Category: Blogs

Politics Narrow Eastern Mediterranean Gas Export Options

By Phillip Cornell

Nicosia, Cyprus and Chania, Crete Over the past decade, major offshore natural gas finds in Egyptian, Israeli, and Cypriot waters have fueled an ongoing debate over how to get that gas to market. Fixed midstream assets and pipes will be key to getting the gas out of the region, and various export routes present their […]

TRADE in ACTION – July 20, 2017

By Global Business & Economics Program

THIS WEEK IN TRADE The White House kicked off “Made in America week,” the goal of which is to honor American workers and companies who contribute to creating products made in America. Also taking place on this side of the Atlantic is the U.S.-China Comprehensive Economic Dialogue.

Brazil’s Prosecutor-General Touts Impartiality of Corruption Probe

Former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s conviction on corruption charges is not a political statement, but an enforcement of the law demonstrative of Brazil’s commitment to combat corruption at the highest levels of society, Brazilian Prosecutor-General Rodrigo Janot said at the Atlantic Council on July 19. “What we do is to apply criminal […]

LISTEN: Aaron Stein’s Take on Continued US Military Involvement in Syria, Despite Ending the CIA Program

By SyriaSource

On July 19, the Trump administration decided to end the CIA program meant to arm moderate Syrian rebels fighting against Bashar al-Assad. While the CIA ‘train and equip’ program ends, the US military involvement continues through air strikes against the Islamic State (ISIS, ISIL, Daesh), and a Pentagon run train and equip program for the […]

Is Saleh Diplomatically Outmaneuvering the Houthis?

By Anthony Biswell

As the Yemen conflict shows no signs of abating, will former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s recent attempts to reach out to Saudi Arabia be taken seriously? A number of key events suggest that Saleh’s attempts to reach out to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members reveal a change in tactics for the long-standing politician.

Good Intentions, Unintended Consequences: The Case for Revising the Russia Sanctions Legislation

By Ellen Scholl

A consensus is emerging among Washington experts that the current draft legislation in the US Congress to expand sanctions against Russia should—and could—be refined to avoid a number of potential unintended consequences. In a panel discussion at the Atlantic Council on July 19, Daniel Fried, who as the State Department’s coordinator for sanctions policy in […]

Why Congress Should Pass the Russia Sanctions Bill

By Polina Kovaleva

Over the weekend, Congress reached an agreement on a new Russia sanctions package, though it has been overshadowed by the investigation into connections between President Donald Trump’s administration and Russia. Although the Senate easily passed a strong sanctions bill in June to punish Russia for its aggression in Ukraine and annexation of Crimea, the White House […]

A Widening Gulf

By Owen Daniels

Qatar crisis creates a headache for the United States Nearly two months in, the diplomatic crisis between the Arab Gulf states is growing ever more complicated. The July 16 Washington Post report that cites unnamed US intelligence officials as claiming that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) precipitated the diplomatic row with Qatar by hacking Qatari […]

The Only Winning Strategy for Ukraine

By Diane Francis

Imagine if, on June 14, Ukraine launched its first independent anti-corruption court and began hearing dozens of cases against people in high places. Imagine if, by mid-July, several oligarchs and public officials were convicted of corruption, and their assets confiscated. Unfortunately, neither are true. A June 14 deadline for the court imposed by the IMF […]