Category: Blogs

Here’s How to Make Sense of the Violence in Western Ukraine: Follow the Money

By John E. Herbst

Ukraine made headlines again when a nationalist group and police in the western city of Mukachevo exchanged gunfire that killed three on June 11. A group of 21 armed members of Right Sector seized a sports complex owned by Member of Parliament Mikhail Lanyo and reportedly beat and shot one of his employees in the […]

The Middle East Transformed by Iran Agreement? Take a Deep Breath; Here’s Why Not

By Richard LeBaron

The reactions to the nuclear agreement with Iran announced July 14 were utterly predictable. Those against the agreement yesterday are those against the agreement today. Those for it are still for it. The Obama administration will fight for its approval by Congress and the Netanyahu administration will fight against it. Republican presidential hopefuls are all […]

Greek Crisis ‘Diverts Attention’ from Kyiv

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Ukraine’s Economy Minister: Unlike Greece, Ukraine is embracing reforms The Greek financial crisis has diverted global attention away from Ukraine, but it also “sheds a positive light” on the Kyiv government’s achievements, Ukrainian Economy Minister Aivaras Abromavicius said in a July 14 interview. “Greece is rejecting reforms, and we are embracing reforms,” said Abromavicius, who […]

An Opportunity to Discuss Iran’s Support for al-Assad

The nuclear deal reached July 14 between Iran and the so-called P5+1—the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, China, and Germany—presents an opportunity for the Obama administration and its partners to address Iran’s support for Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad, writes Frederic C. Hof, a Senior Fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for […]

Dealing with Iran Post-Deal

By Frederic C. Hof

One may see the nuclear agreement with Iran as the product of a faulty premise and still respect the industry of US Secretary of State John Kerry and his team in arriving at respectable terms consistent with that premise. One may see the prospect of a regionally aggressive Iran soon to be flush with cash […]

EU Must Invest in Its Newest Statesman—and Keep Him Honest

By Matthew Bryza

This past Sunday in Brussels, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras received a well-earned dressing down for seventeen hours by his Eurozone colleagues.  Following months of bombast that destroyed Athens’ trust among its creditors, Tsipras’ most recent two weeks of erratic behavior seemed like a transparent attempt to blackmail the European Union. According to EU officials, […]

Top News: Pro-government Forces Retake Aden Airport in Yemen

By MENASource

Forces loyal to ousted President Abdrabbo Mansour Hadi, known as the Popular Resistance, recaptured the airport in Aden on Tuesday. Aden airport had been in the hands of the rebels since soldiers of the 39th Armored Brigade defected on March 25. The retreat by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels came as the Shia power struck a historic […]

Top News: Egypt Issues New Law Liberalizing Electricity Market

By EgyptSource

A new legislation liberalizing Egypt’s electricity market and encouraging private sector investment in the market was published in the official gazette on Monday.

Syria’s Hidden Crisis (Part II)

By Valerie Szybala

The Syrian government has trapped hundreds of thousands of its own people in besieged areas, intentionally depriving them of food, medicine, electricity, and water, as a cruel tactic of war. Despite the inhumane conditions they have been living with for years now, the people of these areas have received little help from the international community.