Category: Blogs

Al-Qaeda (Finally) Begins its Conflict with the Opposition

By Saleem al-Omar

Most opposition leaders in northern Syria understand that there is no escape from a conflict with al-Qaeda. The defining features of this new conflict have started to appear, and include a recent attack conducted by members of Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (JFS, formerly the al-Qaeda affiliated Nusra Front). The Jaysh al-Mujahidin—a moderate opposition group, despite its […]

Under Threat of Extinction, Opposition Groups Unite in Northwest Syria

By Ibrahim al-Assil

When a new round of peace talks kicked off between armed opposition groups and the Syrian regime on January 23rd, a different situation played out on the ground. The talks, which took place in Astana, Kazakhstan under the auspices of Turkey and Russia, were fraught with tension between the regime and opposition delegations. However, inside […]

Rethinking Transitional Justice in Yemen

By Tarek Radwan

Six years ago today, the Yemeni people erupted in a Day of Rage against a corrupt regime to demand equal rights, but the transitional process faltered leading to the now nearly two-year-old conflict between Houthi rebels allied with former president Ali Abdullah Saleh and the government-in-exile led by President Abdrabbo Mansour Hadi backed by Saudi […]

Can the Syrian regime expel Kurdish forces out of Aleppo?

By Haid Haid

Despite the recent success of the Syrian regime in capturing the opposition-held areas of eastern Aleppo, the regime does not completely control the city. Kurdish forces still control several neighbourhoods and reports indicate the attention of the regime shifted to these areas. Despite allegations about close coordination between Kurdish forces and the Syrian regime, days […]

TRADE in ACTION – February 2, 2017

By Global Business & Economics Program

This week in TRADEinACTION: President Trump roils relations with Mexico, British PM Theresa May announced she will trigger Brexit negotiations on March 9, IMF’s Christine Lagarde visits the Atlantic Council on February 8, and Japan’s PM Abe to meet with President Trump in Washington, DC on February 10.

Czech Foreign Ministry Hacked: Russia Suspected

By Reuters and the Guardian

From Robert Muller, Reuters: Hackers have breached dozens of email accounts at the Czech Foreign Ministry in an attack resembling one against the U.S. Democratic Party

Transatlantic Energy Cooperation Seen as Vital

Energy resources and innovative technology could be a cornerstone of the independence and security of all countries, but this requires a commitment to transatlantic cooperation, according to Poland’s Deputy Energy Minister Michael Kurtyka. “Our nations, every one of them, are… first for our citizens, but we have to cooperate,” Kurtyka said at the Atlantic Council […]

A Year Full of Challenges (and Opportunities) for the EU

By Earl Anthony Wayne

While the European Union (EU) will continue to face a broad range of challenges—foreign as well as domestic—in 2017, there is also an opportunity for EU leaders, if they can muster the will and ideas, to skillfully present a European vision. Challenges such as terrorism, migration, and the economy could either accelerate the anti-EU sentiment […]

Iran Nuclear Deal: Future Tense

The future of the Iran nuclear deal—a multilateral agreement that cuts off the Islamic Republic’s path to a nuclear weapon—appears uncertain with US President Donald Trump in the White House. On the campaign trail, Trump pledged to rip up the deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). His top cabinet picks […]