Atlantic Council blogs

Legacy of Ukraine: The Need to Engage Central Asia in the Wake of Russian Aggression

By Blake Franko

Despite the ongoing battles raging in Ukraine, more focus should be placed on the less obvious and often ignored opportunities for the West in Central Asia.

Expert Opinion: Egypt’s Role in a Joint Arab Military Force and Yemen

By EgyptSource

In the past weeks, Egypt has been a key player pushing for the formation of a joint Arab military force, and a vital ally in the Saudi-led coalition against the Houthi rebel movement in Yemen. As reports emerge of a possible ground invasion in Yemen—likely Egyptian troops supported by a Saudi air campaign—a joint regional […]

Report: Russia Threatens Nuclear Showdown Over the Baltic Republics

By The Independent and The Times (London)

From Ian Johnston, The Independent: According to notes made by an American at a meeting between Russian generals and US officials – and seen by The Times newspaper – Moscow threatened a “spectrum of responses from nuclear to non-military” if Nato moved more forces into Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

The State of the Islamic State

By Mona Alami

The Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL) has upped this ante this month, conducting a series of attacks in a number of Arab countries. While the operations in Syria, Libya, Tunisia, and Yemen pursue the organization’s goal of destabilizing the region, the ISIS escalation also means to display its strength for its supporters.

The IMF’s Very Tough Love for Ukraine

By Yuriy Gorodnichenko

As Kyiv Slashes Spending, the Economy’s Real Shrinkage This Year May Be 10, Not 6, Percent The International Monetary Fund last month threw what looks like a much-improved financial lifeline to Ukraine—and indeed, the new loan program is welcome help for a desperate need. But a check on the math of one prominent IMF realist […]

Joint Arab Military Force: A Force for Stability?

The heads of Arab League countries agreed at a summit in Egypt last month to set up a joint military force. Tarek Radwan, an Associate Director for the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center and editor of the MENASource blog, interviewed Atlantic Council analysts who weighed in on these plans.

Top News: Rebels Capture Regime’s Last Border Crossing with Jordan

By MENASource

Syrian rebels and fighters from the Nusra Front have captured the only functioning border crossing with Jordan and three nearby military posts, prompting government bombing raids on the area.

Top News: Over Thirty Killed in Sinai; Egyptians Evacuated from Yemen

By EgyptSource

Fiffteen security personnel and two civilians were killed in attacks on five security checkpoints in North Sinai early Thursday, medical sources said. Security personnel were quick to respond to the attacks, killing fifteen suspected militants, a security source said.

EconSource: UAE Issues New Companies Law to Spur IPOs

By EconSource

The United Arab Emirates has issued a companies law that eases existing rules for initial public offerings (IPOs), paving the way for more listings on the country’s main exchanges. The new law lowers the minimum free float for companies considering an IPO from 55 percent to 30 percent. The previous threshold was a stumbling block […]

The Joint Arab Military Force and Yemen: Stability or Sectarianism?

The conclusion of the Arab League Summit on March 30, 2015 culminated in a grand statement announcing the formation of a joint Arab military force to tackle regional challenges from the Maghreb to Yemen. While significant, particularly given the ongoing military operations and ground force mobilization led by Saudi Arabia against the Houthis in Yemen, […]