Category: Blogs

NAFTA Negotiations: What is at Stake?

By Caleb Darger

If representatives from the United States, Canada, and Mexico are unable to come to an agreement in the fourth round of negotiations on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the consequences could be dire for millions of US citizens whose livelihoods depend on the success of the trade deal, according to Atlantic Council experts. […]

Women’s rights in Morocco: Balancing domestic and international law

By Leila Hanafi and Danielle Hites

Despite Morocco’s many legal advances in women’s rights, its lack of effective implementation and the existence of legislative loopholes undermines its reputation as an open, tolerant, and progressive country. In recent months, Morocco’s human rights record has come under the scrutiny of international organizations, notably the UN Human Rights Council latest UPR. Morocco’s questionable human […]

Voting Machines: A National Security Vulnerability?

The political instability that has resulted from Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential elections has put the focus on voting machines as a national security vulnerability, Douglas Lute, a former US permanent representative to NATO, said at the Atlantic Council on October 10. “I don’t think I’ve seen a more severe threat to American […]

Setting the Record Straight on Crimea

By Leonid Bershidsky

It is ironic that Diane Francis views my characterizations of the Crimea annexation as touting the Kremlin line. Everything I’ve written about the Russian takeover of Crimea, from this March 2014 column comparing it with the Anschluss, to the October 4 column that displeased Francis, could land me in jail in Russia. Crimean Tatar activist […]

JCPOA or Assad? Capillary vs Artery

By Frederic C. Hof

The Trump administration is focusing properly on blocking the destabilizing, terrorist-abetting activities of Iran in Mesopotamia, the Levant, and elsewhere. Yet rather than addressing the worst of those activities head-on, it is confounding allies and risking Western unity by making the 2015 nuclear deal (the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action – JCPOA) the centerpiece of […]

Central and Eastern Europe’s Pushback Against Sanctions on Russia

By Dimitar Bechev

While the Kremlin’s hopes for a partial relaxation of US sanctions on Russia have all but evaporated due to increasing tension between Moscow and Washington, Russia can still count on friends and partners in Eastern Europe to promote sanctions relief. For example, in a speech to the Council of Europe on October 10, Czech President […]

The Stain of Assad’s Resurgence is the Failure of the International Community

By Abdullah Almousa

The Syrian opposition is facing unprecedented regional and international pressure. At the Riyadh 2 Conference last August, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told the Syrian opposition about the stances of various countries on the Syrian issue. While many preferred not to have the Assad regime remain in power, the controversy was about timing. Some countries want […]

Behind the US-Turkey visa row

By Adham Sahloul

On Sunday, the Trump Administration suspended non-immigrant visas for Turkish citizens. Students, patients seeking American medical treatment, tourists, and business travelers from Turkey will be denied entry until further notice. A previous argument indicated that US President Donald Trump is closing America’s doors to the world—be it with travel bans for mostly Muslim-majority countries, a […]

In Catalonia, a ‘Coup d’État Masquerading as a Referendum’

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Catalonia’s illegal independence referendum has thrown Spain into turmoil. In light of the escalating tensions, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is now toying with the idea of invoking the never-before-used Article 155 of the Spanish constitution that would suspend Catalonia’s regional autonomy. With a view to taking such action, Rajoy on October 11 asked the […]

The limits of democratization in Morocco

By Dr. Nabeel Khoury

The demonstrations, police repression, and continued violence in al-Hoceima in the northern Rif region of Morocco bring back not only the rebellious past of that region, but also memories among Moroccans of Hassan II’s repression—the so-called years of lead. The events also bring the country full circle back to the beginning of the Arab uprising […]