudi Conundrum
– David Ottaway
The U.S.-Saudi relationship has reached a tipping point after multiple crises. Can Israel help us find a way back to our oldest Middle Eastern ally?
Egypt and the U.S.: A Partnership Rooted in the Past
– Marina Ottaway
The United States has long considered Egypt a strategic partner and a major non-NATO ally. But with a dreadful human rights record and dwindling returns, this author says it’s time for the U.S. to reevaluate its relationship to Egypt
The Caliph Confronts the West, and the Rest: The Turkish Case
– James Jeffrey
Turkey's strengths have long driven the U.S. to overlook transgressions. They may again get a pass as U.S. regional interests prevail.
Lessons from America’s Reconciliation with Vietnam
– Ted Osius
A former U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam takes readers through core lessons from a 30-year arc of reconciliation between the two countries that were once bitter enemies but now are valued partners.
America's Past and Present Collide in the Democratic Republic of Congo
– Floribert Anzuluni and Brad Brooks-Rubin
DRC resides at the nexus of the great power competition and the climate crisis. Can the U.S. help secure its future while supporting democratic reforms that help the Congolese people?
Mexico and the U.S.: Neighbors by Geography, Partners by Necessity
– Lila Abed
The U.S.-Mexico relationship is bound by strong ties but underlying tensions persist, forcing both countries to find common ground whether they like it or not.
