Category: Blogs

TRADE in ACTION – July 7, 2017

By Global Business & Economics Program

THIS WEEK IN TRADEThe G20 Summit is this week, and the stakes are high for all the attendees. For live coverage of the G20, follow along on Politico.

Trump States US Commitment to Europe, Article 5

US President Donald J. Trump’s speech in Poland ahead of the G20 summit on July 7 reassured allies and emphasized the importance of the transatlantic relationship, noting that a strong Europe is beneficial for the United States and the whole of the West. “When your nations are strong, all the free nations of Europe are […]

Expert Commentary: The Ceasefire on Syria’s Southwest Border

By SyriaSource

Today the United States, Russia, and Jordan announced a de-escalation agreement for the southwest border area in Syria. The agreement is scheduled to go into effect on Sunday, July 9 and the purpose of the agreement is to allow these countries and any groups they support in the region to focus on fighting the Islamic […]

Private Sector Support Sought for Three Seas Initiative

By Ashish Kumar Sen

US President Donald J. Trump has provided “valuable” support to the Three Seas Initiative, but he can go further by encouraging US businesses to participate in the plan that seeks to improve trade, infrastructure, and energy links among the twelve nations between the Baltic, Black, and Adriatic Seas, Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović said at the […]

The New Market on the Turkish-Syrian Border

By Ahmad Abd al-Haqq

This May, a French woman and her two children entered Syria from Turkish territory near Khirbat al-Joz. The woman was part of a French armed group and crossed by liaising with Turkish officers, paying them a sum thought to exceed two thousand dollars, according to sources interviewed by the author. Other jihadists including Chechens, Uzbeks, […]

The Passport Racket of the Syrian Government

By Shawn Carrié and Rami Zayat

A Syrian passport once cost $9 and took only a few hours to issue. As the Syrian conflict enters its seventh year, Syrians in Turkey are paying up to $2,000 and waiting for months to get one of the world’s weakest passports.

NATO Enhances its Eastern Front

By Teri Schultz

The Baltic States and Poland have long wanted an enduring NATO presence on their territories. Russia’s invasion and annexation of Crimea in 2014 convinced their allies they need it.  With plans approved at the Warsaw Summit in 2016, now the four countries each have a battle group of approximately 1,000 troops stationed on their territory. […]