The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS),

• Events at a Glance July 2008-June 2009 -- Chapter 1 Perspectives -- Chapter 2 Strategic Policy Issues -- Countering Modern Terrorist Threats -- Europe's Energy Security -- Towards a New Asian Security Architecture -- Chapter 3 North America -- The United States: The Primacy of Politics -- Canada: Conservatives'Tenuous Hold -- Chapter 4 Latin America -- Mexico: Drug-war Escalation -- Colombia: FARC Down but not Out -- Venezuela: A Decade of the Bolivarian Revolution -- Bolivia:'Refounding'a Polarised Nation -- Ecuador's New Constitution -- Peru: Domestic Backlash -- Brazil: Lula's Leadership -- Argentina: The Kirchners'Decline -- Cuba's Shifting Relationships -- Nicaragua: Ortega's Move toward Autocracy -- Haiti: Steps toward Stability -- Chapter 5 Europe -- Developments in European Defence -- France: A Year of Paradoxes -- Germany: Vulnerabilities in an Election Year -- United Kingdom: Political Drift -- Sluggishness in the Balkans -- Turkey: Continuing Domestic Wrangles -- Chapter 6 Russia -- Chapter 7 Middle East / Gulf -- Iran: Election Sparks Protests, Nuclear Programme Advances -- Middle East: New US Impetus Faces Old Challenges -- Iraq: Nation Gathers Strength Saudi Arabia and the -- Gulf: Cautious Modernisation -- Chapter 8 Africa -- Crossroads in South Africa -- Cohabitation in Zimbabwe -- Somalia: Anarchy and Piracy -- Persisting Intra-state Crises -- Chapter 9 South Asia and Afghanistan -- Pakistan: Political Fragility -- Afghanistan: Insurgency Grows -- India: Elections Bolster Stability -- Sri Lanka: Civil War Ends -- Bangladesh: Military-backed Rule Ends -- Nepal: Arguments Obstruct Peace Process -- Chapter 10 Asia-Pacific -- China: Caution Tempers Rising Status -- Southeast Asia: Political and Security Questions -- Australia and New Zealand: Defence Policy Shifts -- The Korean Peninsula: Diplomacy Derailed -- Japan: Politics Overshadows Security Issues -- Chapter 11 Prospectives -- Index -- Strategic Geography (after p. 212) -- Global Issues Global recession -- Slump in container trade -- Africa Anti-piracy operations off Somalia -- Middle East/Gulf West Bank settlements -- Iran's disputed election -- Asia-Pacific Afghanistan: military supply routes -- The rise of Pakistan's Taliban -- Confrontation in the Korean peninsula -- The Americas America's decaying infrastructure -- Drug-cartel violence in Mexico -- Index of Regional Maps -- North America -- Latin America -- Europe -- Russia / Eurasia -- Middle East -- Africa -- South Asia -- Asia-Pacific.

The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS),

• Events at a Glance July 2008-June 2009 -- Chapter 1 Perspectives -- Chapter 2 Strategic Policy Issues -- Countering Modern Terrorist Threats -- Europe's Energy Security -- Towards a New Asian Security Architecture -- Chapter 3 North America -- The United States: The Primacy of Politics -- Canada: Conservatives'Tenuous Hold -- Chapter 4 Latin America -- Mexico: Drug-war Escalation -- Colombia: FARC Down but not Out -- Venezuela: A Decade of the Bolivarian Revolution -- Bolivia:'Refounding'a Polarised Nation -- Ecuador's New Constitution -- Peru: Domestic Backlash -- Brazil: Lula's Leadership -- Argentina: The Kirchners'Decline -- Cuba's Shifting Relationships -- Nicaragua: Ortega's Move toward Autocracy -- Haiti: Steps toward Stability -- Chapter 5 Europe -- Developments in European Defence -- France: A Year of Paradoxes -- Germany: Vulnerabilities in an Election Year -- United Kingdom: Political Drift -- Sluggishness in the Balkans -- Turkey: Continuing Domestic Wrangles -- Chapter 6 Russia -- Chapter 7 Middle East / Gulf -- Iran: Election Sparks Protests, Nuclear Programme Advances -- Middle East: New US Impetus Faces Old Challenges -- Iraq: Nation Gathers Strength Saudi Arabia and the -- Gulf: Cautious Modernisation -- Chapter 8 Africa -- Crossroads in South Africa -- Cohabitation in Zimbabwe -- Somalia: Anarchy and Piracy -- Persisting Intra-state Crises -- Chapter 9 South Asia and Afghanistan -- Pakistan: Political Fragility -- Afghanistan: Insurgency Grows -- India: Elections Bolster Stability -- Sri Lanka: Civil War Ends -- Bangladesh: Military-backed Rule Ends -- Nepal: Arguments Obstruct Peace Process -- Chapter 10 Asia-Pacific -- China: Caution Tempers Rising Status -- Southeast Asia: Political and Security Questions -- Australia and New Zealand: Defence Policy Shifts -- The Korean Peninsula: Diplomacy Derailed -- Japan: Politics Overshadows Security Issues -- Chapter 11 Prospectives -- Index -- Strategic Geography (after p. 212) -- Global Issues Global recession -- Slump in container trade -- Africa Anti-piracy operations off Somalia -- Middle East/Gulf West Bank settlements -- Iran's disputed election -- Asia-Pacific Afghanistan: military supply routes -- The rise of Pakistan's Taliban -- Confrontation in the Korean peninsula -- The Americas America's decaying infrastructure -- Drug-cartel violence in Mexico -- Index of Regional Maps -- North America -- Latin America -- Europe -- Russia / Eurasia -- Middle East -- Africa -- South Asia -- Asia-Pacific.