Ukraine: If the US has the Monroe Doctrine why can't Russia have one? - by Dina Badie

There is no question that President Barack Obama is in a tough spot when it comes to foreign policy. The fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is, at best, progressing slowly; the war in Syria shows no signs of abating; Houthi rebels in Yemen have gained serious ground; the war in Ukraine has raised tensions with Russia significantly. I could go on. This is not to say that these crises are Obama's fault. Far from it. The United States does not have nearly as much control over world events as Americans like to believe.

Still, American foreign policy decisions do have long-term consequences that are often overlooked in favor of quick fixes. Washington's discussions to provide lethal aid to Ukraine may seem like a quick fix to stand up to big, bad Russia, but sending off American arms rarely ends well. The most prominent example of this type of misadventure was the Reagan administration's arming of mujahideen rebels in Afghanistan against the Soviet Union, only to watch our former rebel "friends" evolve into the Taliban, and some into al Qaeda.

But aside from the obvious "weapons falling into the wrong hands" dilemma, there is another problem with developing U.S. policy toward Ukraine. Russia's rationale for the annexation of Crimea and involvement in Ukraine came as a response to the expansion of NATO onto Russia's doorstep, Western attempts to pull Ukraine into its sphere of influence, and immediate recognition (and encouragement) of Ukraine's new, anti-Russian government that came to power via dubious channels. Arming Ukraine against Russia is only going to further concern and provoke Russia as the West isolates the former Eastern European power. Sending arms will only escalate the crisis and further alienate a country that is critical in dealing with more pressing issues in places like Syria or Iran.

Feeling isolated in your own region is not something that any government readily accepts -- especially a great power -- and there is no question that the U.S. government and Americans more broadly would express the same concern that Russia has in Ukraine. The Monroe Doctrine largely continues to stand today, and maintaining an American sphere of influence over Latin America is a far more sprawling dictum than keeping Ukraine pro-Russian.

Hence, Russia's concern. No sanctions, condemnation, or weapons will convince Russia that it should accept regional isolation and Western interference in Ukraine, the country that was really the last bastion of Russian influence in Eastern Europe. Russia's own limited version of the Monroe Doctrine should come as no surprise to the United States and should be well understood given our own history.

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Suriname: Bearing aid and cheap loans, China's invasion of Suriname goes on

The Foreign Ministry's elegant new headquarters in Suriname is a gift from the Chinese government.

Chinese signs on hundreds of businesses, from casinos to grocery shops and furniture stores, beckon the residents of this capital. Chinese work crews are paving roads cutting through the jungle. Anchored by a surge in immigration to this country since the '90s, and smoothed with gifts of aid and low-interest loans, China has quietly but surely established a foothold in Suriname, a tiny corner of South America that is often an afterthought even for its neighbours.

While the economic aid has certainly been welcome in Suriname, formerly known as Dutch Guiana, the growing political and demographic profile of the Chinese here has created concerns.

They range from xenophobic calls from some political leaders to investigate what they call a "Chinese invasion" to more tempered efforts to decipher what effect China's rising influence will have on a country that is already distant linguistically and culturally from the rest of South America.

For more: TODAYonline | World | Bearing aid and cheap loans, China's invasion of Suriname goes on

Miami Herald: Is the Monroe doctrine dead? - by Pablo Bachelet

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Is the Monroe doctrine dead? - by Pablo Bachelet

El Salvador's President Tony Saca, a close U.S. ally, can scarcely contain his frustration. He calls U.S. politicians ''shortsighted'' for failing to reform U.S. immigration laws. He says Latin American populism is ''a pendulum swing towards disaster'' that deserves more U.S. attention. ''The United States, in my judgment, should invest enormous resources in Latin America, along the lines of a Marshall Plan,'' he said in a recent interview. ``Generally speaking, when you want to have a neighborhood that gives you peace of mind, you have to invest in that neighborhood.''

the reality is that whoever wins the White House in November will confront a dramatically different geopolitical situation from the one that Bush faced when he was inaugurated in 2001. ''The world has changed in fundamental ways, and the big question is whether the next administration can understand that and adjust to that,'' Michael Shifter, with the Inter-American Dialogue think tank, told a recent gathering in Washington. ''The United States is not as important as it used to be. A lot of countries -- I'm talking about Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela -- have much more complicated international relations,'' he added. ``There are much more options than there were before.''

The European Union has signed trade and investment agreements with Mexico and Chile, and is negotiating similar pacts with Central America and the Andean Community of Nations, which includes Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru and Colombia. The Europeans have also signed an ''Economic Partnership Agreement'' with the 15-member Caribbean Community.